Linux-PVR Distribution LinVDR 0.7 Released

Mirko Doelle writes "LinVDR is a very small Linux distribution turning your normal PC with a DVB video card into a rather cool personal video recorder (PVR). 'The Busybox based system requires less than 128 MB disk space and is shipped as compressed bootable CD image (31 MB) with an easy install program. Provided that you have a supported DVB card (Technotrend DVB Premium or Hauppauge Nexus) in your system, you'll get the software up and running running within 15 minutes or less. LinVDR uses the most recent development version of the Video Disk Recorder software VDR from Klaus Schmidinger. VDR is capable of recording more than one channel per time (as MPEG-2), timeshifting, cutting (with your remote control) and converting the MPEG-2 files into other formats. The 39 plugins delivered in LinVDR extend your PVR to be also a DVD player, DVD recorder, E-Mail reader, Voice mailbox and much more. Details on the software versions and plugins you can find at the project page. For download, visit the mirror list.'"

Comments

This Doesn't Work for the U.S. Does it?

[eno2001]

When I last looked at that project it only seemed to apply to Europe and maybe the U.K. All because our crankass digital TV providers (DirecTV and various Digital Cable providers) are too tightass to allow computers to decode their encrypted signal legally. So instead we have to use external tuners and LiRC or break the law if we want to have computer based PVRs. Pathetic, isn't it?

Remember kids, science is NOT a crime.

Re:This Doesn't Work for the U.S. Does it?

[Anonymous Coward]

There's a user community in the US, have a look at http://www.hoochvdr.info/

Re:This Doesn't Work for the U.S. Does it?

[Woogiemonger]

When I last looked at that project it only seemed to apply to Europe and maybe the U.K.

First the Brits get booted from the US, then from India, and now from Europe? Man, I am SO getting modded down for this :)

Here is a copy of the project page.

[Goodbyte]

What for hell is LinVDR

Basically, it's an approach to build a small, cut to the bone, ready and easy to install VDR Linux distribution.
LinVDR is a complete, breathing Linux system smaller than 128 MB with a complete digital Video Disk Recorder (VDR) / Personal Video Recorder (PVR) and several plugins -- listed seperately below.
For easy access we installed additionaly the browser frontend VDR Admin and a Samba share for up- and downloading music or DVD images with Windows clients.

The base system is Debian Woody compatible (only compatible, not Debian Woody itself!) with the DVB driver from Convergence and Klaus Schmidingers unbeated Video Disk Recorder Software VDR.
All this Tom has mixed smoothly together, and I made the install system and installation programme -- suitable for normal users without Linux knowledge.

OK, sounds good. I have a XYZ tv card and a GeForce 10 with TV out. Lets start.

That's nice you have such expensive hardware, but it won't bring you a step closer to a running LinVDR system. We're here at digital TV, there is no purpose for any analog TV cards.

VDR was designed to work with so-called full featured DVB cards. This is a Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) receiver card originally develloped from Technotrend. Hauppauge adopted these cards and labeled them WinTV DVB-s/C or Nexus.

The important point of this cards: Byside the receiving unit, where you can read a MPEG-2-Stream, they're equipped with a DSP chip working as MPEG-2 decoder and OSD creator. This DSP decodes the steam, overlays the menu and put the result to the composite video out of the DVB card.

This means: You don't need a graphic card with TV out, your full featured DVB card already has one (and only this one is used by VDR).

But you need only one of that expensive (> $150) full featured DVB cards. If you want to install a second one, e.g. to enable you to receive more channels at the same time, you can use a so-called budget card.

These buget cards have no TV out and no MPEG-2 decoder, making them a lot cheaper (around $70).

Type Vendor Model Class Price DVB-S Hauppauge WinTV Nexus-s Full Featured abt. $250 DVB-S TechnoTrend DVB-S Sat PCI
Rev. 1.3, 1.5, 1.6 Full Featured abt. $190 DVB-T TechnoTrend DVB-T Rev. 1.2 Full Featured abt. $250 DVB-C Hauppauge WinTV DVB-C Full Featured abt. $300 DVB-C TechnoTrend DVB-C Rev. 2.1 Full Featured abt. $230 DVB-S Hauppauge WinTV Nova-S Budget abt. $125 DVB-S TechnoTrend Budget DVB-S Budget abt. $90 DVB-T TechnoTrend DVB-T 1300 Budget abt. $110 DVB-C TechnoTrend DVB-C Rev. 1.0 Budget abt. $110

To cut it short: You need one full featured card with MPEG-2 decoder (Technotrend style, supported by the DVB driver of Kernel 2.6) and any number of budget cards (supported by the same drivers). No way to use your graphic adapter or analog TV card, if you're looking for an analog PVR, try e.g. MythTV.

VDR Version and Plugins VDR 1.3.17 with enAIO-Patch and this plugins:

• Autotimer-Edit 0.1.4 new
• DVD-Burn 0.0.5 new
• Clock 0.0.5b1 update
• Console 0.6 update
• DVD 0.3.5b06 (without CSS support)
• EPG-Search 0.0.3 new
• Femon (signal strength) 0.1.6 update
• Games 0.6.1 update
• GraphLCD 0.1.1 update
• GraphTFT 0.0.8 new
• Hello 0.1.0
• Image (Diashow) 0.2.2 update
• LCD-Proc 0.0.10 update
• Mailbox 0.3 update
• Manual 0.0.2 (german only) new
• Media-MVP 0.1.5 new
• Media-MVP-Server new
• M-LCD 0.0.4 update
• MP3 0.9.8 update
• MPlayer 0.9.8 update
• OSD-Demo 0.1.0
• Osd-PiP Plugin 0.0.7 update
• OSD-Teletext 0.3.1 update
• Pilot 0.0.7 new

This is nothing:

[oexeo]

I have:

- A dedicated development box
- A dedicated server box
- A dedicated "juke" box
- A dedicated "TiVo" box
- A dedicated gaming box
- A dedicated backup box
- A dedicated firewall box
- And a general purpose box

Unfortunately due to all the money wasted^H^H^H^H^H^H spent on this essential equipment, I don't have a home to put them in.

nsfw

[Anonymous Coward]

last link is not safe for work (and in really poor taste)

No HD = worthless

[badmammajamma]

Who cares? All this stuff is worthless to me until I can record HDTV off my cable connection. Since there are no cards that make this possible, any software out there is useless to me. All these cute linux solutions are gonna go the way of the dodo bird once HD is the normal broadcast. The only way you'll be able to record this crap in fascist America is by buying/renting set tops from your cable or satelite company.

Fortunately, I hate almost every broadcast out there except for about three shows (and two of them are pay channels).

Poor, poor server...

[koi88]

Right, the first link in the article must be the actual disk image, later maybe a link to the web site (so people can find out about hardware requirements, features, etc.).
The list of mirrors should come last, as the project is unworthy if the server doesn't survive the stampede of the slashdot crowd...

WHY? A little more careful approach would make downloads faster and save the server's admins a lot of trouble...

This is absolutely WORTHLESS!!!

[SeattleGameboy]

Let me get this straight...

It DOES NOT handle analog signals - No cable/OTA analog channels.

It DOES NOT handle HDTV signals.

AND it DOES NOT decrypt encrypted signals - No DirecTV, Dish, etc.

Okay, what is this software for??? Seems to me this is DOA for US.