Cutting the Cable TV

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Update

I returned the Roku 2, PlayOn does not work. It is not so stable either. Stick to Roku 1 at least while the other one gets a more stable firmware.

My PlayOn now works like a charm. Using Parallels desktop and XP with SP3 as client with 2GB of RAM. The physical hardware is a Mac Mini with 8GB of RAM. Home wifi is 12Mbps.

Is the mac mini your primary machine, or is it strictly your media machine. I have the roku to use it's plex client, but it is no where as nice as the Mac Plex client. I have been seriously considering getting a mac mini for Media PC duties and hooking it right to the HDTV so I can use the Mac native Plex client on the big screen. Of course, it would run the Plex Media Server too.

BOb

[jocampo]

Hi Bob,

No, it is not my media machine only. I used it for my content creation work, testing database engines, work with other virtual machines, etc.

Of course, I'm not using it 24/7 so most of the time I'm not there while my wife or are me pulling the streaming, but I have not seen any performance degradation when using PLayOn inside a virtual machine. As a matter of fact, runs very smoothly even though the Mini is wifi connected, not directly plugged into the router.

I did not want to buy a dedicated machine just for media streaming.

Let me know if you need additional details about my PlayOn or Mac Mini setup.

[pholy]

Slightly off-topic, but definitely the cable has been cut. I'm trying to avoid all monthly subscription fees. I'd rather be reading, I guess.

Overnight all my analog channels turn to snow, as expected.

After doing a rescan, I get eight digital channels, not all of them high-def. I think that is all the Toronto stations. Considering my location - in the basement with a homemade antenna, a mile and a half from the local transmitters - I think it's not bad for the price.

I probably won't bother with a Boxee or any such-like unless I really get interested in Netflix. I can use my desktop Linux computer as a DLNA server for anything I can download.

I call this my barbecue sheet bow-tie.

[jocampo]

Actually, you're right pholy. Cutting Cable service force us (my wife included) to read more, which is good!

I found myself reading very early in the morning, instead of watching the news, which 70% or more is just commercial.

I also have more time to get ready now and jump into the shower, lol ...

[Darqref]

For those of you posting to this thread, could I ask for a quick update? What your current setup is, what worked vs what didn't work, etc.

I'm looking for a way to effectively use a dvr on over-the-air HD content. We don't have cable or a satellite connection, but the DSL connection is going to get lots faster soon. I know I can find recent episodes on places like HULU.

What do I need to record a show from the air and replay it in HD (when the original was broadcast in HD). My TV is currently hooked up to a roof antenna, so I'd need to also hook up a tuner card or such. No cable box. I could be convinced to buy a new Blue-ray player with wifi or such, if it would make things work easier.

What do you recommend?

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Darqref

For those of you posting to this thread, could I ask for a quick update? What your current setup is, what worked vs what didn't work, etc.

I'm looking for a way to effectively use a dvr on over-the-air HD content. We don't have cable or a satellite connection, but the DSL connection is going to get lots faster soon. I know I can find recent episodes on places like HULU.

What do I need to record a show from the air and replay it in HD (when the original was broadcast in HD). My TV is currently hooked up to a roof antenna, so I'd need to also hook up a tuner card or such. No cable box. I could be convinced to buy a new Blue-ray player with wifi or such, if it would make things work easier.

What do you recommend?

Sadly, I gave up, or better yet, my wife.

I can't help you with the recording question, did not get there yet, but I will comment my experience, like pros and cons.

If you, your wife or family are into "live" shows or news, it will be a difficult move. I am not, but my wife is. After almost two months without cable, had to move back because was having lot of complains from her ... an unhappy wife is never good, specially using same TV or living under same roof.

She wanted to watch the shows now! Her mom and friends were commenting, texting, etc, so was very frustrating for her. Hulu does not provide live content.

I know sounds silly, and I know we're spoiled here in USA, but it did not work for her.

To me, it was a great experience. As a matter of fact, I kept the Roku and now is on the smaller TV, different room. The only thing I don't have there or is better with regular TV cable are the live news and sports, like soccer or tennis games.

If you are into soap operas, live news or TV shows that you want to watch same day they came to air, Internet TV is not for you.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Darqref

I'm looking for a way to effectively use a dvr on over-the-air HD content. We don't have cable or a satellite connection, but the DSL connection is going to get lots faster soon. I know I can find recent episodes on places like HULU.

