[u-u] Anyone have a suggested use for a PVR?

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Hugh Gamble <hugh at phaedrav.com>
| To: 'D. Hugh Redelmeier' <hugh at mimosa.com>, 'UU' <u-u at unixunanimous.org>

I think that you are really replying to DCB's message, not mine.

| Spend $5-$10 for an amplified antenna,
| $20-$50 for an external antenna,

Good advice.

| or, if you're Hugh #2, a onetime investment in a tower.

If you are #1, I'm #0.

| If you don't have a DVR already,
| pick a quiet IBM PC clone (preferably not Apple branded).
| Get 2 or 4 Hauppauge tuners for ATSC (probably clear QAM too).

DCB already has one and is tentatively giving up on it.

| There are also tuners for "US Cable TV" anybody know what those need and
| work with?

Surely Clear QAM.  Unencrypted.  Mandated by FCC for local stations.
Not in Canada.

Or possibly "CableCard".  Not in Canada.

| The best media centre software is the free Open Source (tm) MediaPortal.
| If you insist on Linux, there as some XBMC variants that should work too
| (if you're a hacker).

MythTV is my choice.  I am guessing that that is what DCB used.

| This will get you a fully, and properly, simply, programmable DVR with
| infinite storage.

Not infinite.  We're running out and have many HDDs.

| It requires configuring a good TV guide, which can be tricky with the Linux
| hacks.
| (but you all know a Unix person :-) 

Not tricky.  No brainer with MythTV to subscribe through SchedulesDirect.

| P.S. My building does have Rogers cable,
| on a grandfathered bulk contract, for the old people.
| There are still analogue channels on that,
| which you can see on any monitor with a built in tuner,

Wow.  Not for DCB, not for me, and not for another condo I know with a
bulk contract.  The latter two get a view of an aquarium on two of the
analogue channels.  The rest is noise.

| but the quality is redonkulously bad compared to high tech rabbit ears.
| (the quality coming out a Rogers cable box can't beat rabbit ears either)

Sad but true.