Best way to record TV to DVD from my Dell XP Media Center laptop?

I got the E1705 with XP Media Center and the Angel USB TV Tuner. Well, I discovered you can record TV or cable TV shows to hard drive from Media Center from the Live TV option. But there are multiple problems!

If you have multiple files of recorded shows, where are they stored?
How can I burn a dvd that give links to mutiple files and has a menu for them?

Media Center just does not cut it! You record one show and then it doesn't seem to show you where the file is! And then when you burn a cd or dvd it seems to be only for that file!

Is there software out there that I can buy that would show TV from antenna or cable and enable recording, and after recording it helps you manage the files and create cd or dvds with menus and links to show files or links to sections within your show?

 

There are several commercial and free TV applications that will let you record TV shows in non-proprietary codecs (like MPEG or DivX). AFAIK Windows Media Center uses a MS proprietary codec. Here is a link to list of such applications. Among them SageTV, Beyond TV and GB-PVR are some well known complete Media Center applications (however there are many more).

To burn the recoded TV shows on to a DVD with chapters and menus you will have to use a DVD authoring tool. This is a very good place to start reading. They have full guides on how to create DVDs , Convert videos and record from TV etc..

 

Some great resources for video encoding, dvd authoring, etc...

Afterdawn

VideoHelp

doom9

Edit: I just noticed PhoenixFx already referenced doom9, kudos!

Also, If you have Nero 7 Ultimate, it will most likely be sufficient for all your needs.

 

Hey, that MythTV looks good and it's free! Will download and give it a try!

Gee, it's gonna take me some time to learn that dvd authoring. But it might help me in my career as I sometimes do technical writing. Might be complicated though but I'm a mechanical engineer.

I've been wanting to buy those stand alone dvd recorders that are on the market like in Best Buy. But it seems doing video stuff by laptop recording and dvd authoring software might be better. What do you think is better?

 

well if you are into Linux yeah Mythtv but require a good knowledge of Linux. I my self never been able to make it work under Fedora and the procedures aren't quite newbie friendly.

 

Creating a DVD is not complicated. There are many simple easy to learn tools for making basic DVDs (a start page, chapters section, few text lines and background images). Most of them have very simple wizards.

GB-PVR and Mediaportal are two free Windows TV apps. I’ve tried Mediaportal couple of years back and it was ok, they must have improved it a lot by now.

 

Gee, I had problems with MythTV and it seems you have to compile it or something. Gotta find something else.

I just bought MAGIX's Movies on CD & DVD software from Fry's and it didn't work with my Dell Angel uSB TV Tuner. Sad, it was only $15 and it would record live TV as well as author the dvds with menus. Gotta return it I hope.

Hey - what free TV software do you use that can use the Dell Angel USB TV Tuner?