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[paul.raulerson]

I have been reading the forum for hours, and am totally overwhelmed by the vast information and choices available on this subject, and how ignorant I am about it.

We dumped all the Cable TV about a year and a half ago, and have been pretty much using an AppleTV for Netflix and a Blu-ray player for everything else video. Now we would like to watch the local news (and possibly some football from over the air TV channels.  I note that this is quite available on MC, and we have a MC server attached to the main system in the living room via HDMI.

So we ordered a "Mohu Paper Thin Leaf Indoor Antenna" some friends recommended.  Very stupidly, I didn't realize that there is nothing for it to connect to except perhaps the TV itself. (The Pannie does not support Audio return (only 1.3) so we have no easy way to get sound out of it, except perhaps, to turn on the TV speakers. We have never used them before, and I expect that will be a bit of pain.

So, we started looking at TV Tuners - train wreck - I don't even understand the language behind some of this stuff, and have been burning up the Google channels looking up all the confusing terms.

Is there a thread here for the absolute TV dummy? Or is someone willing to recommend what to buy?

It seems to range from the $45 "USB TV Stick" MC is selling (does that still work since they changed the way TV is broadcast last year?) and will something like JRemote work to change the channels?

Or will MC support something like this Elgato HD HomeRun Network thingamabob? http://www.amazon.com/Elgato-HDHomeRun-Network-Tuner-10023030/dp/B00518QSRU/ref=sr_1_34?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1327244406&sr=1-34

The Elgato looks pretty cool, but I am not at all sure will work with MC to get the picture and sound up on the screen. Plus we are cat people, and "The Cat" sounds pretty cool.

Or is there a simpler route with decent hardware that will connect directly up to an HDMI input on our AVR and just avoid all this confusion?

I think I would like to connect via MC, as MC acts (I think!) like a DVR for time shifting, but it would also be nice to watch TV on the laptops as well, if possible. I think I like the Elgato - saying Elgato to a Mac guy is like saying Happauge to a PC guy. Might not know exactly what it is, but darned if you have not heard it talked about for 10 years or so.

Thanks for advice, pointers, links, and recommendations.

-Paul

[JimH]

This is on the wiki:

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Television

If you have the antenna, plug it into the TV, just to see how reception is in your area.  Over the Air (OTA) TV varies a lot.  

Where are you located?

A USB stick is the simplest way to get started.

The HDTV HomeRun is a nice network device.  Put it anywhere on your network and watch anywhere else.

[paul.raulerson]

This is on the wiki:

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Television

That's a very good writeup, thanks. I gather that MC doesn't need Windows Media Center or all that jazz, which I de-installed on the MC computer.

If you have the antenna, plug it into the TV, just to see how reception is in your area.  Over the Air (OTA) TV varies a lot.  

Where are you located?

Georgetown Texas. Our neighbors seem to be happy with the little flat antenna, so we figure we should get the Austin stations.

A USB stick is the simplest way to get started.

The HDTV HomeRun is a nice network device.  Put it anywhere on your network and watch anywhere else.

I ordered the Media Remote a couple days ago, and the MC media stick is not expensive. I think I might try the Elgato unit, if MC can use it.  

Gotta say Jim, we only have one Windows-only machine in the house, and it is here just to run MC. Everything else is Unix/Linux/VMS, or a Mac. Appreciate the work you guys have done on MC since we bought it back at version 14. Version 17 was quite good enough to make me go buy a PC to dedicate to it.

-Paul

Hey, off topic, but another dumb question.  I type "J" "R" "M" "C" and the board seems to automatically translate it to "M" "C". Is this the correct, or should I write out JRiver Media Center?

[CountryBumkin]

Regarding TV tunners, I recommend the Hauppauge brand. I have three now, and they all work flawlessly.
For internal (PCIe slot) I use the 2250, for USB I have the 950Q, and I also have their internal HD capture card, the Colossus. MC works with all without any issues.
I'm sure you can find a lot of other brands (maybe cheaper) but just be sure whatever brand/ productyou buy, has a large following so the manufacturer will keep the drivers updated and respond to issues quickly.

