ASUS MY-CINEMA PHC3-150 TV-Tuner Card

The recent switch from analog to digital television was mainly driven by the benefits of digital technology over its analog predecessor. Though digital television has become ubiquitous the conversion cannot be instantaneous, nor will analog technology simply vanish. During this transitional period of converting analog infrastructures into a digital foundation, hybrid devices like the My Cinema PHC3-150 Combo TV-Tuner Card will be essential. These hybrid devices work with both signal types allowing for a smoother transition. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests the performance of the PHC3-150. Even if you've already made the transition to digital systems you may want to check out some tricks to extract even more utility from the hybrid features of this card.

The major benefits of digital signals are the clarity of reception and the larger bandwidth. Digital broadcast companies can choose how to best use this extra bandwidth. Some use it to provide high definition programming while others choose to break the bandwidth into smaller chunks and offer multiple channels (known as multi-casting). Regardless how the data gets sliced it has to be reconstructed for viewing by subscribers. Many content providers supply proprietary receivers, tuners or DVRs for this purpose. These devices do a great job, but they are always limited in features. One solution is to buy a TV-Tuner card, like the My Cinema PHC3-150 built by ASUS, and supply the software of your choosing.

When choosing a tuner card, everyone will have slightly different needs. Buyers need to consider things like what stations they want to receive, how frequently shows will need to be recorded, and what format the content is being provided (e.g. satellite, cable or over-the-air). As shall be shown, for first-time buyers and HTPC enthusiasts the spectrum of features from a hybrid card will fit most needs.

About ASUSTek Computer, Inc.

ASUS is one of the most respected manufacturers of computer hardware of the industry, including video cards. Here is what they have to say about their commitment to quality:

"ASUS, a technology-oriented company blessed with one of the world's top R&D teams, is well known for high-quality and innovative technology. As a leading company in the new digital era, ASUS offers a complete product portfolio to compete in the new millennium.

In 2007, one in three desktop PCs sold was powered by an ASUS motherboard; and the company's 2007 revenues reached US$6.9 billion.

ASUS products' top quality stems from product development. It's like learning Chinese Kung-Fu; one must begin with cultivating the "Chi" and inner strength. Besides innovating cutting-edge features, ASUS engineers also pay special attention to EMI (electromagnetic interference), thermal, acoustics and details that usually go unnoticed to achieve complete customer satisfaction. ASUS notebooks are the first TCO'99-certified notebooks worldwide.

The requirements for this honor include radiation emission control, energy (battery consumption), ecology (environment friendly) and ergonomics. To succeed in this ultra-competitive industry, great products need to be complimented by speed-to-market, cost and service. That's why all 8,000 over employees of ASUS strive for the "ASUS Way of Total Quality Management" to offer the best quality without compromising cost and time-to-market while providing maximum value to all customers through world-class services.

With unyielding commitment to innovation and quality, ASUS won 2,568 awards in 2007, meaning on average, the company received over 7 awards every day last year. BusinessWeek has ranked ASUS amongst its InfoTech 100 for the 10th straight year; and the company is ranked as No.1 in quality products and services by the Wall Street Journal. ASUS has also achieved the number one title on the annual league table of Taiwan Top 10 Global Brands with a brand value of 11.96 billion US dollars."

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