Directv to pc tv tuner card?

Question

i have directv. can i use a tv tuner card to watch and/or record directv to my pc. i have pci slots if you can recommend any compatible tuners. would i have to pay another $5 per month for another receiver unit?

Answer 1

Unlike Dish Network, Directv uses a proprietary format that is not supported by any current tuner card.  Directv was working on a tuner card a few years ago, but they abandoned the project.

What you can do is get another set-top box from directv, install an infrared sender in your computer so that it can control the STB, then record with a standard tuner card.  This is more trouble than it would be worth to me, but it is an option.