We’ll be using the NextPVR software for Windows as our backend, since it’s generally the most popular and oft-recommended. Then, Kodi will connect to that backend through an add-on, and provide the “frontend”–the interface you use to browse channels and watch TV.

It needs what’s called a “backend” to decode the broadcast signals from your antenna or cable box.

But in our experience in the US, a CableCARD-equipped HDHomeRun is necessary more often than not. If it isn’t, the Hauppauge tuners may work fine for you. You may want to check with your local cable provider to see if their cable signal is encrypted. You’ll need to have your cable company come to your home and install a CableCARD into the HDHomeRun, then hook the HDHomeRun up to your computer with an ethernet cable. Unlike the Hauppauge tuners, which you install directly into your PC, the HDHomeRun is a separate unit. Since most cable signals are encrypted in the US, you’ll need a TV tuner that supports a CableCARD. The SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime ($130) comes highly recommended for this purpose. If You Have CableĬable TV is a bit more complex. If you’re using a laptop, you’ll probably need to use Hauppauge’s USB tuner ($65) instead. These install into your PC just like any other expansion card (like a video card), so it should be a five minute task. If you want to record two shows at once, or watch one show while recording another, you’ll want the WinTV-HVR-2255 dual tuner ($112 for the boxed version, $99 for the OEM version that doesn’t include the software). You don’t need the software, but it can be helpful if you’re running Windows 8 or 10, as you’ll see later in the guide.

Grab the WinTV-HVR-1265 ($70) for a good cheap option that can record one show at a time. If you’re just watching broadcast TV from an antenna, we’ve had good experience with Hauppauge’s line of PCI tuners.

Nextpvr client setup kodi