building a linux-based, roll-your-own TIVO-style system

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"Trevor Smithson" <trevor_smithson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:hi66a11qap2bb5k9mtr7hafv55f10ij6bi@4ax.com...
> Hi
>
> Was wondering if anyone here has built their own, PC-based, TIVO-style
> box. I'm thinking of trying to use an old HP system of mine as the
> base system...it's an old slimline "corporate" model, so it would fit
> in with my A/V system.
>
> The problem is that oldness...the processor is only 450Mhz. But, if I
> get a TV tuner card that can do onboard encoding, I don't think that
> will be a problem. The system already has ~160MB of memory,
> that should be more than enough. It has a 20GB hard drive, I'll have
> to either replace that or add another drive...I want the total drive
> space to be at least 200GB, considering how cheap drives are these
> days. That big a hard drive could be a problem as well, it may
> (probably?) conflict with the BIOS.


<snip>

the (older) 450mhz machine's bios probably will not recognize the 200gig
drive.

but to avoid buying another machine...you can simply get a pci controller
card...

linux should support most of them out there...

also...if you have a smaller HD that the bios recognizes...
you could load linux onto it...as once linux is installed...
it will be able to "see" the 200 gig drive...even if your bios
does not

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Trevor Smithson wrote:
> Hi
>
> Was wondering if anyone here has built their own, PC-based, TIVO-style
> box.

Sure... MythTV.


> The problem is that oldness...the processor is only 450Mhz.

Do yourself a favor and get a faster system. With a capture card that
does hardware encoding, the capture aspect would be fine. But unless
you have an nvidia card that supports XvMC acceleration under linux,
you're not going to be able to play back full resolution TV. The
commercial flagging process will be hideously slow, and the UI will
probably be quite sluggish.


--
-WD

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

are you very proficient with Linux?
If not that can be the MOST frustrating thing about what your intending.
Windows with an ATI - ALL IN WONDER vidcard takes the frustration out of the
'tivo' scenario.
The software ATI provides, does just about everything for you.


"Trevor Smithson" <trevor_smithson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:hi66a11qap2bb5k9mtr7hafv55f10ij6bi@4ax.com...
> Hi
>
> Was wondering if anyone here has built their own, PC-based, TIVO-style
> box. I'm thinking of trying to use an old HP system of mine as the
> base system...it's an old slimline "corporate" model, so it would fit
> in with my A/V system.
>
> The problem is that oldness...the processor is only 450Mhz. But, if I
> get a TV tuner card that can do onboard encoding, I don't think that
> will be a problem. The system already has ~160MB of memory,
> that should be more than enough. It has a 20GB hard drive, I'll have
> to either replace that or add another drive...I want the total drive
> space to be at least 200GB, considering how cheap drives are these
> days. That big a hard drive could be a problem as well, it may
> (probably?) conflict with the BIOS.
>
> I am not going to put a DVD player or writer in the system, as I want
> to keep costs down and already have those components elsewhere.
> I would also like to be able to play MP3s, but since I do not want to
> have a keyboard or mouse with this system, only if it can be done
> without a mouse/KB.
>
> And I would much prefer to use linux to keep the price down...if I
> can use that HP system, I'm hoping the only costs I would have would
> be the hard drive, for about $50 after rebate, and a hardware-based
> TV tuner card, for about $50 to $75 I think.
>
> If I have to buy a new processor/motherboard/case, I think I would
> be better off buying a stripper Dell model and going from that.
>
> Ideas or comments would be appreciated.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"Will Dormann" <wdormann@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:h7SdnclfpbL1uT7fRVn-1w@comcast.com...
> Trevor Smithson wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > Was wondering if anyone here has built their own, PC-based, TIVO-style
> > box.
>
> Sure... MythTV.
>
>
> > The problem is that oldness...the processor is only 450Mhz.
>
> Do yourself a favor and get a faster system. With a capture card that
> does hardware encoding, the capture aspect would be fine. But unless
> you have an nvidia card that supports XvMC acceleration under linux,
> you're not going to be able to play back full resolution TV. The
> commercial flagging process will be hideously slow, and the UI will
> probably be quite sluggish.
>
>
> --
> -WD

I have a PIII 450mhz with AIW128pro running W2K. It can do PVR in a LQ
setting even though it's my internet computer and isn't clean(AV,etc). At
this setting CPU is <80%. Unless Linux is a problem and I already had the
hardware and time I'd try it since I enjoy that kind of thing. If I were
buying new I'd(have) set up for HDTV.
YMMV

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Moderately proficient--I've run linux for 5-6 years now on a second
system, but I'm still no linux sysadmin.

