I dunno about the digital cable card... hypothetically maybe one will come out after they standardized the digital cable boxes (supposedly this summer you'll be able to buy a digital cable box at circuit city and bring it home and your cable company will "support" it's use -- unless i'm confused, which happens)
The way you deal with this on the homebrew PVR side, is the same way my tivo deals with it. You get your tivo/pc PVR to control the digital cable box and feed the output (svideo/rf coax) to your PVR's/encoders input.
You can control your digital cable box via IR blasters (which emulate/simulate the remote control you currently use to change your digital cable boxes channels) OR in some cases (notable motorolla boxes) you can use a serial/usb cable to have your PVR control your cable box (which leaves the tuning/unencrypting in the digital cable box)
*shrug* not a perfect solution, but a plausible/workable one...
I meant to spend the day readying a nice new dedicated server for byopvr. I spent the day hot potato getting the site migrated off the VPS (after the first crushing courtesy of reuters/yahoo news)... then pvrblog graciously linked to the site and that influx of new visitors crushed the new server, before I could even get to optimize it... now this... now this... =)
The site you see now is slightly pared down to help it limp through the crisis. I didn't really think anyone would post it to/. or if they did it would be to the original news story and somehow that would slow down the effect. *shrug* man was I wrong...
"it occurs to me that trying to use one of these alternatives will work great until the automated TV listing parser stops working due to a moved web page or some other problem. "
Fair point... except most of the major homebrew PVR software applications no longer use screenscraping. IIRC the latest XMLTV uses a direct connection to get the guide data (from zaptoit i *think*)... the guide data is starting to find ways to partner with the diff software out there...
Also although it's not free (either as in beer or speech) software like SageTV (which i'm in love with for it's pvr 350 support) and snapstream's beyondTV include the listing service, if i'm not mistaken...
*shrug*
e. --> hey/. crowd take it easy on my site please it's had a rough day =)
" If I am going to pay 80 bucks for the Hauppage device, I might as well pay 20 more and get another TIVO. Or for 109 bucks, you can get a refurbished Xbox. Little hacking on it, and you have the perfect media center PC.
I am not discrediting the Hauppage device as it sounds really cool. But for 80 bucks I think I would compare the other devices in this category and find a better alternative. IMO that is."
ah.... but the rub there is the 13 beans a month (or 300 beans for lifetime of the "unit" subscription) and if you are one of the tinfoil hat folks, well say no more =). Setup a MediaMVP with GB-PVR (or get one of those myth client hax being worked on ) and use a 90 dollar hardware encoder/tuner card in your existing PC and you've got PVR goodness for around 170 beans (plus shipping) and no subscription. You also get expanded functionality that you have to pay EXTRA for with Tivo's "home media option", bah! Granted ReplayTV is a little bit better off in that arena, but you are still on the hook for subscription fees.
Note: I have a tivo and love it, but I've seen this combo outlined above as a viable option. *Shrug* ymmv.
FWIW a regular user on my site did a review of the hauppauge MediaMVP and a new writeup about using it with GBPVR (instead of the default software) is coming "soon".
hey, it's a different option, and it's not for everybody... but I'll be watching what the mediamvp hackers come up with... reminds me of the good old iopener/websurfer days =)
I'm pretty sure I saw a spot on the news that harford PD was allocated a handful of these and some of the streewalking, er.. foot patrol cops were trying these out...
I've tried that route.. using a VGA cable hack and advancemame (and arcadeOS, ArcMon Sys TRS drivers in DOS, etc) and nearly lost my mind (although it was a site to behold when it actually worked!)
Although not cheaper, it's much easier to use an ArcadeVGA card from ultimarc (who has great customer service!) and you can use whatever flavor of mame you want with a real arcade monitor... you can even get windoze to display (interlaced mode) on your arcade monitor (so you can play dragons lair in daphne =).
*shrug* just giving another option, but yeah you're right you can go on the cheap the way you outlined...
As mentioned ealier Build your own arcade controls (be sure to check there forum, where helpful folks like me will help you along with your project... hey quit snickering!)
