Ok, Hubby and I are interested in looking into those Tivo type of recorders for TV shows? Except that we know there are other brands/services out there, and we were wondering if anyone knew of any cheap options?

We have Dish Network, there is no cable in our area - so we are limited to any systems that work with that. And while dish does offer a version of the system, the MONEY they want to charge is insane!!! (about $25 a month)

So, anyone have any ideas? I'm not even sure where to look...

Check your local Sam's club real quick :p I was just there and bought the Tivo 80hour for $99 and it has a $100 mail in rebate. The reason it was so cheap was because they are replacing it in the store with the new one with built in dvd recorder. This one usally sells from $200 to $300. So they are going to go very fast - I got the last one at my store.

I can help you build one if you have an old PC with some hard drive space laying around but you'll still have to buy the software and a capture card. It ends out being better than a TiVo but you can't beat that price if you can find one like Fujo. The benefit of your own PC is that you can use a free TV Guide service and not have to pay anything monthly.

I actually have a TiVo sitting in storage that I could let go but it is the first generation.. 30 hour.. and you'd need to sign up for the service. Also, not really cost effective for me to sell it cheap and ship it if you can get them free at Costco.

I can help you build one if you have an old PC with some hard drive space laying around but you'll still have to buy the software and a capture card.

What software is that? I'm interested.

thanks

The best quality cards are made by Hauppauge right now.. there are a few different software packages:

SageTV (http://www.sagetv.com) ..the one I use now
BeyondTV (http://www.beyondtv.com) ..another popular choice
Windows MCE (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/default.mspx)

free choices:

MediaPortal (http://mediaportal.sourceforge.net/mpreview.html) ...getting good reviews for a new package
MythTV (http://www.mythtv.org/) ..Linux based

Actually, we DO have an extra computer (or 2)

So what exactly would I need to do?

(No samsclub out here :( )

Mythtv is awesome but also a pain to set up. If you don't know much about linux you'd probably be better off going with a Windows suite.

Hardware needed:

- Extra PC... slow is OK since the capture card does the encoding, I use an Athlon 1100.
- a decent video card in the PC that has a TV out signal
- Hauppuage capture card (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=15-116-602&depa=0)

and one of the software packages listed above... I agree, the Windows ones are easier to install. The PC should be formatted with a fresh install of XP then you can install the card and do the trials of the various software packages. I'd suggest checking out the forums of whichever software you're looking at so you can get an idea if people are happy with it or how easy it is to install. BeyondTV wasn't stable on my machine but Sage has been excellent. I tried another free package but it wasn't up to par.

I've got a Myth TV box at home, and multiple frontends on other computers on the house (so you can watch live TV or recorded programs on these computers).

Yes, it's a pain to setup, but there is also a bootable CD called Knoppmyth (http://www.mysettopbox.tv/knoppmyth.html) which is supposed to be very easy to install. (I didn't try it anyway, I did it "the hard way" on a Debian box).

This is the url (http://www.mythtv.org/) of Myth Tv. Check out the screenshots (http://www.mythtv.org/modules.php?name=MythFeatures).

Cheers

I have been using Windows Media Center (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/tours/default.mspx) since it first came out late 2002/early 2003. I love it.

I don't know much about those other free options but since it integrates right with media player and is part of xp it's extremely stable and full of features. My MCE pc is a webserver, dvd player/jukebox, burner, tv recorder/viewer, music/radio player, photo album viewer, and HDTV tuner/recorder. Since they went to the 2005 version I've had zero problems with it. There is also a ton of free applications that work with it as well. Everything from viewing your weather forecast, to ebay, to movie theatre listings, to dvd jukebox software, to games using your remote control. My entire entertainment system runs off this one pc. I also use a MCE extender to watch my recorded shows/live tv, view my photos, and listen to my music all from my upstairs bedroom which is about 60 feet away from my pc.

Just my opinion,

Jesse

ReplayTV is another alternative.

Your EASIEST option should be Dish branded equipment, however. I'm not sure how you are coming up with $25/month though (a lease fee?)

-Allen

I've got a Myth TV box at home, and multiple frontends on other computers on the house (so you can watch live TV or recorded programs on these computers).

Yes, it's a pain to setup, but there is also a bootable CD called Knoppmyth (http://www.mysettopbox.tv/knoppmyth.html) which is supposed to be very easy to install. (I didn't try it anyway, I did it "the hard way" on a Debian box).

This is the url (http://www.mythtv.org/) of Myth Tv. Check out the screenshots (http://www.mythtv.org/modules.php?name=MythFeatures).

Cheers Isaac really needs to update those with a better looking theme. I love mythtv. :tu:

I've got a Myth TV box at home, and multiple frontends on other computers on the house (so you can watch live TV or recorded programs on these computers).

Yes, it's a pain to setup, but there is also a bootable CD called Knoppmyth (http://www.mysettopbox.tv/knoppmyth.html) which is supposed to be very easy to install. (I didn't try it anyway, I did it "the hard way" on a Debian box).

This is the url (http://www.mythtv.org/) of Myth Tv. Check out the screenshots (http://www.mythtv.org/modules.php?name=MythFeatures).

