fios tv on pc with WMC?

i have searched the forums and cannot find any direct answers for this, and i have searched many tuner cards and just dont understand tv enough to grasp what i need to do.

Service: Fios TV HD STB

STB: Motorolla Verizon Fios QIP71002

Plan: i want to hook up my fios tv stb to my pc and watch live hd tv from the windows media center. now i know i need a tuner card, (or at least im pretty sure thats how this works) if i get a tv tuner card for my pc and hook up the box via something like this http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hvr2250.html is that all i need? i really dont understand how this all works, some forum posts on verizon say even if this is done you will not get all the fios channels. is that true? i dont understand whats the difference from doing this, instead of just buying a tv and hooking the stb to it that way. can someome please clearify if this will work and if so how do i do it. i want to make sure i will get all my channels and not just local ones.

Accepted answers

TallGuyNJ1

I would recommend the HDHomerun Prime with it's three tuners and a cable card. You can watch almost all channels through their client with this setup. They also have their own DVR software that's only going to be about $35/year. It's in Beta right now, but works very well with Windows 10. I have the DVR running on a Windows 10 machine, but you can run it on a NAS or NVidia Shield. They have clients for Window 10, Xbox One, Android and Apple. With the free version of PLEX, it's almost a complete solution. The limitation right now, you can only watch DRM channels (HBO, FX, FXX) on some Windows 10 machines and the Xbox One, and the ability to record those channels is coming.

All recordings (non-DRM) are MPEG, which can be converted or editied.

All comments

aliasneo1

the answer for this will be as simple as NO

The fios set top box are designed in such a way that you will be able to watch it only with a TV, the 7100 HD box that you have can be hooked up to the TV via HDMI or Componenent cables

The main problem watching live tv on your computer and why Verizon FIOS doesnot allow it is due to the simple reason that there is a threat for the broadcast to be recorded and shared among the internet users.

Recording a few programs are okay (just recording not sharing) however a few copyrighted programs when recorded and shared over the internet and p2p sites, you run the risk off being charged with dozens of copyright laws and breaking other dozens of US laws for privacy protection of the channel broadcast

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-infringement.html

My sincere advise donot mess up doing this.

You may end up in the wrong place

KenR2

What is actually need is http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHR3-CC-HDHomeRun-CableCARD-tuners/dp/B004HKIB6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358165859&sr=8-1&keywords=silicondust+hdhr3-cc

This has a "cable" input, network (twisted pair) connection and a cable card slot. After the cable card is configured for you account media center will see it and allow you to watch live tv and record like any dvr. The nice thing about this is it has 3 tuners and you can store as much as your computer can hold. In addition, if you have an XBOX 360 in another room you can us it to watch tv after it and media center are configured to see each other.

I have been using this setup for about a month and have had very few problems.

ianisms

Take a look at the InfinitTV products from CETON:

http://cetoncorp.com/products/infinitv/

Allows you to use one M-CARD cable card from FiOS to record up to 4 channels on your Media Center rig.

I have this setup and have no issue.

ronzie1

To watch or record video from a STB on your pc, you would need a device like this: http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

You run component video and audio cables from the STB to the Hauppauge device (it has pass-thru connectors, in case you need them for your TV), and use the software that comes with it, or something like GB-PVR, to make the recordings. Hauppauge also claims that it works with Windows Media Center.

whitelp

Hello ianisms,

Interested to read your experience with FIOS TV and InfiniTV products,

I currently have a DirecTV STB and Windows 7 MCE as a DVR solution. What I like about this is that I'm able to record programs off DirecTV onto the PC and then be able to edit the .wtv file or dvmrs file for keeps.

I also have a FIOS STB and Ultimate HD TV package on trial and have spent today trying to get FIOS TV to work with Windows 7 MCE but as I expect you know already......ain't happening.

So, before I blow upwards of $300, with your InfiniTV, Windows 7(?) MCE and FIOS setup are you able to edit MCE DVR content recorded from FIOS TV?

I'm not interested in editing premium movie channel content, just the run-of-the-mill 'regular' content like local channels and NBC Sports, ESPN, beIN Sport channels.

FYI, I also have OTA programming hooked up to the TV Tuner in the PC and am able to record/edit programming with no issues whatsoever.

I'm thinking that sticking with DirecTV and Windows 7 MCE might be my best option but...............

Thanks in advance for your assistance in this matter.

Regards, PW

logan81

you CAN watch live TV on a computer, what people don't understand is that in order to do that you need to remove the Verizon STB out of the equation. what you need is a cable card from Verizon (an M card) and a device in your computer that can read cable cards and then it will work wonderfully with WMC. But if you are trying to connect the verizon box to your computer... it is just a basic video output so you would just be able to do video capture to a computer or something. OR if it was me I would just save up my money and buy a slingbox and then I could watch all my TV on any computer anywhere I had internet connection. but that is just me.

russds

Thanks for the clarification on this thread. I too, am looking to jump ship from STB (DirectTV), and thinking of using Fios with cableCARD + PC (WMC + Ceton InfiniTV 4 PCIe).

For those who've done this, would I get a similar user experience to using directv DVR using this setup?

Any issues I should be aware of?

My goal is to use my PC instead of the Verizon DVR, and paying the $20/month fee, but get a similar user experience: Channel Guide, Live TV, Record shows i'm interested in, etc.

Thanks!

viafax999

@logan8 wrote:
you CAN watch live TV on a computer, what people don't understand is that in order to do that you need to remove the Verizon STB out of the equation. what you need is a cable card from Verizon (an M card) and a device in your computer that can read cable cards and then it will work wonderfully with WMC. But if you are trying to connect the verizon box to your computer... it is just a basic video output so you would just be able to do video capture to a computer or something. OR if it was me I would just save up my money and buy a slingbox and then I could watch all my TV on any computer anywhere I had internet connection. but that is just me.

Not totally true. I assume your method works but mine below also works using an STB. I've used with SnapStream for years and also works fine with MS media center

I have a Hauppauge HD PVR and record to a pc using win 7 ultimate media center via that box connected to the output from the STB and controlling the Fios STB via the box IR blaster that is being programmed via the Fios Tv guide loaded into ultimate. If your disk drives are fast enough and wifi signal is good enough you can then stream via Chromecast.

Socco

For several years, under Windows XP and Windows 10 32-bit I could get all the FiOS programs with a Plextor PX-TV402u and WinDVR. But now that I have Win 10 64-bit, I can't get a driver that works for the Plextor receiver. My efforts with the Hauppauge HVR1955 are fruitless so far.

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