Digital Home Thoughts: Connected Home: "A Cool Alternative to Media Center and TiVo"

"Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) offers excellent digital video recording (DVR) functionality and an amazing "10-foot" UI that lets you interact with your computer as if it were a consumer electronics device. But there's one major problem: To get XP MCE, you have to purchase a new Media Center PC, which will set you back at least $1000. That's because Microsoft refuses to sell the MCE software—a decision I think is a big mistake. But for people wishing to get DVR functionality on their PC without spending $1000, rejoice: An inexpensive XP MCE alternative has arrived and, in some ways, it surpasses the Microsoft option. That alternative is called SnapStream Beyond TV 3. And if you're thinking "TiVo," think again: Beyond TV 3 also offers significant advances over that product.

SnapStream entered the PVR market 4 years ago with its Personal Video Station product, renamed Beyond TV 3 for the most recent version, which shipped in early 2004. At its heart, Beyond TV 3 is a Windows-based software package that lets you record TV shows on your PC. But that's only the beginning: Where Beyond TV 3 really shines is in the ways you can consume that recorded TV content. Before I get to that, however, I want to step back a bit and take a look at what you need to do to make this all come together..."

A great article about getting a PVR setup if you don't want to go the MCE route - worth the read!