How do I make my computer act like a TiVo?

Name: Andrew Harris

Hi Tweaks,

I have seem some computers that you can watch TV on and want to know how I can make my PC do that too. I have an HP Pavilion and would like for it to be like a TiVo. We don’t watch much television at my house but there are some programs that I want to be able to watch and seeing them on the computer would be easier for me because I spend so much time in my office.

Can you set your computer up to act like a TiVo (DV-R) and if so what programs do I need?

It is certainly possible to make your computer have the same functionality as a TiVo. It will, however, take more than just a software package to get it up and running from a standard video feed.
First off, you will need to purchase and install a TV tuner card. I currently own the ATi TV Wonder 550 and it has been absolutely fantastic. If you have an HD signal, then you may consider picking up the ATi TV Wonder 650 as it has an HD tuner in it.

The purchase of that card will probably include a software package with it, I believe Cyberlink’s PowerCinema is included with some bundles, but I could be mistaken.

Regardless, I would highly suggest Microsoft’s Windows Media Center. Media Center’s performance has been fantastic for me, their program guide is free which cannot be said for everyone’s software, and it has a ton of features. The Vongo video service integrates right into it, so downloading movies over the internet (legally!) is a snap. It works especially well if you purchase the Microsoft’s A90 remote control.

Media Center is one of the few reasons that I actually like Windows Vista.

If you’re running a version of XP other than MCE, or a version of Vista other than Ultimate or Home Premium then you may want to try out the bundled software that comes with the card, assuming anything is included. I am very fond of this program, but I don’t know that it’s worth upgrading your entire operating system over.

One thing to keep in mind though is that media functionality tends to be pretty CPU and memory intensive. You didn’t mention what model of Pavillion your Hewlett Packard happens to be, nor did you include your system’s specs.

If you don’t have a fairly new system with a good CPU and decent amount of RAM (for something like this you’re going to want at least a gig, preferably two) then the performance isn’t going to be all that good. You’ll still be able to use a program that will pipe in a live video feed, but not one that encodes in real time and lets you watch the feed as it’s encoded in the TiVo fashion you’re looking for.

So, weigh your options before you start making a bunch of purchases. Nothing is more frustrating than buying a product and having it perform sub-par.
If you can give up the TiVo notion then you could always purchase a dirt-cheap KWorld turner and just use the software package that comes with that. It’s an extremely cheap way to go, but if you don’t expect too much out of it then it’s not a bad deal. I used one that I grabbed for $25 before I built my new system and while the Quick TV software didn’t have any fancy features it did at least get me the video feed efficiently.

Good luck deciding. Be sure to let us know if you have any further questions.