A Media Centre Query

[Sinnyo]

This may be a shot in the dark, but this is the widest-spanning community I can ask with such a question, I guess. When I originally bought my PC it was on display as a Media Centre version of XP, and the idea of setting up a TV card and all the various shebangs did intrigue me at the time, but without realising it my PC actually came with Home Edition. Anywho, a few years down the line, I'd be interested in getting the kit I need to start receiving TV signals to my computer, to record and watch or whatever, but I've no idea where to begin. A quick browse of TV cards in PC World has me confused and I've been looking around the Media Centre OS with a growing feeling that it's actually pretty useless where my present OS suffices.

So, has anyone done this with their own setup? Is there some way to skip a lot of pointless purchases? Upgrading my computer's a bit of a new concept to me.

[Heat]

the technology has caught up quite a bit but the user friendly bit hasnt. DVR is a nice option for watching TV but here in the US its almost completely through the cable company. and if u want to DVR yourself it takes a bit of know how and some nice equipment. honestly if i were you id hold off 2-3 more years. by then you can run a mini server in a closet and store terabytes of HD quality pictures. ive looked into it and its more about storing and accessing the information then having some PC set up from dell or talking to guru's and buying all the right "shebangs" hold out for a bit and let the big timers bring the easy of use to you. on a side note the 2 best tv's are the sony 42in dlp and any HDTV monitor. funk plasma and funk lcd they are trash.

[Sinnyo]

Whoah, I'd no idea it'd be so involved. It's not as if I'd be recording mass reams of TV, but going by what TV cards have been saying on the boxes they do offer reception and recording of TV signals, although what confused me is getting the aerial/digital setup for the actual TV anyway. Maybe I AM over my head. :P

Is anyone running a simple version of this that could possibly describe it, or something?