[mythtv] TiVo Out! MythTV In! Help me buy the right stuff...

John mythtv-dev@snowman.net
Tue, 17 Dec 2002 17:39:55 -0500


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Hi all,

First time member of the list here, but hope to be quite active.  I need =
your help in selecting the right equipment to setup my new MythTV =
system.  I know that there are lots of choices for video output, =
capture, remotes, etc. and don't want to make a wrong decision.  Thanks =
in advance for your help!

Background...
I currently have a ReplayTV and a TiVo.  I'm going to be giving the Tivo =
(which we like better than Replay by the way - actually we love the =
Tivo) to my in-laws for a Christmas present.  Reason we're giving it =
away is 1) The "free" store demo programming subscription has expired =
and we have to cough up $250 for lifetime which I just hate, 2) It's =
only 14 hours (and I know I could add a hard drive), my (retired) =
in-laws really need this - they watch TV about 10 hours a day easy, the =
whole family is going in on the $250 so the subscription is covered.  =
Anyway, after using both Replay and TiVo for over a year, our family of =
four is totally SOLD on a PVR.  They're simply awesome.  Tivo is the =
best and their remote and interface is outstanding. Well, anyway, I =
really like the idea of using a PC with a network card wired into our =
home network to our cable modem, and being able to edit out commercials, =
send to other PCs in the house, etc.  I think MythTv is the answer.  It =
blows away everything else out there.

Equipment...
I have recently freed up a Dell Dimension 8100 PIII-800 w/512mb RAM and =
80gb 7200rpm drive, SoundBlaster 64 PCI.  I'll need to buy a video =
capture card, video card with video out, and wireless remote/recvr.  =
This system will be sitting in our family room and will be wired up to =
our TV at all times.  I'll tuck the keyboard, processor and 14" monitor =
out of the way for the occasional updates, etc. but I want the remote to =
be the main control for daily use.  That's why it is so important that =
it's as powerful as possible.  I know that MythTV can make do with =
something like 4 arrows and Enter, but if I've got a pause, play, rec, =
stop, ff, rew, skip back, slow mo, last channel, vol up/down and channel =
up/down, I'll be all set!

Typical Use...
We'll mostly use it for recording shows for later playback, and =
timeshifting - watching shows delayed to eliminate the need for watching =
commercials and allow pausing to do other things.  We also want to be =
able to watch pre-recorded shows while recording new live ones.  Dual =
tuners would be a fantastic addition, but I understand it requires h/w =
assistance.  Ok, so I'm game?  I also like being able to edit out =
commercials and then save to tape will be nice for those "special" shows =
that we want to archive.  The unit will get used a LOT by our typical =
family of four (kids 12, 13) so a great interface like MythTv is =
essential.

What I need...
I need you "experts" out there to help me go shopping!  I already bought =
and returned an ATI All-in-wonder 8500 DV.  It worked, but the on-screen =
guide was lame with ads filling up 1/3 of the screen, it couldn't record =
live and play back pre-recorded shows simultaneously, a/v got out of =
sync easily, and it crashed too much.  So, I'm back to square one.  =
While I'm mainly a Windows s/w developer by profession, I have tinkered =
with various flavors of Linux and am willing to reformat the h.d. to any =
install you all recommend.  The sole purpose of this machine is a PVR so =
the O/S is irrelevant.  Whatever flavor is most "supported" and "stable" =
is all that counts.

So...
Can you please tell me, if you had to start making a clean fresh system, =
what would be your recommended:
1) Capture card
2) Video output card (S-Video would be nice)
3) Remote control & receiver (the more powerful the better!)
4) Linux version (stable and compatible is all I want)
5) Is there a hardware encoder/decoder card out there?  If so, which one =
to buy?
6) Do any of those USB boxes work?  I see a lot in the catalogs.  They =
even claim MPEG 2.  They've obviously got some encoder/decoder h/w =
onboard right?  Are they the way to go?

I'm trying to keep the expenditure to around $200 or less, but will =
listen to all ideas.

THANKS A MILLION for your feedback.  It's going to be a Mythical =
Christmas!

