Home Theater PCs (HTPCs) are considered by some to be the best DVR solution available. You generally have more freedom and access to more content than with a cable/satellite DVR or TiVo. If they have one disadvantage it is that they require more work. To make your HTPC life as easy as possible, let's walk through the installation of a TV tuner in Windows Media Center.
Keep in mind that depending on the type of tuner you have, the process might be a bit different but Media Center is quite good at detecting your tuner and walking you through the proper steps.
Physical Installation
During this walkthrough, we're going to assume that you understand computer basics and know how to install add-on cards to a computer. USB tuners are obviously the easiest as you simply plug it into any available USB port. Driver installation will typically be automatic. If installing an internal tuner, you'll want to shut down your PC, open the case and connect your tuner to the appropriate slot. Once it is properly seated, button up your case and restart your PC. Before jumping into Media Center, you'll want to install the drivers for your new tuner. These are required so that your PC can communicate with the tuner.