Also of note is the new "how to" book by the guy who runs byoac... (with my referral link included of course =P ) PRoject Arcade Book
*Shrug* or you could *shudder* use an x-arcade desktop controller if you can't fit a full sized cabinet, or cocktail, or cabaret cabinet in your pad...
Hauppauge MediaMVP stream the content from your existing PC to your TV for like 88beans street price... *shrug* it's not for everyone, but my buddy has it and I was surprised at how how well his quasi-pvr/home media center worked.
does the reviewer get style points, for using a haiku in his review?
I get the sense that it's more an issue of lack of polish on the UI, and either buggy drivers/hardware/software rather than blaming linux for the unit crashing all the time.
people trade services in a community for "community points" tradeable for services/etc from other participating community members. So you can fix one persons computer and get plumbing services from someone else, etc...
It really isn't that hard. You don't have to be an EE major.
It used to be real hard, but when you can get a keyboard encoder (that turns the joystick and butotn presses into PC keyboard keystrokes that plug right into your usb/ps2 port... you do know how to plug in a keyboard don't you AC?) it's gotten real easy.
If you can understand a basic diagram... lets say on the order of assembling an ikea desk or wiring a light fixture... you can handle making a desktop controller. Is it the drilling of holes that's too difficult for you?
It's NOT the wiring that's hard. (there are two wires for each arcade button)... the HARD part is finishing your controller/project after getting it working in the playable demo (you can't pry yoruself off it to do the finishig touches) =)
Oscar Controls makes spinners (even a Disc of Tron push/pull spinner!) for MAME cabinet purposes.
All high quality stuff, and Oscar has been a great contributor to the Build Your Own Arcade Controlscommunity (msg board) All the above links are great for info on making mame cabinet, desktop controller or otherwise interfacing "real" arcade controls with your PC.
The original game had a 4-way joystick and you could NOT hit diagonal.
In order to play it "right" (read classic machine feel) you'd need a 4 way leaf joystick... failing that you could use an 8 way joystick with a restrictor that doesn't allow you to move diagonal.
It's not MAME's/software issue, it's a hardware issue. Saying PacMan won't let you use diagonal on the corners is like saying defender won't let me go left or right on the joystick(yes you can remap it in mame, i meant in the arcade) or Space Invaders not letting me go up... That's how they were built/designed and MAME is emulating them as faithfully as can be done =)
The one complaint I'd have with the x-arcade is that it's a little tough for two adults to stand side by side and play a game without feeling "crowded"... although they are close enough to play a nice game of robotron... but you can take your friends teeth out if while performing zangief moves in 2player street fighter II =)
I actually used x-arcade joystick and buttons (from an ebay auction... like 20 bucks for 2 happs super clone joysticks and 20 buttons) on my taito mame cabinet conversion
The buttons are made a little bit cheaper/thinner plastic than happs/etc and use cheaper zippy microswitches (as opposed to cherry brand switches) but pretty solid overall... they've survived numerous track and field poundings =)
I'd like to see more about which location technologies they used to track their positions within the game...
you woulda thought they could justa wore a pacman shirt or "im inky" shirt, but nooo they needed full on costumes... well I give them geek cred for that =P
Slashdot Mirror
I dunno about the digital cable card... hypothetically maybe one will come out after they standardized the digital cable boxes (supposedly this summer you'll be able to buy a digital cable box at circuit city and bring it home and your cable company will "support" it's use -- unless i'm confused, which happens)
The way you deal with this on the homebrew PVR side, is the same way my tivo deals with it. You get your tivo/pc PVR to control the digital cable box and feed the output (svideo/rf coax) to your PVR's/encoders input.
You can control your digital cable box via IR blasters (which emulate/simulate the remote control you currently use to change your digital cable boxes channels) OR in some cases (notable motorolla boxes) you can use a serial/usb cable to have your PVR control your cable box (which leaves the tuning/unencrypting in the digital cable box)
*shrug* not a perfect solution, but a plausible/workable one...
e
lol... you got me there =)
/. or if they did it would be to the original news story and somehow that would slow down the effect. *shrug* man was I wrong...
