TV Tuner Setup with Windows Vista

[Bench Warmer]

I need some help here. I just got a new laptop which has an HDMI input on it. I want to set it up so I can record live TV through Windows Media Center. Here's my questions.

1) When I've tried to setup the tv tuner on my sister's laptop, the intallation always gets held up when Media Center can't find a remote (she doesn't have a remote). Is there anyway to get around this? Most of the tv tuners I've seen for sale do not have remotes with them.

2) With the HMDI input I have on my new laptop, do I even need a TV tuner. Problem comes in that my satellite box only has a DVI output which I think means I'll need to get a tuner with audio inputs so I can record sound. Second, will I need a freakin' remote to setup the tv tuner through Media Center?

I welcome any thoughts / ideas on this...I'm stumped - can't get by the can't find the remote error.

[Rathji]

You tried a Universal Remote? ala Logitech Harmony or something? I am pretty sure mine can do that kinda thing but I have never tried it.

[Bench Warmer]

Originally Posted by Rathji

You tried a Universal Remote? ala Logitech Harmony or something? I am pretty sure mine can do that kinda thing but I have never tried it.

Haven't tried this with my new machine yet but with my sister's machine, we didn't try any a universal remote. However, the tuner doesn't have anything to detect the remote (not sure if the laptop does) so I'm not sure how it would do this anyway???

[BlackArcher101]

I'm a little confused here.

You don't need a tv tuner since you won't be able to tune anything. The tuning is done by the digital box (either cable or satellite) and the laptop will only be able to see what the box is putting out. What you really are looking for is video capture.

Alas, this is all new to me, since I didn't know pc's came with HDMI inputs yet, let alone laptops.

[Gobsgraham]

I have a few extra remotes that I don't need anymore. If you want to try one you can, if it works and you want to keep it, make me an offer.

[GoinAllTheWay]

This is rather new to me as well but doesn't whatever tuner you use on your tv right now have a Cat5 plugin? Could the same thing not be achieved this way?

[Bench Warmer]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I'm a little confused here.

You don't need a tv tuner since you won't be able to tune anything. The tuning is done by the digital box (either cable or satellite) and the laptop will only be able to see what the box is putting out. What you really are looking for is video capture.

Alas, this is all new to me, since I didn't know pc's came with HDMI inputs yet, let alone laptops.

Video capture is exactly what I'm looking for. Basically, I want my laptop to be a PVR - which you can do with a tv tuner hookup from your laptop to the back of your satellite box thru the tuner. Problem being, I need get past this remote issue.

Gobsgraham - appreciate the offer. I'll send you a PM if I end up looking for a remote.

[Hack&Lube]

The confusion is coming from you calling it a TV Tuner when you probably don't have a TV Tuner in your laptop. The tuner is in the satellite box unless you really do have a TV Tuner addon card or USB device attached to your laptop.

If your laptop has HDMI in, then get DVI to HDMI converter and just plug in the audio output from your TV or satellite into the microphone port of your laptop (will need adapter/appropriate jacks as well).

Does your laptop actually have TV Tuner hardware in it? The remote issue might be because you don't actually have it. The HDMI input just provides an AV feed into your graphics adapter and then you just use video capture software, even Media Player Classic will work. I don't know how you would automate it to do PVR recording for programs, etc. though.

[Vulcan]

I'm thinking your HDMI port on your laptop is an 'out' and not an 'in' but if it is an 'in' then it could be connected by an HDMI to DVI cable which would allow you to record in HD. This is rare and most anything out there only allows to record in SD or HD from your personal camera. Hauppage is said to be coming out with a HD card soon though.

You would still need audio though. I don't think you need a remote, you just need a capture card and your sat. box would control the program you want to record. The capture card should come with it's own software for recording. If you were capturing OTA signals then I could see the need for a remote for a tuner card.

sorry for the disjointed post but as ideas come to me, my editing becomes terrible.

[Bench Warmer]

I am 99.9% sure my laptop does not have tv tuner hardware in it (and yes, you are correct in that I am confusing everyone in my reference to what I'm calling a tv tuner).

Basically, here's what I want to do. Through Windows Media Center (or some other s/w), I want to be able to record live tv on laptop. I guess the better question I should be asking is which tv tuner hardware should I be purchasing keeping in mind, for Media Center, you need some sort of compatible remote? Or, what is my best way to do this?

I was pretty sure my HMDI port was input but I could definately be wrong. I'm totally new to Vista here so am having a tough time figuring it out.

Additional question - what's a Slingbox do? Would it allow me to watch TV on my laptop within my house through streaming video (I have SlingPlayer loaded on my machine already)?

[MacDougalbry]

First, you will need some way to control the sattelite box. There is an MCE remote that you can buy that also has an IR-blaster; this allows MCE to send channel-change commands to your box.

Secondly, you need a video capture device, unless your laptop has this feature.

Thirdly, HD capture is not possible. Or rather, there are few capture devices that support HD (HDMI or component video) and even then, I'm not sure MCE does. Does your sattelite box have an S-Video out? You will need to go S-video to S-video.

Disclaimer: I use a different PVR software package, so I'm not 100% knowledgable on MCE.

[MacDougalbry]

Here is the remote with IR blaster, FYI:

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...X4365(ME).aspx