D* and Computer

[joepelaez]

Can I get a PC Tuner Card and watch D* on my computer? In addition, can I use my computer as a PVR? I have heard confliting info that the feed would be encrypted and the computer would not display the picture.

Thanks!

 

[Brewer4]

Just get a Media Center PC or build your own PC and add a tuner card. You need XP version that is Media Center or any flavor of Vista. Make sure you pump up the Video Card. I use Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS. You will need a Directv receiver and a Microsoft "bean bag" or other device that sends infrared signals to the receiver to change the channel. The The Green Button - Your Media Center Community is a great source to find more info about using and building a Media Center. I have a home built PC with 1 analog tuner card for Directv, and 2 HD OTA tuners. The Directv receiver will not record in HD as it gets downconverted to S-Video but it will record an HD show if you have an HD receiver.

The only encryption I have seen is on HBO. It will allow you to record an HBO show, but its tied to the CPU so you cant put it on DVD or move the file to another PC and play. There are ways around this but I am not going there yet. The Media Center is advanced enough.

Good luck.