TiVo Killers
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Media is just data. And with the ever growing amount of media, managing it has become quite the challenge. I've got a TiVo from DirecTV, but it's downstairs in the family room and the other TV in my bedroom doesn't have the capabilities. My wife and I don't have too many shows we watch, but we do have a few and they're downstairs. And it's a hassle since the only time we really have to watch them is usually late at night after the kids are asleep. Trekking downstairs isn't the thing we usually want to do, so we end up rarely watching our few shows.
I saw this article on computer based PVRs. I guess that's kind of redundant as they are all computer based, but I mean Windows computer based, but outside of media center. I've been considering a second device from DirecTV, but I hate to make that investment if there's another alternative, especially one that I can use with Comcast cable if I switch at some point. With PCs become so cheap, I could realistically get rid of the stereo and DVD player and move to one single device for handling those functions as well as adding PVR capabilities.
It's a geeky thing, but organizing my music, video, pictures, is now a challenge and despite my background in databases, I'd prefer not to use a database. I'm hoping that one of these solutions will work out better for me.
And maybe you, too! I'd be interested to know what others have done and if they think a basic TiVo is worth it. My issue with those right now is that the satellite box I have isn't controllable by a basic TiVo, so I'd have to manually set channels. I'm hoping one of these others will work for me.
Steve Jones
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Steve... could something along these lines (per the link below) be a possible short term solution? This one (the "Sky Magic Eye" at the top of the page) is specifically designed for Sky, so not directly suitable, but if you can get something similar it could be a solution (i.e. control your PVR from upstairs), and a cheap one at that.
I've got Sky+, which is Sky satellite box with integrated PVR. The beauty is full integration with the satellite box's software, so it integrates with the EPG: you just select the programme you want to record, and it's scheduled. If the time changes, it sorts it out. If it's part of a series, I hit "Series Link" and it will then record every single episode as it comes on - no more forgetting about it, or worrying about changes to airing times.
I'm busy compiling all my CDs to MP3 at the minute for use in the car, where I have a CD/MP3 player, so I can use a CDRW with my current selection of CDs and songs on it, a bit like a massive multi-changer but more convenient.
I've got a normal Sky box hooked up to my computer upstairs too, with PVR software, though that's without the integration with the satellite box. Handy, though, for recording stuff you want to keep (like movies) and cut to DVD or Video CD. Saves the limitations of the hard drive size in the Sky+ box (which is upgradeable anyway), for things to be kept permanently.
I don't want to replace my HiFi separates downstairs with any sort of computer solution, as I'm not convinced a computer's sound quality (especially for Dolby and DTS on movies) could compete with the dedicated separates. However, what I'd love is some linkage between my equipment downstairs and my computer upstairs in the study. I could access video recordings from upstairs, and my entire CD collection on MP3, and if I could then just play it through my HiFi... great! That might need another (cheap) PC downstairs and some wireless networking.
It's not going to be long before all the media in homes is fully integrated with PCs, and you can watch your movies by just selecting them, fed from your computer... same with any song you own. Fantastic!
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Check out GB PVR (http://www.gbpvr.com). It's based on C#, free, and pretty easy to set up. I was using it before I got a Time Warner DVR (Scientific Atlanta) for HD support.
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The problem is the av output and recording quality over here is analog not digital. The digital recording quality from my TV Io card is ok but still there is signal quality loss and the output from the pc to the TV is just not like the real thing. I get better output visually from my VCR and good tapes. I've been looking for a smiliar option again partly for geek factor and it seems something simple, but alas the lack of DTS support for recording and playback stops thing dead for me.
I've got the stereo and the audio card for it, albeit it only 5.1 but the quality of the soudn in DTS jsut blows away the Sony sound.
I do everything on my pc, its my life blood so I have made it the best I can.
My box:
P4 2.4E 1.5 Gig 3200 RAM (ASUS board 875 chipset)
250 GIG 7200 Seagate (dying for enough space to backup my DVD's to another drive for ease of playback, see above for reasons why it does not work well... video quality and he loss of DTS jsut kills it)
Soundblaster Audigy Pro 2ZS
CDR
DVDR
Oldish Haupaugge TV tuner / w FM stereo ( oddly the best FM tuner I've ever heard, but for what has costed me 3k canadian over the period, I would hope for more than a good way to listen to radio)
MSI 6800GT 256
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I have a PVR from Hauppage on my pc at home. It works great as a capture card since I can hook up my camcorder and encode home movies straight to DVD format (without running any software compression), but the TV recording features are limited. It comes with a program that hooks up to the internet to get local listings, and lets you schedule recordings, but its much more cumbersome than the DVR that came with my satellite. Plus its very unreliable. I have set it to record shows and movies only to come home and see that it froze up after 10 seconds. My satellite DVR has never failed to record a show. This is probably due to the fact that DVR’s have dedicated hard drives with only 1 media type while my PC has all sorts of file fragments on there that limits the performance of real time recording. Plus if other members of your household want to use the computer while its recording, forget it..
I have the same situation where my satellite DVR is downstairs but I have a regular TV in the bedroom. I’ve thought about getting a wireless A/V transmitter with a remote extender to transmit the signal from one room to the next, but haven’t done so because of cost (good ones run $300)
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Hi Steve,
I saw your blurb about TiVo. I have a dual channel DirectTV with TiVo as well. We have 4 TVs in the house and I have the TiVo hooked up to each one using a whole house distribution system (see: http://www.channelplus.com/product_detail.php?productId=37) It works great!
We put our system and the Tivo in the basement with coax to each TV from that central point (which we already had from the days when we had cable). For each TV, buy an IR target that multiplexes the IR signal into the video signal and allows you to control the TiVo in the basement from the viewing location. We broadcast the TiVo signal on channel 16 and have a DVD player on channel 18. When you add a TV just buy another IR target. Channel Plus also has an S-Video distribution system if you want to get higher quality video over CAT5 cable.
Hope this helps.
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I have a similar setup. DirecTiVo’s have multiple outputs. What I did was run a line upstairs to that TV. I have universal RF remote that I use and that works great. I have also hacked my TiVo so I can pull off the video and burn it to DVD or save it out as mpeg.
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There is the eternal debate of the flexibility of a general-purpose (GP) computer vs. a dedicated one--i.e: Windows vs. TiVo. It’s reliability (dedicated) vs. flexibility (GP). The lure of flexibility has drawn many to a regrettably high maintenance choice.
Generally, if you can get a dedicated system to do the job it's the best solution. Dish Network has a PVR (model 522) that they include in one of their packages that has 2 tuners built in. It feeds two TV's and has two remotes--one infrared and the other UHF to use in another room in the house. You can watch/record from either TV. In the beginning, the 522 had some bugs. Over the last year, Dish Network has made several bug fixes and feature additions (downloads automatically at night) and has been very reliable. http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/products/receivers/dvr/index.shtml
I definitely need to check out John’s suggestion…feeding the 522 to 4 TV’s sounds cool!
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