DVR on the cheap

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vmerc

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 3, 2003
Messages
262
You guys should be able to offer some serious tips on this one. ;)

What I'm looking for is the cheapest way to get myself a DVR. I don't care if it burns direct to DVD+-R/RW or if it uses a HDD. I've been looking around, and it seems like it might be cheaper for me to use my old PIII 1GHz skeleton comp, and just get the right software and the remaining hardware required. That includes getting a HDD, DVD burner, TV tuner/ Capture card, and possibly the software (if there's no free one).

What are the cheapest DVR setups you guys have hacked together?
 
if you are looking for cheap, the set top boxes are the cheapest way to go. If you want a PC though, the Ighz will work. just add some HDD space (wait for a 200gb for $50 deal), a $50 DVD burner, and a PVR 150 ($65) or PVR-500 ($130). With an older PC like that, hard ware tuning is almost a neccesity. it will keep from overloading that older CPU.

what about video output? what TV and video card do you have?
 
I have I believe a Quattro something (GF4 equivalent) in it. It doesn't have TV out, but it does have SVideo out I think. Sorry haven't looked at the thing in a while. Should be good enough for this though if it does have SVideo out.
 
Make sure you have a good amount of ram. 512MB Minimum, but I recomend getting 1GB. I ran my HTPC on 256MB for a while and it just didn't cut it, I upgraded to 1GB and it performs a ton better.
 
What I would suggest for the P3 system:
Go with 512mb of memory

Pick up a 5200 FX (the GF4 Ti lines don't reliably have good quality svideo out, the Quadro cards tend to have a "stereo connect" socket that looks like an svideo port but isn't. I'm not totally sure WTH it is.)

Large HDD

PVR150 with SageTV (Sage is great for running on lowend hardware, you could also just go with the PVR150 and MythTV if you can use Linux.)
 
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