Rather than purchasing a stand-alone PVR unit that is connected to a
television set, many consumers are opting to use their personal computers to
record and playback TV shows. To do so, additional hardware and
software must be installed on the computer. The computer must also be
hooked-up to your television.
Personal computers can, however, support all the same functionality that
is supported by stand-alone PVR units. For example, computer-based
PVRs can schedule
multiple shows and pause live TV.
The television monitor can also be used as a PC monitor, which can be useful,
when combined with a wireless mouse and keyboard.
A number of manufacturers now provide digital video recording (DVR) hardware and software for
personal computers. The most sophisticated type of computer-based PVRs
are Home Theatre Personal Computers (HTPCs). These are discussed in
the next section.
