Substitute For Windows Media Center

Factual Questions
1

I have a netbook from Dell that runs on Win7 starter so it does not have Windows Media Center.

This is fine but I would like to add my TV tuner to the netbook. On my laptop (Win 7) or Desktop (Vista), I can use the Artec t18ar which is a usb tv tuner just fine with Windows Media Center.

But since the netbook doesn’t have Media Center, I can’t use it.

The Artec t18ar came with software that installs a TV player but unfortuntely it doesn’t work with Win7. I contacted Artec and they said, it won’t play sound. Which is exactly what it does. I have the drivers for Win7 but those apparently are only for the TV tuner, not the software.

So what I was was wondering if there was any, preferably free, substitute for Windows Media Center, that would allow me to attach a TV tuner to it.

Thanks

2

Since this is for a netbook, which are not very powerful, I tried to find something that was just a TV tuner, since that’s the only part you seem to need, but all I can find are full-fledged replacements.

Fortunately, it seems that MediaPortal can work on a netbook, as it’s minimum requirements are of a processor that is slower than all the Atom processors netbooks usually use, and a DirectX 9 compatible graphics card, which most netbooks have. So check it out.

3

MythTV (big, like WMC) or the VLC media player.

4

I tried Media Portal but unless you have Aero turned on, which I can’t do with Win7 starter, it’s all choppy and the sound and picture are out of sync. I tried to install it just to see, but it is a mess unless you have Windows Aero on

5

You might try GB-PVR. I used to use that until I just turned all my DVRs into Windows Media Center boxes.

6

Nothing beats Media center in terms of features and usability at the moment.

You can upgrade your starter version to home premium for $56.

7

Oh, cool! I didn’t know it had that feature. Here’s a guide on how to get it to work as a TV tuner.

True, but there’s a reason netbooks come with Starter. It may not be powerful enough to run Home Premium comfortably. Before you go that route, google your netbook model and Windows 7 Home Premium to see how well it runs. Or post it here, and one of us can check it out for you. (There are a few other ways to check.)