MythTV vs. Tivo

[yg17]

I want a DVR and am deciding between a Tivo box and a Linux box with MythTV.

I already have a PC, all I'd have to do is add a TV tuner and bigger hard drive. But, how is Myth to use? I've seen other PC DVRs and they've been a bit cumbersome. What would you recommend (and ignore Tivo's monthy fee, base your recommendations off ease of use and whatnot)

 

[iMetroid]

MythTV. Not sure how it looks by default, but it's VERY smooth from what I've seen. Shouldn't be too hard to setup, either. There's a Linux distro made specifically for it (forget what it's called).

Just don't get an ATI tuner. ATI's Linux drivers SUCK! Hassle to setup too.

Edit - It's called KnopMyth. Can't find the official site.

 

[XNine]

There's a good discussion here that I started:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/190156/

I'd have to say that while the initial cost of setting up a Mythbox is more expensive, it's better in the long run. No monthly fees, stable OS, and no limitations for sharing/streaming programming to other locations.

 

[SilentPanda]

If you have a free computer you can use to setup MythTV and play around with it do that for a while. You don't even necessarily have to buy a tuner and a larger hard drive to play with it... just see if you can get it set up, working (aside from a tuner which you might not have already), and if you like everything you can get it to do.

Then if it doesn't work out... get a Tivo. That's what I did... I got a Tivo... Although now I have a DVR from the cable company I'd much prefer having my Tivo back... the DVR is a piece of junk (Motorola 6412) but it records HD so...

 

[Abulia]

Yea, TiVo is one of those things where you use it and it's so nice and simple that you just take it for granted.

...then you have to live life without TiVo (change providers, go on vacation, etc) and it seems like it's the end of the world!



I have DirecTV w/ TiVo (HD) and it's amazing. I can watch a program while recording up to two other programs at the same time, over the sat or antenna, SD or HD. I've looked at other options but, frankly, there's nothing that beats the feature set of what I have at the moment.

Too bad the DirecTV / TiVo deal is dead. No new TiVo's unless I want to drop sat and go to cable.

 

[emw]

As a note, TiVo just announced a dual-tuner version of the 80-hour product. They promote it as being able to record two shows at once, but I'd have to imagine it would also allow you to watch one and record another, since that's essentially the same thing.

 

[Abulia]

As a note, TiVo just announced a dual-tuner version of the 80-hour product. They promote it as being able to record two shows at once, but I'd have to imagine it would also allow you to watch one and record another, since that's essentially the same thing.

Yea, but some of us have had that functionality (w/ TiVo) for years, so it's not much of an "announcement" from them. It's the first time this feature has been available in the stand alone set top box, though.

 

[balamw]

I'd have to imagine it would also allow you to watch one and record another, since that's essentially the same thing.

Actually two tuners in a TiVo (like the DirecTiVos) allows you to record two shows and watch another pre-recorded show. (As Abulia indicated).

Also note that both MythTV and SA TiVo will generally be less efficient and will intorduce more compression artifacts in yoru programming than the provider's supported DVR on digital cable/satellite, since there is extra conversion in the Digital-Analog-Digital-Analog process.

EDIT:

Too bad the DirecTV / TiVo deal is dead.

"Dead" is a relative term. They just announced that the TiVos will be supported for 3 more years, which gives some new life for those of us who have 'em and love 'em.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060412-6583.html

B

 

[Abulia]

"Dead" is a relative term. They just announced that the TiVos will be supported for 3 more years, which gives some new life for those of us who have 'em and love 'em.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060412-6583.html

Yes, but only until MPEG-4 is commonly used by DirecTV; then we're screwed. Our current DirecTV DVR w/ TiVo won't work anymore because the current models only support MPEG-2.

So, a lot less than three years, unless you want to make the leap to digital cable. (Ewwww...)

 

[balamw]

Yes, but only until MPEG-4 is commonly used by DirecTV; then we're screwed. Our current DirecTV DVR w/ TiVo won't work anymore because the current models only support MPEG-2.

Yeah, but as I understand it, they're looking at deploying MPEG-4 for currently unserved locals and HD first, new channels later, finally pushing back on the MPEG-2. Completeley abandoing MPEG-2 support is an expensive proposition for them since they'd have to replace everyone's receiver.

B