Build Your Own Tivo
from the but,-why? dept
Mike (anonymous, please) Loh... :-) writes "Well, I'm not sure too much free time is exactly right, but for about 200 clams and a free weekend, this guy bought standard off-the-shelf computer components (graphics cards, connectors), and built his own personal video recorder (PVR). Hey, I'm always looking for the cheap workarounds (like splitting and using your ATT broadband cable for excellent local TV reception -- beats speaker wire and aerials). Nothing too tricky to a PVR: hard drive, computer, local listings, and a graphics card that takes TV input. Nice." Yeah, but these days, it seems you can buy a Tivo for $50 or so... So, I'm not so sure how useful the DIY solutions are going to be.
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I've been keeping an eye on the market, though, and while there were some $99 units nearly two years ago (and in retrospect i really wish i'd bought one, since the subscription was still "only" $200 back then compared to $250 now), I haven't seen anything for less than $200 new in quite a while.
The low end philips model regularly goes for $175 or so on ebay.
you *can* do a little better buying a dish receiver with Tivo built in, but then you have to buy the dish service, which for me would be significantly more than i pay for cable for similar service.
oh well...
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