Digital TV converter box and Computer DVR suggestions

August 26, 2012 2:13 PM

Looking for recommendations for two tv things. 1) A Digital Converter Box for television 2) Something that would allow me to DVR over-the-air tv using my computer.

Extra details... The TV we have is old, and only rca and coax connections. For the converter box, looking for something inexpensive/somewhat robust rather than feature intensive as our first box only lasted a few weeks.

The computer is a PC running windows... bonus points if there's a way to stream the recordings to Roku.

posted by drezdn to Technology (3 answers total)

I believe that this will let you DVR over-the-air content on your computer.
posted by BrandonW at 2:32 PM on August 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

For the converter box, looking for something inexpensive/somewhat robust rather than feature intensive as our first box only lasted a few weeks.

I have what looks like this Insignia one, which I bought at Best Buy shortly before the conversion. As I understand it, it's a Zenith that was rebranded for Best Buy. It doesn't look like they're still available, though perhaps you could get one from someone who's bought a new TV since the conversion.

My TV is from 1997 (my dad bought it when he moved out, hence knowing) and has only the RCA and coax connections. I've currently got coax going between the converter box and the TV. I seem to recall the converter box manual preferring RCA to coax, but the TV's got only one set of RCA plugs and that's got the DVD plugged in (and it's a big enough pain swapping plugs for the DVD and Wii (and occasionally the VCR) never mind having to swap plugs to watch broadcast TV too).
posted by hoyland at 6:45 PM on August 26, 2012

A year or two old now, but these episodes of This Old Nerd might help give you ideas.
posted by jillithd at 7:38 AM on August 27, 2012