Want more control over your TV? PVRs, or personal video recorders, offer great conveniences such as instant replays, commercial skipping and digital recording. But you don't need to buy a separate service such as TiVo. With the right add-ons, your home computer can do the job.

First, your computer needs a TV tuner card, which receives the television signal from an antenna or cable box. Most cards require Microsoft Windows XP, a minimum of 256 megabytes of RAM and an 800MHz or faster processor, but you might want to get at least double the RAM and processor speed for better performance.

Tuner cards are sold in either internal or external versions. If you're squeamish about putting something into your computer, buy an external card, which is easier to install and connect via the computer's Universal Serial Bus port. External cards also work with laptops, but you will need a second USB port for the remote control.

Most cards include recording software and have access to TV program guides on the Internet. Before you buy, be sure recording software is included or can easily be bought separately.

SageTV ($80) and SnapStream's Beyond TV ($70) are two recording programs.

A number of tuner cards sell for about $100, including internal and external models from Hauppauge and Pinnacle.

ATI also makes tuner cards starting around $150. In addition to analog cards, ATI offers one that is HDTV-compatible and receives over-the-air HDTV signals. An HDTV antenna is required; satellite or cable HDTV signals aren't compatible.

Mac users can also get in on the action. Miglia Technology, Elgato, and Eskape offer Mac-compatible tuner cards. They start around $150 and work on different versions of the operating system.

Once you set up the tuner card and software, you'll need to connect your television. You'll want the best possible connection. In descending order of quality, they are HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface), DVI (digital video interface), component, S-Video and composite. Match your card's connections to your television. Newer TVs, especially flat panels, should have an array of choices. With older televisions, S-Video may be the best option.

Once your hardware and software are set up, the software connects to the Internet. There you can view listings and schedule recordings.

One hour of DVD-quality video requires about 2 gigabytes of hard drive space. If you have a DVD burner in your computer, you can also burn recordings to DVDs.

If you're in the market for a new computer and want one that will also serve as your home entertainment center, consider a Windows Media Center Edition PC. This special edition of Windows XP was made for computers that do double-duty as PVRs. The Windows XP Media Center Edition software supports up to three tuners, one HDTV and two analog. Depending on the computer's hardware, you can record up to three programs simultaneously.

Alternatively, PVR stand-alone units sold by TiVo and Replay TV aren't very expensive. Some are less than $100 after rebates. Monthly fees for the service are usually under $15.

However, upgrading your existing computer to handle PVR tasks may be preferable. There's no monthly fee, and for places where space is limited, like dorm rooms, it cuts down on clutter. And it's a fun way to recycle a computer.

Contact Kim Komando at www.komando.com/contact.asp.