Hi all,

I currently don't have any kind of TV and I'm on the fence about starting.

Just signed up for FIOS (Verizon Fiber Optic package) and took the internet and phone combo, but held back on TV.

Cost aside, I really don't want another object in the room, so I'm thinking about a TV card in my desktop and maybe upgrading to a 27 or 32" monitor.

I've been looking at TV cards and all boast all sorts of features like remotes, dual/combo tuners etc., various inputs.

I think I need something simple.

Set top boxes that Verzion offers all seem to have every imaginable output (ok, no serial port... oops.. did I just date myself?? ;p ), and a remote, so I think that's not a concern.

Where I get lost is with all the processor speeds, memory formats etc.

I already have a video card in the PC, I don't do gaming, or edit video or anything very graphics-heavy.

I would like to use the PC as a DVR, but otherwise, I'm thinking that the card/PC/Monitor combo is really just a TV, right?

Tuning happens in the cable box and then outputs a single signal?

It occurs to me that the only thing that might concern me is the capture functionality.

i.e. Is the software that comes with a TV card good, or are there separate DVR-like programs that I should look at?

Can anyone recommend a solution or point me towards some good reviews?

Anything else I'm missing?

Any help much appreciated!

thanks,

R
`