is this all i need to record cable TV in windows 8?

[Fanatical Meat]

I know I'll need a tuner & the media center add on but this seems too easy, no cable card screwing from fios? Really? Please advise, I've always wanted to be able to do this.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/tv-movies-windows-media-center#1TC=t1

 

[KingFatty]

What is the feature you want?

Do you want Windows to be able to change channels by itself, e.g., tune in to a particular channel at a particular time? So it can seek out and record particular things on whatever channel?

Or do you want windows to simply "start recording" without even knowing which channel it's recording? Then you'd have to set the channel ahead of time, and hope it doesn't get messed up.

Do you have a tuner that connects to your computer?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Thanks king, I do not have a tuner yet, I'm not looking for much. I'd love to use the PC like an old school VCR. Basically be able to set it or even manually set it to record a show every now and then. Good example is Saturday night on BBC there is a 3 hour Dr. Who special. I'd love to set something to record it incase I fall asleep.

 

[Ferzerp]

You have to have a cablecard tuner if you want encrypted channels. Otherwise you only geat clearQAM. This will be few, if any, channels depending upon your service.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Ferz, are those the ones you have to rent from your provider or the kind that are built into the tuner?Quick summary is it a one time charge or a monthly charge?

 

[Jimzz]

Yea only unencrypted channels.

I also do what you are thinking in my HTPC but use over the air digital. I get around 50 channels OTA.

 

[Ferzerp]

Ferz, are those the ones you have to rent from your provider or the kind that are built into the tuner?Quick summary is it a one time charge or a monthly charge?

Here are the FCC regulations.

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/cablecard-know-your-rights

There can be a monthly fee to rent the card, but it's usually nominal. I think mine is $2.50 a month.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

The f'ing man wants us to either pay $15 more for the DVR box or $10 for the card. I hate renting stupid cable boxes that do virtually nothing, use a crap load of power then ultimately cost thousands over several years.

 

[el aye]

Depending on the provider you may need a switched digital video (SDV) tuner as well to properly use the cablecard and get all of the channels. I needed one for TWC, but they provided it for free (cablecard has a $2.50/month charge).

 

[Schmide]

Dude i have fios and its $4.70 for the card?