I have a TiVo and it works great. Although there is a fee. I bought lifetime service for mine.

You could also buy a MediaPC with a turner or set one up yourself. Windows 7 Media Center is actually pretty good. You could probably build a decent one for about $500. There really are a lot of options.

BOb

[kennyc]

I know this is an old thread, but I just got this "woot" in my email today and ordered one to add to my DVR setup. SiliconDust Dual HD Digital Tuner
$69.99 + $5 shipping


http://www.woot.com/

Thought I'd post in case anyone else if interested.

[kennyc]

Just received this a couple of hours ago. Plugged it in, installed software......seems to work fine with Windows Media Player. Whoop!

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I know this is an old thread, but I just got this "woot" in my email today and ordered one to add to my DVR setup. SiliconDust Dual HD Digital Tuner
$69.99 + $5 shipping


http://www.woot.com/

Thought I'd post in case anyone else if interested.

Man, I disappear for a few months and this is what I miss. I need another one of these. I have one and love it, but I'm expanding my setup. In fact, I'm starting today with the arrival of a new gigabit router. (Of course, having bought the router, the "total home media server" project budget will have to build back up before I can look for one again.)

Kenny, as it's a month later, are you still enjoying yours?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

Man, I disappear for a few months and this is what I miss. I need another one of these. I have one and love it, but I'm expanding my setup. In fact, I'm starting today with the arrival of a new gigabit router. (Of course, having bought the router, the "total home media server" project budget will have to build back up before I can look for one again.)

Kenny, as it's a month later, are you still enjoying yours?

Yep, I love it. I really don't watch that much TV, but it is used to record the news and science/nature programs and I can even, check the local channels or watch live (or record independently) on my computer downstairs...or my laptop... I love it!

Integrates perfectly with Windows Media Center.

$20 more at amazon, I haven't seen it pop up again on woot, but they do tend to repeat deals on occasion.

http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HD.../dp/B004HO58SO

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Yep, I love it. I really don't watch that much TV, but it is used to record the news and science/nature programs and I can even, check the local channels or watch live (or record independently) on my computer downstairs...or my laptop... I love it!

Integrates perfectly with Windows Media Center.

$20 more at amazon, I haven't seen it pop up again on woot, but they do tend to repeat deals on occasion.

http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HD.../dp/B004HO58SO

At one point I saw it on Amazon for the same as the woot price but it changed within an hour and I missed it. Honestly, it's worth it at full price. Mine runs flawlessly. I've had it for... oh, maybe 7 months and I've never had to restart it or anything.

I watch a lot of TV. I blame it on my upbringing. But I've started consuming more online media and DVD content (ripped to the PC) lately. I added a Roku and PlayOn media server to my setup recently, which also serves local media files from the computer it's installed on. Everyone laughs at me for keeping and loving my CRT TVs, but that 360p video from youtube that looks like crap on the HD monitor looks GREAT on a standard definition display.

Tubecore plugin lets me access PlayOn in WMC, and I also have Media Browser installed on that machine. I can use it as an HTPC while serving to two devices with no issues, and since there are only two of us in this house, that's plenty. My backend is good to go, I just need to beef up the network so I can push all sources more easily. HD video is a network hog. When the HDHR is sending out two HD streams on top of whatever else is going on in the network, my old Linksys sometimes gets a little overwhelmed.

It's a shame WMC doesn't get more love. It is the masterpiece within Win 7. I'm not afraid of anything requiring extensive geekery, but no one has made anything that works as well with live TV on Windows. Media Portal has the functionality, but it's just too much trouble even for me. Myth works well on Linux, but no one has successfully ported it to Windows in a working manner. XBMC has TV in the dev build now, but it requires a Media Portal or Myth backend running on the network. I'm not a developer, but something tells me it maybe doesn't need to be as complicated as it currently seems to be.

[Freeshadow]

You heard about www.geexbox.org/ didn't you?

P. S. : welcome back red brat

[wyndslash]

anyone here avail of amazon instant video for tv series? is it worth it? i'm thinking about it but am a bit unsure. it sounds tempting though. it'll mean my days of being a pirate are soon over :P

[kennyc]

Well, as I said, I'm not that much of a TV watcher, but I am an Amazon Prime member and It did watch the entire Firefly series -- that alone was worth the Prime membership.