Linux PC as PVR - suggestions / recommendations

[e_james]

Where I live in the UK the digital switchover will provide digital TV for the first time on 10th and 24th of October. Until now, apart from Satellite, only analogue was available and I didn't want satellite. I have been using my PCs and analogue video recorders to time shift interesting programmes so that I can watch them at a time of my choosing. Because I couldn't test much until the 10th, I have just discovered that many (possibly all) digital recorders work in a way which is much less convenient than the old analogue units. I have already spent significant cash in order to discover that much, and I could easily spend a lot more just to get the new digital system working about as well as the old analogue system.

Currently there are three rooms in the house with televisions and most of the recorded programmes are available either on the TV set or on a computer beside it by means of a variety of strategies including my network. As an example of the sort of problem to solve, consider the Panasonic DIGA DMR-HW100. With twin tuners and network streaming, it looks quite well suited to the task: but, on closer inspection, the only TV connection is HDMI and none of my existing TVs has that connector. In addition, it may or may not have the capability its analogue predecessors have of playing continuously from one recording to the next and the next until there is none left. I have found that facility very useful.

I have now had the thought that maybe, instead of buying digital recorders, TVs, adapters etc., a much better strategy would be to build my own video recorders using small, cheap PCs and suitable TV tuners. I could probably do it with Windows, but I would like to do it with Linux. I have often seen the comment in these forums and elsewhere that life is less stressful if you buy the hardware to suit Linux so that is the reason for this post.

I would appreciate suggestions and recommendations as to what PCs, tuners, distributions and applications are likely to be suitable. For experimentation, I have available at this time an eeePC 901, an eeePC X101CH (currently a poor choice for linux), an eeeBOX B202 and a Kworld usb digital tuner which works in Windows 7 but the software could be better.

Please bear in mind that my experience with Linux is barely beyond the beginner level (especially with video recording) and I don't have the time to learn how to cajole Linux into doing something it's not too willing to do. If it takes a week to set up something with Windows and a month to do the same with Linux, I am likely to go with Windows.

[soneill]

I am trying to do the same thing. Bad news is that I am a Linux newbie too so I can't help you at all! I have subscribed to this thread so hope you get lots of helpful suggestions.

I am looking at one of these tuners to receive over the air digital tv signals.
HDHomeRun DUAL - High Definition Digital TV Tuner

it is supposed to work very well with myth tv.


cheers

[e_james]

soneill

Thanks for your reply.

I had never heard of that make of tuner before so I looked it up. It seems to be a very capable unit although it is a bit more expensive than I was hoping for. It is described on some pages as a network tuner. I'm not sure what that means exactly but it's probably the reason for the high price. I posted the same question on two other forums "LinuxQuestions.org" and "LinuxFormat.com" with some interesting replies. You might want to read them for yourself.

http://www.linuxformat.com/forums/vi...=108361#108361

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...36#post4806236

Unfortunately there is still a long way to go.