PVR-Have it Your Way
So, you want to build your own DIY (do it yourself) PVR.
But what features should you look for and how complicated will it get? This article, along with the accompanying buyer's guide, will help answer these questions.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of TiVo and ReplayTV – and you may well know someone who owns a PVR (personal video recorder) and uses its service.
TiVo and ReplayTV's pausing, time-shifting and archiving features sure beat shuffling and fast-forwarding videotapes, and trying to remember to set the timer on your VCR.
But is there any alternative to TiVo's monthly subscription fee or ReplayTV's large initial cost? And how can you avoid adding yet another device to your space-challenged apartment or entertainment room? The answer: by building your own DIY PVR, of course.
Think about it: TiVo and ReplayTV machines are, in essence, computers. So, if you already have a current-generation laptop or desktop computer (not the Pentium 100MHz dinosaur your Uncle Manny handed down to you), do you really need a TiVo or ReplayTV? No, you just need to get your computer and your TV to talk to each other, in the same way that TiVo/ReplayTV boxes communicate with TVs.
To begin with, there are two approaches to adding a PVR to your entertainment arsenal. One starts with the software and then requires some kind of hardware add-on to complete the system. One example of this is CyberLink's PowerVCR II 3.0, which performs basic recording and time shifting functions with your compatible hardware. An all-in-one solution that incorporates all necessary hardware and software is simpler but also pricier (and for some people, rather redundant).
DIY PVR Basics
Let's consider the basics. Your TV system provides the cable or satellite broadcast content, and probably acts as the primary viewing device. Your computer provides digital media storage and more sophisticated software and input control.
For your computer to interact with television content, you need both a TV tuner and video capture device. The tuner will grab a broadcast signal and convert analog television signals to digital data. Video capture will allow the computer to output and store the video.
The TV tuner/video capture is often contained on a computer adapter card, which will need installation like any add-on video, audio or scanner card.
If you're an old hand at installing adapter cards, the all-in-one PVR solution may be for you. ATI's All-in-Wonder Radeon 8500DV video graphics card combines a high-end 3D graphics card with a TV tuner/video capture. It also includes connections for TVs and DV camcorders (even from an breakout box that brings connection to the front), a hand-held remote control and all of the software to control its PVR, home theater and gaming features. nVIDIA, another 3D graphics specialist like ATI, makes a very similar product, the Personal Cinema card.
The advantage to these products is the tight integration between hardware and software. Product support belongs to one vendor, and if troubleshooting becomes necessary, you won't have to sort out whether the problem lies in the hardware or the software end.
However, this kind of solution may not be right for you. You may already have a TV tuner card. More likely, particularly if you're a gamer, you may have a state-of-the-art 3D graphics card, which you're not about to part with. Alternatively, you may only have a laptop computer, making the addition of adapter cards impossible. Or, you may simply have no interest in opening up your desktop computer.
In any of these scenarios, an external PVR product is more appropriate. While you can certainly install an internal TV tuner card to support this (the PlayTV Pro is one example), the alternative is an external device that connects to your computer via a USB port.
For examples, take a look at Hauppauge's WinTV-USB or AVerMedia's AVerTV USB, both of which shoehorn a TV tuner and video capture into a tiny box that accepts connections from your TV, camcorder and computer. You'll have no need to ever open up the computer.
Connections
Nothing is of greater importance than the type of connections your PVR has. Will your DIY PVR accept only composite video, only S-video, only a coaxial cable TV feed, or some combination? And will the video capture include the vertical blanking interval, the part of the signal that carries closed-captioning information?
If you have a DV camcorder, consider making FireWire input a requirement. The capability of capturing, cataloging and editing your home video is an exciting extension to PVR technology. Some cards also accept S-video camcorder inputs.
You should also evaluate your output connections. Are you interested in making your computer your new TV and DVD monitor? For a student in a shared dorm room, or a frequent flyer, this might be preferable to using the TV for playback. (Imagine, on a weekly flight, being able to catch up regularly on your favorite shows, using your laptop.) Families, of course, will likely prefer output to a TV monitor.
Many adapter cards maximize their connections by incorporating a breakout box — a small external connection box that cables directly to the computer card. If you want the maximum number of connections, look for a breakout box; if your PVR application is fairly limited, this may be overkill.
Programming Your PVR
All-in-one solutions will include their own integrated software for programming your PVR. If, however, you're doing this more piecemeal, you'll need a software application dedicated to turning your computer and TV into a TiVo-like PVR. These applications bear names like SnapStream and PowerVCR II.
In any PVR product, expect to find these standard programming features: instant pausing of live TV, time-shifting, point-and-click scheduling and retrieval of recorded broadcasts, advertisement skipping, and panning and zooming video.
Your computer's hard drive stores your recordings, and here we begin to see the advantages of our DIY approach. TiVo's storage space is comparatively skimpy, but it's not impossible for you to devote 50-100GB of computer hard disk space to your recordings – several hundred hours of high-quality video.
Perhaps more importantly, using your computer could result in features TiVo and ReplayTV can only dream about. For example, many PVR solutions allow you to watch your video in one window while working on (or playing) another program. The video window can literally overlay (i.e., float above) a full-screen application.
With the ability to record camcorder and broadcast video, you can now instantly cue up your daughter's pitching performance and an NFL game you couldn't see during the day. Some PVR applications integrate CD-burning, so you could archive either event across one or even multiple CDs. Another feature to look for is stop-motion capture: the extraction of single frames from your video (to create a perfect digital snapshot).
A critical PVR feature is the presence of an electronic program guide (EPG), accessed via the Internet. Using an EPG makes recording a simple point-and-click operation (rather than manually typing in times, trying to remember dates and channels, etc). Typically, your PVR software will also extract data from the EPG, making it easier to catalog your video archives (for example, you can retrieve everything recorded last Friday, or all the sitcoms you stored, or all the recorded Leno shows in which Robin Williams appeared).
More unique features might be worth seeking out. For example, can the software customize a user channel list (why bother scrolling through MTV listings if you never watch the network)? Or, is there real-time notification when selected words are detected in the EPG? (While working on a PowerPoint presentation, you'd suddenly be notified that a VH1 special on the Red Hot Chili Peppers airs tonight.)
Even better, can the product automatically trigger recording based on keyword input (i.e., any time Jennifer Lopez is listed in the cast, or any time Egyptian pyramids are a documentary topic)? And, can a complete closed caption transcript be captured for later printing and editing?
Last But Not Least
Virtually every PVR solution includes an infrared remote control, so you can click through channels, select recordings and playbacks, and browse catalogs without ever sitting down at a computer keyboard.
Typically, PVR software also allows control and playback of DVDs. This is especially handy if your only DVD player is in your computer, but you'd like to redirect the playback to your TV and watch the DVD on the larger screen.
DIY PVR Wrap-Up
Nearly every video consumer can put together his own state-of-the-art PVR system. However, before undertaking this upgrade and taking out your checkbook, take stock of the electronic components you already have, your willingness to crack open the hood of your computer and your specific viewing and video capture needs. PVR is all about choice and customization, and doing your homework first will pay off in setting up a PVR that will work for you.
[Sidebar: Long-Distance PVR]
Some PVR software packages let you access PVR features across a home network or remotely through an Internet connection. If you've already set up a home network and would like to program your living-room TV from a computer in the den, or if your teenager would like to watch a show on the computer in his room, check the networking capabilities of the PVR product you choose. If your home network has an always-on broadband connection, it may even be possible to program recordings from work or school via the Internet.
Finally, some PVR products will treat broadband Internet video as just another video input – so it becomes possible to archive Webcasts just like broadcasts.
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