Questions, advice, and overall presentation for next PVR

[browncoat85]

Ok, since I have sort of cause another thread to go OT, I've decided to start my own thread to get some of my questions answered and weed through the confusion. My knowledge level of PVRs is fairly novice as I have only been playing around with one for a little under a year, and I haven't done that much with it except use Media Center to record some of my shows.

I'll start off with my "Ultimate Goal" (tm). There are a number of things I want my next DVR/PVR to be able to do:

• Record High definition
• Season Pass capabilities are a must
• Watch a different channel while recording
• Watch full screen (42 inch 1080p LCD) Hulu videos if I so choose
• Store recordings on a NAS or be able to access the storage area from any computer on the network
• Convert recordings of TV Shows to portable media device (currently using a Zune 30 gig, future may go with Ipod touch for larger screen and flash memory)

Caveats: I have digital cable with a set top box. I understand that may mean to do some of the things I want to do, I will need to rent a second STB, I'm ok with that. Also, with the portable device, I want as little human interaction with doing this as possible. In fact, if possible, I would love to dock my Zune when I get home from work and then when I leave for work the next day, the new episodes are on it. Not sure how possible this is.

My current set up is essentially unimportant since I know that I will need to revamp everything. I'm not sure what Mobo and vid card I am currently using since I am using my roommates old parts that he didn't want anymore after he rebuilt his computer. I have a Hauppage 150 in it with XP MCE 2005 - Rollup 2 running the OS and DVR parts of it. I really like the interface and easy of set up with media center and I have experience with both 2005 and Vista so keep that in mind with any suggestions you give me. I am using the MCE remote that came with the 150.

I was going to use this motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128335with this processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103257 and I would put in at least 2 gigs of RAM to offset the onboard video and audio.

What else should I be considering here that I am missing? What I've kind of come up with in my mind is this: Two STBs, one plugged into the PVR, the other directly into the tv. If the PVR is recording, just use the STB that is plugged into the TV and change the channel on that. I believe that I would need the Hauppage HD-PVR as my capture device. How does this all sound? Will my old MCE remote work still if I should go with Vista MC? What are some other options that I have yet to figure out? Comments and suggestions on what else I should do, please!

[Miller]

I think you're on the right track. You'll need an HD-PVR to get all the HD channels you subscribe to. If you're not worried about HD channels then you can go with your pvr150.

I wouldn't use MCE unless you already have bought it. Even then I think I would just use it to get my EPG data and go with GBPVR. MCE has some DRM issues that are hard to get around and usually it's not worth the effort.

The auto converting to the Zune would be a batch-script after you get everything else down - although some pvr programs do auto-converting for you.

[browncoat85]

I was going to upgrade to Vista Ultimate for the pvr, since I have the disk, but I have been using MCE 2005 so I am familiar with that interface and everything. My original reason for selecting MCE was that when the Zune 2.0 firmware was announced, integration with Media Center was one of the features that was trotted out. Doesn't seem to have come to pass I guess...

What are the advantages to using GBPVR over MCE? Is it just the DRM issues with the .dvr-ms files or something else? How easy is GB to install, configure and use? What is the GB WAF index (or FAW in my case, fiance)? 

[Miller]

GBPVR is probably considered a little harder to setup than Vista, but once it's setup you'll find it easy to use. It also is a little more flexible in the hardware it can use (in my opinion) as well as the extra plugins you can add to the program.

There are other issues with DRM besides the dvr.ms files. Check out this post:
http://forum.byopvr.com/dvr/index.php/topic,9222.0.html

[ca n vt]

You'll also find that support for GBPVR is head and shoulders above what you'll get from Microsoft on MCE or Vista MCE. That's the biggest advantage I've found. When something goes wrong with one of them GBPVR is probably one of the best supported pieces of software I've ever seen. If something happens with the MCEs you're pretty much stuck fishing for ideas on thegreenbutton.com which has a very, very helpful community but is still just not the same as going to the gbpvr forum and having Sub (the developer of GBPVR) and some of the others who really know the software in and out to help you.

