Build Your Own DVR 267
prostoalex writes "If you have an old computer that had been laying around for a while and are ready to spend a bit on hardware to make into a Digital Video Recorder, this article from Make magazine contains a step-by-step guide on building one. The author spent $150 on TV card and $70 on BeyondTV PVR software." (And with a Linux-friendly capture card, MythTV would save the builder $70.)
More than $70... (Score:5, Insightful)
Lets not forget the license fee for Windows XP -- that's significantly more than $70, I'm sure.
The idea has some merit, but... (Score:5, Insightful)
2. the DVR will use much less wattage
3. the DVR doesn't cost much more anyway
If you can spare the time to get MythTV to work (Score:3, Insightful)
Myth has a long way to go yet.
And some really awkward assumptions for defaults.
"No, you should not see the cursor, that would be too easy to use"
Free does not necessarily mean "best"
probably better to just get the real thing (Score:2, Insightful)
-noisy
-unable to record more than one digital channel at once, and you'll still need a cable/satellite receiver to record digital at all
-terrible form factor
-clunky user interface
-limited epg (electronic program guide)
I'm usually all for tinkering and rolling your own, but in this case I would suggest just getting a Tivo, or better yet a DirectTivo or a DVR through your cable company (usually an extra $10/month). Everything will just work, you can record multiple digital channels at once (even multiple HD in many areas), and some DVR's even have music/games/pictures software built in.
PC-based DVRs have massive drawbacks... (Score:5, Insightful)
2. the DVR will use much less wattage
3. the DVR doesn't cost much more anyway
Amen, thank you.
If I could get a DVR for the price of TV card + the software, and no more hassle, I'd buy one.
In fact, it would solve the problem of getting digitised programs off a standalone DVR. However, as this would require leaving my computer all the time (wattage, noise), and more importantly, restrict what I can do with it (bad enough if you use Windows and want decent recording quality- means you can't run game X when your favorite program is on; I run Linux, and not being able to boot into that at will is a killer, straight off, for me).
The 'old computer' is, as you say, still going to be bulky and noisy (and ugly), and quite honestly, if you want analog recording, you're going to need a pretty decent machine to capture at full resolution. The only machine I can dedicate to this (I use my laptop as a wireless X server for my main machine) is my old Pentium-233. *Way* too slow...
So, buy a new PC. Cheap one? Still noisy, bulky, and power hungry; and no cheaper than a standalone box, if slightly more flexible.
Shuttle-type case (nano-ATX where the *hell* are you?); getting expensive, and I'd have to start questioning the merit of not just getting a standalone DVR.
For me, the latter are likely to come down in price to mass-market breakthrough price by the end of the year; the main problem is getting the video off them. But that in itself isn't enough to persuade me to spend more on the 'cheap' option of a new PC.
On the other hand, maybe I just don't care enough about TV to consider the ultimate flexibility that a new nano-PC based solution would give to be worth the money. I'll wait for my cheap off-the-shelf box and use my VHS recorder in the meantime.
Not enough on TV to make it worth the effort.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:PC-based DVRs have massive drawbacks... (Score:5, Insightful)
My reasons for building my own (using MythTV):
1. I can put in multiple tuners. Two tuner units came out six months ago at best, if my memory serves me correctly. I've been using two tuners for over a year now, and I now have three tuners in my machine (a PVR-250 and a PVR-500). This is very convenient when there's three shows on at the same time that I want to watch. (A typical Tuesday night at the moment has Law and Order: SVU, The Shield and Masterminds all on at the same time, 10PM). The scheduler in MythTV can accomodate that fairly well with only one or two tuners, mind you.
2. The user interface on a lot of the DVRs that come from the cable companies is awful. It's slow, full of ugly colors, and unstable
3. I use my MythTV machine as my file server as well. So, I was going to have the PC on 24/7 anyway.
4. MythTV plays back DVDs also, not many DVRs currently do that.
5. I have complete control over the unit. I can skip commercials at will. I don't have to worry about my DVR expiring shows on me (except when I run out of disk space). My demographics aren't sent to some company. My DVR doesn't pop up ads on me.
I picked MythTV because it met my needs. If a Windows program worked well for me, then I would have used that, just to make it simple.
