Setting up first media center

[alexsabree]

I have a few old computers and I would like to make use of them. We are getting satellite cable (TV.) So I was thinking of getting a TV tuner for my older gaming build and use it to record TV.

Should I use Kubuntu (with linuxMCE) or use Windows Media Center on Vista.
I'll be setting it up but I want to make sure that my family will be able to use it as well. I've installed Linux millions of times before, so thats no problem, I'm just wanting your opinion on what I should do.

Could I connect it to my router and be able to view the recorded video on other computers on the network? Could I do this AND be able transfer data back and forth like a server? (So i could transfer files quickly from one computer to the next)

Any comments or suggestions on the matter would be greatly appreciated!! :laughing:

 

[dahli]

Hello alexsabree,

If you are thinking about sharing programs, I would choose the OS most compatible with the other systems on the network. If you want to share files with other Linux systems then use Kubuntu otherwise use Windows.

Yes to both of your other questions.

 

[KSoD]

There is no version of Linux that can use a TV Tuner card. You will have to use Media Center in Windows. You should be able to hook it up to a router and use it over the network.

 

[alexsabree]

I've heard people buy tv tuner cards just to be used in linuxMCE... and if that were true LinuxMCE on Kubuntu would be worthless.

But ill think ill just stick with windows for simplicity sake. Although all of the laptops my family use have linux.. oh well.

 

[KSoD]

LinuxMCE is still a beta. From what i know there is no official support just yet. They are having a hard time getting the driver support working for the TV Tuner cards just as much as they are for the WiFi cards. Some are supported, most are not.

 

[veedubfreak]

Just as an FYI, if you use a TV tuner with a satellite system, you will still only be able to record whatever the satellite tuner has on it. You cant just run the satellite feed to the TV tuner. If you plan to use a pc as a DVR, you'll need either an OTA antenna for over the air HD broadcasts or analog cable.

 

[atomic tofu]

I was going to say that veedub...but then lazy, and then you corroborated my thoughts...so there ya have it

although, not sure how it works in the UK or EU...I hear UK people can get some free satellite channels...what's up with that...lucky

 

[alexsabree]

whaa???

You mean with satellite I wont be able to split the cable and hook it up to my tv tuner? Is it the same for cable.. cause when i had cable I was able to

 

[atomic tofu]

no cable is different, that's why it's good/worse, lol...
just how the tech is, analog and all

satellite being digital and to save bandwidth, you tune into a channel individually...so the tuner grabs a station and that's it

cable, it's basically all the stations/channels are fed to you simultaneously.
That's why you could have the cable guy come to your house and just install one wall jack. Then you could buy 50 splitters and pip them to 50 tvs and each surf with whatever they want.

Satellite...1 channel per tuner
so basically you can pay them what $5 for each additional channel you want to view alternately...sucks right?



edit: of course, might be different with digital cable, but I believe the physical cable delivery is why the bandwidth is capable of delivering more than one feed vs satellite

 

[EricB]

media center has options to network it's stuff. you can map drives with it too

don't do the 50 splitter thing either. most people don't know how to hook up a lot of feeds without getting signal loss. I'd have them run cable to 2 new rooms every time that you switch cable companies since they usually do 2 rooms for free. I wire my own cable, but I have a bunch of residential amps to avoid the signal loss problem