[mythtv-users] commercial PVRs for myth?

Will egroups at klubbing.com
Wed Dec 22 19:17:16 UTC 2004


> Greetings,
>
> I'm planning to start digitising my house entertainment using mythtv.
>
> I'm based in the UK and use the Freeview DVB-T transmissions. My main
> TV, hi-fi and the antenna are all in my lounge, so I definitely need a
> myth box there. I expect I'll also have a main disk server somewhere
> else where noise isn't as much of an issue, and smaller boxes located
> with other TVs.
>
> So the box in the lounge needs to have a couple of DVB-T tuners and be
> able to output video and audio. It should have some processing power and
>  probably will be easier to engineer if it has a bit of disk. If so, it
> should be possible to record to that disk.
>
> That sounds to me like the description of a PVR and it appears I can buy
> a commercial one much more cheaply than trying to assemble one from
> parts. Which sounds a bit like the situation with Linux and wi-fi DSL
> routers. So do any of the commercially available PVRs come with
> standards-based network interfaces? Or has anybody hacked a commercial
> PVR to run myth? (like the WRT54G router runs OpenWrt)
>
> Thanks, Dave


After researching the UK Freeview PVR market before building my Myth box, 
I'm quite certain there's no network capability on any of the sub-£250 
boxes. I'm even more certain that Myth has not been hacked to run on any 
commonly available commercial DVR. Tivo may be a different matter, someone 
else may comment on this (though getting your hands on one may be nearly 
impossible/very expensive as they're not made anymore).

If cost is an issue, you may consider getting off the shelf parts for your 
PVR, including cheap case, fan etc. Then use a video-sender with infrared 
facility to send the signal over to your TV (about £35 in Maplin I believe).

Pros:
- Works out a lot cheaper (you could have your DVR for £250 - £300)
- Box can be put in a cupboard, ie no noise
- You can switch all your AV stuff under your TV off, knowing your Myth box 
is still recording :)

Cons:
- Limited to composite video, and stereo audio
- Video sender can't be used with cordless phones, and is limited by 
distance
- Needs TV aerial wherever you put the box :)
- Not really ideal for use with DVD's, etc etc

I have gone this route, and used a MicroATX m/b, meaning that at a later 
date I can buy a better case/more expensive quiet fan etc, and it should be 
OK to put under the TV.

Will 



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