So I have to run a program called zaptoxml in the background twice a day via a scheduled task which creates a xmltv.xml file for my channels based on my account on zap2it website.

I decided not bother with the beta PVR, didn’t wanna run extra crap in background and dont really need record. I have a network tuner the HDHomerun so you can access that without software in back. You just create .strm files that manual call the hdhomerun. I can just click these files in the file browser to launch but I kinda hacked an existing TV GUIDE plugin made for Swedish tv or something to read my xmltv.xml file and added one line of code to make it launch my .strm files when i click a channel (had to name the files the same as the channel name in guide).

So live TV no matter what route you go is not n00b friendly, heh.

I used the 3 versions of Windows Media Center for many years and have used mediabrowser and another plugin for TV… cant remember what its called, i actually bought it. But I think Boxee and XBMC doa much better job with downloaded tv and movie content. But the main thing I think is way better is the ability to add “apps” to get so much online streaming content.

But if you watch a lot of normal tv via cable or antenna, Windows Media Center with its excellent guide and PVR features might be a better choice.