PC PVR Build - Blu-ray Forum

Secretagentnumber6 · 06-20-2011, 10:44 PM

I am building a pvr. Nothing fancy, just an SD PVR, from my old PC. I am going to be using an old ATI All in Wonder 128 TV Tuner Card, which unfortunately only will register SD signals.

My question is does anyone have some suggestions on PVR software to use. I would really like to use a Linux based system, but I am fairly certain I probably do not have the knowledge to do so, but I may be wrong. If I have to I can use a Windows based system, which is what the PC currently has on it.

Any opinions are much appreciated.

MrFattBill · 06-21-2011, 02:14 AM

I use BeyondTV but a lot of people like both SageTV and MythTV.

Bill

BohemianGraham · 06-21-2011, 10:18 AM

MythTV is Linux/Ubuntu compatible, you can get Mythbuntu, which is specifically designed for PVR PCs!

If you are sticking with Windows, I've actually found Windows Media Centre (WMC) to work quite well as a PVR on my Windows 7 PC. I too, only have SD capabilities with my Hauppauge 1250 TV tuner card, but I also don't have HD channels to worry about, because my TV bill is already ridicuously high. It's an extra 13 bucks a month for HD channels.

My issue with my tuner was the incorrect placement of the IR blaster, which wouldn't change channels, or when it did, drop out number and/or really lag in changing the channel. You may have to play around with it to get the IR blaster to work. Mine works perfectly now after moving it around several times. Out of all the software I tried, (WinTV 7, which comes with the card, MediaPortal, & WMC), only WMC would treat my s-video connection from my IPTV box as it should; it recognised that the device was an IPTV box, and picked up all the channels I got, and downloaded the TV guide for Bell Aliant HRM. The other two programs just saw it as a single s-video channel, and wouldn't give guide information. You will need an actual IR blaster to use WMC though, if you do have 7. With XP and Vista, you can download a virtual one. It gets busted in 7, unfortunately.

There are a lot of tweeks and hacks out for WMC, such as custom backgrounds, if you're into that thing, and adding station icons to the channels in the guide. In just the basic program, you can also set the quality of the record, how long to keep the recording, and can set stuff to record for about 2 weeks in advance. I honestly didn't think WMC would be that good, but it works for me. The guide is also way more informative and detailed than the guide on my IPTV box, as WMC gives you a detailed synopsis, and a review of the program.

I did like the interface on MediaPortal, but it was a pain in the arse to install and configure. It uses MySQL for its database, and if something goes wrong, and you have to re-install, you have to go to multiple places on you HDD to find MySQL's installer files, as it doesn't fully uninstall like you think it should.

I've heard good things about SageTV and MythTV for Windows as well, but never tried them. I may explore some more, to see if there is anything better than WMC, but right now, WMC's been fine.

Secretagentnumber6 · 06-21-2011, 04:53 PM

Thanks for the Suggestions Guys. I am leaning towards Mythbuntu now. I suppose if I have too much trouble I will just fall back to a Windows based system.

BohemianGraham · 06-21-2011, 06:23 PM

Good choice! I haven't used it myself, as I'm a Windows 7 user through and through, but I have heard great things about it.

06-20-2011, 10:44 PM	#1
Secretagentnumber6 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Mar 2008 Location:St Louis Area Home Theater Gallery:15 Blu-ray collection:212 Trading Score:4	PC PVR Build I am building a pvr. Nothing fancy, just an SD PVR, from my old PC. I am going to be using an old ATI All in Wonder 128 TV Tuner Card, which unfortunately only will register SD signals. My question is does anyone have some suggestions on PVR software to use. I would really like to use a Linux based system, but I am fairly certain I probably do not have the knowledge to do so, but I may be wrong. If I have to I can use a Windows based system, which is what the PC currently has on it. Any opinions are much appreciated.

06-21-2011, 02:14 AM	#2
MrFattBill Blu-ray Ninja Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Aug 2009 Location:jO-hio Home Theater Gallery:206 Blu-ray collection:578 Trading Score:5	I use BeyondTV but a lot of people like both SageTV and MythTV. Bill

06-21-2011, 10:18 AM	#3
BohemianGraham Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Mar 2011 Location:Nouvelle-Écosse, Canada Blu-ray collection:397 DVD collection:458 Blu-ray reviews: 9	MythTV is Linux/Ubuntu compatible, you can get Mythbuntu, which is specifically designed for PVR PCs! If you are sticking with Windows, I've actually found Windows Media Centre (WMC) to work quite well as a PVR on my Windows 7 PC. I too, only have SD capabilities with my Hauppauge 1250 TV tuner card, but I also don't have HD channels to worry about, because my TV bill is already ridicuously high. It's an extra 13 bucks a month for HD channels. My issue with my tuner was the incorrect placement of the IR blaster, which wouldn't change channels, or when it did, drop out number and/or really lag in changing the channel. You may have to play around with it to get the IR blaster to work. Mine works perfectly now after moving it around several times. Out of all the software I tried, (WinTV 7, which comes with the card, MediaPortal, & WMC), only WMC would treat my s-video connection from my IPTV box as it should; it recognised that the device was an IPTV box, and picked up all the channels I got, and downloaded the TV guide for Bell Aliant HRM. The other two programs just saw it as a single s-video channel, and wouldn't give guide information. You will need an actual IR blaster to use WMC though, if you do have 7. With XP and Vista, you can download a virtual one. It gets busted in 7, unfortunately. There are a lot of tweeks and hacks out for WMC, such as custom backgrounds, if you're into that thing, and adding station icons to the channels in the guide. In just the basic program, you can also set the quality of the record, how long to keep the recording, and can set stuff to record for about 2 weeks in advance. I honestly didn't think WMC would be that good, but it works for me. The guide is also way more informative and detailed than the guide on my IPTV box, as WMC gives you a detailed synopsis, and a review of the program. I did like the interface on MediaPortal, but it was a pain in the arse to install and configure. It uses MySQL for its database, and if something goes wrong, and you have to re-install, you have to go to multiple places on you HDD to find MySQL's installer files, as it doesn't fully uninstall like you think it should. I've heard good things about SageTV and MythTV for Windows as well, but never tried them. I may explore some more, to see if there is anything better than WMC, but right now, WMC's been fine.

06-21-2011, 04:53 PM	#4
Secretagentnumber6 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Mar 2008 Location:St Louis Area Home Theater Gallery:15 Blu-ray collection:212 Trading Score:4	Thanks for the Suggestions Guys. I am leaning towards Mythbuntu now. I suppose if I have too much trouble I will just fall back to a Windows based system.

06-21-2011, 06:23 PM	#5
BohemianGraham Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Mar 2011 Location:Nouvelle-Écosse, Canada Blu-ray collection:397 DVD collection:458 Blu-ray reviews: 9	Good choice! I haven't used it myself, as I'm a Windows 7 user through and through, but I have heard great things about it.

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