GBPVR +/- Windows Media Center

[Fatawan]

I use GBPVR in my current old pentium machine, which rests in my office, connecting to two TVs via MediaMVP's. It works ok, but has its glitches that require trips upstairs to restart, etc. I couldn't turn my wife and kids loose with the remote and expect it to work perfectly for them every time. In my new build, I am making an HTPC to reside in the main viewing area. I already have Windows XP MCE, with a Vista upgrade coupon. I also have the OnAir USB HDTV-GT(Comcast has a LOT of channels available via QAM feature). I will use a Core2Duo processor, 680i motherboard with 8 channel onboard audio out to receiver, 2 GB RAM, HDCP enabled 7950GT, dual analog tuner(which one?), and plenty of SATA drives. So, my question is this--should I go purely GBPVR in order to take advantage of things like MediaMVP support, QAM channels, file flexibility? When used on a primary HTPC, does GBPVR offer that easy interface that even the wife and kids could use without their geek-dad input? What does MCE offer to the equation? Can you use both? Is there an advantage to using both? I'd love to hear some input as this will be the foundation of this HTPC. Thanks in advance!

EDIT: What about file types? Is any recording done under MCE put into a proprietary file type(DVR-MS)? Perhaps I need an explanation of how things get recorded under each program. Still learning......

[rowle1jt]

My wife is not a geek at all, she can run a mouse or a remote which means she can run GB-PVR. The only way I sold it to my wife (she now uses it more than me!) was that it was EASY and reliable. She likes it better than the Tivo my sister and brother in law have.

As long as windows is stable, GB-PVR will be stable (with the exception of plugin issues) and after a few weeks you won't even think about MCE.

I may be wrong, but I think MCE's DVR-MS has DRM built in....? That will limit what you can do with your content. I'm not a fan of being told what I can and cannot do with my own files.

[TornadoTJ]

No matter what I tried, I couldn't get Vista to work well with my setup. The video and audio would go out of sync, or the video would be jerky. As far as ease-of-use, it utilized the "playback" buttons on my wireless keyboard (play, pause, ff, rw, etc.) and was fully integrated into working like Windows, but in the end I had to give up and find something that would play back the recordings reliably.

[pBS]

there is a "plugin" for mce that will allow you to switch to gbpvr from within it..
then when you exit gbpvr i'm pretty sure it reloads MCE..
i can't find where i found it but here it is...

[jaxelrod]

Thanks PBS, I was looking for this, and I'm glad it's been done. So can we use our Microsoft MCE remote control from within gbpvr?

I too want to use gbpvr from within MCE just to view digital cable QAM through comcast with the OnAir USB HDTV GT.

Thanks,
Jeff