On Sun, 5 Jun 2005 12:44:45 -0700, "JAD" <kapasitor@earthcharter.net>
wrote:

>are you very proficient with Linux?
>If not that can be the MOST frustrating thing about what your intending.
>Windows with an ATI - ALL IN WONDER vidcard takes the frustration out of the
>'tivo' scenario.
>The software ATI provides, does just about everything for you.
>
>
>"Trevor Smithson" <trevor_smithson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:hi66a11qap2bb5k9mtr7hafv55f10ij6bi@4ax.com...
>> Hi
>>
>> Was wondering if anyone here has built their own, PC-based, TIVO-style
>> box. I'm thinking of trying to use an old HP system of mine as the
>> base system...it's an old slimline "corporate" model, so it would fit
>> in with my A/V system.
>>
>> The problem is that oldness...the processor is only 450Mhz. But, if I
>> get a TV tuner card that can do onboard encoding, I don't think that
>> will be a problem. The system already has ~160MB of memory,
>> that should be more than enough. It has a 20GB hard drive, I'll have
>> to either replace that or add another drive...I want the total drive
>> space to be at least 200GB, considering how cheap drives are these
>> days. That big a hard drive could be a problem as well, it may
>> (probably?) conflict with the BIOS.
>>
>> I am not going to put a DVD player or writer in the system, as I want
>> to keep costs down and already have those components elsewhere.
>> I would also like to be able to play MP3s, but since I do not want to
>> have a keyboard or mouse with this system, only if it can be done
>> without a mouse/KB.
>>
>> And I would much prefer to use linux to keep the price down...if I
>> can use that HP system, I'm hoping the only costs I would have would
>> be the hard drive, for about $50 after rebate, and a hardware-based
>> TV tuner card, for about $50 to $75 I think.
>>
>> If I have to buy a new processor/motherboard/case, I think I would
>> be better off buying a stripper Dell model and going from that.
>>
>> Ideas or comments would be appreciated.
>

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

On Sun, 5 Jun 2005 10:44:56 -0500, "philo" <philo@privacy.net> wrote:

>
>"Trevor Smithson" <trevor_smithson@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:hi66a11qap2bb5k9mtr7hafv55f10ij6bi@4ax.com...
>> Hi
>>
>> Was wondering if anyone here has built their own, PC-based, TIVO-style
>> box. I'm thinking of trying to use an old HP system of mine as the
>> base system...it's an old slimline "corporate" model, so it would fit
>> in with my A/V system.
>>
>> The problem is that oldness...the processor is only 450Mhz. But, if I
>> get a TV tuner card that can do onboard encoding, I don't think that
>> will be a problem. The system already has ~160MB of memory,
>> that should be more than enough. It has a 20GB hard drive, I'll have
>> to either replace that or add another drive...I want the total drive
>> space to be at least 200GB, considering how cheap drives are these
>> days. That big a hard drive could be a problem as well, it may
>> (probably?) conflict with the BIOS.
>
>
><snip>
>
>the (older) 450mhz machine's bios probably will not recognize the 200gig
>drive.
>
>but to avoid buying another machine...you can simply get a pci controller
>card...
>
>linux should support most of them out there...
>
>also...if you have a smaller HD that the bios recognizes...
>you could load linux onto it...as once linux is installed...
>it will be able to "see" the 200 gig drive...even if your bios
>does not
>

Yes, the 450Mhz system has a 20GB hard drive installed and working
properly. I was hoping that if I put another driver on that IDE
chain, linux would recognize it.