Showshifter - TiVo on your PC
After discovering a long-lost PCI TV card in a cupboard, it was difficult not to think about recording TV programs that I always miss (I'm reasonably convinced that 10% of the TV we watch is interesting, 90% is complete rubbish and that there is another 10% interesting stuff out there that we miss).
Asking around, it seems that Showshifteris the `definitive' solution for PC based PVR. They have a 15 day demo version available, so it was easy to test.
The application is very good. Configuration is relatively simple, and marrying it with the EPG at tvtvwas easy. Now I can go to the tvtvwebsite (while I'm at work) and indicate that various shows should be recorded. The PC (at home) periodically synchronises with the requests from tvtv, and the rest `just happens'.
Image quality of the TV feed is not great, though I wonder if that is more to do with the signal quality or the TV card (which is a simple Brooktree based thing).
Showshifter has lots of features, it can:
play DVDs (if you have a DVD drive),
play CDs (if you have a DVD or CD drive),
play MP3s (point it at your collection),
rip CDs,
produce a slide-show of images (point it at your on-line family photo albumn),
other stuff I've probably forgotten.
It's very tempting to build a Showshifter based system for installation next to the real TV. Mini-ITXsystems might cope (at least the 800Mhz one), and they are small and quiet. Total cost of the machine would be under 400ukp with around 100Gb of storage, remote control, etc.. Add a copy of Windows 2000 or XP (what does that cost now ?) and Showshifter ($50) and you're all set.
If only someone would finish a Linux application that was quite as accomplished...