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[Eyeopr8r]

So since media extenders are on their way out what is the best and affordable way to convert a win7 PC with media center into a DVR, and yhen stream video, music, and photo media from throughout the house on a wireless network. Thanks in advance

[dragonkeeper]

Add a tuner card, virtually of the current tuner cards have hardware or software capture capability and some have both.
What is it that you wish to capture, over the air signals (ASTC), cable, satellite?
Most premium channel are scrambled and can't be pick up by most tuner cards, but you can in some cases purchase a tuner card that will accept a cable, satellite tuner card.

[Eyeopr8r]

I have comcast cable and simply want to use my pc as a dvr much as I curretny use the comcast dvr/settop box. I think you might be telling me that the comcast dvr can unscramble stuff before it records it on the comcast dvr hard drive, but that if I use my pc as a dvr much of the content from my cable can't be recorded on my pc because it will not be unscrambled--is that correct? BTW I do know about cable cards and had intended on doing that.
But my bigger question is what hardware to use to take ANY media from my win 7 media center PC, and stream it wirelessly throughout the house. I already have a wireless-N network in place, but my reading seems to indicate that media extenders on the whole are being phased out in favor of TV's and the like having the (reception of)streaming ability built right into the device--problem is I'm not in the market for new TV's etc. I just wanna stream media from the pc throughout the house in a low cost way. Are blu-ray devices actually a good altenative for media extenders at this point?? I.e. can they actually stream from the win 7 pc, as well as from services like hulu, netflix, etc?? If so any recommendatins for a low cost blu-ray for this purpose??
Thanks for you help

[neomaine]

eyeopr8r,

Instead of a BluRay standalone, I'd look for something along the likes of media players: WDTV Live, Boxee, etc... I've got two WDTV Live players and they work great for that very purpose. They're the first and second gen wired ones. In general, wireless is problematic for video streaming. It can be done, but bandwidth issues and interference tend to make it hard to setup and run consistently.

[usually_quiet]

Read this thread regarding options for recording Comcast digital cable using a PC https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/341149-What-Product-to-buy-to-view-DIGITAL-cable-TV-on-my-PC

[handyguy]

Quick note, a lot of programs are stored on the net from the people that made them already & you can stream them to your computer, so no DVR needed. PBS has their programs online, as do most of the others.