Watching TV on computer !!

sam1970

I am replacing my current Dell desktop with a new one and will appreciate advice (ordered one from Dell outlet). My current PC has Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1200 card and Windows7 Home premium so I can watch free view channels on Windows media centre. Unfortunately the new PC comes with Windows 8.1 which has not got the media centre and I dont fancy paying £100 to MS to get it. As the new PC has not got TV card I am planning to move the card from the old PC to the new but what about the software? any good alternative to windows media centre?

googler

sam1970 wrote: »

I am replacing my current Dell desktop with a new one and will appreciate advice (ordered one from Dell outlet). My current PC has Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1200 card and Windows7 Home premium so I can watch free view channels on Windows media centre. Unfortunately the new PC comes with Windows 8.1 which has not got the media centre and I dont fancy paying £100 to MS to get it. As the new PC has not got TV card I am planning to move the card from the old PC to the new but what about the software? any good alternative to windows media centre?

If, as it seems, this is one of the main uses for your PC, then why not stick with the current one?

If something's wrong with it, replace the part that's wrong, not the whole thing. They're just a collection of parts, not sealed units....

Chino

Did the installation CD-ROM include the WinTV application?

If so, couldn't you try installing and using that?

("http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/support/PDF/QI-MCKIT-PCIE-V4.0.pdf?zoom_highlight=wintv-hvr-1200")

sam1970

googler wrote: »

If, as it seems, this is one of the main uses for your PC, then why not stick with the current one?

If something's wrong with it, replace the part that's wrong, not the whole thing. They're just a collection of parts, not sealed units....

Thank you. Actually we need a second PC in the house for the kids so I decided to give them my 5 yeras old PC and treat myself to a new one. As they are not going to watch TV on it and as I spend alot of time working on computer and like to have TV in the background, I will be moving the TV card rather than paying for a new one

sam1970

Chino wrote: »

Did the installation CD-ROM include the WinTV application?

If so, couldn't you try installing and using that?

("http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/support/PDF/QI-MCKIT-PCIE-V4.0.pdf?zoom_highlight=wintv-hvr-1200")

The softare for the TV card came in a dell CD which contains all drivers for the computer. As I can see it only got the driver for the TV card..no other softare

flicks

A few years ago I purchased a USB TV tuner. TV aerial plugs in one end and other end goes to a USB port on the laptop.


Came with software needed for viewing and worked really well getting all available channels.


Can't remember the manufacturer of it but this may be a good and reasonably cheap way of overcoming your problem.

sam1970

flicks wrote: »

A few years ago I purchased a USB TV tuner. TV aerial plugs in one end and other end goes to a USB port on the laptop.


Came with software needed for viewing and worked really well getting all available channels.


Can't remember the manufacturer of it but this may be a good and reasonably cheap way of overcoming your problem.

Thanks for that. I used one of those USb things in the past and the software kept crashing and Iended throwing it in the bin. I think the internal card will be more reliable and discrete (plus I already have it so I dont have to buy new hardware)

debitcardmayhem

Have you tried here http://hauppauge.co.uk/site/support/support_all.html?prod=14

sam1970

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Have you tried here http://hauppauge.co.uk/site/support/support_all.html?prod=14

I did...halfway through the installation it asks you to install the wintv cd rom which I dont have (never given to me by dell)

Chino

sam1970 wrote: »

I did...halfway through the installation it asks you to install the wintv cd rom which I dont have (never given to me by dell)

It seems that you can buy a CD-ROM with the WinTV application for €12:

"http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/webstore/webstore_product.html?prod=30"

A.Penny.Saved

There are free applications for receiving TV on a PC but DVBDream needed an older version as the more recent has become shareware.
DVBDream, Winfast older version worked with any tv card but it's whether you can use it on win 8, Progdvb
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/digitaltv-dvb-hdtv

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/SmartDVB
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/DV-Scheduler
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/Argus-TV

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/ProgDVB
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/GB-PVR

DVBDream 1.4 was freeware, if it works with Win 8

DVBViewer is my favourite but it costs $20/£12 and it can be tried