what do i need to cut the cord?

[Peppered]

What can I get with out spending to much that will let me watch and record over the air and act as a dvr. I also want to be able to surf the web with this. I will be using Netflix but don't want to wait till next year to see the shows.

Thanks.

 

[LoveMachine]

What do you already have? If you have a PC with Win7 (or 8 with the WMC add-on), you can get a TV tuner card and do everything you asked for without any other hardware or software, using Windows Media Center. It's relatively simple and effective, though you have to stay with Win7 (not included or supported in 10). If you want to get the best experience, but don't mind a long learning curve, a Linux flavor like MythBuntu running Kodi for DVR, music, movies and Chrome for Netflix, a hacked Chromebox with a USB TV Tuner is pretty awesome for about a $300 investment. BUT it takes a lot of time/learning to get it set up. I'm nearly finished doing just that, starting with the Win7/WMC route and gradually progressing to the latter.

 

[Peppered]

I have a water cooled PC with windows 10. No media center anymore. To big to move around. Have a PS 3 and a apple tv. was wanting something i can surf the web with that has flash. I messed with Linux years ago my problem was i was no willing to take the time to learn then and my wife will need to use it also when i am away from home.

 

[Ketchup]

I have heard good things about this device:

http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-1191-WinTV-HVR-955Q-Tuner-Notebook/dp/B001DEYVXO
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr955q.html

 

[Peppered]

Any problems hooking a pc windows or linux to a AVR these days?

 

[piasabird]

That is really up to you. I find TV to be brain washing tool.

 

[LoveMachine]

Any problems hooking a pc windows or linux to a AVR these days?

Nope. Any new-ish video card, even integrated graphics on the CPU/MB, from the last 3 years or so that has an HDMI connector will work just fine. Get a Hauppage TV tuner card for about $60, install the included software, and you have something functional. To make it look prettier, get a better PVR backend like NextPVR and run Kodi as a slicker looking frontend, use a Harmony remote to control all the gadgets and the software.