Trying to get PC/TV AND PVR functionality to merge onto my 42" lcd

February 16, 2009 6:08 PM

Is there a PC tuner card that can read from my Comcast digi-set-top box that I can control w/a wifi/bluetooth remote from 20-30 ft.?

So after getting a graphics card with an hdmi adapter and a 30' cable to my living room, bluetooth keyboard, I'm in heaven - hulu.com 1 second, ReplayTV (Tivo type box) the next. The ATI DVI card and HDMI adapter somehow carry the sound... Well.

So now I want to replace my ReplayTV that I pay $13/mo for with a pctv card that will accept bluetooth/wifi remote signals from the living room. I'd like to use either SageTV or GBPVR for the software, but I'm somewhat open.

Also, If anyone has experience with a mouse that'll do 20/30 ft. reliably, that'd be awesome.

Thanks in advance.

posted by prodevel to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

If you haven't looked at Media Portal yet, I'd give it a shot. It's what I use, and with a bit of tweaking, configuring, and finding the right plug-ins, it's potential is almost limitless.

Right Now I'm using it with a Hauppauge 1800 and 2250 tuner card, for a total of 3 digital and one analog cable connections.

As for the remote, if you can get the signal converted into keystrokes, it's rather easy to control the media portal software (this is how we have to use our media center remote, because of the IR receiver we have).
posted by meowN at 6:15 PM on February 16, 2009

oh and for EPG tv listings, I get them, from Schedules Direct for $20/year
posted by meowN at 6:17 PM on February 16, 2009

I forgot about the IR aspect of the changing of channels on the set-top box. Can it do that? My ReplayTV (Tivo) has "IR blasters" you affix to the set-top box to manipulate the channels... Maybe these have the same or another way of manipulating the channels. There must be a newer way.
posted by prodevel at 6:39 PM on February 16, 2009

IF you have vista or xp media center it should have come with a remote and ir sender/receiver. If you dont have the remote but have media center you can get a media center remote cheaply.

You would also get a ir cable that has an ir blaster at the end of it that connects to the media center remote receiver and the ir led gets taped onto the front of the comcast box.

You then setup the ir signals from your pc .

Its actually very simple and I used my pc as a media center pc until i broke down and got the cablevision dvr (i didnt like have the power draw of both the pc and the box).
posted by majortom1981 at 4:44 AM on February 17, 2009

GBPVR is also a good option.
posted by WizKid at 8:06 AM on February 17, 2009

Well it looks as if I'll have to try the hdhomerun version here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815327005. I tend to like it's ethernet connectivity and its ability to work with GBPVR at $150 US. Most of my non-premiere channels come in clear-QAM anyway. I just hope between GBPVR and others that I can get close to the listings and recording functionality I get with replayTV... I assume I can get very close, but we shall see as far as this box's IR functionality as it isn't telnet/ssh-able - just a 'programmable IR.'
posted by prodevel at 10:55 PM on February 17, 2009