Yes you can...it's exactly what I use here........My NTL set top box cum-modem sits on top of a video and i split the signal from the box to two PC's via a little signal splitter (about a fiver from maplins) and take the signals to a PC card in each of the PC's, one through the video first (i also have a signal out cable from my graphics card into the video so i can record, er, video clips of 'special interst' directly to video rather than using up HD space. (so in your case i'm guessing one split would go to the tv and the other to your PC TV card)
One of my cards is a Pinnacle PCTV Rave card (29.99, again maplins) and the other is Hauppauge...dont remember the name of it though.
The Hauppage card has an FM reciever and aerial (but i dont use it cos with broadband i just use web radio) and it all works splendidly together.....the tv signal is carried seperately from the internet info so theres zero effect on having the TV on whilst browsing or playing (games...GAMES DAMMIT!!)
I prefer the Pinnacle card because it detects the channels much quicker than the Haupppauge....and the Hauppauge set up info was pretty pants TBH.......
Just for info, the Pinnacle comes in on Channel 52 at 719.312Mhz
and it's a PAl I signal.
(This is not something they tell you in the setup documentation and with a dozen video formats that you need to set the Hauppauge card after, it can take a while..the Pinnacle goes for Pal I on you telling it that your'e looking for a UK Cable signal)
Don't bother going for one of the fancy 'pro' cards that give you TIVO type recording unless you particularly need the 'watch while you record' type offset functiom...i can record either card direct to the HD's on the machines or onto the VHS video recorder...I tend to use the video recoerder 'cos even though ive got two 120 gig HD's in this main machine, video direct from the PAL I source is friggin big amounts of gigs...I think its actually about 2 gig an hour .)
I love having the TV card...if i'm sitting here like this i can have a teeny weeny tv screen 'on top' of the desktop, then maximise it to full screen in a double click if i want to.....it makes wading through my invoicing a lot more pleasant.
I experimented for a while with decoding software to unencrypt video signals from the box (oooer!!) but although i got to be able to see one channel that was encrypted, it turned out to be an asian music channel and i gave it up.
Don't bother with a remote control either.......as the signal is tuned to one station on the card it won't do you any good anyway unless you want to change from CAble signal to video signal and even then, its only one button push on the keyboard if you want to do that, assuming you link up a VCR as well.
Are you still awake???
Go for it.....one of the best 30 quids i've ever spent on my pc.....and the picture qulaity...ooo, have i told you about that yet???
(unless you have a fancy 100mhz tv, the pc monitor gives a signifivcantly better piccy which is just as well cos if you tried to sit 2 foot in front of yer average front toom tv you'd soon be very ill)
In other words.......
OO...ps, i think you may have also been asking about the signal degrading......nope, it doesnt...in fact its still way stronger than my rooftop aerial signal even though it's been split.....dont forget its digital so you dont get those issues unless you take it too far)
