Kodi Community Forum

First let me apologize for my ignorance when it comes to this topic.

I'm trying to find software that would allow me to watch TV on my PC.
I have always used Windows Media Center on my system and watch with a tuner card connected to cable (which I pay for).

I don't mind my current setup, but the PC is very old and needs replacing.

Now I have just purchased a new PC running Windows 8 and it does not come with Windows Media Center and I refuse to give Microsoft any more money by purchasing the pro pack for $99.99.

So my question to this forum is,

Is there a simply FREE software program that I can use to watch TV using a tuner card and "paid for" cable on my PC?

Depends on the cable company. Some, like Comcast, flag most channels as "copy freely" and they will work with Windows PVR backends like NextPVR and ARGUS TV.

Today I use Time Warner Cable with Windows Media Center and I believe it is all Analog.

I think Time Warner Cable is copy freely, but if your tuner setup is analog then it won't matter. I was thinking you were using a cable card. Getting a cable card tuner will cost about $100-150, but it's very worth it, and the money won't go to Microsoft :)

In any case, what you have now, as long as you're happy with it, is almost certainly doable with either Next PVR or ARGUS TV. I'm not a Windows user myself, so I can't really recommend one over the other, but they both have fans here on the forum.

Lifehacker used Next PVR in their excellent setup guide: http://lifehacker.com/5981757/how-to-wat...dia-center

Thanks for the advise, I tried Next PVR and could not get it working. Something about installing the SoftPVR that got me hung up. I'll try it again, but it's looking more and more like I might have to purchase the Pro Pack from Microsoft.

Thank you!

What Cable Card do you have? Ceton tuners didn't work with NextPVR when I tried it last year.

I have a Hauppauge PVR-500.

Mythtv will work, although you'll be using Linux not windows.

c'mon, surely someone can save this poor fellow from having to give microsoft more money....

Did you try ARGUS TV?