Time Warner NYC Cable Box or Equivalent for PC viewing, alternatives?

[DualMonitors]

Hello all! Running a higher end Vista Ultimate pc here and would like to view news-y channels during the day. Already have 1 high def box/dvr from Time Warner, another standard def box (obviously also from Time Warner), and cable modem also from Time Warner.

Purchased the Hauppauge 150 MCE TV tuner card with Beyond TV 4 and Firefly Remote as a package. In Manhattan, the analog signal from the cable merely gives "basic channels" which do NOT include CNN, MSNBC and such. My 2 cable boxes have service for many channels including HBO and Showtime, and the high def box/dvr is capable of high def viewing.

Now, i'd like to have a 3rd place to watch news-y types of tv, and this 3rd place is my pc. Unfortunately, the Hauppauge 150 MCE + Beyond TV will ONLY show the "basic channels" and not the "standard channels" ("standard channels" include CNN, MSNBC and such).

I see relatively few solutions and would like to ask for advice, opinions, and options.

These are possibilities:

1. call Time Warner for a third box (dedicated exclusively for pc use only) at ~$11 per month in order to get more than "basic channels", i.e. get "standard channels"; plus a one time installation fee of $30. No pick up of cable boxes possible at 23rd Street unless it's an exchange.

2. try a streaming type box to stream video from standard def box to pc: downsides include my VoIP not working well while streaming video due to volume of information.

3. find a legitimate, legal cable box to purchase for use, if there is such a thing and if it indeed is legal. i do not know what is currently allowed, but only wish to pursue legitimate options. i heard somewhere that laws may have changed and maybe it is possible to legitimately purchase a box for viewing "standard channels" which may not include HBO and such which is fine with me, since i intend to use it for news-type of TV viewing only.

thank you very much in advance.

 

[Fallen Kell]

I don't think you can purchase a cable box to use. You may want to check out your terms of service. The cable companies register the boxes in their system, if it is not a registered box, it will not be able to decode the signal.

I personally built a HTPC (Home Theater PC) which I use. I connected one of the cable boxes in the house to it which it shares use with the TV in the room. I have 3 tuners on the box, 2 that use the standard channels only, and a third which is connected to the cable box. I use SageTV personally, so I am not sure if you can do this with Beyond TV, but I can specify which tuner(s) to prefer using in SageTV. So I have it try to first record any show it can using the 2 non-cable box tuners if it can be recorded there, and have it only use the other tuner if the show is not available on the others. SageTV supports different channel line ups on different tuners so I have removed the channels that are not available on the 2 regular tuners as compaired to the one connected to the cable box. I also have a USB-UIRT device which sends the remote control signals to control changing channels of the cable box. For me, this does all I need to do. If I want to watch some of the recorded shows on another TV, I use a wireless extender which connects up the the SageTV server and allows complete control including the full interface to the software.

I don't personally stream live TV to other computers in the house, I usually just watch shows that were previously recorded, so I simply have the folders shared out properly and I just watch the mpeg2 video clips using Media Player.... I know you can get a "sling box" type product from SageTV as well, but for me, I don't need it.

 

[aka1nas]

You will have to go with option 1 and use an IR blaster type module to allow your TV tuner to change the channel on the cable box. Most PVR software can accomodate this.

You cannot buy a PC tuner for your cable and the CableCard standard is only available in prebuilt OEM PCs if it is even available for your Cable Company.

 

[nullpointerus]

Originally posted by: DualMonitors
In Manhattan, the analog signal from the cable merely gives "basic channels" which do NOT include CNN, MSNBC and such.

As others have suggested, an IR blaster will work fine. Channel changing will be slower, but once you setup the timing correctly it'll be reliable.

But are you absolutely sure that you selected the right channel lineup? I know that Comcast has a "basic" and a "standard" lineup, both of which are analog, but the "basic" lineup only allows one to select channels <29 or something like that. The lineup you choose limits which channels BTV will let you tune to, so double-check your setup.

Good luck!