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Modular Home Network PVR at CeBIT

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the different-kinds-of-tv-networks dept.

Mackus Daddius writes "This ought to give the MPAA a conniption: 'The Lancaster system is modular, consisting of a TV tuner (analogue or digital), a hard disk module and an interface module that ties the system together and connects to your TV. The modules are connected using standard Ethernet connections, giving you flexibility over where the modules are placed and used. Multiple storage and interface modules can be used, increasing the capacity of the system and allowing multiple TVs to be used for watching programmes.' From the ZDNet UK article and here's an article with pics."

4 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Nice, but TOO expensive... by stienman · · Score: 4, Informative

    At 244 British pounds per module (check out the article with the pictures) you're shelling out nearly $400[US] per module.

    The simplest system would be just the receiver and TV interface, for $800. Timeshifting would be enabled for $1200.

    One can build the same system with a Hauppage PVR card (hardware MPEG encoder) for $400 (w/o software). It wouldn't be as quiet or small, but you could get the same modularity with multiple systems. Since it has hardware mpeg encoding, a cheap fanless system, such as the Via epox boards, should be able to handle one card and hard drive, and still be able to decode one stream at the same time. This would be about the same saize as all the modules put together, in one quiet, cheap box.

    -Adam

  2. Re:Hauppage == junk. by stienman · · Score: 4, Informative

    I've happily been using their win-pvr 250 on my winxp computer for nearly a year.

    I would not characterize it as a solid piece of software, but restarting the app is all that's needed when it starts recording with no one logged in. It records fine if you leave it alone, but when you log in while it's recording it slows to 10-20 frames per second. This is an issue a few times a month, so not a big deal. I suspect it's related to winxp, since the software isn't a service and has to log in as the user.

    The only other issue is that once in awhile the mpeg shows coding artifacts (small flipped chunks occasionally show up). This requires a reboot. I haven't spent the time figuring out how to duplicate it, as it only happens once a month or less.

    Considering the bad experiences I've had with the ATI all in wonder cards, this is a dream. All my shows are recorded, and I can take them with my on my laptop or save them to my server for later consumption.

    YMMV.

    -Adam

  3. Another alternative : MythTV is free and open by linuxguy · · Score: 5, Informative
    The modules are 249pounds. Which translates to about $500. Ouch. You can achieve similar functionality with http://www.mythtv.org and EPIA-M boards. I got the EPIA board from Fry's for $139 and this case : http://www.computergate.com/products/item.cfm?prod cd=HDRCM269BR for $72. The case is so small its hard to believe that its a computer case.

    See the mythv web page for more info on what it can do.

  4. ReplayTV has been able to do this since the 4000 by vaylen · · Score: 5, Informative

    Share stuff from room to room? Done. Share stuff from PVR to computer? Done. Share stuff with anyone else who can play .mpg files? Done. Why should I have to build my own PVR and hassle with interfacing it with Guide software, when SonicBlue's ReplayTV has been able to do these things since the 4000 series? Some people just like to do things the hard way, I suppose...

    --