Homemade TiVo
 

Does anyone here have any instructions or directions to where I can find a
way to convert my old PC to a dvr?

I've come across articles on the web telling me it can be done , but I can't
find the instructions on how!

TIA

Bob

It's really very simple in concept but perhaps difficult in implementation.

What you need is a video in card that can accept a TV/Cable/Satellite
signal. You'll need some software that can take that video input and store
in on disk. That's really all there is.

Now, if you want Tivo functionality, that is another story altogether. There
are some software packages that claim to give Tivo-like functionality but I
think you'll find that they are not on par with the Tivo product.

Here'a a link to yet another article

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,10314,00.asp

Here are some other links that you might find interesting

http://www.htpcnews.com/
http://www.linuxis.us/linux/media/howto/linux-htpc/


If this doesn't help do a google search on HTPC (Home Theater PC)

Cheers
TC

"Bob" wrote in message
. com...
Does anyone here have any instructions or directions to where I can find a
way to convert my old PC to a dvr?

I've come across articles on the web telling me it can be done , but I
can't
find the instructions on how!

TIA

Bob

"Bob" shaped the electrons to say:
Does anyone here have any instructions or directions to where I can find a
way to convert my old PC to a dvr?

Google for MythTV or FreeVo.

-MZ, RHCE #806199299900541, ex-CISSP #3762
--
URL:mailto:megazoneatmegazone.org Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me.
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 508-755-4098
URL:http://www.megazone.org/ URL:http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ Eris

In article ,
"Bob" wrote:

Does anyone here have any instructions or directions to where I can find a
way to convert my old PC to a dvr?

I've come across articles on the web telling me it can be done , but I can't
find the instructions on how!

TIA

Bob

Buy an ATI All-In-Wonder product is the easiest way.

Does anyone here have any instructions or directions to where I can find a
way to convert my old PC to a dvr?

Bear in mind that recording video streams to disk in an MPEG format is
EXTREMELY cpu intensive. Unless you add a video recorder card (like a
hauppauge) it'll take a pretty serious PC to do the encoding.

The Tivo units have the MPEG hardware built into them and the DirecTivo's
don't need encoders because the stream's already coming down from the
satellite that way. They also have the playback chips necessary.

Any old PC won't do for making a video recorder. And by the time you
managed to twiddle all the right bits you'll realize a Tivo's a bargain.

I've installed Freevo, MythTV and Sage and found them all to be a real pain
in the ass to use.

-Bill Kearney

I use Sage TV and the Hauppage PVR 250 card and find it is a nice
complement to TiVo. I burn the programs to a DVD+RW disk.

How does your home brew TIVO know what channells are what and what
time to start and what is first run and so on?

On 6 Dec 2004 19:33:54 -0800, "
wrote:

I use Sage TV and the Hauppage PVR 250 card and find it is a nice
complement to TiVo. I burn the programs to a DVD+RW disk.

Sage TV handles the channel lineup and show times.
You can download a demo version at www.sage.tv

Jim