PC Satellite TV - Expanding Your Media Center PC


By Charles Amith

With the arrival of media center PC's, PC Satellite TV cards have become more popular. With a media center PC, you don’t have to spend a lot of money as you would with desktop components. You can have an affordable DVD player, surround sound system, and have the ability to play a wide range of audio and video formats. Here’s a few great things about integrating satellite TV with your personal computer:

• You can receive digital satellite programming for free
• You can have a free digital video recorder (DVR)
• PC satellite TV systems are highly affordable

Receive Satellite Channels For Free

Don’t get too anxious about this. When I mentioned free, I’m not talking about satellite TV piracy. Just like there is free local television, you can receive free digital satellite channels as well. This is called Free-to-Air (FTA) satellite programming. These channels are not encrypted and you’re free to legally view them without paying any monthly fees.

Record Digital Video On Your PC

Most satellite TV cards have the functionality and software to record programs that you receive. You can either record live shows, or schedule your DVR to record at times and dates that you specify. You also have the capability to time-shift. So if you had to take a small break in the middle of a live show, you could come back, rewind, and start from where you left off. Unlike popular DVR’s on the market, you don’t have to pay any monthly fees.

Highly Affordable Digital Television

If you consider not having to pay any monthly satellite or DVR fees, you can see that you’ll be saving a lot of money. The only thing that you’re required to pay for is the satellite dish, PC satellite TV card, and any installation fees. You can save more money if you decide to install the equipment yourself.

Even though all of this might seem too good to be true, please keep in mind that all of this is free programming. It isn’t comparable to premium channels that you could receive through DirecTV or Dish Network. However, there are hundreds of Free-to-Air channels that you can receive. If you’re not too much of a TV-holic, you might want to learn more about Free-to-Air television a bit more.


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