The ol PVR to tha DVR
So I finally spent a bit of time putting my PVR together this weekend. Click this link and just skip the boring reading to just see it all. A buddy and I have been trying to get this thing going for a 
while and now and I'm happy to say its finally complete. Oddly enough I'm actually happy with the box. Its sweet for a hack DIY thing. PVR stands for Personal Video Recorder and DVR stands for Digital Video Recorder. They both refer to any device that records tv shows for viewing at a later time. This ain't no VCR! (I like throwing in a little hick speak now and then.) This thing will record every episode of any Tv show and you don't even have be at the mercy of the TV guide. Not that I ever was, but still. My PVR can also automatically detect and skip commercials. It's worth reading that last little sentence again. Never sit through another crappy TV ad again!
This is the first mod/case thingy I've ever built so its pretty hack. At first I wanted to put my PVR 
into an old TV, but it just ended up being too small. So I ended up jacking my friends case and using that. The PVR consists of my old Dell Computer's mobo (motherboard) and parts jammed into an old school radio. It was pretty hard to fit all that crap in there. I put in a bluetooth adapter so I can use a wireless keyboard and mouse with it. I purchased an Hauppauge 350 card, an old radio, oh and the "software." What a god damn pain in the arse!
My buddy and I decided that Linux was the way to go because it was A: free B: very stable and C: not windows. Unfortunately it turned into a major pain in the ass to get going. At one point I had a distro entitled Knoppmyth running Mythtv perfectly on my box. I was stoked. Of course I couldn't just leave it, so I tried to add some functionality (tv web browser) and broke it. I was never able to 
revive the Linux version. Also, the wife wasn't able to figure out how to use Linux and she needs her daily MSN fix. Hence, the switch back to Windows. So after reinstalling Windows XP Pro my buddy came over and essentially hacked together a working version of SageTv. SageTv is not designed to work in Canada so my buddy geeked out on it and made it run. So now my box sucks down a feed from Zap2it, which is essentially the digital program guide for the channels I get. The program guide as well as the system clock gets automatically updated daily. So I can now sit back on the couch and "surf the weeb" on the TV and watch my favorite show whenever. Now if I can just get it to download podcast and video blog feeds.
Originally I was going to do a long ass how-to thing but if you're into geeking out you'll have more fun figuring it out for yourself.
On a completely unrelated note: Adam Curry played some drum cadences on his podcast recently and I really liked it. I downloaded a whole bunch more and I have to say these cadence tracks are sweet! Check out this 97 Big 8 FSU Drum Line. Crank up the BASS yo.
THATS SO RAD! I WANT ONE! So ended up usin XP huh? Im diggin the old radio! Dad would get a "kick" out of that.
Posted by: JON | Dec 20, 2004 at 10:41 AM
Very sick Duncan. When can I get mine Christmas? I\\\'m picking Dominique up @ YVR @ 1500 on the 25th. Do you and R 2 DA BA want to do lunch @ Sofies?
Posted by: Patrick | Dec 20, 2004 at 10:47 AM
yeah ended up on XP. Rebecca couldn't handle the Linux distro I had on there. She uses this computer...
you listen to that cadence?
Posted by: Duncan | Dec 20, 2004 at 10:48 AM
patty check yo email
Posted by: Duncan | Dec 20, 2004 at 10:53 AM
If you ended up on Windows anyhow, see if you can get (and run - its picky about HW) Windows Media Center. a friend of mine has his all going, and its the "bomb". Comes with a wireless remote, and the UI is slick. Also, MS runs the TVguide service, so no hacky-hacky.
-MV
Posted by: Mike Varley | Dec 20, 2004 at 12:03 PM
media centre OS
Posted by: bubbles | Dec 20, 2004 at 01:14 PM
Bubbles please don't post torrents here.
If you want to send me something email me.
Cool?
The torrent didnt work for me though...
Posted by: Duncan | Dec 20, 2004 at 01:49 PM
who is this bubbles dude?
Posted by: JON | Dec 20, 2004 at 02:59 PM
Good question.
;)
Posted by: Duncan | Dec 20, 2004 at 03:56 PM
Sorry about the torrent link. I'm just a guy from a trailer park, pay no attention to me.
Posted by: bubbles | Dec 20, 2004 at 04:27 PM
Very impressive, Duncan!
Posted by: Sean | Dec 23, 2004 at 07:23 AM
So how did you get commercial skipping to work? Is that a SageTV feature?
Could you do a short how-to? Just a paragraph or two would be enough.
Posted by: usman | Dec 23, 2004 at 10:29 AM
The instructions for getting SageTV to work with Zap2It are posted on the SageTV website. And as far as I know there is no commercial skip feature in SageTV.
Posted by: LS | Apr 06, 2005 at 06:39 PM
how good is your picture quality?
Posted by: gavin | Apr 17, 2005 at 01:24 PM
The picture quality is pretty good. Not perfect but good enough for TV.
Posted by: Duncan | Apr 17, 2005 at 02:32 PM
very nice + inspirational.
what about the temperature inside? do you have cooling probs?
Posted by: tim | May 28, 2005 at 01:04 PM
Yes there was cooling problems.
My solution: remove the back cover... I didnt have any extra fans laying around or anything...
Posted by: Duncan | May 28, 2005 at 02:18 PM
just an idea - would it be possible to have an aluminium plate made up that will fit the back? maybe the wood was absorbing the heat causing / adding to the probs?
Posted by: tim | May 29, 2005 at 09:19 AM
MFFIP, Inc. announces the sale of a US Utility Patent Application designated DVR001. The disclosure includes innovations in the DVR field. Bids are being accepted on eBay, item number 5981167951.
Posted by: MFFIP | Jun 11, 2005 at 08:51 AM
What the hell?
Posted by: Rizak th eReally Horrible | Jun 21, 2005 at 10:36 AM