On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:06:50 +1100, "Rod Speed"
<rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:

>Vic Smith <thismailautodeleted@comcast.net> wrote

>> Just curious about why you like a TV card.
>
>I like it because I have replaced the VCRs with a single PVR.
>
Yes, I preferred the PC recording over using a VCR too.

>> What I found is that I hardly ever watched
>> what I recorded, and just filled up hard drives.
>
>I watch very little live, prefer to watch stuff when I choose
>to watch it, not when its broadcast, and prefer to be able
>to skip the ads and the crap I choose not to watch too.
>
Another good reason for PC as PVR.
In fact, I did time shifting when I had mine, and always watched those
recordings. But that was only when there were 2 shows I wanted to see
that were scheduled for the same time slot.
Though recording many TV offerings was an initial draw for the TV
card, that proved to be something I didn't utilize.

>> Additionally, since I game, I couldn't play and have TV at the
>> same time, even to listen to the news. The same goes for
>> web browsing, which often includes running video/audio which
>> can conflict with the TV drivers, causing hangs/reboots.
>
>I dont game at any level higher than FreeCell Pro and I basically
>just play that instead of watching the TV when watching TV progs.
>I prefer to listen to the TV and be able to glance at the TV when
>something interesting is going on, and when there isnt much
>obvious from the sound as to what is going on.
>
Yes, this is essentially what I do.
But I play resource demanding games such as Far Cry, Oblivion, etc.

>I actually do that on a separate PC, but thats because the PVR
>can record 4 channels at once, tho its usually only recording 3.
>
You must have a large collection of recordings.

>> So I bought a 27" TV for 30 bucks at a second hand dealer.
>> It has a beautiful picture, and works fine with a 6 buck universal
>> remote I also had to buy. It sits across the room, and I can
>> listen/watch to it without it interfering with anything I do on the
>> computer at the same time.
>
>See above. I wont watch much live except the daily national
>news and even with that, its very handy to be able to mute
>the sound and have the PVR carrying on recording it so I
>can watch what I missed when the phone call finishes etc.
>
>> The AIW eventually burned out, and it's replacement
>> doesn't have that hardware/software overhead.
>
>No big deal here, the PVR uses what used to be the main
>system at one time. Its otherwise the test machine.
>
Yes, I think a separate system would be the best option for me if I
wanted to record.
That I often play modern games but want the TV option at the same time
is why the TV card didn't work for me.

--Vic






>> I do have plenty of space, so that wasn't a consideration.
>
>Yeah, and I watch the recorded stuff on a full widescreen
>glass TV anyway, so the PVR doesnt save much space,
>just the pile of VCR tapes basically and the VCRs.
>
>> Anyway, though it is "neat" to have TV capabilities
>> on the computer, it does have its downsides.
>
>The only one I find is that it does use hard drive space like there is no tomorrow,
>2-3G/channel/hour and I usually do need to run some stuff out onto DVD+RWs
>to make more spaces, usually on sunday night when I often need 50G free.
>
>While it makes no sense to be continually moving stuff to DVD+RWs that
>will never get watched, we are just now running into the off season here and
>I'll be getting some stuff back off the DVD+RWs to get something to watch.
>
>I do tend to accumulate some docos with subtitles particularly that
>I never get around to watching, because of the way I prefer to play
>Freecell when watching TV and the subtitles get in the road of that,
>you cant play freecell and read the subtitles at the same time.
>