anyone here use a media pc as a dvd/video recorder?

as seen in a different thread my old dvd recorder is dead. i had a video recorder and a dvd player connected to it so i could record/edit any motorsport on tv that i wanted to put onto dvd and keep.

this is what i want the media pc to do.......as well as be able to watch digital tv, and for that ive got the tuner card i want.

so, going back to my original question...anyone else done this? how do you find it? or shall i just buy a dvd recorder from comet?

cheers for any help/advice.

Quote from mr grady :

so, going back to my original question...anyone else done this? how do you find it? or shall i just buy a dvd recorder from comet?

I assume you're thinking about using Media Centre Edition of Windows, rather than something like MythTV?

I'm yet to personally use either, although both my colleagues use MCE with a lot of success. The only thing they find annoying is the fact it's yet another PC on and finding a nice HTPC case can be interesting. I'm currently using an appliance which can record as MPEG2 directly to a hard drive, or to DVD. It's quite reliable, although effectively a crippled PC and with fewer features.

At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself how much you want to arse about. If you want to fiddle go for it. If you want to just watch some telly then you might prefer an appliance.