seeking advice for HTPC / DVR / PVR

[alz]

This topic might be a bit too big for SPCR, but I wanted to start here first to see where it leads. "Silence is Golden"

I'm looking to buy/build/sweat/bleed a simple, quiet system that:

- records TV from cable
- streams TV/movies/music from the internet
- records PS3/x360 gameplay

There seems to be all the pieces out there, but no one makes a self-contained system yet, ya? Maybe there's system out there that do some of those, but not all?

Some commercial systems that almost do this: Vudu, Roku, Tivo.
Some software that does some things: PlayOn, MythTV


Is there any direction, insight, suggestion that you could give to finding or making box that plays and records media? (seems simple enough, right?) (bizarrely hard to find a resource that points to solid options).

Thanks :)

[psiu]

Well part of the problem is things changing--and now recording from cable will be an issue...the cable companies will be able to encrypt QAM signals so you need either boxes that output analog and use Firewire/IR blasting to control, or get a Cablecard setup working for you. Check thegreenbutton for Windows Media Center info or avsforums for more good technical info on that stuff.

Once you get what kind of requirements are involved with the media portions of your puzzle, that's where most of us can chime in with quiet recommendations.

Right now I use an HDHomerun to get *some* clear-QAM from Comcast but eventually it will just be the local OTA stations that they are required to show in the clear...which is fine, honestly. It's still more convenient than my antenna/digitalconverterbox/irblaster/analogtuner setup was.

[jessekopelman]

I'm looking to buy/build/sweat/bleed a simple, quiet system

The simple part is a very tall order. Modern levels of DRM make it very hard to get disparate pieces of the puzzle to work together. It is not too hard to capture any of the sources you listed, as long as you are satisfied with the quality that can be obtained through analog ports (eg component video), but you will need to use either multiple capture cards or some sort of device for source switching. The more complicated parts come into play with controlling source switching and handling scheduled recordings.

Streaming stuff from the Internet is either pretty trivial or potentially tricky, depending on exactly what you want to do. Basically, all you need is a web browser. The tricky part is a good enough control scheme. I'd think presentation-style wireless mouse coupled with small wireless keyboard would give the most control. These type of devices tend to really only be supported by Windows, so if you wanted to run a different OS, that is a dead end. Also, using a keyboard and weird mouse/pointer thingy don't have an elegant A/V appearance. It ends up being a bit of form over function issue. If you want a single remote control for everything, you are going to have to live with reduced interface capabilities and/or limit yourself to streaming sites that support a plug-in to media center type applications that give everything a common remote control interface.

In the end, I think building a jack of all trades HTPC is a fool's errand. Pick just the capabilities that are currently well supported and live with those (with the idea that you will upgrade capabilities one day), or just buy the cheapest possible standalone devices (with the idea that you will scrap them all and make that HTPC one day), or some combination. Or I guess you could just resign yourself to building something you will spend more time tinkering with and cursing at than actually using (like owning a British sports car in the 60s and 70s).

[chrispitude]

Local channels should remain available through ClearQAM:

http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/08/28/cl ... -anywhere/

- Chris

[alz]

Thanks for all the replies -- very good suggestions and info!

Funny how the concepts are simple, but the convergence isn't.