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Build a BoxeeBox and Wean Yourself From Cable
Since I've been having serious problems with satellite all week,
DeviceGuru's submission was really interesting to me. He says "Inspired by Roku's awesome Netflix video download box and impressed with Boxee's free A/V media center platform, it was merely a matter of time before DeviceGuru blogger Rick Lehrbaum would create the BoxeeBox, an Ubuntu-powered HTPC with Boxee serving as its primary media center UI. Based on a 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, the BoxeeBox has the look and feel of consumer A/V equipment and packs 2GB RAM, 1TB HDD, CD/DVD drive, USB, Firewire, HDMI, DVI-D, RGB, and 8-channel surround sound audio."
Sadly, without the ability to get HD channels like Discovery, HBO, etc, these boxes will always be at a serious disadvantage.
No offense, but I'm sick and tired of comments like the above. You come in here and talk about HDTV as if it is actually available to everyone now.
Why can't you see that when you purchase one of these boxes, you're fighting for freedom? If you buy a cable box, you're voluntarily submitting yourself to oppression. It is really that simple. Now, the beauty of this box isn't just the snide factor involved in running a minority-share operating system, it is also in that you don't have to rent it yourself, thus, saving yourself around $60 per year! Do you know how much Linux software you could buy with that?
I'm not trying to be harsh here, just to wake you up to the realities of the enormous implications inherent in choosing a set-top box. Next time you go looking for one, remember that features like "HD" really aren't totally necessary.