[Sandy B Ridge]

I gather that MC doesn't need Windows Medica center or all that jazz, which I de-installed on the MC computer.

Hi Paul,

Just be careful with disabling *everything* to do with 'windows media' because it may need some bits and bobs to play certain files. I think if you disable both windows media Center and windows media player then it uninstalls certain Microsoft filters that you may need for DVD or TV playback. I think I got stuck once a little while back, but once I re-enabled WMP everything was hunky dory again. There have been recent changes to Red October and the player filters which may circumvent those though, so may not be an issue anymore. Keep it in mind if you run into directshow filter errors in MC.

SBR

PS There's only one MC in this forum!

[JimH]

I don't know the Elgato.  Hauppauge is usually good.

Try antennaweb for a lot of useful information.

[Yaobing]

I don't know the Elgato.  Hauppauge is usually good.

Try antennaweb for a lot of useful information.

Apparently Elgato HD Homerun is a bundle of Silicondust HD Homerun and some Elgato software.

[eapool]

The Silicon Dust HD Homerun works great with Media Center.  We have been using it for quite a while.  The only slight criticism is that it doesn't seem to be as sensative as some of the other tuners, so you may need a strong signal.  If you have a good strong signal, than there shouldn't be any problems.

Also, I have the USB stick sold by J River and it works great also.

The HD Homerun is nice, because it has two tuners in it and you can watch tv on any computer in your network.

Good luck,

Alex

[paul.raulerson]

The Silicon Dust HD Homerun works great with Media Center.  We have been using it for quite a while.  The only slight criticism is that it doesn't seem to be as sensative as some of the other tuners, so you may need a strong signal.  If you have a good strong signal, than there shouldn't be any problems.

Also, I have the USB stick sold by J River and it works great also.

The HD Homerun is nice, because it has two tuners in it and you can watch tv on any computer in your network.

Good luck,

Alex

Yeah! I just ordered the Elgato version this morning.

So dumb question - how does MC know that the thing exists on the network? Is there a special driver you have to install or something?

I think I will order the MC "stick" thingie too, just in case.

-Paul

[Yaobing]

So dumb question - how does MC know that the thing exists on the network? Is there a special driver you have to install or something?

Yes.  HDHomerun comes with a CD and a Quick Start Guide on a tiny sheet of paper:

1...
2...
3...
4. Install HDHomeRun software and follow setup instructions...

[paul.raulerson]

Yes.  HDHomerun comes with a CD and a Quick Start Guide on a tiny sheet of paper:

1...
2...
3...
4. Install HDHomeRun software and follow setup instructions...

Thanks. So it needs some software, besides a driver I mean, to work with Windows and MC. Hopefull MC will then take over an manage the beastie.

Got it!

Thanks
-Paul

[eapool]

The HD Homerun will come with all the software you need.  I did install the software that came with it because it makes troubleshooting easier.  You can make sure the HD homerun is working, before getting it running on Media Center.  Once everything is running, Media Center will see it as two tuners.  It is pretty simple.

Alex

[paul.raulerson]

  Another dumb question - how the heck do I get "Television" to show up on the Theaver View screen and let me pick the channel to watch?
Got pretty much everything else working but that...

[Sandy B Ridge]

Since the grid-style EPG made an appearance, TV comes under Video->Guide in theaterview as a default. There isn't a simple channel list (that I can find!) anymore. The downside is that you'll need to have some data for the EPG for the channel in order for it to appear in the 'Guide'. So you can't directly access channels that you have only tuning data for and no EPG data from the theaterview menu.

SBR

PS: if you really want access to these channels from theaterview and not have them in the EPG, then you can still access them whilst another channel (which is in the EPG) is playing from the OSD menu. Works, but slightly clunky.
 

[paul.raulerson]

Since the grid-style EPG made an appearance, TV comes under Video->Guide in theaterview as a default.

Thanks - I will have to study this one a bit. Confusing...

-Paul

[CountryBumkin]

Also, you may have to go to Tools>Options>General>Fetaures and check the box for TV