ShowMan

Your help is greatly needed. I have a simple need with several possible options.

The basic need is a television in the garage. (ok, go buy a tv and put in your garage, run the coax or antenna and your done, right ?). Right ?
But let me complicate things a bit to see if I can get HD and/or PVR/DVR capabilities and then take this easy question into outer space with possible internet and music server options…

First, on the PVR/DVR side, I have a computer in the house up against the garage wall that I would be willing to put one of those ATI t.v. cards in (computer not used for any other advanced video, i.e. gaming, needs so no problem there) and running a long enough cable to a monitor/t.v. in the garage. I would input the cable coax into the video card. I see on ATI’s site they even come with a RF remote (great !) for changing channels and there is an onscreen guide, etc. (great ! again). So in this scenario, (if no one is using that computer, again, believe it or not, a non-problem as we have many computers in the house), I could operate the television on my garage monitor with the RF remote (this would be a second monitor).

Now, what about HD. I realize that if I got a good enough monitor, it would display HD. I am thinking a 19” widescreen would do the trick (DELL or whatever).
Also, I am in close proximity to the television broadcast towers for our region, so I could utilize an attic antenna and input that into…something ?

I guess I am wondering if its possible to replicate my Comcast HD DVR inside the house with the right equipment. What would be cool (and this is just pure dreaming) is to also be able to switch over and use a wireless keyboard and mouse and get the internet on the garage t.v. too, but back to my want…

I suppose a separate new (or used/built) PC could be made for the sole purpose of watching and recording t.v. in the garage. Put the right tuner card in there and hang or mount a monitor somewhere appropriate, but that would seem to be kinda expensive (Aren’t these things upwards of $1000 ?...I know I am halfway there with the monitor investment but still…). Of course, the upside is internet and music server in my garage, which are some other things I would definitely use, especially the music.