[mythtv-users] Homebrew PVR Multi-Circuit

[J. Donavan Stanley]

Steven White wrote:

> I read some posts on toggling an LED to show system status and came up 
> with something to dress up my MythTV box.  I'm designing a small 
> circuit that integrates an IR receiver, IR transmitter, status LEDs, 
> and a 2 line LCD into one small pc board.  LCD messages would be sent 
> via a serial message protocol (hopefully using the same COM port as 
> the one used for LIRC..can this be done since I'd only need the TX and 
> RX lines???).  Any message could be sent to the display, such as "Now 
> Playing: The Simpsons" or "Recording: The Sopranos".  The status LEDs 
> could be turned on and off via a serial message also.  The IR 
> transmitter LED(s) and status LED(s) could be remotely mounted from 
> the board.  Power would be drawn from a hard drive power supply 
> connector.  The LCD would be optional and autodetected by the onboard 
> microcontroller.  The goal of all of this is to combine all of the 
> hardware needed for a homebrew PVR into one pcb board to make things 
> neat and easy for people who don't have any soldering or electronics 
> experience.  If there is enough interest, I can have a batch made 
> after the prototypes are tested (I own an electrical engineering 
> business).  MythTV developers would get free sample boards if these 
> things get popular enough to be supported in the project.  Does this 
> sound like something useful?  Does anyone else have a wishlist for 
> their MythTV box?

You might be further ahead starting with the UIRT2 as a base, that way 
one gets IR send/receive in lirc instead of needing two copies.  Also, 
your LCD should be compatible with the LCDProc stuff.

I'd LOVE to see this made!