Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.
Subscribe to magazine

Blogs

    Step-By-Step

  • PC World editors make your system tweaks and upgrades easier than ever with visual guides that take you through each process step-by-step.
  • Subscribe to this blog

Step-By-Step: Turn Your PC Into a Personal Video Recorder

Stan Miastkowski

Going the Parts-and-Pieces Route

If you don't want to replace your PC's existing graphics card, you can buy a TV tuner (for $50 to $100) from many of the manufacturers listed in " The Top Down" (above). If you have a free PCI slot, get a TV tuner built on an add-in card. If you have no free PCI slots (or if you don't want to open your PC), get a USB TV tuner that you can simply cable to your PC.

Many TV-tuner cards, such as the $100 Video Blaster Digital VCR from Creative Technology, come bundled with PVR software. If your PC already has a TV tuner, several video-recording software packages can work with it, most of them priced at around $50. These include CyberLink PowerVCR II, InterVideo WinDVR, ShowShifter, and SnapStream PVS. Most PVR software makers offer customers a 30-day free trial.

The final piece of the puzzle involves deciding what to record, and with many cable systems offering 50 to 100 channels or more, you need an expeditious way to see what's on. Most all-in-one PVR products and some PVR software packages include program guides accessible via the Internet. If they don't, TitanTV is the obvious choice. This free service provides customized program listings for your area and integrates with most PVR hardware and software, allowing you to choose what to record with a click of your mouse.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No
  • Great year-end deals
    for small business!

  • Get 24/7 live remote AT&T Tech Support 360* service along with select Lenovo* PCs (with Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors) and save up to 200!

    Learn more

  • HP EliteBook* 6930p Notebook with Intel® vPro™ technology and a free HP Basic Docking Station - $641 instant savings!

    Learn more

  • *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. ©2009 Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, vPro and Core trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved.
Learn more about the Windows Phone PCWorld Gift Guide

Focus on Personal Productivitysponsored by Microsoft

  • Personal Finance 2.0 These free and fee-based Web services not only aggregate data from your online bank accounts, they give you tools for managing your money.
  • High-Tech Travel Tips Plenty of stories provide advice for elite mobile professionals. But what about you, the unproductive traveler?

People who read this also read:

All PC World Blogs

  • 15 Minutes to a Secure Business Get the Secure in 15 toolkit starting with the "15 Minutes Month-at-a-Glance" calendar. McAfee will send you additional tools and tricks to stay protected around the clock.
  • A Buyer's Guide to Data Protection Implementing data protection products and processes can be daunting. Make the right decisions by exploring what is available and what makes sense for your organization. Use this simple guide to evaluate different vendor offerings.

Sponsored Links