2012-11-27, 17:51
How is it possible to record live tv with my computer? I have the tv tuner card, but I have dish network. Can I still do it and if so how?
2012-11-27, 20:15
You need an analog capture device - the Hauppauge HD-PVR and Colossus cards are popular.
You'll also need a TV server that can work with those cards - Meda Portal TV Server does, MythTV (HD-PVR) and I think NextDVR.
You'll also need an external IR blaster, such as Microsoft's MCE receiver/transmitter, or the one built in to the HD-PVR (though the latter has never worked that great). There are other ways to control channel changing, but with Dish IR is it - it's also the least complicated.
Also, be prepared to invest a lot of time in this. Analog capture is kind of a pain in the rear to set up. I've done it for years and am used to it but it took quite a bit to get set up correctly, and every install is different.
You'll also need a TV server that can work with those cards - Meda Portal TV Server does, MythTV (HD-PVR) and I think NextDVR.
You'll also need an external IR blaster, such as Microsoft's MCE receiver/transmitter, or the one built in to the HD-PVR (though the latter has never worked that great). There are other ways to control channel changing, but with Dish IR is it - it's also the least complicated.
Also, be prepared to invest a lot of time in this. Analog capture is kind of a pain in the rear to set up. I've done it for years and am used to it but it took quite a bit to get set up correctly, and every install is different.
2012-11-27, 21:25
I have the digital tv tuner card, non-hd, came with a remote too
Could I use xbmc to record live tv or no as a media server instead on Microsoft's MCE?
It has the coaxial jacks inputs in the back.
I'm a newbie at this
Could I use xbmc to record live tv or no as a media server instead on Microsoft's MCE?
It has the coaxial jacks inputs in the back.
I'm a newbie at this
2012-11-28, 00:30
(2012-11-27, 21:25)y2adre Wrote: I have the digital tv tuner card, non-hd, came with a remote too
Could I use xbmc to record live tv or no as a media server instead on Microsoft's MCE?
It has the coaxial jacks inputs in the back.
I'm a newbie at this
Won't work with Dish, or any service that requires a set top box for that matter.
In the US (assuming you are in the US) your options are, over the air (antenna) or Clear QAM cable (cable TV that is unencrypted). You'll pretty much be limited to the big 4 networks, plus PBS, maybe a couple WB and Spanish TV stations depending on the area. And in the case of Clear QAM, cable companies can now encrypt even the network channels, so sooner or later that'll be out too and you'll be stuck with whatever you can get with an antenna.
Your other option is to do what I said above and buy a capture device, and literally capture the video/audio off your set top box. You'll need a box with component outputs for HD (HDMI is usually encrypted in the US and can't be captured, depends on the provider) and you'll need one set top box and capture device for each simultaneous channel you want to capture. Also you'll need a way for your PC to change the channels on the set up box, which usually means an IR blaster.
It's not for the inexperienced, at all. There's also CableCard, which requires a CableCard box, but not only is that even a bigger hassle but it won't work with XBMC - pretty much only WMC thanks to DRM.
Basically, unless you have a burning desire to use Dish with XBMC and are willing to drop the money, not to mention time, to do it, don't bother. When it's all said and done you're better off just paying for their PVR service and accepting the limitations that comes with that.
2012-11-28, 00:47
ok I can live with that. What can I do with the tuner card then if anything besides recording tv. I shouldnt let it go to waste I guess.
2012-11-28, 00:51
You can use it to transfer recordings from your Dish TV PVR to your computer in the same manner ixian described above. However, since you're not recording live TV, you don't need to worry about switching channels (i.e., no need for IRBlaster). So, if there are recordings you wish to keep long-term, this is a way to do it.
2012-11-28, 02:25
He wouldn't be able to do that with an tuner card and a Dish network set top box, which I think was his question. He'd need to buy an HD-PVR and literally play back his recordings in real time from the box to be captured, one at a time. I guess for some folks that might be appealing, but I don't see it 
He stated "I have the digital tv tuner card, non-hd"
Which isn't a lot to go on, but if it's an old-school TV tuner card like the kind that used to (and still do, I guess) ship with PC's then it's more or less useless for his setup.
In the US, if you want to watch Live TV and also record it, you either have to capture it like I outline above - which as mentioned is not trivial (or cheap) to set up - or stick with ATSC and the 4 major networks, plus whatever other minor channels that are on. Sanctioned options for most HDTV in the US is pretty limited, by design.
There's also the CableCard route if you want to use Windows Media Center for TV (there's some support in MythTV for it too, however that only works for non-flagged content, which means it's more or less pointless). I don't recommend it, really - at that point, you'll have most of the same limitations that set-top PVR's provide, so why bother? By the time you get done putting together all the gear you'll need it wouldn't really be any cheaper, either.
He stated "I have the digital tv tuner card, non-hd"
Which isn't a lot to go on, but if it's an old-school TV tuner card like the kind that used to (and still do, I guess) ship with PC's then it's more or less useless for his setup.
In the US, if you want to watch Live TV and also record it, you either have to capture it like I outline above - which as mentioned is not trivial (or cheap) to set up - or stick with ATSC and the 4 major networks, plus whatever other minor channels that are on. Sanctioned options for most HDTV in the US is pretty limited, by design.
There's also the CableCard route if you want to use Windows Media Center for TV (there's some support in MythTV for it too, however that only works for non-flagged content, which means it's more or less pointless). I don't recommend it, really - at that point, you'll have most of the same limitations that set-top PVR's provide, so why bother? By the time you get done putting together all the gear you'll need it wouldn't really be any cheaper, either.
2012-11-28, 02:36
Sorry, missed the part about his having a digital tuner card. You were telling him about analog cards, so that stuck in my mind. I use my old Hauppauge USB tuner to grab the video output from my Comcast DVR so I can archive the few shows I wish to keep for posterity. Yes, it's a bit of a PITA, but it works.
2012-11-28, 03:29
(2012-11-28, 02:25)ixian Wrote: There's also the CableCard route if you want to use Windows Media Center for TV (there's some support in MythTV for it too, however that only works for non-flagged content, which means it's more or less pointless). I don't recommend it, really - at that point, you'll have most of the same limitations that set-top PVR's provide, so why bother? By the time you get done putting together all the gear you'll need it wouldn't really be any cheaper, either.
Comcast for me only flags premium channels as copy-once, the rest are copy-free. One of the main reasons I went to HTPC and CableCard is to remove the limitations of set-top PVR's, mainly only 2 recordings at once (I could do 8 if I wanted to), only watch them on that TV (WMC + WHS = recorded TV on any PC in the house), Network Tuners (I can watch live HDTV on my laptop over wireless), space limitations (only limited by the size of the hard drives in your HTPC) and being able to compress and archive recordings if I want (MCBuddy) and add them to my XBMC library.
