so, I'm making my first media center...

[csmaster2005]

ok, I've decided I want to build another computer, that I will use as a 'media center'
what I want to be able to do: record from tv/cable onto a hard drive.
Watch movies or tv shows I've recorded off of the hard drive.

Now, I've actually somewhat decided the rig I'll build, and it's only costing me ~$250-300 (But I dont know what tv-tuner to get)

MY question is, what software should I use to do all this?
From what I've been able to find online, I think windows media center 2005 will be able to do everything I've stated.

Anyone have any other suggestions/ideas? Maybe there's some good software for linux?

Also, anyone know a tv-tuner to use for this?
I was thinking maybe the pvr-150 or 250, or an AIW

any tips on amount of memory or cpu I'd need?
The build I'm considering is something like a Intel Pentium 4 550 and 2x512 ram. an hdtv wonder from ATI for the hdtv tuner, and either an AIW or a hauppauge for the analog tv tuner.
I THINK i will run both a hdtv tuner card for OTA signals, and an analog tuner card, to be able to connect everything to my vcr and then connect it to the computer, then output it to tv via s-video on the graphics card.
Is that how I should setup the wiring?

Any wiring tips would be great as well.
I have cable and satellite. What I was thinking to do for setting it up, would be to connect cable to the satellite input, then satellite output to vcr/dvd combo drive input, then that output goes to the computer/media center's input, then output it from the media center via s-video to my tv.

This way, I would be able to record from everything, just gotta get the input correctly.


thanks!

[gEd]

Welcome!

"Anyone have any other suggestions/ideas? Maybe there's some good software for linux?"

If you come to the gbpvr forums and ask what software you should use, most if not all people here will say use gbpvr. Mythtv runs on linux and I'm sure it has many fans but you need to get your hands dirty to get it all set up (from what I hear). Several people have tried mythtv and then found us here.

I would recommend a pvr-150 (fully supported by gbpvr) for capturing analogue from your cable tuner. There is a model that has an IRblaster that is an intrared transmitter which you point at your cable tuner. Gbpvr will then be able to tell the cable tuner to change channels and output its signal to a fixed channel on the pvr-150.

DON'T get a Pentium 4 - they run too hot and therefore will be too noisy if you plan to site your htpc in your living room. Try and get a core2duo instead or an A64.

For gbpvr, 1GB ram is plenty.

I believe the hauppauge 1600 does HDTV in the US and is supported by gbpvr (search the forum for 1600). QAM was recently added but I'm not sure that that is... is it HDTV over the air?

I don;t think your vcr has any role to play here. Analogue and HD tuners sit in the pc with appropriate input cables from tuners & aerials and then s-video output to your TV.

you need a graphics card as well and if you do plan to watch HDTV, it will need to be a reasonably good one (but not anything like the latest 8800's). There is a thread in the support section about HDTV.

good luck

[csmaster2005]

thanks for the quick response. Ya I was thinking gbpvr or windows media center.

Here's some responses to what you said:

I would recommend a pvr-150 (fully supported by gbpvr) for capturing analogue from your cable tuner. There is a model that has an IRblaster that is an intrared transmitter which you point at your cable tuner. Gbpvr will then be able to tell the cable tuner to change channels and output its signal to a fixed channel on the pvr-150.

By cable tuner, do you mean digital cable box? ATM I Dont have digital cable, just standard cable. But just so I know for the future, you mean there's a pvr-150 that has some sort of transmitter to act like the cable boxe's remote, and change channels that way, eliminating the need for 2 remotes?

DON'T get a Pentium 4 - they run too hot and therefore will be too noisy if you plan to site your htpc in your living room. Try and get a core2duo instead or an A64.

ya I was thinking of a chea A64 3600

For gbpvr, 1GB ram is plenty.

perfect

I believe the hauppauge 1600 does HDTV in the US and is supported by gbpvr (search the forum for 1600). QAM was recently added but I'm not sure that that is... is it HDTV over the air?

Since you're in london you may not know, but in the US most local channel also broadcast hdtv signals over the air, and anyone with an hdtv antenna can pick em up.
I was thinking of getting dual tuners, one for the satellite box+cable (the analog one) and the second one for picking up hdtv channels.

I don;t think your vcr has any role to play here. Analogue and HD tuners sit in the pc with appropriate input cables from tuners & aerials and then s-video output to your TV.

I think you misunderstood me. What I meant was that everything from cable and satellite would be interconnected and ouputted to the VCR, then the VCR output would connect to the computer's input. Then the output from the graphics card would go to the TV. Get what I mean? How else would you recommend connecting a satellite receiver, basic cable line, and vcr/dvd player all together?

you need a graphics card as well and if you do plan to watch HDTV, it will need to be a reasonably good one (but not anything like the latest 8800's). There is a thread in the support section about HDTV.

I plan to use an RX800 which has s-video and dvi outputs. It's a good card, should do the job right?

thanks for all the help!

