If you want to record television shows directly onto your PC from cable it is possible for a number of channels. The FCC requires that all cable boxes have a firewire port allowing you to connect your PC and Cable Box together.Unfortunately it's not as simple as connecting your PC and Cable Box with a firewire cable (pictured right) and starting to record. You'll need to install various software and drivers first.
Also it is unlikely that you will be able to record any premium channels as they will be encrypted. All regular broadcast channels must however be open, if they are not get on the phone to your cable operator and tell them to sort it out.
Uber Lounge has the full steps for recording cable TV in both SD and HD to your PC.
1. Actually Chris the FCC mandates that your cable co supply you with a STB with firewire per a request and most cable co's only have a few boxes with the port enabled that they used to comply. The reason this sucks is that if you like the box you have they may try to give you another box that sucks with a functional 1394 port.
It is much easier to just get a QAM tuner for your PC.
Posted at 5:34PM on Jan 24th 2007 by Ben Drawbaugh