[browncoat85]

So I think when the switch happens I will try out GBPVR. Now onto another note. Can someone explain to me the whole "OTA" thing? If I was looking to NOT rent a second cable box, could I somehow have two tuners, one that recieves OTA transmissions and one that is connected to the STB? What would I need so that I can use OTA transmissions? How would I know it would work in my area? Can someone explain their setup if they have OTA signals? I know I'm just asking a barrage of questions, but I REALLY appreciate all of the help here guys

[browncoat85]

Also wanted to ask a couple questions about GBPVR that I haven't before. 1: Does it automatically get the TV Listings if you have an "always on" connection and, more importantly 2: Can you do "Season Passes"? As much as I want this to be an interactive and friendly machine, I also want it to be as hands off as possible. I want to tell it to record every new episode of Rescue Me one time and, if I am away for a couple of weeks, be able to come home and be assured that all the new episodes have been recorded.

[Miller]

OTA stands for "over-the-air" and it is tv you would get using an antenna. You can see what digital OTA you would receive by going to this site:
www.antennaweb.org

You can have multiple sources with GBPVR (not MCE - strike three?) and it's not a problem. So if you wanted to have one tuner for OTA and another for your STB you could.

Once you've setup GBPVR it will automatically retrieve your tv listings for you. I have mine keep the next 15 days (max allowed with my system) so I can see what's coming.

It's not called Season Pass, but I think I know what you mean. In GBPVR I have the following options: Record Once, Record Season (new episodes), Record Every Show (this time slot), Record Every Show (any time slot). This gives me your Season Pass idea with lots of different flavors.

As for all the questions, don't worry about it. That's what the forums are for. Keep them coming!

[ca n vt]

You can have multiple sources with GBPVR (not MCE - strike three?) and it's not a problem. So if you wanted to have one tuner for OTA and another for your STB you could

Actually with MCE the limit is two but you can easily get around that. Just do a search on thegreenbutton.com to find out how. The guide is the only thing that is an advantage for MCE. You get your guide data for free as opposed to gbpvr, or many of the other free software, where you have to get your own guide data. Schedules direct is the most common place to get that data from. Schedules Direct costs about $20/year. But yes once you have your data it will automatically update.

For the auto transposing feature for your  Zune there is a plugin being developed right now for that. It's not quite ready yet but probably will be soon for GBPVR.

[browncoat85]

Ok, so if I use GBPVR, I'm going to need to pay for listings? Don't know how I feel about that..

And yea, the record all new episodes is like the Tivo season pass. I just call it season pass, MCE also gives those same options you mentioned.

Also, will my 150 work with an antennae once the shift over comes this February?

[Miller]

The 150 will not work after the change in Feb. You'll need a card with a digital tuner like the hvr1600. It might work with a converter box if you want to go that route though.

You don't have to pay for the listings for GBPVR, but you can if you want to. Somehow, no matter what pvr program you use, you have to get the TVGuide data (called the EPG). If you purchase retail pvr software like SageTV or BeyondTV then that cost is included in the purchase price. However, for free software like GBPVR and MythTV you have to get the data some other way. You can buy a subscription (One option is $20 for the year.), scrape it off the web, or borrow it from other pvr software if you already have it. That's up to you.

[ca n vt]

The 150 will not work after the change in Feb. You'll need a card with a digital tuner like the hvr1600. It might work with a converter box if you want to go that route though.

Unless you have a STB in which case it will work just the same as it always has.

You don't have to pay for the listings for GBPVR, but you can if you want to. Somehow, no matter what pvr program you use, you have to get the TVGuide data (called the EPG). If you purchase retail pvr software like SageTV or BeyondTV then that cost is included in the purchase price. However, for free software like GBPVR and MythTV you have to get the data some other way. You can buy a subscription (One option is $20 for the year.), scrape it off the web, or borrow it from other pvr software if you already have it. That's up to you.

That's true no matter what you do you're paying for it. The option I use is I have a PC in my house that has MCE on it and I use a plugin from GBPVR to take that information and convert it to XML format and GBPVR uses that. It doesn't cost me anything. If you're going to have Vista or MCE you would be able to use that however that would eliminate the automatic updates because you have to manually update that every couple of weeks. The easiest thing to do if you want to have your EPG automatically update is to go with Schedules Direct. $1.66/month isn't that much.