uTuner

Television gave birth to a new form of entertainment, which is still widely used today. What's more, with advancement in technology, it's possible to hook up a cable to your computer through a dedicated device in order to enjoy shows or news from the comfort of your desktop. Specialized applications like uTuner need to be installed so that signal is properly transformed into motion pictures you enjoy the most.

The application keeps all of its features in a simple interface, with most space dedicated to the preview section for a clearer view. There's also the possibility to toggle a fullscreen mode, resize the main window or simply choose from several aspect ratio presets.

In order to fully take advantage of what the application has to offer you need to have a TV Tuner installed so that the signal can be processed into images. You can select from a wide array of video standards like NTSC, PAL and SECAM, each with various regional specifications.

Depending on the signal received, the application lets you choose modes like TV, FM or AM radio, Dss, as well as DTV for you connected tuner. What's more, there's also the possibility to obtain real time feedback from a connected webcam.

Unfortunately, the application leaves a little something to be desired in terms of functionality. Even though you can select the codec used for processing, with an option to quickly bring up its configuration panel, images tend to get stuck every now and then, even from a simple webcam connection.

What's more, there are no playback controls, which is a disappointment because snapshots cannot be taken. Another missing feature is an integrated recorder in order to save favorite shows in case your schedule interferes with the air time.

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that uTuner does not bring a new concept in the heavily-populated world of multimedia. Intentions are good, with options for multiple regions and various outputs like TV, radio and webcam, but when it comes to functionality, you'll surely get to better appreciate the good old television set for what it is meant to do.