So I was a proud owner of a TiVo a week ago, until it died on me. Now I'm pissed. Yeah, I'm sure it was probably a HD failure and things happen and yeah, it lasted me one year, but I'm still pissed. I also don't like the fact that they are implementing an AD system as well as charge a butt load of cash every month. So I started looking for alternatives and here goes:
I own a Gateway computer with:
- P4 2.27 GHz
- 512 MB RAM
- 60 GB HD
- nVidia GeForce4 MX440 128 MB
- Decent audio card
- Win XP Home
- etc.
It's a family room computer, but is barely used so I was wondering how I would go about making it a MC as well as let some of my family members use it to surf the net from time to time. I got the TV Out working so that's done.
What I'm thinking of adding:
- 1 WinTV PCI 250 (now)
- 1 WinTV PCI 500 or 250 (later)
- 120 GB HD that I used for a TiVo HD upgrade
- IR Blaster, remote, etc.
The way cable is directed now is:
1) Cable comes out of the wall and gets split.
2) One cable goes to the converter box the other straight to the TV.
3) The converter box then goes to TiVo
4) Then my VCR (in case I want to watch a VHS)
5) Then my 4 slot a/v selector and then the TV.
I'm not worried about hooking all this up, but I have a few questions and open to suggestions:
1) Will this PC setup work?
2) The specs for WinTV says that it only does 125 channels, how would I fit the Cable Converter box into the mix? How will channels change on the converter box?
3) How would the IR Blaster/Remote come into play? What are good combos for all this? I was reading about the MCE Remotes and they come with one IR that controls the PC and another that controls the box.
4) Eventually I want to add another 1 or 2 tuners, how will that play out? I don't mind running a split of basic cable into the tuner.
5) Will MP and WinTV be able to handle all this?
Obviously, if I'm going to make a system I want to make sure I have everything and don't waste time and energy and end up finding out that something will not work or is not compatible.
Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance.
I own a Gateway computer with:
- P4 2.27 GHz
- 512 MB RAM
- 60 GB HD
- nVidia GeForce4 MX440 128 MB
- Decent audio card
- Win XP Home
- etc.
It's a family room computer, but is barely used so I was wondering how I would go about making it a MC as well as let some of my family members use it to surf the net from time to time. I got the TV Out working so that's done.
What I'm thinking of adding:
- 1 WinTV PCI 250 (now)
- 1 WinTV PCI 500 or 250 (later)
- 120 GB HD that I used for a TiVo HD upgrade
- IR Blaster, remote, etc.
The way cable is directed now is:
1) Cable comes out of the wall and gets split.
2) One cable goes to the converter box the other straight to the TV.
3) The converter box then goes to TiVo
4) Then my VCR (in case I want to watch a VHS)
5) Then my 4 slot a/v selector and then the TV.
I'm not worried about hooking all this up, but I have a few questions and open to suggestions:
1) Will this PC setup work?
2) The specs for WinTV says that it only does 125 channels, how would I fit the Cable Converter box into the mix? How will channels change on the converter box?
3) How would the IR Blaster/Remote come into play? What are good combos for all this? I was reading about the MCE Remotes and they come with one IR that controls the PC and another that controls the box.
4) Eventually I want to add another 1 or 2 tuners, how will that play out? I don't mind running a split of basic cable into the tuner.
5) Will MP and WinTV be able to handle all this?
Obviously, if I'm going to make a system I want to make sure I have everything and don't waste time and energy and end up finding out that something will not work or is not compatible.
Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance.