Best PC DVR Software, For Any Platform? 536
jshamacher writes "I've used MythTV for several years (first on Slackware, now via Mythbuntu) and it's good. But not great — I have a list of annoyances as long as my arm. For example, even 0.22 still has problems playing many DVDs and I frequently have to fall back on Xine. Since upgrading to new hardware, I've had issues with sound dropping out; these problems only occur for Myth, not for anything else. So now I'm trying out alternatives. Freevo seemed promising when I tried it a few months ago but it had its own issues. I'm also increasingly getting pressure from my family to get things like NetFlix streaming working on this machine. This seems to imply migrating to a Windows-based solution. I threw XP on it and tried MediaPortal but could never get that to control my Motorola cable box via the IR blaster. So my questions to you: What DVR software do you use? Are you happy with it? What don't you like? Are there any packages out there that 'just work' as media hubs and for time-shifting cable TV?"
First post! Torrents my friend (Score:1, Insightful)
Whilst maybe not your preferred solution, what better way to "time shift" and "space shift" TV than via Torrents?
Re:Windows Media Center (Score:2, Insightful)
Seconded. It's simple, the remote isn't too bad, it has a clean UI and a bunch of addons out there (greenbutton.com or something).
Best of luck!
Re:TiVo for the win? (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm in the Tivo boat on this one. It's just easier. I spent so much time setting up MythTv (I've done it on PCs, laptops, and even an xbox) and maintaining it was always a pain. I finally got fed up enough and bought a Tivo. Since then, I haven't had any complaints, except as he said, resetting listings when you switch providers. I've really enjoyed the Tivo suggestions feature as well. I was tempted to get the lifetime contract, but instead I'm willing to pay ~$100/year for someone to maintain my DVR for me.
Re:Linux MCE (Score:0, Insightful)
Why? Silverlight is much faster than Flash, and it crashes far less. I have used Netflix streaming with Silverlight, and I must say that I strongly prefer it to Flash.
Flash is somewhat multiplatform. For Silverlight 2.0 on other platforms, there is always Moonlight [mono-project.com]. I have never used it, but I have no need to use it either.
Re:It's flexible and that's a problem? (Score:3, Insightful)
The terible thing about existing completely open and flexible system is that you have to route around their quirks with other tools.
There. Fixed that for you.
[FC]I am Jacks complete lack of tolerance.[/FC]
Re:Linux MCE (Score:5, Insightful)
Netflix also works on the PS3 system by Sony. My brother rents Netflix and they let him see movies on his PS3 via an App he downloaded for it.
Novell Moonlight does work as a Silverlight plug-in for non-Windows operating systems like Linux, etc. Some people want to boycott Novell because they licensed Microsoft technology but when you need C# and Visual BASIC.Net for Linux, *BSD Unix, and Mac OSX they got you covered with Mono, and Moonlight for Silverlight support. I compare Silverlight to Shockwave Flash, just another virtual machine system and they both kind of do the same things.
Re:Consoles (Score:4, Insightful)
Because neither one records live tv?
Or lets you run your own apps?
MythTV automatic commercial skipping (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Windows Media Center (Score:1, Insightful)
Thats not entirely correct - Windows 7 has inbuilt right click function to quickly convert any *wtv to a dvrms file. So yea, it might take an extra step to use those old tools, but you can use them nonetheless. I know a few people who set up scripts to automatically convert everything to dvr-ms once per day.
But really, if you are the type using dvrmstoolbox, you would be the type who would know how to convert your wtv files. and its not like it takes long.
WTV isnt about preventing people from doing things. I say changing the container format is BETTER than simply changing how the original works. PRogress has to happen somehow, and in this case, they chose to change the container name, rather that update the existing. This makes things much less confusing from a compatibility point of view.
that's not what I read ... (Score:1, Insightful)
NETFLIX has different streams for different devices as well as different connection rates. A particular stream for one device may be better than one for another. I read the LG BlueRay players are said to have the best overall NETFLIX picture quality, but the HD Tivo has the best overall setup. HD video quality with the HD Tivo is similar Comcast HD quality on a 57" screen TV . Not everything is in HD and even if it is in HD if your connection is running slower at the time they will drop you down to a lesser quality stream. However, if there are any problems with a stream you can easily report it via your queue. Some newer HD TVs have Netflix player capability built in. Not all streams are created equally, some are not good, but most are good to excellent. We also like to copy our rented dvd title to the HD Tivo and watch it via the HD Tivo rather than use the DVD player. HD Tivo does play .vob files so you just need something (in linux) like vobcopy to copy the title to one large file and place it in the Videos directory of your computer so it shows up in the Now Playing section - pyTivo will copy it over, or streambaby will stream it, you can watch it while pyTivo is copying it to the HD Tivo. Some prefer to have vlc stream it directly but I prefer pyTivo and vobcopy.
Re:Tivo Warning (Score:1, Insightful)
You say it is "true" and "Chicken Little". Which is it? Based on your - poor - analysis, it is "true" for some and "Chicken Little" for others. However, the "Chicken Little" concept is incompatible with "true". Hence, learn how to write, fuckface.
Re:Linux MCE (Score:2, Insightful)