[gEd]

By cable tuner, do you mean digital cable box? ATM I Dont have digital cable, just standard cable. But just so I know for the future, you mean there's a pvr-150 that has some sort of transmitter to act like the cable boxe's remote, and change channels that way, eliminating the need for 2 remotes?

I mean analogue cable - the pvr-150 is an analogue only tuner and yes, the blaster will send the channel change to your cable box when a) you change channels with watch live tv via gbpvr and importanyl b) when you schedule recordings, it will ensure the box is transmitting the correct channel to be recordings. Mind I don;t have a set top box, this is just what I have read. Search for "blaster"

I was thinking of getting dual tuners, one for the satellite box+cable (the analog one) and the second one for picking up hdtv channels.

actually perhaps the 1600 card does all you want
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/...r1600.html

Two tuners on board: a 125 channel cable ready TV tuner and an ATSC digital TV tuner. Connect both cable TV and ATSC digital TV to the WinTV-HVR-1600 at the same time.

The critical thing is can the card us both tuners at the same time - you will need to check.

I think you misunderstood me. What I meant was that everything from cable and satellite would be interconnected and ouputted to the VCR, then the VCR output would connect to the computer's input. Then the output from the graphics card would go to the TV. Get what I mean? How else would you recommend connecting a satellite receiver, basic cable line, and vcr/dvd player all together?

ah ok - I guess this would work but I don;t really know. thing is, this will all be coax output. Does the cable/sat/dvd not have svideo ouput? Others here from the US may be able to provide better advice.

VCR - throw it away :-)
DVD player - ebay it and use a $20 dvd drive in the pc instead!

I plan to use an RX800 which has s-video and dvi outputs. It's a good card, should do the job right?

yep

thanks for all the help!

you're welcome. ideally you need some help from your fellow countrymen about hooking it all up together.

[csmaster2005]

see but I wanted 2 tuners so I'd have the possibility of watching while recording.

I will have a dvd drive in it, but need the vcr for older videos and what not for my parents.

I guess my main question is how would you connect all this stuff together though?

Also I believe that the satellite box has svideo out, but how would that help?

one other note: I dont have a cable box. I just have a normal coax wire coming out of the wall for my cable.

One more thing, since I havent read up on gbpvr enough, is I know it uses windows. But does it load up on boot? Can I use the system as a normal computer as well? How is the file structure for recording files etc?
thanks, and any cool pictures of setups or screens would be nice
thanks

[csmaster2005]

also, the pvr-250 would be fine as well right? Anyone have any ideas about using an AIW card?

[gEd]

see but I wanted 2 tuners so I'd have the possibility of watching while recording.

The 1600 will give you one analogue input (effectively a pvr-150) and an ATSC tuner. you can add multiple cards if you wish.

I wouldn't go for the AIW cards, I don;t think they are supported.

yes the 250 is in effect 2 x 150's.

Also I believe that the satellite box has svideo out, but how would that help?

well normally you would just go s-video out from sat box to s-video in on pvr-150. but you want to hook up vcrs and dvd also and I'm not sure of the best way to do this. The vcr and dvd probably have svideo output also (via scart) so you could get some kind of hook up box but I have no idea if this is the way to go. i'm out of my depth on this point.

one other note: I dont have a cable box. I just have a normal coax wire coming out of the wall for my cable.

But does it load up on boot?

yes, drag a shortcut to gbpvr into your startup folder

Can I use the system as a normal computer as well?

definately but maybe not the very latest uber games when recording.

How is the file structure for recording files etc?

You define a drive & folder where you want your recordings to go. Each recording will go into a new folder that has the name of the show. Multiple episodes of the same show should go in the same folder

thanks, and any cool pictures of setups or screens would be nice

http://www.gbpvr.com/index.php?option=co...&Itemid=37

new version 1.0.8 just released that uses directdraw and will mean skins can be scaled up without degrading.

one of the best plugins is the community skins that gives you many different skinning options and works across all the different plugins that have been written by the talented people who hang out here

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Skin/CommunitySkin

Spend some time reading the wiki to get a feel for what gbpvr is about
http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage

enjoy

[csmaster2005]

ok thanks alot for all the help so far, it's been really useful.
1 more thing, what do most people use to change channels via it etc? I take it some sort of remote, but is it the pv150 remote? or a different kind?

[gEd]

I use the 45 button hauppague remote without any problem but people also use the MCE remote supplied with it's own blaster.

search for MCE remote

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...mce+remote

[prouton]

yes the 250 is in effect 2 x 150's.

Er, no it's not. The PVR-500 is in effect 2 x 150's.

The PVR-1600 has two tuners, that can be used simultaneously, but they can't tune the same stations. The analog side can only tune in analog (SD) broadcasts, which typically means channels under 100 on cable systems (although the top end is shrinking :mad: ), and the digital side can only tune in digital broadcasts (over the air or unencrypted cable QAM signals). So the while the PVR-1600 is a two tuner card, it's not the same as 2 x PVR-150's.