Reddit reviews SiliconDust HDHomeRun DUAL High Definition Digital TV Tuner HDHR3-US (Black) (2013 Model)

Get yourself an HDHomeRun network tuner, and then the HomeRunTV app.

I have a Win7 box w/a HDHomerun HD HR3 US OTA ATSC dual tuner with Windows Media Center on it.

If you install a piece of software called ServerWMC it can take your OTA live channel data and feed it into a plex plugin called wmc2Plex.

From there you can view your "plugins" section on a plex client, pick wmc2plex and stream live OTA TV.




Link to ServerWMC: https://0df317251eddfb99d4fce96eecb40d46cfc8ba25.googledrive.com/host/0ByNnAMYBoWvfTk8tRWJXYko1T2c/index.html


Link to wmc2Plex: https://forums.plex.tv/index.php/topic/137688-wmc2plex-livetv-with-serverwmc/


Link to the tuner I use: http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-Definition-Digital-HDHR3-US/dp/B004HO58SO (it's not the latest model, it's an MPEG2 based tuner)

This, although to elaborate, you need to obviously have a way to get the TV signal (specifically the channel you want) into the computer. To do that you need a tv tuner of some sort, although you don't necessarily need a card in the computer, you could go with a network based tuner like the SiliconDust HDHomeRun http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-Definition-Television-HDHR3-US/dp/B004HO58SO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1X6E0A0LVR6GL&coliid=IZ68PKMJY53RZ
you do need some sort of tuner, which is what TheHater1 was answering you can't do it without a tuner, but you can do it without a card in your PC

I have Charter for internet (15Mbps down/3 up for ~$50/mo after the promo rate expires) and an antenna for TV. I built my own DVR so I can record the network shows, which is what we mainly watch anyway. I live in south Reno so the antenna reception is great coming off Slide Mtn. It is probably a bit tougher to pull off in the northern areas.

There's plenty of free DVR software. Windows Media Player can do it or if you use Linux mythtv is wonderful. That is what I use.

I use the HDHomeRun to tune the channels.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HO58SO

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005YW7OLM

If you can get your monitor hooked-up to your PC, you could get any number of gadgets to receive ATSC digital TV. My favorite at the moment is the HDHomeRun network tuner.

But since it doesn't sound like an option or what you really want to do, here is the product for you: Kworld HDmi Dvi VGA Qam/atsc External Digital Tv Tuner Box Hdtv (links to various ebay listings). This device outputs in DVI and VGA.

• Antenna: ClearStream V2
  
  
• Amplifier: RadioShack Generic Amplifier
  
  
• Antenna feed runs through our preinstalled wiring from ATT U-verse without any changes
  
  
• I build my parents a custom built HTPC/server upstairs in the master bedroom, downstairs has a pretty cheap Refurbished HP Slimline Desktop that also runs as a secondary server for video games if necessary.
  
  
• All computers run Windows Media Center (Win7 Professional) + Airfoil for my parents iPads
  
  
• Tuner is a SiliconDust HDHomeRun Network Tuner. This pumps the signal to the HTPCs. It runs via ethernet which the upstairs runs along the baseboard, and gets to downstairs via TrendNet Powerline AV Adapters at 200mbps.
  
  
• The upstairs "server" has several hard drives which Windows Media Center saves to. The downstairs computer has the Recorded TV folder on one of the drives mapped as a network share, essentially creating the Uverse-esque "whole home DVR"
  
  
• My room just has an additional video out from my PC running over a 25 foot HDMI cable to my TV.
  
  
• Any other TVs that don't need DVR functionality just have a straight antenna feed through the preinstalled wiring
  
  
• For wireless laptops, we use Ubiquiti Unifi access points that can keep up with the HDHomeRun's large network requirements.
  
  
• Master bedroom, main TV, and workout room all have Roku 2 XD's attached to them.
  
  
• Any remaining TVs / the occasional projector we bring out, we will connect to a Nintendo Wii that we have lying around for Netflix.

http://www.reddit.com/r/htpc/ might be a good place to ask as well.

Can't really provide any input on that card, but it's definitely an OEM device, so drivers could be an issue. Most that are available are pulls or remans, so there's a good chance that they are used, and will have no support or warranty. So the decision is if you want to risk the $$ on a used / unsupported part (that very well could work like a champ), or pay a bit more for something that's guaranteed to work.

Personally, I like the HDHomeRun tuners. They are external network devices, and don't require any space in the machine (or even have to be in the same room).

http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-Definition-Digital-HDHR3-US/dp/B004HO58SO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380923301&sr=8-1&keywords=hdhomerun

Of course, they are more than $30.

HDHomeRun tuner puts QAM (unencrypted cable) and antenna streams into two tuners that hook up to your network. You can then record any of those channels on your PC using Windows Media Center.

Recording in WMC doesn't require much CPU power - I have a six-year-old Core 2 Duo and it only uses about 10% for an HD broadcast.

Looks like it's $120 for the non-Prime model. If the cable outlet is near OP's computer, wouldn't one of the ~$60 USB ones he mentions work just as well?

