IO-Data LCD-TV5C adds a tuner to desktop display
Want to watch a little TV while working at your computer? The usual way to do it is to install a tuner card in your PC and pop a window open on your monitor. But why sacrifice a slot or USB port, not to mention the load on your processor, just for a little tube time? Why not just stick the tuner in the display itself, and be done with it? That's what IO-Data has done, with the LCD-TV5C series, which includes 17 and 20-inch LCD displays, both of which include built-in tuners, along with that all-important picture-in-picture function, so you can at least pretend to still be working while you're catching up on "Space Ghost" reruns. Unfortunately, this looks to be a Japan-only -- and terrestrial analog broadcast-only -- product (though there is an optional external Hi-vision tuner, which sort of seems to defeat the whole purpose of this setup). Let's hope someone runs with the idea, though. Otherwise, we may just have to DIY this one with an HD display that can double as a monitor -- though we fear we'll lose that PIP function if we go that route.
[Via Akihabara News]
