Why your PC won't replace TiVo...just yet

Can your PC replace your TiVo as a personal video recorder? Houston-based SnapStream says yes. I recently took them up on their offer to test that claim, by trying out a copy of their Personal Video Station software.

Why did I agree? First, because I like finding new things to do with my PC. Second, because I love my TiVo and UltimateTV PVRs. And third, because Microsoft is building digital video recording capabilities into future consumer PCs; it's clearly a concept worth evaluating.

But let me tell you up front: While the Personal Video Station is a potential replacement for a TiVo, UltimateTV, or ReplayTV standalone PVR, it's not a very good one, at least not yet. So if you're seriously thinking about buying one of those standalone devices, don't let me dissuade you. But for those of you with an adventurous streak, the PVS could be worth a try.

THE FIRST STEP was to install a TV tuner card in my PC. SnapStream sent me a Hauppauge WinTV card, but there are literally dozens of such cards on the market. (A friend of mine in the industry particularly recommends the ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon 8500DV, which includes a TV tuner, 1394 interface for video cameras, 3D acceleration, and a bundle of clever software apps. For laptops, he suggests the Hauppauge WinTV PVR USB. For budget buyers, he says pretty much any Conexant-based 848/878/879 card, available from ATI, AVerMedia, Hauppauge, I/OMagic, Pinnacle, and others, will do.)

The hardware install on my XP machine went well, especially because I went to Hauppauge's site to collect the latest drivers. I then connected the tuner card to my cable TV coaxial, although an outdoor antenna (or even top-of-the-set rabbit ears) would have worked as well. I also installed the software that came with the card, which includes a perfectly adequate TV viewing applet, and a radio tuner, which was less successful (for some reason, I couldn't get it to send audio to the speakers).

With the tuner installed and functioning (more or less), I then turned to the SnapStream Personal Video Station 2.0 software itself. That install did not go as smoothly. I ran into several problems that were apparently related to the Hauppauge drivers; if I ran the TV tuner application and then ran SnapStream, for example, the latter didn't record properly. Since I don't use the tuner so much, this is a minor inconvenience.

WHEN I FINALLY got the software installed, I found it truly clunky. Typical gotcha: You can't view a recorded program until your PC is done processing it, which takes about 15 minutes after the recording stops. If you interrupt this processing, the recording disappears. Once you know about this quirk, it's OK. But the software doesn't tell you ahead of time. Until you find out the hard way, it looks like a bug rather than a bit of bad interface design.

Once I got used to the clunky interface, I've been recording programs reliably and playing them back using Windows Media Player (the software's default viewer). I haven't tested the utility that lets you transfer recordings to a Pocket PC. But I can already foresee one problem: An hour-long program will take up way more memory than my iPaq holds. I'll have to see if it's possible to store a program on a CompactFlash card; I'll get back to you with the result of that experiment.

The PVS software also allows you to trade programs or schedule recordings over the Internet. That's possible because the software installs a server on your machine that will respond to external browsers, as long as your PC has a static IP address and is accessible from the Internet. It's a nice feature, though video files can be huge, requiring a broadband connection for reasonable transfer times. And, like the rest of the product, the implementation leaves something to be desired.

The good news is that SnapStream says it will soon release new software, as well as a new online program guide called SnapStream .Net Services. The downside is there will be a fee (to be determined) for use of the guide. (What, if any, relationship it bears to Microsoft .Net Web services isn't clear.)

BOTTOM LINE? SnapStream software really does what it says it does, but is very first-generation in appearance and behavior. But the technology behind it seems sound. If you are willing to accept the user interface limitations, it's a pretty good buy for $49.95. (That includes the Pocket PC PVS software and/or a couple of different tuners. You should be able to find bundles that include both apps and the Hauppauge USB tuner described above for around $150.)

If you decide to buy the software now, SnapStream promises a free upgrade to their next release, which they say will be available "Q2 2002." Promised features include an integrated TV viewer for live programming, full support for satellite and digital cable tuners, and the ability to burn programs (in Windows Media format) onto compact discs. That last feature means you'll be able to watch programs on another PC or on a DVD player that's equipped to view Windows Media format.

I'm looking forward to spending more time with SnapStream, especially when the new release becomes available. In the meantime, queasy users should probably stay away. But if you're adventurous, it's a fun program to play with.

What do you think? Would you want to record TV programs on your PC? Or are you happy with your TiVo? TalkBack to me below.