ugly solution

the problem is truly the HD cable and if it’s copy protected. If what you watch IS PROTECTED, then the solution is going to be ugly no matter what you decide.

I’d recommend testing it out. Record some shows on your system (your favorites) and then go to another system on your network and see if you can play it (you can also see the copy protection status on the “Info” screen on Recorded TV at the bottom). If it’s copy free, then you can go ahead with your thin client idea.

If it’s not, then it’s murky. The XBox360 is the only solution which will do both. If you’re OK with separate devices, you could do something like a Roku for Netflix, and then stick to an MCX extender for TV and everything else (could probably get good deals on D-Link or Linksys used on ebay). Then the issue is having to toggle between two devices.