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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.

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