I've had it for a year now, so I would recommend a newer CPU/Motherboard. And please note that this unit is only up to running old arcade games, not something that takes a lot of display horsepower. Here is the system I built, it is running OpenELEC:

Case - Thermaltake Element Q - $75

Motherboard/CPU/APU - Asus AT5IONT-I - $180

Memory - Kingston 4GB (2 x 2GB) - $30

SSD - Crucial M4 64GB - $73

Blu-ray Drive - I have a discontinued Sony Optiarc full height unit - I would recommend - Asus Black 12X BD-ROM - $53

A couple of items that made the build easier:

10" SATA Cables - $10

1 Foot Right Angle Power Cord - $9

TOTAL: $430

EDIT: I forgot the remote. Any Windows Media remote works, I chose this one ($21) since its IR unit seemed to have a wide angle of signal capture, which it does. I also have a small mini-keyboard/remote ($37) for those times I need it.

EDIT II: I also forgot that I have a HD HomeRun ($90) to support TV. Storage is handled by a Startech 2 Drive Enclosure ($72) with 2 WD AV-GP WD20EURS 2TB ($120 each) These will be replaced by a server when I can afford it.

This makes a grand total that might not be so attractive: $430 for the HTPC + $460 for peripherals and storage = $890

hdhr3 + PC + wmc or myth

If it were Me, I'd get this:

http://www.amazon.com/Zotac-ZBOX-1-6GHz-Barebone-ZBOX-AD02-U/dp/B004XYJLY0/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1319408109&sr=1-7

and this

http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-Definition-Television-HDHR3-US/dp/B004HO58SO/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0

FWIW, this is what I currently own today:

http://www.barrymorrison.com/2011/04/25/my-htpc-coming-soon/

http://www.barrymorrison.com/2011/05/01/my-htpc-its-here/

Only thing I'd do differently, is a dual-tuner. BUT this was at Woot for $80 so I did it! A dual-tuner is a necessity (for me IMO).

Good luck!

You are what? A sports fan? Nearly any "main stream" TV show can be obtained OTA. NBC/ABC/CBS/Fox... they are free and OTA in pure HD nearly everywhere. With something like a HDHomerun you can literally setup a free DVR system for all prime time television.

It's really a crime that they charge for the feeds through cable... but I believe they call it a "rebroadcast" fee and the directly relay the cost to the customer... so you pay for free services being given to you in a different medium.

You've thought this out pretty well. I'd probably only change a couple of things. First would be to look into getting a networked HDHomeRun DUAL over a USB tuner. I'd go with this one because you'd be able to connect it to any computer in the house over LAN. If this wouldn't benefit you then a USB tuner might suit you better.

And the second is I wouldn't necessarily change, but you might want to consider. The chromebox ships soon, but we don't know yet if we'd be able to load any other OS on it yet. My guess would be yes. Other chromebooks have had success, but we just don't know yet so I wouldn't commit just yet.

The only other issue I can see is Plex might have an issue transcoding to play on your devices, especially the Celeron based chromebox.

Edit: Oh, and for wife proofing, I've got a Harmony 650 and FLIRC IR dongle that makes controling my TV, receiver, cable box, and HTPC easy

I did the HDHomerun:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HO58SO/ref=oh_o02_s00_i01_details
and: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HKGK8Y/ref=oh_o02_s00_i00_details

Works flawless!

Yes. The HDHomeRun is the best device for the purpose, just be sure you get a model for over-the-air channels and not the one for cable channels. The older model HDHomeRun DUAL (model HDHR3-US) works well and is a little less expensive than the HDHomeRun CONNECT, though either should work. Amazon links are:

https://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-Definition-Digital-HDHR3-US/dp/B004HO58SO

https://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-CONNECT-broadcast-2-Tuner/dp/B00GY0UB54

Both models have dual tuners so you can watch programs from two different channels at once, or if you have PVR backend software such as Tvheadend, MythTV, MediaPortal, NextPVR, etc. installed on a computer, you can record from one channel while watching another, or record from two channels at the same time. If you have any experience at all with Linux then I recommend Tvheaded, but that's a personal preference.

On your computer (or home theater PC, if you ever want to watch using a TV) you would run Kodi (please be sure you get the official Kodi from https://kodi.tv/download and not from some sleazy third party site that might contain malware), or you could even view the stream in VLC or possibly your operating system's media player, if that's your preference. Kodi just makes it a little easier.

The nice thing about the HDHomeRun device is it does not have to be connected to a computer; it streams directly through your network to whatever computer is requesting the stream. With a USB tuner stick you'd need to have it plugged into a computer somewhere to work. Also, you can locate the HDHomeRun wherever your antenna cable enters your house, as long as there's also a local network connection available. So if your antenna wire comes into the basement you can put the HDHomeRun there and still watch it on a computer in an upstairs bedroom, as long as there is a network (LAN) connection at both places, and electric power of course.

It makes sense. So dorm = cable, yeah? The problem is, even with something like this, which isn't wireless, you'd still need a computer present. It looks like a great solution otherwise; you can stream and interface with software (there are very popular free ones) to control and record it to your computer just like with a DVR but to a hard drive or maybe a NAS instead.

Edit: Or this if it isn't digital cable.

>I use an hdhr3^^TM ^^SiliconDust ^^all ^^rights ^^reserved to record ota hd ... then stream it to my minix neo g4 ^^TM ^^Minix ^^all ^^rights ^^reserved

FTFY

I use an hdhr3 to record ota hd ... then stream it to my minix neo g4

picture's not 100% smooth ... but still 1,000x better than a vcr ... fast fwd commercials with a wireless mouse

I've little doubt, if I had a wired connection to the g4, it'd be perfect ... but vs runnin new wires, I'm very happy with what I got ... especially the monthly fees!

... bigger antenna wouldn't hurt, neither!