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Watching Tv on Windows 10

430 views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  gtgray 
#1 ·
Hello,

I have comcast cable with HDHomerun prime cable box. I have a main HTPC which is connect to tv and it has windows 7 in it. I have installed windows media centre and will record movies from it
i have one more tv in my bedroom and windows 10 laptop.
how can i utilize my cablebox and watch tv in my windows 10 setup and on my upstairs tv
can someone please help me here

if i record any movie from anywhere ( preferably using my htpc), i would like to watch that movie in every system in my house. Since movies has copyrights problems with wmC i am unable to watch the movie in another pc but i am able to watch in the recorded pc

is there any remote where i can use while watching tv from pc or from any extender

is there a way where i can record tv shows or movies from any pc ( in my house) or i can only record in my htpc
 
#4 ·
To watch a copy protected show recorded on one HTPC in another room, you need an extender. XBOX 360s make the best extenders. Any 360 will work, even if the DVD drive is dead. The 4gb slim model is a fine choice, and can be found used for around $70-100.

Remotes are easily found. Just type MCE Remote in an Amazon search and you'll find lots of them. Or, the way I prefer to do it, is to us a Flirc (again Amazon search) and a Logitech (or your preferred brand) unified remote.

With the Prime, you can record on any WMC box you have in the house. You just may run out of tuners. And remember, W10 doesn't natively have WMC included, so you'll have to hack it in if that's your goal.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Weren't extenders kind of hit or miss with Win 10 WMC? Are they working reliably now?

The $16 Nevo C2 is still by far the best universal remote value around. It has the same functionality as a $250 Harmony. Like any universal, it will control many devices including all PCs and extenders. If you have several extenders in the same room, the Nevo is easier than Harmony to set up with alternate MCE codes sets.

BTW, I think GameStop has used Xbox 360's for $30 at the moment.

In any case, if it isn't clear by now, multiple PCs won't work for copy protected content. Extenders are your only option. You can also start recording on your main HTPC from any extender or from your smart phone.

In terms of solving your problem, Tivo and Slingbox would work better than the HTPC system you currently have. That would allow you to get copy protected content on any device in any room.

Another solution would be to simply use the content provider's streaming apps instead of trying to play recordings. HBO Go, etc. has just about everything, and you could watch on any platform from anywhere.

Sometimes we tend to get fixated on trying to shoe-horn a complex solution into our existing system without considering simpler alternatives outside that system.
 
#7 ·
He said his main HTPC is W7.



I still don't have my Nevo set up. I didn't find it to be easier than my Harmony remotes.

$30 is a bargain for a 360 and/or extender.
Missed that part about W7. Still no solution to watching protected content on his W10 laptop.

I'm only saying Nevo is easier to set up for multiple MCE addresses (just type in one number versus re-learning every command from some other remote set to the alternate code set). I personally find it easier than Harmony overall, but I've been using Remote Master software for about 10 years (15 years if you include its predecessor IR), so I'm a bit biased. I find Harmony software harder to use because they prohibit so many things and don't give you direct access to edit the activity macros. It's quite a chore to hack around all of that.
 
#8 ·
If he doesn't need DRM, JRiver works pretty well for live tv. I have been using it a lot lately. With a decent GPU, HQ mode makes madvr no fuss, and the picture is gorgeous.
 
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