Possibly, but I can't use the laptop. It's my work computer (Lenovo tablet) and has a miniscule HDD. I'll likely need to buy a desktop, quite likely need to buy a bigger HDD if it is an older cheap computer, and then figure out a tuner. Do you mean a box or a card (assuming card)? For my wife to go along with this, I will also need it to run as easy as (or nearly so) as our current VCR. (This is our only TV and I care more about my marriage than DVR
).
I'm assuming this means software purchases (unless I go Linux- which I have no experience with). It seems like a lot of "best case" purchases and assumptions that to me seem overly cheap. To me building a PVR is a means to an end more than a fun project. I love to tinker, but troubleshooting computers is not fun for me.
I understand that. So you're saying you don't have any computer besides a work laptop. If that's the case then you might be better off going with a stand-alone product. But again, just my 2 cents, but once you're used to that Tivo feel that you can get from a computer as well it's hard to go back. I would say buy a cheap barebones kit (about $200) add a tuner and use that. Then when you're ready to add the 2nd tv you can move the computer to there and add a 360 for an extender. Or even better, turn the barebones into a HomeServer, stick it in a closet somewhere and but something like this for your media room.
http://www.asrock.com/nettop/index.asphttp://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-100ht-bd-home-theater-pc,2715.html