Cheers

I've been using freevo (http://freevo.sourceforge.net) for the last year or so but I quite fancy giving MythTv a go when I get some better hardware. I've got a separate Tivo (though we never got past 1st generation over here) so only use it for listening to mp3z and watching DivX vids so I only make basic use of it. I always liked Freevo's more lightweight approach to the application - makes me think I might one day be able to write a module for it (always wanted time shifting and automatic recording for web/digital radio) - but it's development's pretty slow compared to MythTv. I think they do a similar Knoppix like livecd version too.

Since I last posted I bought a Hauppauge 250. It's a good card, I like it.

I thought I could watch many channels at once like the ati card allows but you cannot. I guess that's a good thing though because it can be a distraction and I don't really need to watch many channels at once. Only during foot ball season would I really like that.

The software that comes with it is not the greatest and I'll be checking out some of the other ones available but for now it works well.

The recording is good and easy to do, it has a quick record so you can just click that and instantly record what your watching. That's handy to have.

That's it, I like it and it works well.

ok Sage Tv just rocks!! I downloaded a demo and it kicks ass.

I wish I could change the fonts on the menu though, I feel like I'm on my mothers computer where all the fonts a set to EXTRA HUGE.

I have 2 questions on mpg's if anyone knows.

First, I recorded 24 last night (using the default mpg from hauppauge not sage) and my screen is somewhat dark so I try to adjust the brightness and on I am unable to. This is from within windows media player, I've have seen it before where some videos I can adjust the brightness and others I cannot. I can slide the brightness slider but it goes back to center when I unclick it.

And second, I took the same recording and burned it to a dvd via ulead movie maker. Unfortunately my shinsonic (aka cheapo) dvd player keeps coming up 'no disc found'. I was just wondering if anyone had any good links about dvd burning basics.

Thanks

ok Sage Tv just rocks!! I downloaded a demo and it kicks ass.

I wish I could change the fonts on the menu though, I feel like I'm on my mothers computer where all the fonts a set to EXTRA HUGE.

I have 2 questions on mpg's if anyone knows.

First, I recorded 24 last night (using the default mpg from hauppauge not sage) and my screen is somewhat dark so I try to adjust the brightness and on I am unable to. This is from within windows media player, I've have seen it before where some videos I can adjust the brightness and others I cannot. I can slide the brightness slider but it goes back to center when I unclick it.

And second, I took the same recording and burned it to a dvd via ulead movie maker. Unfortunately my shinsonic (aka cheapo) dvd player keeps coming up 'no disc found'. I was just wondering if anyone had any good links about dvd burning basics.

Thanks

Try this tool to tweak the settings on your hauppauge card.
http://www.cask-of-amontillado.com/pvr_tweak.html

I'd look here to see if you can find any information on compatibility on your dvd player using whatever brand of discs you're trying to use. http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php

I've burned quite a few tv shows to dvd and did have issues until I got a newer DVD player. Try your disc in a few other players (friends, parents, etc) and see if it plays.

Jesse

Try this tool to tweak the settings on your hauppauge card.
http://www.cask-of-amontillado.com/pvr_tweak.html

I'd look here to see if you can find any information on compatibility on your dvd player using whatever brand of discs you're trying to use. http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php

I've burned quite a few tv shows to dvd and did have issues until I got a newer DVD player. Try your disc in a few other players (friends, parents, etc) and see if it plays.

Jesse


Thanks. What do you use for the video editing? In the manual it says there is a tool for that but I don't see it loaded so perhaps it doesn't come with the evaluation version.

Thanks. What do you use for the video editing? In the manual it says there is a tool for that but I don't see it loaded so perhaps it doesn't come with the evaluation version.

I have media center and not Sage TV. For media center someone wrote an app called dCut that you can use to cut out commercials. It then rebuilds the tv show. From there then I use Sonic MyDVD to burn.

Jesse

Is dcut only for media center or any video format? I downloaded it and trued to install it but it gets to the last part of installing and says there is a problem with the msi package and cannot continue and then unloads.

As for Sage tv, I just noticed that I must have the recording quality way too high because hour of a show took 3 gig of disk space. After looking at settings/advanced settings/ recording quality, I dropped it down from Best to Fair but it says the card overrides my setting with Best again.

How can I fix this and what should it be for ok level of recording?

Thanks

Is dcut only for media center or any video format? I downloaded it and trued to install it but it gets to the last part of installing and says there is a problem with the msi package and cannot continue and then unloads.

As for Sage tv, I just noticed that I must have the recording quality way too high because hour of a show took 3 gig of disk space. After looking at settings/advanced settings/ recording quality, I dropped it down from Best to Fair but it says the card overrides my setting with Best again.

How can I fix this and what should it be for ok level of recording?

Thanks

Unfortunately DCUT is only for Media Center. I don't know if Sage TV has any sort of an equivalent. But if it doesn't I would bet someone is working on one.

Media center records at 3.5 gb per hour on best quality. That's why I use DCUT to convert to WMV if it's a show I want to keep. I convert them at a high quality so they're still around 1 gb per hour.

You'll probably want to try asking your question on a Sage discussion forum.

Jesse

Sage does have a plug in that does post-processing and marks out the commercials. It doesn't actually edit the file; it produces a separate file that contains locations of the commercials and lets Sage flip through them automatically. It is an unsupported user-written plug in. I don't use it so I'm not sure how well it works but you can find it in the Sage forums in the user contribution area.