HTPC Question

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6815116016

though you could try to get a cablecard tuner, see if your provider has one then you could watch/record without the box (one less box maybe two if you use it for DVD/BD)

Cable card tuners are very rare. Thanks to the big media companies, they are only available to OEM's (Dell, HP, etc) for pre-built media-PC's. You'll probably have to scour eBay to find a used one for sale from a system pull.

The regular tuner cards that are for sale, like the one above, are for us DIY builders. Most are able to accept a ATSC signal (OTA HDTV local channels, clear-QAM non-encrypted digital cable channels) and a NTSC signal (standard, basic cable channels).

If you want to get encrypted channels like HBO, you'll need to connect your set-top box to the tuner card

What kind of broadcast are you planning on watching on your computer? If it's over-the-air digital TV, then it's as simple as purchasing an ATSC tuner card, install it, and connect a good antenna. Windows XP MCE, Vista Premium, and Windows 7 Premium have media center software that will allow you to watch TV.

Here's a site that will give you a good rundown of what tuners are capable of:

http://www.hdtvtunerinfo.com/quickoverview.html

I just built an HTPC about a month ago. You don't need a turner card. Most programs are streamed for free over the internet including sports if you have a good high speed connection hard wired in. As for movies I use Netflex. With Hulu you can find lots of old stuff to watch for free. Most networks ABC, NBC, Fox, and CBS will have there new programs for viewing the day after it airs. Some local stations stream there news live. Most of the major cable channels like what you mentioned stream there programing to. The great thing about watching programs this way is you can watch what you want when you want with out using TIVO.

I haven't cut the cable cord just yet but were getting close to it. We have dropped down to just basic and give them back there box.