Replacing a cable company DVR with custom PC. Is it possible?

[Capitalizt]

Title says it all!

I'm currently paying $20 a month to rent a two channel DVR box from my cable company, and recently I've been considering building my first budget HTPC. This will not be used for gaming, but simply to replace my DVR.

First question: What do I need aside from a decent PC and TV tuner card?

Next: How difficult is something like this be to set up? I've heard about Freevo and other software to mimic a DVR but I can't find any step by step instructions to creating a DVR PC. Are there any A to Z guides for complete noobs like me?

Any help GREATLY appreciated!!

 

[cubby1223]

At least first call the cable company and talk about pricing - we here got Comcast to take ~$40 off the monthly bill without reducing any of the services.

The biggest drawback to a pc dvr is you are limited to the analog channels and only the free digital channels - ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, and perhaps a couple more. You lose the ability to record the majority of digital channels.

Beyond that - I gave up long ago trying to create a pc dvr. I wish you the best of luck if you want to continue forward.

 

[Capitalizt]

Actually, the price doesn't bother me much..I just want to do this for FUN

My brother cancelled his DVR because he couldn't afford it, and I think it would be an awesome Christmas present if I can get an alternative working on a cheap PC.

 

[sjwaste]

There's a USB product out there now from Hauppauge called the HD-PVR. It takes a component in and records to H.264 in realtime. You'll still need your cable set top box, but you can ditch the DVR for the regular HD box. As with all Hauppauge tuners, it has an IR blaster so i can handle channel changing.

I'm looking to get one soon. I currently run BeyondTV and just want to make sure the support for the tuner is solid first.