I meant to spend the day readying a nice new dedicated server for byopvr. I spent the day hot potato getting the site migrated off the VPS (after the first crushing courtesy of reuters/yahoo news)... then pvrblog graciously linked to the site and that influx of new visitors crushed the new server, before I could even get to optimize it... now this... now this... =)
The site you see now is slightly pared down to help it limp through the crisis. I didn't really think anyone would post it to
e.
"it occurs to me that trying to use one of these alternatives will work great until the automated TV listing parser stops working due to a moved web page or some other problem.
/. crowd take it easy on my site please it's had a rough day =)
"
Fair point... except most of the major homebrew PVR software applications no longer use screenscraping. IIRC the latest XMLTV uses a direct connection to get the guide data (from zaptoit i *think*)... the guide data is starting to find ways to partner with the diff software out there...
Also although it's not free (either as in beer or speech) software like SageTV (which i'm in love with for it's pvr 350 support) and snapstream's beyondTV include the listing service, if i'm not mistaken...
*shrug*
e.
--> hey
*shrug*
some enterprising folks in shs's forum have a pass through working (looks like anyhow). It's probably not for the feint of heart though =)
It's not the processor speed, but probablly licensing/DMCA like buggery that the MVP doesn't do AC3 *shrug* but I could be off base on that...
Soo are you selling yours? =)
" If I am going to pay 80 bucks for the Hauppage device, I might as well pay 20 more and get another TIVO. Or for 109 bucks, you can get a refurbished Xbox. Little hacking on it, and you have the perfect media center PC.
I am not discrediting the Hauppage device as it sounds really cool. But for 80 bucks I think I would compare the other devices in this category and find a better alternative. IMO that is."
ah.... but the rub there is the 13 beans a month (or 300 beans for lifetime of the "unit" subscription) and if you are one of the tinfoil hat folks, well say no more =). Setup a MediaMVP with GB-PVR (or get one of those myth client hax being worked on ) and use a 90 dollar hardware encoder/tuner card in your existing PC and you've got PVR goodness for around 170 beans (plus shipping) and no subscription. You also get expanded functionality that you have to pay EXTRA for with Tivo's "home media option", bah! Granted ReplayTV is a little bit better off in that arena, but you are still on the hook for subscription fees.
Note: I have a tivo and love it, but I've seen this combo outlined above as a viable option. *Shrug* ymmv.
FWIW a regular user on my site did a review of the hauppauge MediaMVP and a new writeup about using it with GBPVR (instead of the default software) is coming "soon".
hey, it's a different option, and it's not for everybody... but I'll be watching what the mediamvp hackers come up with... reminds me of the good old iopener/websurfer days =)
e.
I'm pretty sure I saw a spot on the news that harford PD was allocated a handful of these and some of the streewalking, er.. foot patrol cops were trying these out...
*shrug*
e.
the SuperSize Me guy must be ticked... he coulda at least got some song downloads for all his trouble/liver damage =)
e.
Good point...
I've tried that route.. using a VGA cable hack and advancemame (and arcadeOS, ArcMon Sys TRS drivers in DOS, etc) and nearly lost my mind (although it was a site to behold when it actually worked!)
Although not cheaper, it's much easier to use an ArcadeVGA card from ultimarc (who has great customer service!) and you can use whatever flavor of mame you want with a real arcade monitor... you can even get windoze to display (interlaced mode) on your arcade monitor (so you can play dragons lair in daphne =).
*shrug* just giving another option, but yeah you're right you can go on the cheap the way you outlined...
e.
Why pine away... just build one =) (or convert one --> UberCade: Mame Taito cabinet conversion
As mentioned ealier Build your own arcade controls (be sure to check there forum, where helpful folks like me will help you along with your project... hey quit snickering!)
Also of note is the new "how to" book by the guy who runs byoac... (with my referral link included of course =P ) PRoject Arcade Book
*Shrug* or you could *shudder* use an x-arcade desktop controller if you can't fit a full sized cabinet, or cocktail, or cabaret cabinet in your pad...
e.
Hauppauge MediaMVP stream the content from your existing PC to your TV for like 88beans street price... *shrug* it's not for everyone, but my buddy has it and I was surprised at how how well his quasi-pvr/home media center worked.
