Tommy was nice enough to write a follow up post about some of the applications he uses to make his TV watching experience online even better. Check out his follow up post here.
How To Setup Your Own DVR without Monthly Fees
Who doesn't love having a DVR? You get to record your
favorite shows and then watch them when you have the time. But TiVo as well as
the cable and satellite companies always seem to want to charge you to “rent”
the DVR from them.
So why not dump the cable and satellite companies all
together and setup your own DVR?
With there simple components you can have your own DVR with
no monthly fees. Here are the components:
- Computer
- TV Tuner
- Antenna
Computer:
The first component is a computer, since most people are
running Windows that is what my specific instructions will focus on. If you
have a Windows Vista or Windows 7 PC both come with Windows Media Center (WMC)
built-in (Windows 8 will not have WMC built in but it will be available for an
additional charge). WMC includes full TV Tuner software. This software will not
only decode over-the-air TV signals but also provides a complete channel guide
for your area based on your zip code. The channel guide automatically downloads
up to two weeks of programming and allows you to setup series recordings as
well as individual episodes and movies. The settings are highly customizable
and include starting recordings early, ending them late, and only recording new
episodes or new and repeats alike. The best part of this is none of this costs
you extra, whereas TiVo requires a monthly fee if you wish to receive updated
programming. In addition to the TV Tuner software, WMC allows you to link in
any videos, music, or pictures on your computer into the media center as well.
If that isn't enough you can link your Netflix account to watch all your watch
instantly content. An additional bonus to using WMC is that sometimes the TV
shows you want to watch may be on when your computer would normally be off but
simply leaving your computer on wastes a lot of energy. WMC is fully integrated
with the power saving feature of your Windows machine so even though we have
our computer set to go to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity the computer
will reactivate a couple minutes before a scheduled recording is about to
begin. We don't have to worry about making sure the computer is on and we don't
have to worry about spiking our power bill, its the best of both worlds.
Windows Media Center also includes the Media Extender
feature. This feature allows you to use other devices with WMC (such as other
computers or your Xbox 360) to access the content you have on the main or host
machine. As long as the devices are on the same network you can stream live TV
on your computer in the bedroom to your Xbox 360 in the family room. You just
have to make sure your network is built to handle the speeds required to stream
HD video from one room to another.
TV Tuner:
The TV tuner is another critical component of the no monthly
fee DVR. The TV tuner is the hardware that links your antenna (or
cable/satelite box) to your computer. TV Tuners come in many varieties from
internal cards to external USB tuners. The one I personally use is the
Hauppauge HVR 950 (http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr950q.html).
Its very simple, one end is USB and the other is for your coaxial cable. Most
of the USB tuners are close to plug and play and the Hauppauge tuners come with
the WinTV software. This software is good but I personally prefer WMC. It is
worth noting that if you want to stream live TV to your mobile devices WinTV
has this capability but WMC does not (Unless you utilize a separate program
called “Remote Potato” but that's another conversation). In any event
Hauppauge's products are designed to be compatible with both programs. Before
purchasing any TV tuner you will want to make sure that your computer meets the
minimum requirements. The over-the-air TV signals are typically broadcast in HD
and may require more processing power than other video sources.
Antenna:
Picking the correct antenna can be one of the most difficult
choices. Many factors need to be weighed in this decision but the most
important is your distance from the broadcasting towers. Fortunately, www.antennaweb.org is designed so that
you can put in your address and find out which channels are broadcast in your
area and how far away you are from the transmitters. My discussion will focus
on indoor antennas but the same goal can be achieved with outdoor antennas.
Indoor antennas are best when you are 25 miles or less away from the
broadcasting source you want to receive.
My Four Antennas
1. Coat
Hanger Antenna
◦
This was my first attempt at a homemade antenna
you can find various designs online that are all basically the same: http://www.google.com/search?q=Coat+Hanger+Antenna
◦
Considering it was made out of coat hangars I
was pretty impressed I had fairly consistent reception on most of the channels
I was supposed to receive. I was shocked it worked at all.
◦
Total Channels: 9
◦
Reception Quality: Decent with occasional
“noise” on most channels
2. Binder-Clip
Antenna
◦
This was my second attempt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDg5DR58dUQ)
I stumbled upon this YouTube video while looking for other antenna designs and
man was I skeptical. I figured if the coat hanger one worked maybe this one
could work too.
◦
Man was I blown away, not only did it work but
it beat my coat hanger antenna hands down. I received all the channels antenna
web said I should and only one of them had spotty reception. So I was satisfied
with this one for quite awhile.
◦
Total Channels: 12
◦
Reception Quality: Rare “noise” on some channels
one channel with “noise” pretty regularly
3. Most
Expensive Indoor Antenna at Best Buy
◦
I can't remember what brand of antenna it was
but one day I just decided that I really wanted to get reception on that one
spotty channel. So I spent $90 on the most expensive indoor antenna they had at
Best Buy.
◦
After over an hour of trying to get the best
position I ended up with about a third of the channels I could easily receive
on my binder-clip antenna.
◦
Total Channels: 4
◦
Reception Quality: Excellent on the 4 channels I
received
4. Mohu
Leaf/Leaf Plus
◦
After returning the Best Buy antenna I took to
Amazon to view the antenna ratings there. I was not too surprised to see that
most of the indoor antennas had about 3 out of 5 stars. I was very surprised
when I saw the reviews for the Mohu Leaf which had an average rating of 4.5 out
of 5 stars.
◦
I figure I had to try it and find out for myself
and I must say I was not disappointed. I was so happy I bought the Leaf Plus as
well, which is an amplified version. The Leaf Plus requires a power source to
help boost the signal but they provide you with a USB power cord with a USB to
wall outlet converter. So if your TV has a USB slot or if you have a free one
on your computer, the antenna will only use power when your TV or computer is
on. All their antennas are manufactured in the US the only thing that is not
made in the USA is the USB to wall outlet converter.
◦
The leaf is white on one side and black on the
other so that it can blend into a variety of environments and it is also only
as thick as a few sheets of paper which makes it easy to mount on any wall or
window.
◦
Total Channels:
▪
Leaf: 12
▪
Leaf Plus: 15 (Even more than Antenna Web said I
should get)
◦
Reception Quality
▪
Leaf: Excellent with very rare “noise”
▪
Leaf Plus: Excellent with very rare “noise” on
some channels
Keep in mind that when testing out any antenna it is
important to try several positions to figure out which areas get the best
reception. In my living room the best reception is with the antenna next to the
window, but in our bedroom the wall directly above the TV is best. Be aware that
nearby buildings, trees, and even other electronics in your house can have an
impact on your antenna reception. It can take awhile to find the best spot but
be patient. If you take the time to find the right spot the first time you
won't have to play with your antenna on a regular basis.
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