[mythtv-users] Homebrew PVR Multi-Circuit

[Steven White]

I read some posts on toggling an LED to show system status and came up 
with something to dress up my MythTV box.  I'm designing a small circuit 
that integrates an IR receiver, IR transmitter, status LEDs, and a 2 
line LCD into one small pc board.  LCD messages would be sent via a 
serial message protocol (hopefully using the same COM port as the one 
used for LIRC..can this be done since I'd only need the TX and RX 
lines???).  Any message could be sent to the display, such as "Now 
Playing: The Simpsons" or "Recording: The Sopranos".  The status LEDs 
could be turned on and off via a serial message also.  The IR 
transmitter LED(s) and status LED(s) could be remotely mounted from the 
board.  Power would be drawn from a hard drive power supply connector.  
The LCD would be optional and autodetected by the onboard 
microcontroller.  The goal of all of this is to combine all of the 
hardware needed for a homebrew PVR into one pcb board to make things 
neat and easy for people who don't have any soldering or electronics 
experience.  If there is enough interest, I can have a batch made after 
the prototypes are tested (I own an electrical engineering business).  
MythTV developers would get free sample boards if these things get 
popular enough to be supported in the project.  Does this sound like 
something useful?  Does anyone else have a wishlist for their MythTV box?

Thanks,
Steve