[CLUE-Tech] Freevo!

[Sean LeBlanc]

On 01-29 10:42, Jeremy Huber wrote:
> Quoting Sean LeBlanc <seanleblanc at americanisp.net>:
> 
> > I stumbled across this project - has anyone tried this out? 
> > 
> > http://freevo.sourceforge.net/
> > 
> > It looks like TV recording (like Tivo) is not quite there yet - but the
> > screenshots look very promising...and skinnable. Now, if only I had the
> > hardware. :)  
> 
> This is actually something that I've been wanting to do (pending time and 
> money), so I've done research on several different projects like this.  Out of 
> the ones I've found, Freevo and MythTV (http://www.mythtv.org/) are the most 
> promising looking.  The others I found (VDR - 
> http://www.cadsoft.de/people/kls/vdr , Time-shifting - 
> http://www.linuxprofessionalsolutions.com/pavlicek/tv.html , and ebox - 
> http://www.bluelightning.org/ebox/index.html ) all have potential, but not 
> quite terribly useful in the TiVo arena..

Yeah, that pavlicek link is what led me to Freevo. MythTV does look
interesting. 

I have all the time in the world right now, but I have to watch those
pennies until I find a fulltime job. Next week, I'll be working a few days
on a short-term contract I landed. I'm just thankful I even have *that*.
This job market is terrible, and it's like Eveready that way: just keeps
going, and going, and going.....

The box itself wouldn't be terribly much; it's the remote, the TV tuner
card, and a wireless NIC that would jack it up.  

I actually own a Tivo; my interest in this is finding a box that:

1. Doesn't invade privacy. That's always a plus. It's pure (evil?) genius
that Tivo was able to build and sell a product that is a powerful info
gathering device, and that nerds like me would line up to get one.
2. Doesn't impose ads. Tivo is starting to up this - downloading content you
don't want to your box.
3. Can record more than one stream at a time.
4. Easy access to that stream.
5. Remote interface.
6. Easily add more storage.
7. Other functions: mp3/CD/DVD/VCD playback, game emulation, etc...

The cool thing is that I doubt that you'd have to just choose one
project...with the right hardware, one can probably run any of these
projects.

I know Tivo can be hacked to do some of this, but one bad move, and ooops,
no more Tivo. Since the lifelong service is tied to the box, that would
really, really stink. Also is the possibility that Tivo could go belly up,
and leave all the Tivo owners stranded.

-- 
Sean LeBlanc:seanleblanc at americanisp.net  
http://users.americanisp.net/~seanleblanc/
Get MLAC at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mlac/
If there is any realistic deterrent to marriage, it's the fact that you can't 
afford divorce. 
-Jack Nicholson