View Full Version : Recording shows on TIVO or Desktop PC???
I have a question...
We got rid of cable, because it was really a waste of money, so we got an antenna. I dont miss cable a bit! But, I cannot live without the Simpsons so I have to keep the local channels at least, thats why I still have an antenna though.
Now then... I am being given a Tivo-like thing (Because it is harder to work than the real tivo).
I am thinking you have to have it hooked up to cable TV or something to where it can pull a TV Guide off the cable providers server or something, so it knows what to record. Since I have an antenna, is this information availible to me?
If not, is there anyway I can still use the Tivo-thing, even if I dont have the auto-matic features (Basically just have a manual digital recorder then).
Also, I have seen that you can hook your desktop PC up to the TV and save programs onto your hard disc on the computer. How hard is this to set up? The reason why I ask, is I have a 80 GB HDD on the desktop, and only use about 10 GB of it. That is enough to fit quite a few shows onto (although just one or two per week is all I need recorded). What equipment/software do I need to do this?
tomm10
09-09-2005, 3:26 PM
I have a question...
We got rid of cable, because it was really a waste of money, so we got an antenna. I dont miss cable a bit! But, I cannot live without the Simpsons so I have to keep the local channels at least, thats why I still have an antenna though.
Can't really answer your question but I can make a suggestion. The cable company, by law, has to provide you with bare-bones-basic cable for very low cost. I believe this is somewhere in the neighborhood of $6 a month (I'm pretty sure its under 10). The kicker is, while they only have to provide you with the basic VHF and UHF channels for that price, there's likely to be some overflow of basic cable channels that will still make it through. It might be a good compromise. You get cable clarity and ease of connection for things like Tivo but for very low cost. Call your cable company to find out about it. I know they don't like volunteering the information so you'll have to inquire.
T
Yea, i'm not 100% sure, but when we got our tivo (and this has been years ago now) but we had to tell the tivo what cable package we had so that it could go out and configure itself... I don't know if tivo works without at least a basic cable package. I would imagine it would have to, but I just don't remember seeing that option we when set ours up.
The cable company, by law, has to provide you with bare-bones-basic cable for very low cost.
Really? What law is that? I dont know if they provide something like that or not, but it would be great to stick the law in their face to make them offer me one :)
tomm10
09-09-2005, 4:19 PM
Really? What law is that? I dont know if they provide something like that or not, but it would be great to stick the law in their face to make them offer me one :)
Sorry, you may have to go through and Google that one yourself. I just looked quick and couldn't see any sort of title for the program. I don't believe this is a local thing but I guess it could be. I've known a few people who have taken advantage of it. Again, it only entitles you to cable service for the public channels.
Edit: Here's what I could find. I guess you need to talk to you Local Franchise Authority about basic cable. What they call basic is different from what the cable company advertises as its "Basic" package.
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cablerates.html
T
slipknottin
09-09-2005, 4:54 PM
I dont know about TIVO, since I use windows media center to watch/record TV. It downloads the TV show lists from the internet, through my internet connection.
And how do you have it hooked up to your TV? I bet there is some cheaper or free software that will do the same thing Media Center does.
slipknottin
09-09-2005, 4:59 PM
And how do you have it hooked up to your TV? I bet there is some cheaper or free software that will do the same thing Media Center does.
Its not hooked up to my TV. I watch TV on my computer monitor (i have no TV) I split the cable line so it goes into the TV tuner card, and the other end goes into the cable modem. I could hook up a TV to my computer though, either with the S-video, or DVI outputs on my vid card.
There is free software, myth TV, and a bunch of front ends for media player and stuff. I havent found any of them to have as nice of an interface as media center though.
lbritish
09-09-2005, 6:02 PM
There are Cable TV only versions of TIVO or similar machines from what I understand (sold bundled with cable TV subscription) then there are ones that do over the air or cable. Where does the TV Guide info come from?....
Cable TV has a special channel pumping the information to the device usually. Over the air occurs either through a dial up to the "subscription" service provider such as TIVO or other company's phone number over night through a dial up link... OR there are some cases where the guide info is broadcast through a "back channel" usually overlayed on PBS stations.
For computer based recording see here:
http://www.mythtv.org/
the tuner card they mention PVR 350 or something like that works in windows too but not with the mythtv in windows. The myth tv is a better system but requires geek skills to get it going most of the time.
most tuner cards come with basic software to do recording.
lbritish
09-09-2005, 6:03 PM
oh... and media center... that only comes with windows media center edition and can't be added on I believe... so unless you reinstall windows or buy a new computer with media center you can't use it
The myth tv is a better system but requires geek skills to get it going most of the time. good thing I have some certs and experiance with that stuff then :)
I really dont care about live TV, I would mainly be interested in recording shows.
slipknottin
09-09-2005, 6:10 PM
oh... and media center... that only comes with windows media center edition and can't be added on I believe... so unless you reinstall windows or buy a new computer with media center you can't use it
Supposedly there is some type of crack out there to allow you to install it onto an existing XP installation, I wouldnt try it though, windows has enough issues as it is.
And I agree, MythTV is nice. Just its interface makes it much more difficult to setup and use, which for most people, means its useless.
Nice info on everything else, BTW.
Walrus
09-09-2005, 11:59 PM
There is also WinMyth (http://winmyth.sourceforge.net/) which is the Windows port of MythTV. I have also known some people who used SnapStream (http://www.snapstream.com) but it's not a free software. I know there is other Windows DVR freeware out there but I cannot remember the names right now.
Here is my plan if it will work:
Take a Y connector for the coax cable into the attic and splice it in, it will go to the TV like normal. At the other side of the Y I will take a new wire and take it to the desktop TV Card. Which it will be processed and whatever, and then I take some S outputs for audio/video and hook them to the TV.
Would that work as far as hardware? That would allow me to watch TV if the desktop ever goes out.
beautifulfish
09-10-2005, 9:19 AM
We use a Dish network satellite. It's great! it's called a DVR system! It can record up to 100 hours on the hardrive! It can also pause the shows you are watching and rewind! I know it's great:D..cable does stink zac.:) never had tivo so I don't know how it works...
lbritish
09-10-2005, 3:49 PM
that's basically what you normally do. Some people purchase what is called a channel modulator and take those video outs off the computer and then get a modulator that is set to a normal TV channel and splice it back into the coax (it basically transmits on an unused channel the image from the computer) you just need to (I think) make sure you stick a filter so it doesnt start broadcasting your channel out to the cable tv customers in your neighborhood for example