Watch DVR Using iMac?

Without additional hardware you cannot use your iMac to watch your cable TV shows.

Most cable TV in the US is encrypted, so you need something that can process the signal. Some DVRs and such that work with the particular service have cablecards (which is used to verify the decoding) and maybe features to beam to your iMac. I think some TiVos can do this. Or Slingbox.

Your iMac isn't a monitor, so you can't plug it into the HDMI port as one (some Macs can use iMacs as monitors, but only Macs). The DVR-to-Mac solutions usually involve some sort of streaming over your local ethernet or wifi network, not video cables.

But since internet TV has become more prevalent, these solutions are falling away. Time Warner, for instance, has a streaming feature you should be able to use without any hardware, just a fastish internet connection. Rather than stream from a box in your home, it streams from the internet. But not all programs may be available.

imac2015 said:

OK, well what hardware must be purchased?

Click to expand...

Something like this:

http://smile.amazon.com/Blackmagic-Design-Intensity-Shuttle-Thunderbolt/dp/B007ZDHDRS/

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/products/intensity

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robgendreau said:

Most cable TV in the US is encrypted, so you need something that can process the signal

Click to expand...

Good point. To be able to use the above hardware, the signal would need to be unencrypted...

Does TW let you watch Live TV on a web browser? I have Comcast and I can watch Live TV and the DVR recordings on my MBP.

Dish Network's Hopper with Sling makes this a reality on any web enabled device.

Up until 2 weeks ago I would have recommended a slingbox, the greed of Sling Media is beyond belief.

Paid ads with the desktop app, so appalling, they no longer seem to care about their customers.

Check out the community forums to see the uproar :-

https://community.slingbox.com/welcome