Windows 8 Bible

Watching and Recording TV

If your computer has a TV tuner or Personal Video Recorder card, you can use Media Center to watch and record TV. If your computer doesn’t already have one, you can purchase and install one or have one professionally installed. Ideally, you want a card that’s specifically designed to work with Media Center. One that comes with a Media Center remote control is ideal if you think there’s a chance you might want to connect your computer to a TV.

Tip

TV tuner devices for PCs come in two formats: as a card that installs in the computer or as a USB device. The USB format offers portability, enabling you to use the device on more than one computer. Portability isn’t the only consideration, however, so choose a TV tuner that suits all your needs.

The TV tuner device you purchase will provide a connection for cable TV or an antenna. You’ll need to connect that to get TV reception. You don’t need to connect to a TV screen, however. You can watch and record TV from any standard computer monitor.

Note

The TV tuner device might also include other ports such as S-Video input or FM input.

To use the TV features, choose TV on Media Center’s home page. You’ll see five options: Internet TV, Guide, Search, Recorded TV, and Live TV Setup. Before you start using Media Center for watching TV, you need to run through setup. Click Live TV Setup and follow the prompts to specify input type, scan for channels, and complete other setup and configuration tasks. If ...