I'd rather build my own mini-itx htpc of course though =)
e.
PS I also believe there's quite the mediamvp hacking community (it doesn't support linux out of the box, from what I understand)
does the reviewer get style points, for using a haiku in his review?
I get the sense that it's more an issue of lack of polish on the UI, and either buggy drivers/hardware/software rather than blaming linux for the unit crashing all the time.
e.
TimeDollar.org
people trade services in a community for "community points" tradeable for services/etc from other participating community members. So you can fix one persons computer and get plumbing services from someone else, etc...
*shrug* A real neat idea IMHO.
e.
It really isn't that hard. You don't have to be an EE major.
It used to be real hard, but when you can get a keyboard encoder (that turns the joystick and butotn presses into PC keyboard keystrokes that plug right into your usb/ps2 port... you do know how to plug in a keyboard don't you AC?) it's gotten real easy.
If you can understand a basic diagram... lets say on the order of assembling an ikea desk or wiring a light fixture... you can handle making a desktop controller. Is it the drilling of holes that's too difficult for you?
It's NOT the wiring that's hard. (there are two wires for each arcade button)... the HARD part is finishing your controller/project after getting it working in the playable demo (you can't pry yoruself off it to do the finishig touches) =)
e.
Oscar Controls makes spinners (even a Disc of Tron push/pull spinner!) for MAME cabinet purposes.
All high quality stuff, and Oscar has been a great contributor to the Build Your Own Arcade Controls community (msg board) All the above links are great for info on making mame cabinet, desktop controller or otherwise interfacing "real" arcade controls with your PC.
e.
The original game had a 4-way joystick and you could NOT hit diagonal.
In order to play it "right" (read classic machine feel) you'd need a 4 way leaf joystick... failing that you could use an 8 way joystick with a restrictor that doesn't allow you to move diagonal.
It's not MAME's/software issue, it's a hardware issue. Saying PacMan won't let you use diagonal on the corners is like saying defender won't let me go left or right on the joystick(yes you can remap it in mame, i meant in the arcade) or Space Invaders not letting me go up... That's how they were built/designed and MAME is emulating them as faithfully as can be done =)
e
The one complaint I'd have with the x-arcade is that it's a little tough for two adults to stand side by side and play a game without feeling "crowded"... although they are close enough to play a nice game of robotron... but you can take your friends teeth out if while performing zangief moves in 2player street fighter II =)
I actually used x-arcade joystick and buttons (from an ebay auction... like 20 bucks for 2 happs super clone joysticks and 20 buttons) on my taito mame cabinet conversion
The buttons are made a little bit cheaper/thinner plastic than happs/etc and use cheaper zippy microswitches (as opposed to cherry brand switches) but pretty solid overall... they've survived numerous track and field poundings =)
e.
Kevin Steele did a review comparing x-arcade, hotrod, slick stick (custom mondo arcade control panel), and one other...
retroblast has the review (even has a video review with some cheeky production value) =)
e.
the x-arcade trackball has been in "preorder" status for over a year now... maybe it'll see light of day before half-life 2... *Shrug*
there's been plenty of x-arcade reviews before, I'm not sure what's "new" about this one...
e.
"birth of a franchise"
The could show the kenner factories getting built and molding action figures and burger king glasses and the like...
could even have a special scene where the "rocket firing" boba fett is scrapped in favor of a fixed rocket...
e.
FYI PVR blog has more coverage of the monster PVR... linking to Engadget coverage
e.
levar burton is sad about the cancellation... he could probably use the work.
and what about poor wil wheaton?
e.
I'd like to see more about which location technologies they used to track their positions within the game...
you woulda thought they could justa wore a pacman shirt or "im inky" shirt, but nooo they needed full on costumes... well I give them geek cred for that =P
E.
I for one welcome our DeBeers overlords...
actually on second thought... no, no I don't... I sure hope synthetic diamond making catches on and that diamond prices finally come down to reality.
e.
>>Spamming Slashdot posts is better than sex.
>>
you must be doing something wrong, my friend...
e.
or even a security site =) but I agree, totally.
and to boot are they running php as a CGI instead of a module?
*shrug*
e.