This week : How to build your own TiVo ( or , How to never lack an significant football game ever again . )
establish your own TiVo — or FreeVo , as some call it — is more than a ambition . It ’s more than a drift . It ’s the new cool way to dumbfound it to The ( TiVo ) Man while impress your friend .
MakeandWiredhave published elaborate how - tos . There are also several on-line community likeThe Green Buttonthat will avail guide you through the sly parts .
Your commission : To build your own digital video recorder from mail - social club parts .
The take : An integrated entertainment system that records video programswith no monthly fee . you may also build in various wrinkle so that it will record high - def program and edit out commercials automatically .
Keep reading for your march orders …
Ingredients
1 . A credit entry card with about $ 500 work Washington on it .
2 . A computer with a medium operating system . Various versions of Microsoft Media Center , Vista Home Premium , Linux Freevo , etc . will go , too . It ’s the operating system that ’s important , not the computer itself ; you’re able to even use that quondam one sitting in your service department . Or you may use your current rest home reckoner . But if you go that route , be certain to back up all your music and videos when you deploy the new metier system . You do n’t want to fall back that precious footage of Junior take aim his first steps in your quest to read MTV’sSpring Break . reckon on how much you design to memorialize , you may need more hard drive place .
3 . video recording card : $ 70 " “ usable inquietorcheapversions .
4 . A dual wireless : $ 90 " “ This tuner manage both standard- and eminent - def signals .
5.MCE remote : $ 30 " “ It seems like an out of the question dream , but you ’re finally going to have ONE remote .
6 . Various cable length , corduroy , and adapters as needed . Some people also like to grease one’s palms a case to hold hold all these persona and make it somewhat attractive .
7 . More human relationship savvy than Dr. Phil , since your spouse / lifespan - partner / roomie is going to wonder what the F you ’re doing to the TV . The best path to play it is to convince said spouse / life - married person / roommate that you ’re get going to all this endeavour for them . That ’s what my chum C.J. did , as he explicate :
Steps
2.add the media operating system on your reckoner . Once you insert the software candela into the drive , a ego - install practical app will maneuver you through the step .
3.Set up the tuners and deploy the driver . The tuners are one of the particular you just plugged into the case , and the drivers are the computer software that will black market them . Again , a CD will arrive with the receiving set , and you just follow its prompt . Once the driver are installed , the tuner will pop up on screenland , a la " Windows has detected young computer hardware . “
4.Configure your medium preferences(timers , program you want to enter , etc . ) At this point , you still have the keyboard attached to the figurer , which constitute setting up your preferences much easier . The first time you open up up your media operating system of rules is kinda like when you open up Microsoft Word for the first sentence on a computer : it asks you all kinds of questions about how you project to expend it .
5.Program your remote . No dissimilar from programming a new remote control under any other circumstances . If you ’re using Microsoft Media Center , it can coiffe up your remote control for you .
6.Connect your computing machine to the TV.A issue of connecting the cables .
7.Sit back and enjoy . You’ve just subdue the Everest of household entertainment , my champion .
Chris Weber is an occasional contributor to mentalfloss.com . His last clause was onindigenous alcoholic treats .
