Live TV

[jimboz333 1]

I assume for the live TV to work, that I would need a tv tuner card.  

 

If this is the case can anyone recommend a good tuner card to add to a laptop that I am running the MBC on?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[gcw07 347]

I'd go for a network tuner if your using a laptop. Something from either SiliconDust or Ceton.

[Deihmos 169]

Network tuner is the way to go. Do they even still make tuner cards?

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

Edited January 26, 2014 by Deihmos

[gcw07 347]

Yes they still make internal ones. And if I was building another machine that is what I would use, but if your going with a laptop, the network tuner is the way to go.

[mellomade 141]

Using a network tuner is great if you have multiple clients that draw directly from the tuner (multiple WMC clients for example).  However using ServerWMC the only installation of WMC you need is on the server itself so network tuners are kind of useless.  Personally I have retired my HDHomeRun in favor of 2 of my old WinTV 2250's.  Now I have 4 tuners pooled instead of just the 2 from the HDHomerun.  ServerWMC has been a GREAT solution!!!

[AgileHumor 123]

I have a combination:

• For ClearQam (basic channels, like ABC, PBS, and CBS), I use 2 x Hauppauge 1229 WinTV-HVR-2250 (http://amzn.com/B001E2V7R8) for 4 channels .
• For CableCard (all other channels like Comedy Central, CNN, TBS), I use the InfiniTV 6 ETH IP based tuner.

There is a bug in media center that won't let a tuner be CableCard and ClearQAM at the same time...you need a separate tuner. Also, I needed the Hauppauge Windows Media Center IR blaster/receiver. 

 

If you need ClearQam for the basic channels for SeverWMC, and have no Xbox One/HTPC integration dreams, I would probably stick with a network based tuner just so you don't need to run cable to your PC as others have mentioned. 

 

If you want the Xbox One integration via Media Center IR Blaster to use for your HTPC...then I recommend the Hauppauge 2250's with their integrated IR blaster/receiver for ClearQam.   This way I can say "XBox pause" Living room TV/MediaBrowser content will pause.  I can also change channels via voice with the Xbox OneGuide. 

 

This MB3 Live TV streaming is really amazing stuff (and worked right away, except in IE). I really wish it worked with nonbasic CableCard channels, but understand that is an encryption issue rather than a ServeWMC/Media Browser issue.    Once the Roku App & Windows 8 App supports Live TV streaming, I don't see much use for Media Center extenders anymore.

 

Is there a plan to dedupe recorded TV vs ripped TV series?

Edited January 26, 2014 by AgileHumor

[jimboz333 1]

I think my ultimate goal is to find a computer to make into just my server and connect all of my harddrives to that.   Therefore turning the laptop back to what it should be.  I wasn't going to do the server stuff until I got Roku's and decided to get rid of cable.  So I would say using the tuner and Hulu on Roku.  

 

Is there a way to use the tuner as a DVR?

 

Thanks for all the prompt and informative replies.  

 

Also what is "unencrypted" cable?  I am not familar with that term.  Does that mean I could get some cable channels for free?

[krustyreturns 191]

jimboz333

 

 

>>Is there a way to use the tuner as a DVR?

 

?  Not sure what you mean, besides the obvious.  Use wmc with the tuner as a DVR.

 

>>Also what is "unencrypted" cable?  I am not familar with that term.  Does that mean I could get some cable channels for free?

 

I think they just mean cable channels that are sent in the clear, i.e. no DRM (usually called ClearQAM).  In my area, these are the basic cable channels, premium channels like HBO are drm'd, the only player that will work for these (in the US at least) is wmc.  Serverwmc cannot make these channel available to mb3.

[jimboz333 1]

Ok so the tuner would autmatically work as a DVR?  You said the obvious is use the WMC.  So I would tune in to the show and save it on WMC and watch it whenever?

 

Would I still need to pay for cable if I did that?  Or I could get the basics for free?

 

Thanks for your help, and sorry that I am totally new to this so it's not as easy to me.  

[krustyreturns 191]

The combination of tuner + software = DVR on a computer.  There are lots of DVR software packages,  the microsoft one is WMC.  With wmc you can record a show and watch it whenever, or watch a tv-channel live.

 

The only free channels are OTA (Over-The-Air) typically.  Likely you will need to pay for cable, even for basic channels.  But it really depends on where you live, and what is available there - don't take my word for it.

Edited January 27, 2014 by krustyreturns