Question 1

Can I use this with a cable box?

Accepted Answer

Well, let me answer this way: It is essentially a cable box for your network. If, you currently enjoy cable television from someone like Time Warner, you have a cable box at each of your televisions that allow you to select the QAM channels on their wire, some open and others subscription required.  Within each of those boxes is the functional equivalent of a 'cable card.'  The cable card tells the tuner box which channels are a part of your particular subscription package and allows access accordingly. HR Prime serves the same tuning purpose as does the box but instead of pushing the tuned channel(s) directly to your TV, makes them accessible to computers on your network via Ethernet connection.  The cable card (available from your TV provider) serves the same function in the HR Prime as in the cable box. Each PC on your network does require installation of Silicon Dust's HDHomeRun software (http://www.silicondust.com/support/hdhomerun/downloads/) in order to 'talk' with the HR Prime.I personally use my HR Prime with a Time Warner-provided cable card and watch/record my subscription channels using the Windows Media Center application found on my Windows 7 PCs, laptops and Media Center Extenders. I retained only one cable box from TWC for the TV in my living room, and have never looked back.Hope this helps.

Question 2

storage

Accepted Answer

Depends on what you're doing.  Most of the answers except Robert Middleswarth's are only telling part of the truth.  Storage is on the receiving device.  If you have a second gen NVidia Shield Pro (500 Gb HD version) or a Shield, you can record locally to the Shield with the proviso that you can only play back the recordings on that Shield.  If you record to a Microsoft media center, unless you're using a NAS, it's a one-shot deal as well.Use KODI/XBMC, with either VDR or TVHeadend, it's a differing story.  The storage is shared to whichever receiver heads you want.  It's a lighter-weight solution and it DOES work reasonably well.  Shared storage/control and set sharing per tuner/recording IS possible.  You've just got to know what you're doing and execute to the right plans.

Question 3

Would a Dell Inspiron 3000 (Intel® Celeron G1820 Processor 2.7GHz, Intel HD Graphics) be enough to use this? I'm looking for a cheap, small footprint.

Accepted Answer

Yes your Inspiron 3000 with Intel Celeron G1820 is a good choice. It can definitely handle both recording and playback of HD tv shows, Blu-ray movies, etc. Just don't make the Inspiron do a zillion different things all at once while recording or watching TV.

Question 4

If use this with Windows Media Center can you watch HBO directly on the computer?  I understand you can with an XBOX 360 but I don't have an XBOX.

Accepted Answer

Like a lot of things when dealing with cable providers it really depends on the cable provider.  Some provider enable strong copy protection flags that require the PC to be cable ready (See W. Sung answer).  Under those providers you can record / watch HBO on that 1 windows media machine only and any Media Center Extenders (Pretty much only the XBOX).  So if you happen to have 2 windows media centers you would only be able to play it back on the one that recorded it.  That is worse case but you have to assume you will be one of the unlucky ones.

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SiliconDust HDHomeRun PRIME Cable HDTV (3-Tuner)

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