[Tyzing]

I posted this in the other thread but rather start a new one because I think my goals are different.

For the record, I pay for cable and am more than happy to continue paying for cable!


The user interface for my Comcast DVR is so awful I'd do anything to eliminate it. I'm a big believer in having everything centralized (not to mention the wife will be using this too and I cannot try to confuse her or my project will get canned immediately!). I'd like to explore the live TV (PVR?) option in the new XBMC. I just came across a device called "Hauppauge CableCARD USB tuner for pay TV" which I actually new nothing about until a few minutes ago.


So I'm wondering what options do I have if I'd like to use HTPC/XBMC as my new Comcast alternative for DVR?

[Dougie Fresh]

So I'm wondering what options do I have if I'd like to use HTPC/XBMC as my new Comcast alternative for DVR?

You have quite a few options for CableCard tuners from SiliconDust, Ceton or Happauge (which is a rebadged SiliconDust). Some tuners can sit on your network, some are USB and plug directly into your HTPC and others are PCI-e expansion cards.

Then you would build Windows Media Center based HTPC(s) for the DVRs. Only WMC is capable of viewing encrypted cable content.

In my home, I have a 3-tuner SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime for the encrypted cable channels and a 2-tuner SiliconDust HDHomeRun for the unencrypted channels (networks). I have a few HTPCs, laptops and other desktops that can access these tuners through WMC. I like the network tuner since it can be easily accessed by any PC on my network and I have it sitting in my basement right where the cable comes in from the street so the coax run is very short meaning no signal issues. I also have a home server that stores all movies, recordings, etc. so that my client HTPCs can be very lightweight and share content.

[Tyzing]

Hmmm....so only WMC? I would not be able to use XBMC for TV?

[loki131]

You can launch parts of WMC from XBMC, I use it for Netflix and it works well.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=131464

[tdavis]

If you want the non-encrypted shows on Comcast (which is basically the non-HBO, SHO channels),

mythtv and xbmc-pvr will support what you want to do.

I am running Myth 0.25.2 on a Fedora box at home, with a combined XBMC/MythTV frontend for viewing.

[smitopher]

If the Wife acceptance factor (aka WAF) is a big deal then you may have to go with WMC only and get a WMC plug-in like Media browser instead of xbmc. You then have a single unified thingamajig for "watching tv". Cable Labs(keepers of the CableCard secrets), the cable companies and cable content companies conspire against you.

My experience with WMC is that you need a more powerful box for it than xbmc. I have a Foxconn nt-3700 barebone that I tried (AMD E-450 APU/Randon HD6320 GPU) and while it installs and runs, it is frustrating in it's laggyness and lack of stability. WAF DEMANDS simplicity, stability, responsiveness and attractiveness.

I have the SiliconDust HD Homerun Prime (cablecard tuner with 3 tuners) that connects to WMC via ethernet. Use wired connections.

While you could run WMC AND XBMC on the same box, you are upping the complexity and introducing more things to go wrong. This is fine for a hobbyist but for someone who just wants to watch his or her shows without having to know anything, it is a FAIL.

[Dougie Fresh]

Very well said.

[chucky_luciano]

i too am about to embark on adding premium cable tv to my xbmc setup. this article looks promising, and if accurate, means the wmc factor can be phazed out completely!!!

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/20/premi...-infinitv/

we are free!!(i think, ill let you know after i buy this)

[skippy]

Is it possible to use wmc just for the vehicle to do the recordings, and have the shows recorded from wmc scraped into tv shows in xbmc? I haven't found a way to scrape recordings from wmc into xbmc reliably.