TiVo without a TV?

[edmazur]

Hey all,

I'm moving back into my college dorms soon and I'm looking to save some space by not bringing my TV. I've owned a TiVo for nearly a year now and I love it.

The solution I had in mind was to buy a tv card for my computer and hope that gets the job done. I posted my situation on a tv card-specific forum a few days back but didn't get a response:

tv-cards.###/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=13603

Forum won't let me make a link cause I'm a new user...replace ### with com

So I figured I should try on a tivo-specific forum (probably should have tried here first).

In researching tv cards with tivo, I found this thread:

tivocommunity.###/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=303724&highlight=tv+card

Forum won't let me make a link cause I'm a new user...replace ### with com

From what I could discern, what I want to do is not possible with TiVoToGo. I would try it out right now and see if it works but I don't have a usb ethernet adapter available.

Basically I'm looking to completely bypass the need for a TV. Is this possible?

Thanks!

[classicsat]

Simply get a TV tuner card for your PC, that will let you watch TV in real time. I have an older BT868 based card that works well for using the TiVo. The BT868 variety are rather cheap now, with people preferring the newer PVR style cards with hardware MPEG encoders on them

[edmazur]

Simply get a TV tuner card for your PC, that will let you watch TV in real time. I have an older BT868 based card that works well for using the TiVo. The BT868 variety are rather cheap now, with people preferring the newer PVR style cards with hardware MPEG encoders on them

So I assume you're able to use the TiVo interface via the computer once the tv tuner card is installed? I don't watch live tv often, mostly recordings.

[petew]

TivoToGo will allow you to transfer shows off your Tivo onto the PC so you can watch them, and Tivo Central would allow you to schedule recordings, however there's no way to delete anything.

Using a TV Tuner card would work, just connect TiVo to the Card with an RF cable and tune to channel 3.

[edmazur]

TivoToGo will allow you to transfer shows off your Tivo onto the PC so you can watch them, and Tivo Central would allow you to schedule recordings, however there's no way to delete anything.

Using a TV Tuner card would work, just connect TiVo to the Card with an RF cable and tune to channel 3.

All righty I'm gonna go pick up a tv tuner card at Best Buy right now in that case. I'll post when I get back and install it to report how it works out!

Thanks guys.

[edmazur]

I ended up buying an ATI TV Wonder 200 for $60. Popped it in and it's great! It does everything I need it to do. Thanks guys.

[classicsat]

So I assume you're able to use the TiVo interface via the computer once the tv tuner card is installed? I don't watch live tv often, mostly recordings.

The tuner card+tuner app works the same as a TV set. I use the TiVo as if it were connected to a normal TV.

[TwiceOver]

Any video card with a video in would have also worked. The tivo itself is a tuner.