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Replacing TV Provider

dual290x
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We are wanting to replace our tv provider with free over-the-air tv. I will be signing up for sling, netflix, and maybe hulu plus (all free trial to see what we need and don't need) for my mother and I. I am a college student living at home so I don't have $1,000 laying around but I need to help my mother save money (since she does let me eat for free). I will be using an HTPC with a blue-ray drive, but I am not sure how we can use the HTPC to automatically record shows (mom's soap operas, and our favorite shows) everyday to every other day. There are days when no one is home, so it HAS to be automatic. I need a remote to turn the channels, change volumes, etc. One remote that can do it all would be preferred, I am willing to spend a little extra for these options. My mother, and her brother that visits, are older so the simpler it is, the better.

 

I do not have any hardware chosen since I do not know how many cards are needed, and I don't know how much the remote, card(s), and such will be. So I am thinking either an AMD APU or an Intel CPU (probably a Pentium LGA 1150). I am hoping to not spend over $300 but will spend up to $600. In the long run it will be cheaper than paying over $100 a month for the least amount of channels. Do yourself a favor and don't go with Direct TV.

 

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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18 hours ago, dual290x said:

- snip -

Cord cutting means you are not going to have all of the same benefits as paying for cable. If you use streaming services, the shows are generally available to watch at any time, so you don't need to "DVR" or record it. However, I'm not really a big fan of soap operas, so I wouldn't know where to point you for those shows.

 

I think you need to do some research before you cut cable. I know it's more expensive, but your requirements are a little outside of "cord cutting."

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Well there are a small number of shows that are watched on a day to day/week to week basis, something like 3 shows, but we get them over-the-air television. We need to be able to record at least one show everyday automatically. I have been doing some homework when I am not studying for finals and I am starting to understand it decently well. The biggest thing is having the OS or software that gives us the ability to have tv, the recordings, and the streaming (netflix, hulu, prime, etc.) in one area so we can use a remote and not a mouse. We can/will use a keyboard, however, when we want to search for a show/movie.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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Posted

Ive looked in to using my Gaming PC as a DVR for over the air TV. Most TV tuner solutions kinda suck, mostly because the recording software. I have seen some OTA DVR's are on the market. I think the software is going to be the biggest issue. Let me know what you find. 

I just want to sit back and watch the world burn. 

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Posted

I recommend looking into Tivo (they just announced they were getting rid of their subscription requirements) and SiliconDust HDHomeRun (they are going to be launching their DVR software soon-ish, and it will work with any of their HDHomeRun Tuners). 

 

I say to look into these because they greatly simplify the difficult steps of getting a tuner to work and getting the TV Guide data and integrating it to do recording.

Looking to buy GTX690, other multi-GPU cards, or single-slot graphics cards: 

 

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Interesting, my biggest concern would be getting data off of the tuner though. Have you had any experience with that? Also, I was hoping to get rid of our roku, blue-ray player, dvr box, etc and just having one box and a hell'va cleaner look behind the tv. Everything is on a shelf under the tv, so you can see the whole freaking mess.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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1 hour ago, dual290x said:

Interesting, my biggest concern would be getting data off of the tuner though. Have you had any experience with that? Also, I was hoping to get rid of our roku, blue-ray player, dvr box, etc and just having one box and a hell'va cleaner look behind the tv. Everything is on a shelf under the tv, so you can see the whole freaking mess.

Using a Tivo I have no idea if you can get the recordings off the DVR. But the HDHomeRun Tuners are just network tuners. Any recording you do is on a computer on the same network. They are super convenient for live TV viewing (we use over 50 of them to help troubleshoot our student housing cable distribution networks because they are remotely managed) and for recording you iust need the right software - which as I said their DVR software is in closed beta right now but should be coming to open beta soon.

Looking to buy GTX690, other multi-GPU cards, or single-slot graphics cards: 

 

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Don't you need a computer to store the recordings and such?

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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1 minute ago, dual290x said:

Don't you need a computer to store the recordings and such?

Well yeah but you already said in the first post that you'll have an HTPC. You just run the software on that computer. 

 

If you don't want to have a computer running then a Tivo or similar is your only choice.

Looking to buy GTX690, other multi-GPU cards, or single-slot graphics cards: 

 

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I think I have found a solution. I will investigate more into it.

I understand what you mean now.

 

Scroll down to #6

http://lifehacker.com/5475774/top-10-windows-media-center-plug-ins-and-boosters

 

Then look at this

http://lifehacker.com/5473966/xbmc-integration-integrates-xbmc-with-windows-7-media-center

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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1 minute ago, dual290x said:

I think I have found a solution. I will investigate more into it.

I understand what you mean now.

 

Scroll down to #6

http://lifehacker.com/5475774/top-10-windows-media-center-plug-ins-and-boosters

 

Then look at this

http://lifehacker.com/5473966/xbmc-integration-integrates-xbmc-with-windows-7-media-center

So you can integrate Windows Media Center with XBMC - that's cool but I'm not sure how that solves your tuner problem. I know lots of people love Windows Media Center for use as a DVR but it's been discontinued by Microsoft. I don't think (although I don't actually know) that XBMC can do recordings on its own. Also XBMC is Kodi now, they changed the name.

Looking to buy GTX690, other multi-GPU cards, or single-slot graphics cards: 

 

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Windows Media Center will record and schedule. It also looks like the community that uses it, adds on to it. I found a tuner card that has wonderful reviews. So far everything looks good. I will probably put a 5tb hdd, a blue-ray drive, only things that I am not sure about is the cpu, motherboard and case.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Have an old pc? Upgrade it with an SSD ($50-$100), put Kodibuntu on it (FREE), get an external HDD to record shows onto ($60), a USB TV tuner ($60) and a external blu ray drive ($75) and get a remote ($20). Everything you need will be in one device so it will be simple and you won't have to switch inputs or know what device to use. You can get Netflix and Hulu but I'm not sure about sling. The setup will be hard but once it is done it will be very simple and easy to use.

Got an Android, never going back to apple again (notice I spelled apple with a lowercase and Android with an uppercase)

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Have you used kodibuntu? I don't know too much about it. Does it offer one place to access everything. netflix, recorded tv shows, etc?

We were able to get our tv bill down to $50 something. So it's not too bad, but we will drop them at some point.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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