John


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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>First time member of the list here, but hope to be 
quite&nbsp;active.&nbsp; I need your help in selecting the right equipment to 
setup my new MythTV system.&nbsp; I know that there are lots of choices for 
video output, capture, remotes, etc. and don't want to make a wrong 
decision.&nbsp; Thanks in advance for your help!</FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial 
size=2>
<DIV><BR>Background...</DIV>
<DIV>I currently have a ReplayTV and a TiVo.&nbsp; I'm going to be giving the 
Tivo (which we like better than Replay by the way - actually we love the Tivo) 
to my in-laws for a Christmas present.&nbsp; Reason we're giving it away is 1) 
The "free" store demo programming subscription has expired and we have to cough 
up $250 for lifetime which I just hate, 2) It's only 14 hours (and I know I 
could add a hard drive), my (retired) in-laws really need this - they watch TV 
about 10 hours a day easy, the whole family is going in on the $250 so the 
subscription is covered.&nbsp; Anyway, after using both&nbsp;Replay and TiVo for 
over a year, our family of four is totally SOLD on a PVR.&nbsp; They're simply 
awesome.&nbsp; Tivo is the best and their remote and interface is 
outstanding.&nbsp;Well, anyway, I really like the idea of using a PC with a 
network card wired into our home network to our cable modem, and being able to 
edit out commercials, send to other PCs in the house, etc.&nbsp; I think MythTv 
is the answer.&nbsp; It blows away everything else out there.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Equipment...</DIV>
<DIV>I have recently freed up a Dell Dimension 8100 PIII-800 w/512mb RAM and 
80gb 7200rpm drive, SoundBlaster 64 PCI.&nbsp; I'll need to buy a video capture 
card, video card with video out, and wireless remote/recvr.&nbsp; This system 
will be sitting in our family room and will be wired up to our TV at all 
times.&nbsp; I'll tuck the keyboard, processor and 14" monitor out of the way 
for the occasional updates, etc. but I want the remote to be the main control 
for daily use.&nbsp; That's why it is so important that it's as powerful as 
possible.&nbsp; I know that MythTV can&nbsp;make&nbsp;do with something 
like&nbsp;4 arrows and Enter, but if I've got a pause, play, rec,&nbsp;stop, ff, 
rew, skip back, slow mo,&nbsp;last channel, vol up/down and channel up/down, 
I'll be all set!</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Typical Use...</DIV>
<DIV>We'll mostly use it for recording shows for later playback, and 
timeshifting - watching shows delayed to eliminate the need for watching 
commercials and allow pausing to do other things.&nbsp; We also want to be able 
to watch pre-recorded shows while recording new live ones.&nbsp; Dual tuners 
would be a fantastic addition, but I understand it requires h/w 
assistance.&nbsp; Ok, so&nbsp;I'm game?&nbsp; I also like being able to edit out 
commercials and then save to tape will be nice for those "special" shows that we 
want to archive.&nbsp; The unit will get used a LOT by&nbsp;our typical family 
of four (kids 12, 13) so a great interface like MythTv is essential.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>What I need...</DIV>
<DIV>I need you "experts" out there to help me go shopping!&nbsp; I already 
bought and returned an ATI All-in-wonder 8500 DV.&nbsp; It worked, but the 
on-screen guide was lame with ads filling up 1/3 of the screen, it couldn't 
record live and play back pre-recorded shows simultaneously, a/v got out of sync 
easily, and it crashed too much.&nbsp; So, I'm back to square one.&nbsp; While 
I'm mainly a Windows s/w developer by profession, I have tinkered with various 
flavors of Linux and am willing to reformat the h.d. to any install you all 
recommend.&nbsp; The sole purpose of this machine is a PVR so the O/S is 
irrelevant.&nbsp; Whatever flavor is most "supported" and "stable" is all that 
counts.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>So...</DIV>
<DIV>Can you please tell me, if you had to start making a clean fresh system, 
what would be your recommended:</DIV>
<DIV>1) Capture card</DIV>
<DIV>2) Video output card (S-Video would be nice)</DIV>
<DIV>3) Remote control &amp; receiver (the more powerful the better!)</DIV>
<DIV>4) Linux version (stable and compatible is all I want)</DIV>
<DIV>5) Is there a hardware encoder/decoder card&nbsp;out there?&nbsp; If so, 
which one to buy?</DIV>
<DIV>6) Do any of those USB boxes work?&nbsp; I see a lot in the catalogs.&nbsp; 
They even claim MPEG 2.&nbsp; They've obviously got some encoder/decoder h/w 
onboard right?&nbsp; Are they the way to go?</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I'm trying to keep the expenditure to around $200 or less, but will listen 
to all ideas.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>THANKS A MILLION for your feedback.&nbsp; It's going to be a Mythical 
Christmas!</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>John</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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