What hardware to use as PVR (kind like TiVo)

[bacardi/avt]

Hi, I know this must seam like a strange question, but I am looking for some device with a HDD that I can use instead of my old VCR. There are a couple of things I would like it to have:

- Mpeg 2 recording (DVD compliant)
- easy hook-up to computer (USB or Ethernet)
- HDD in the 20-100Gb range
- Built in timer and usual vcr-programming stuff

Is there any such device or am I just dreaming?

By the way, since I live in Europe we do not have Tivo here.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Why don't you get a capture card like an ati all in wonder or a hauppage wintv pvr 250/350??? That way you won't have any harddrive restrictions and if you get a dvd burner your all set to archive them to dvd.

Kevin

[bacardi/avt]

I allready have a Hauppage pvr 250 card in a specielly built PC by my TV-set but I would like a solution that is virtuelly silent so I can leave it to record in the nighttime.

[Suntan]

Might I suggest posting this in the HTPC section at www.avsforum.com

Might get a wider range of ideas there.

-Suntan

[Metaluna]

I allready have a Hauppage pvr 250 card in a specielly built PC by my TV-set but I would like a solution that is virtuelly silent so I can leave it to record in the nighttime.

You can make a PC virtually silent with a bit of work and money, though you may have to replace some noisier components with quiet alternatives. Silent PC Review has a lot of reviews and information that teaches you how to do this.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/

Another option might be to put your noisy PC in another room where the noise won't bother you and run some long coax and audio cables from your cable or antenna feed to the PC.

[yoda313]

Hello,

run some long coax and audio cables

That may not be advisable for analog sources. The longer the cable the better chance of degrading the signal. FYI.

Kevin

[Suntan]

For what it is worth, I run the feed from my HTPC 50' and it doesn't significantly degrade the signal. Keep in mind this is from a marginal output (TV-out of the Nvidia) and it is going into a 27" CRT, but I don't think it the long run causes perceptable PQ loss.

I use a regular RG6 cable btw.

-Suntan

[vhelp]

Another thing or two to note here..

I don't know if money is an object to you or not (unless you are still
living w/ your parents )

But, please remember, that running a pc 24/7 (at 400 watts) will eat
up a lot of electricity. I know. My apt is ALL electric and I when I
get my bill, my hair stands on ends. I found that you can you can, that
is, I can use a lower wattage power supply in my pc unit, as long as I
don't have it max 'ed out w/ lots of PCI components. Just one or two
things, and thats it, and you're good for go (pending Mobo min req'rmnts
of course)

I replaced my 400 watt power supply w/ a 300 watt ( $39 ) and I have
seen my electric bill drop some, since I have my pc one every day, for
8 hrs or more, and weekend, 24/7 etc.
.
I'm now looking for an even lower wattage, like 200 to 250 watts. But,
if I can get away w/ a 200 watt (ie, 1 HD, 1 512g ram, on-board graphics
card, 2 i/o cards (if I can reduce to 1 great) ) then I think my electric
bill will be even lower.

I think that we've all over-looked this very important fact - electric
and the cost thereof. But, some of use don't care, or still live w/
our parents (not me) or money is no issue to them. But, its still very
important to note here, for your sake, as well as others reading this too.

Bare in mind that the above requires some knowledge of your mobo min
requirements. Some require ABSOLUTE 400 watts (or higher) and I've
even seen newer mobo, requring 500 watts and even 600 WATTS
thats a hot-pate that you can cook eggs on
.
I sense conspericy here.. w/ electricity and pc's power supplies.

So, please consider Wattage and Electric costs in your 24/7 quiet room.

Good luck,
-vhelp

[DennisHagemann]

This is a reply to Vhelp's comment about a 400 watt power supply.

The size of the power supply should not have a bearing on how much power is consumed by the PC and thusly how high you electric bill is. If a PC needs 175 watts to operate properly then that is all it will consume no matter how large the power supply is.