final update on our HTPC (homemade tivo)

So about three weeks ago HTB & I made a huge shopping trip at a large electronics warehouse-type store. Read all about Our initial purchases here.

Since then we've bought a few more things to make it fully functional. Some channels have fabulous reception, even better than I get over straight cable (a couple channels have some seriously bad ghosting or bleed through of other channels). Other channels are ever-so-slightly fuzzy, but they're very much within the bounds of reason, and are completely watchable (without frustration or irritation even).

The other stuff we've bought:
1 package of a dual-tuner capture card & tivo-like software = $200 (Hauppauge PVR-500MCE bundled with a remote & BeyondTV4 software - with no extra subscription or other fees ever required, and it does the whole scheduling thing perfectly)
1 cable signal amplifier = $35
assorted cables, splitters, & switch boxes = $65 (the switch box solved our problem of having only 2 inputs on the TV, and only 1 s-video input, and having 3 things needing to be plugged in, 2 of which were s-video connections)
1 new video card = $68 (we bought me a new nVidia geForce 7300GS and used the one that came with my computer in January in the HTPC - it's a fan-less nVidia geForce 6200SE)

Total cost of this extra stuff = $368

Total cost of project = $1,268


It ended up being a LOT more expensive than either of us planned on. We could've saved money on the case, there were ones that were half the price of what we paid, but I really wanted a case that was *not* going to look like we had a computer in our living room.
We ended up having 2 remotes (we bought one initially, then the same exact one came bundled with the capture card & viewing/recording software), but it'll be good to have a spare if when one breaks or gets lost.

But all in all, both HTB & I are very, very, very pleased by how it all turned out.

Wanna see? ( clicky clicky for picture )