DVR Smackdown: Media Center vs Cable Company

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Introduction

I finally signed up for cable service through my local provider to see how the digital video recording worked on my Windows Media Center PC. As an extra bonus, my cable provider gave me a digital video recorder (dvr) set-top box as part of my package. So here’s my review – Microsoft Media Center Edition 2005 vs Adelphia Cable DVR.

The Hardware

I have a stock 2.66 GHz Pentium 4 Dell Dimension 4600 with 512mb of ram and an Nvidia 128mb DDR video card with TV out running a custom install of Windows Media Center Edition 2005. I have a Hauppauge 150 MCE single TV tuner installed as well. The video card has s-video out, but my standard analog 20” TV only has composite video, so I use a s-video to RCA converter plug to connect to the TV.

My local cable company Adelphia gave me a Samsung set-top box that has dual tuners and can record up to 50 hours of TV. It has standard video out, s-video out, dvi out and a host of audio connections as well. (It also has an unused ethernet port and usb port) It is capable of receiving HDTV programming in which my cable company does offer a few channels.

The Guide

Probably the most important feature of any DVR is the electronic programming guide (epg). Using the TV guide you can browse what’s on each station, get show information, and select what you want to record. Both Media Center and the Cable Company had the same feature set in the guide – you could get more information on a show, choose to record, and so forth.

Media Center gives you the option of viewing other show times of the show so you can record it later or if you have a scheduling conflict. By selecting more info you can get a review of the show or movie, get cast info, and even see similar movies.

When you pullup the Cable Company guide you get the TV guide but you also have the channel you are watching automatically in the corner. (You can do this with Media Center but it is not automatic) It would be nice if in both the guide that the TV picture tracked the channel you went to, giving you a ‘preview’. The Cable Company does not automatically give you alternate show times when there are scheduling conflicts, you have to select an option to get there. The Cable Company does not give you as much show info such as cast and similar titles as Media Center.

Recording

Media Center allows you to record a show while you are watching or in the program guide by selecting the record button. You can also choose advanced recording if you want more options such as recording the next two shows instead of the whole series, start and stop time and so forth. Media Center will also tell you if there is a scheduling conflict and try to resolve it for you but giving you alternate show times. If you try to change the channel while you are recording something then a message will appear reminding you that you are recording a show. You can also create a custom recording using keywords or searching for programs.

The Cable Company offers the same recording features except for the custom recording using keywords and searches.

Movies

Media Center has a movies feature that allows you to see what movies are on and what’s coming up. You can get reviews, view by genres, top rated and even search for a movie by title.

The Cable Company has a search feature where you can search for not only upcoming movies, but sports, kids programming, and general shows. I was surprised to see this feature because I thought this was something specific to Media Center but it looks like other companies are catching on. However, on a channel listing is given of the shows and no cover art or advanced information such as cast info is given.

Remote Control

The Microsoft Media Center remote is by far much easier to use. The Cable Company remote has lots of buttons for dual features. For example, you can use the yellow pause button to pause a pay-per-view movie – but you use a different button to pause live TV.

Summary

While on the surface both Media Center and the Cable Company provide the same DVR functions, Media Center comes out ahead by leaps and bounds. Media Center has much more program information available and an overall better TV guide and user experience. While a nice try by the Cable Company, the TV guide information is lacking and the remote needs a lot of help. I did like the ability to search for more than movies (like baseball games) but once again they could add more information rather than a static channel listing.

More Pros and Cons

What I didn’t talk about was cost – and that’s where the Cable Company wins big time. I get a dual tuner DVR for free with my service. So if I have cable I mine as well have a DVR – it’s free. Media Center is not free. A stand-alone DVR is a one function device that doesn’t need to be rebooted or virus protection. Now you’re going to say look at all of the other features a Media Center can do like music and photos and stream your content around your house – but what do you think the ethernet port is for on the Cable Company DVR? How long will it be before they put on their own version of ‘Media Center’? So while I still prefer Media Center, when cable companies start offering their DVR Media Center’s for free that’s when things will get real interesting.