3rd party PVR to use with Hauppauge

[striker9]

I am looking for either recommendations of a PVR or a way to get the ChrisTV trial working again. I have tested MediaPortal, GB-PVR, ChrisTV, BeyondTV, and SageTV. So far the only one I like is GB-PVR (the rest either don't work or I don't like them).

I really like the look of ChrisTV but ever since I uninstalled the Trial (to reinstall because it was echoing on playback) it keeps saying something like "You set the clock backwards. The trial has expired." when I haven't even touched the clock. For now I'm using GB-PVR because it works but I don't like the whole "media center" designed PVRs like gb, sage, and beyond.

[edDV]

Which Hauppauge card?

[striker9]

hauppauge pvr 250

[edDV]

PVR-250 should work. Email Chris TV for a demo.

[Soltaris]

You could also try Windows Media Center 2005. You mentioned you don't like the mediacenter feel but this would still be perfect because it can run in windowed mode right on your desktop. Plus you can create custom shortcuts which let you completely bypass the menus. This gives you direct access to live tv, the guide, settings, or whatever part you want.

The downside is it's probably more expensive (Newegg lists it at $129.99), you likely need a 1.6GHz CPU and a GForce2 or better video card, you'll need to format your hard drive to install it, and only some programs like Tmpgenc MPEG Editor, VideoRedo, PowerDirector, etc can edit commercials from your recordings.

On the plus side it supports controlling a wide variety of cable and satellite receivers, has offline scheduling via MSN Remote Record, a FREE tv-guide service, 3rd-party support from major vendors (like MTV, AOL music, Fox Sports, etc), has built-in burning, HD support, parental control, closed captioning, and a whole lot of features you don't necessarily get with other software. Plus you can buy MCE extenders to provide time-shift playback, recording, media browsing, etc to any TV in the house.

[SHS]

Windows Media Center 2005 all about DRM don't waste your time on it.
The other may not support 3rd-party support from major vendors (like MTV, AOL music, Fox Sports, etc) and MSN Remote Record but a few them do have Remote Recording support and as for MCE extenders they cost and arm & leg.
By the MCE can't control a wide variety of cable and satellite receivers due to the fact that it can't even support Multi-Source.

[greymalkin]

what are you looking for if not a "media center" like application?

Are you just wanting to capture video and not tv..scheduled recordings..etc?

[striker9]

A EPG program like MyTelly (http://mytelly.sourceforge.net/) that lets you right click the tv show and have options like record and view live would be ideal.

[flemming kristiansen]

I purchased ChrisTV some 3 months ago. It works great with all Hauppauge cards.