Hmm.

[mrv3000]

Say you have cable TV and have internet through the same cable provider, so that your computer is hooked up to that blessed giver of life: the cable line. (Although it would be hooked up through a cable modem.) Can one:

1. Make your computer act like a TV?
   
   
2. Make your computer act like a VCR in that you can "record" a show?

Things that make you go, "hmmmm."

ETA: Karen informs me that I've had this conversation before. And...she's probably right, knowing my brain.

Comments

[lytarules.livejournal.com]

Can one:

Make your computer act like a TV?


Make your computer act like a VCR in that you can "record" a show?


I don't know... *wants it*

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

No kidding. It'd be so convenient! Especially since I'm considering a new layout that would have treadmill and computer in one room and the TV in a different room. Hmmm.

[nandamai]

*digs into geeky memory files* I believe there is software to do this, though it might also require some additional hardware. I seem to recall an article about it in MacAddict at some point in my questionable past.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind doing the extra hardware/software thing. Mainly I'd like to be able to make it into a TV for when I'm doing the treadmill thing.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

And other *completely* legal purposes.

*smooches Big Brother*

[cleverocity.livejournal.com]

My boss has a fancy computer on which one can watch Stargate reruns when no one's looking important work-related news shows and record them too. However, although it is hooked up to the cable for TV purposes, it doesn't use the cable internet connection but a DSL line instead. The other computers in the office use cable internet though (my boss is not real big on logic) and can't watch or record TV.

In conclusion, I don't know.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. It does sound like it's possible though but he might have some additional hardware. Interesting!

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

I am almost certain that I have seen people say that this is possible. That's the best I can do for you, though.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Oooo, good! I'm quite excited at the thought of it because of the aforementioned completely legal reasons.

[stef94.livejournal.com]

Okay, this is the thing: yes, you can turn your PC into a tv/vcr, but I'm not sure if you can do that straight through the cable modem as it may filter out the tv signal, or something..
As far as I know, you'll need a tv card in your pc, and hook your pc up to the cable seperately.
Pinnacle Systems sells stuff to turn your PC into a tv/home entertainment unit, from the really simple tv-card stuff, to wireless set top boxes that let you play any media file from your pc on your tv.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

OOOOOO. Thanks for the tv-card info. I'll have to try and figure out the cable modem thing. Hmmm. Maybe some kind of splitter...

[tv-elf.livejournal.com]

You can do it, but not through the cable modem. You can split the cable before it hits your cable modem, connect one using a Pinnacle card or Formac or Dazzle Bridge to your computer, and run the other split to your modem.

One catch, if your cable company requires you to use a cable box with your tv, you'll need one for the computer, too.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

You can do it, but not through the cable modem. You can split the cable before it hits your cable modem, connect one using a Pinnacle card or Formac or Dazzle Bridge to your computer, and run the other split to your modem.

Ah ha! (and I think you might have tried to explain this to me before, but I have a *bad* memory.)

One catch, if your cable company requires you to use a cable box with your tv, you'll need one for the computer, too.

I don't think they do - I'm not using one now.

[tv-elf.livejournal.com]

Ah ha! (and I think you might have tried to explain this to me before, but I have a *bad* memory.)

S'ok. My memory is very flawed.

You don't need a cable box?? Lucky! We need it for anything over 13.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Wow! Yeah, so glad I don't have to deal with yet another remote.

[yamadara.livejournal.com]

Oh yes very possible to do both. I recently purchased/installed handy dandy tv card and it works great. And like someone mentioned, you need to split your cable line before it hits your cable modem but even a non-techy like me figured out how to make it work. Though I still haven't quite figured out how to make the recorded show into a smaller, manageable file.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Oh sweeeeet.

So what program do you use to record the show? Is it something that came with the TV card?

[yamadara.livejournal.com]

Program came with the tv card. It also came with some kind of movie maker which I haven't really figured out how to use.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Oooooo. Can't wait to get this set up. And it looks like the installation package that's from the cable company already includes the splitter, so I'll be good to go!

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

Hey, look what I just found (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ttzd/20050217/tc_techtues_zd/146072&cid=1739&ncid=1729). (Scroll down a bit.)

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

OOOOOOOOO.

*SLOBBERS*

*bookmarks*