Build Your Own Linux PVR

linuxwrangler writes "A few weeks ago Russell Pavlicek, Infoworld's 'Open Source' columnist mentioned a personal linux video time-shifter (PVR) he built. In response to reader requests he has now posted a page describing the project." Escaping the monthly fees of TiVo is a good motivation -- and the total cost here isn't bad either.

Comments

Best of all...

[core plexus]

If I build it myself, it won't start to think me gay (not that that's a bad thing...necessarily)

How to avoid Tivo fees and make money!

[ryochiji]

Step 1: Sell your TV
Step 2: Cancel your cable/satellite/TiVo account
Step 3: Profit!

Oh...crap. I actually have a step 2.

Yeah! Screw TiVo

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, I'm tired of paying monthly fees to a company that treats its customers with respect. Screw these companies supporting Linux too. Man, when TiVo released the 3.0 version of their software with broadband support built-in I nearly puked.

If I hear another person complain about a monthly fee to TiVo, I'm gonna punch them square in the pie hole.

Re:The User Interface, or lack there of...

[murdocj]

I had the same reaction... except I'm not using Tivo, I'm using a fairly decent VCR I bought back in the mid-80s. Still works fine, programming it is pretty easy, it can be set to record up to 8 shows, and if I'm busy and can't watch TV this week, just pop in a different tape. If it's a great show I want to save "forever", just pop in a different tape.

Re:Defending my TiVo

[Admiral Llama]

Ahhh, the TiVo faithful... possibly a group actually MORE ravenous about a product than Mac users. I should know, I'm both!

i want one

[netherpunk]

Hey this little project looks like a cool undertaking, I think I'll build one for myself. Snarf.

Re:Defending my TiVo

[victim]

Lets see if Tivo should worry yet...

• He can only record at 15fps but is still taking 2Gbyte/hr.
  
• He clearly isn't doing mpeg encoding. Maybe a 422 or somesuch. In any event his quality is probably far below even VHS.
  
• He can't have a disk larger than 60G, bios trouble. (Coupled with above, he has lower capacity than even old tivos.)
  
• He loses one edge of the picture.
  
• It displays annoying vertical lines, but you can wiggle the card and sometimes make it clear up.
  
• it has no user interface for selecting shows
  
• It has no ability to look at listings. Heck, you can use your tivo this way if you want to avoid the monthly fees.
  
• He spent $300 on hardware, yet some critical components are used gear from ebay. My DirectTV+Tivo integrated unit was less than that (just basic package too) with free dish and free installation (and that was a bitch, took the poor guy all day). Sure I pay a bit to tivo (its on the directv bill) but the total is still less than my basic cable bill was.
  

Don't Tivo and Replay have patents on the concept of DVR? It may even be illegal for him to overspend for shoddy substitute.

On the plus side... I have fun playing with my toys too.

Let's give this guy some credit, here

[fobbman]

This guy watches Red Green. I was shocked to see that none of the pics on his site had a stitch of duct tape.

Yeah, and in the latest news...

[Moderation abuser]

Man builds house by pushing large stones into a big pile.

I Am The Supreme Video Geek

[benwaggoner]

Ah, but in fact 29.97 is an approximation itself. The actual value is 30000/1001.

As long as we're being geeky :).

Incredable

[pavon]

"a personal linux video time-shifter"

Wow, I wish my linux box could shift time. Then I could waste my time on slashdot and still get these final Compiler projects graded on time!

SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS THEFT

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't build it, buy it!

The folks at TiVo worked hard to develop and manufacture their product, and this pirate just goes and makes his own, basically taking food from the mouths of TiVo engineers.

Making your own stuff goes against the ideals of Corporatism!

1) Earn!
2) Consume!
3) Discard!

Re:Yeah, and in Soviet Russia...

[svallarian]

no no

IN SOVIET RUSSIA

TIVO watches YOU!

Steven V.