-- Joe
ReplayTV (Score:3, Insightful)
For example. A 40GB ReplayTV unit is $99 + $299 activation. From there you can upgrade hard drive to a huge capacity for the cost of a bare drive. It takes 5 minutes to set up. The interface is serviceable. The GUI is adequate. Video quality is good. There are programs to get files from the Replay unit to your PC.
It just works. And for god sakes it is just TV. You might save some money but you gotta ask yourself if it is really worth the time and energy.
-w
Re:The idea has some merit, but... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:And for $99... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:In my experience... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The idea has some merit, but... (Score:5, Insightful)
DVRs (like Tivo, Replay, etc)may be commonly available where you live, but the aren't everywhere.
Here in Canada, the options for off-the-shelf DVR are:
1) whatever your cable company/satellite proivider will provide.
2) a set-top DVD recorder
3) buy a used Tivo/Replay box on E-bay and hack it
4) there is no 4
Re:But the missing piece is... (Score:1, Insightful)
the program guide information which comes from Zap2it is high quality, complete with a lot of metadata, and covers all possible USA channels on all possible USA networks. a happy customer here.
Re:PC-based DVRs have massive drawbacks... (Score:3, Insightful)
Not true. My old hughes tivo has been doing two tuners for three years now. I paid next to nothing for it (well under $200) when I got DirecTV and am floored by what people are spending on DIY approaches. To each is own indeed, but when the DIY costs twice as much as a stand-alone its a geek hobby like case-moding or building the fastest and latest and greatest for idle cycles or the occasional game.
>The user interface on a lot of the DVRs that come from the cable companies is awful.
I can't speak for other brands, but my Tivo has a great interface and remote.
>My demographics aren't sent to some company.
You can opt-out of Tivo demographic data. Call em.
>My DVR doesn't pop up ads on me.
Mine doesnt either.
Granted, if you want a file server, DVD burner, etc then go the DIY approach, but the commercial products certainly are not as bad as you make them out to be.
Re:PC-based DVRs have massive drawbacks... (Score:5, Insightful)
TV full of crap? Get your PVR to record the few shows a week you actually like, that are often on at stupid hours. Then you can sit down at your lesiure and put on whatever you like from what your PVR's recorded over the last few days.
Use a PVR as to filter out all that garbage, and suddenly TV is a lot more tolerable.
This is the main reason I have a PVR. It (MythTv) also holds my entire audio collection, about 100 DVD's and 2500 digital photos.
Re:The idea has some merit, but... (Score:3, Insightful)
the one that says you can record anything you want anytime you want and you don't have to watch the dvr's ads in addition to the commercials that are shown on tv.
and #5 which says you can record it in any format you want and keep it as long as you want. and share it with others.
also #6 which mentions that you won't be monitored 24/7 on your watching habits. nor will you be required to "phone home" to "update" the electronic program guide and coughhackwheeze upload your personal information coughhackwheeze.
also there is #7 which states that you won't be FORCED to accept updates against your will (EULAs have no validity in any nation with a sensible notion of just law)
lets not forget #9 which allows you to do anything you want in regards to the hardware guts of the machine (no cockamamie secret/proprietary HD file systems, protection/drm schemes etc)
SOME people just want a digital vcr aka a DUMB hw module that does EXACTLY what the owner tells it to, and nothing else. no "related" shows you'd like, updating the EPG bs, etc.
the above paragraph is only my personal wish but some others concur and are quickly insulted/modded down when they mention it. the other points i make though are valid for anyone with a sense of decency and justice.
Re:More than $70... (Score:5, Insightful)
A lot of people don't have an extra computer lying around either. That doesn't mean nobody should sugest ideas for those of us who do.
Re:probably better to just get the real thing (Score:1, Insightful)
Shocking, I know
A build-your-own is the only option I have in New Zealand.
Re:ReplayTV (Score:3, Insightful)
Go tell your grandma to not spend 4hrs making that sweater or scalf, its only $8.99 at walmart, why waste 4hrs.
Yes if your a rich prick with $180,000 in the bank, go buy all the shit you want. But many many people are not rich and have tonnes of hours on their hands and tonnes of skills too but perhaps no job for many reasons, perhaps they are disabled, or in a bad location, or need to take care of a baby.
Besides do you really want to buy more chineese stuff and fund the chineese army?
This isn't totally pointless but... (Score:3, Insightful)