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DVR - Digital Video Recorder

DVR Quick Start - Upgrade Old System

Turn an Old PC into a DVR

If you have an older PC and you want to turn it into a basic DVR, its really simple to do.

Here are the things you need to consider before you start.

Operating System: Needs to be Windows 98/SE, 2000, or XP

Processor Speed: Needs to be 733MHz or faster

System Memory: Needs to be 64MB or more

PCI Slots: two open slots

Free Disk Space: Needs to be at least 10GB, but 150GB is a good target.

Disk Space:
You always need to have at least 20% free disk space for your system to operate properly.

On top of that free space you will need to have 2GB per hour of recording time free space as well. 10 hours of programs means you need at least 20GBs more.

If you only have one drive and not enough space, you should add a second drive and use that for your recordings.

If your system meets the above guidelines, you can turn it into a DVR by adding two cards; a Capture card and a Video card.

Know before you start:
If you decide to the Quick Start options, it is still a good idea to review the rest of this site, especially the Technology and Connections pages, to see the component details, make sure the cards you buy will work as you expect, and to review how to connect it all together. That way you will have a hassle free experience.

In the next section we discuss Windows 98 and Windows 2000. If you have an XP system, see the Windows 2000 section for guidance.

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Windows 98/SE

Windows 98/SE limits your choices, but there are a few low cost options available to you. For most cards below we list two vendors to give the best price.

Capture Card: Hauppauge PVR 250

Video Card: two good choices are listed below.

1. PowerColor Radeon 7000-32MB (from Tiger Direct)

2. eVGA GeForce MX 4000 (from Tiger Direct)

GEFORCE2 MX400/TV-OUT/PCI/64MB DDR

Video-118PCI Series is 2D/3D graphics and multimedia accelerator, which is made by Jaton Corporation. This accelerator is GeForce2 MX/MX400 core technology based with single chipset solution, which is provided by nVIDIA. By incorporating GeForce2 MX break-through 3D architecture, in a 2-pipe form, GeForce2 MX delivers the full GeForce2 GTS 3D feature set at mainstream price points. nVIDIA GeForce2 MX400 GPUs integrated HDVP (High Definition Video Processor) and support 720p at the specified frame rates. When this video accelerator combined with a high-level software MPEG-2 decoder, or a Digital TV receiver, the video playback capabilities of the acceleration are redeeming a cost-effective digital solution such as digital VCR, or high-quality HDTV resolution, etc. Video-118PCI Series(GeForce2 MX400) takes benefit of the latest preference to provide a maximum performance in all graphics applications. Video-118PCI Series (GeForce2 MX400) accelerator is delivering the industry's fastest Direct3D and OpenGL, and gaining velocity in its class. This accelerator is also the most complete Microsoft DirectX 7 hardware implementation and meets all the requirements specified by Microsoft PC 00, PC 99, and PC 99a initiatives. For feature-rich multimedia solution, Video-118PCI Series (GeForce2 MX400) is implanted bridge and port on analog TV output function. Video-118PCI Series (GeForce2 MX400) is ongoing product from Jaton corporation, to combine a better solution with a heritage of bringing the cutting edge technology, this video adapter is cost-effective promise from Jaton to the mainstream PC market.

From Buy.Com

To be sure the video card will work with your TV, you need to match the card connections (video out) with the TV inputs (video in).

#1 above requires a composite cable connection (RCA yellow).
#2 above requires a S-Video connection to your TV

For either of the above you will need to use a speaker or head phone out and connect it to your TV for sound. Typically you can find a converter that uses a single pin on the out side and two RCA connections on the TV Audio In.

For more details go to the Connections section of this site.

Windows 2000

Windows 2000 increases your choices.

Capture Card: Hauppauge PVR 150

Video Card: there are a number of choices

The best approach to take is to make a few decisions, then do a product search based on the decisions.

What is your processor speed?
Note the performance number.

What kind of slot do you have available in your PC?
Standard PCI slot, AGP slot, or PCIe slot.

How much memory do you have in your PC?
Note the amount - compare it the card requirements

How do you want to use the video card?
Play recorded programs or support for games

Note: your OS may not support many of the newer games - check a few before you spend the money on a high end card.

Based on your decisions, search for video card xxx, where xxx is either PCI, AGP, or PCIe. Look at the results, compare the prices and features, and then make sure you have enough processor speed and memory.

Here are links to two the top vendors to help you look for the right video card.

Next Step - DVR Main

DVR Main - First section with an overview	DVR Quick Start
DVR Functionality - decided what you want the DVR to do
DVR Technology - components for your DVR	DVR Updates
Pages: T1 T2 T3
DVR Connections - connections to and from your DVR	DVR FAQ
Pages: C1 C2 C3
DVR Putting It Together - building your DVR
Pages: P1 P2
DVR Recommendations - insights and other notes

Need to find something - use this Google link - it will open a new window.