Media Center PC with no tv tuner or option to add one? why?

[Denvers Dawgs]

My sis just purchased a HP Pavilion a1240n Media Center PC. A sheet that was in the paperwork pouch says that "This HP Pavilion PC does not support add-in tv tuner cards." What is the Media Center good for if not to record tv? Please anyone tell me the purpose/use for Media Center without a tv tuner. Wouldn't it pretty much be the same as having a Windows XP Home edition?

[TooLFooL]

very strange...hp's website says you CAN add or REPLACE the tuner card in your pc, as long as it is 'media-center' compatible. nowhere does it claim your pc does have a tuner card, though, and as you stated, what's the point of MCedition if you have no tuner? weird.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=1130587&lang=en&cc=us...name=c00371243

[rallynavvie]

That label was probably meant for one that already had a tuner installed as they won't support multiple tuners and replacing it would obviously cause issues with any support or service still available to the machine. I thought all OEM Media Center PCs were sold with the tuning hardware built-in though?

[Denvers Dawgs]

I didn't see any connections on the back. What type of connections should be there and what would they look like, so I can check if it does have a tuner inside?

[TooLFooL]

well that's it, if there were a tuner it should have a coax-type connector, or 'antenna'. but even on hp's website, it only shows a composite in, and s-video in...

[Denvers Dawgs]

yea all I saw was 2digital audio spots, no coax or s-video. Hmm....whatever it's not my PC, it's my sis's just wondered what you could with a Media Center PC without the tuner. So the sheet that said I can't add a tuner card, means I CAN'T ADD A TUNER CARD in the future.....well that blows.....

[TooLFooL]

well no actually the website it said you can add or replace the tuner card, as long as it is approved for use with media center edition. surely something will work..

[Denvers Dawgs]

ok thanks....

[rallynavvie]

Actually I was just going to recommend going into the Device Manager and seeing if there were a tuner entry under the "Sound, video, and game controllers". Or at least that's where my Hauppauge shows up on my HTPC. I hope it's not coming in under the "Imaging devices" like a capture card.

[guns1inger]

Not an answer, but at least slightly on-topic, when they rolled out media centre out here earlier this year, none of the vendors discussed tuners, recording or timeshifting in any promotional blurb or presentations. When the local IT mag, APC, questioned a couple of them on this oversight, they all gave pretty much the same response.

While there is a precendent in US law regarding timeshifting as it pertains to VHS recording, there was no equivelent ruling in Australian courts for VHS or any other format, and no ruling to say that the VHS verdict actually applied to the domain of HTPCs.

Maybe this model is one designed for nervous resellers ?

[edDV]

A Media Center PC needs to use a 'Media Center Certified' compatible tuner as well as other components. Several exist. MS Media Center 2005 software will support multiple certified tuners for picture in picture, record one, watch another, etc.

Under the MCE scheme, when you buy a Media Center PC, your expansion opportunities are limited to certified products.

[Denvers Dawgs]

ok thanks again for all the great responses