TiVo or Digital Video Recorders from cable or satellite companies can price every single month. Even $15 a month for these services adds up eventually. A DVR is mainly a overvalued PC with software that permits it to record TV to hard-drive.

Based on PC configuration, you can simply turn it into a quite impressive simulation of a set top DVR. You can still set it up with a remote control, playback abilities, and automatic recording capabilities.

Instructions

Step 1

Turning PC into a DVR starts with TV tuner. You can find them at many PC store. These cards generally run around $100, and occasionally come with remotes so you do not purchase an individual universal remote. If you already have a universal remote, obtaining a card without a remote may be likely.

Step 2

When thinking which card to obtain, find one that will fit in an accessible slot in PC. Search for one that will work with PC configuration. Also, obtain one that has an exterior encoder so that utilize PC to its full potential although a show is recording. If you plan on using it to also export to TV, ensure you find one that has outputs that will work for TV.

It is hard to find a TV tuner that also exports video to TV, if that is what you want to do, but there is individual hardware that can take VGA export cable and alter it so you can watch signal on TV. Ensure TV tuner records in HD if you have an HDTV, also.

Step 3

After you have tuner, you can install it. Usually, you find an open PCI slot, and place tuner in case. Every TV tuner and PC is different, so want to see instructions that come with TV tuner. Then, connect cable, satellite, or air cable into port on PC. Then, using internet or tuner's software, install drivers for TV tuner.

Step 4

After tuner is set, now obtain software to utilize it as a DVR. There are some online software’s to do that. If you buy PC that is a "Media Edition" or alike, you contain programs to utilize TV tuner as a DVR; occasionally TV tuner will contain program to do it also. Though, this program gives flexibility. SnapStream is better choice if you want more aspects, it is about $70, and for Linux and Mac users, MythTV is a free choice.

Step 5

After you get software and TV tuner, set them up to record and watch favorite shows. You must tune remote to TV Tuner using information that came with tuner. Then, sit back, and enjoy.