MythTV LogoI watch too much TV as it is, but I have been wanting a Tivo for well over a year now. Calvin Parker, of Calivn’s Palm FAQ, turned me onto them, but I’ve simply never taken the plunge and bought one. I like to think it’s the $12.95 monthly service fees that have kept me from buying one, but in reality I think it’s the fear that I’ll never get up from the couch. 🙂

Now that I’ve dipped my toe in the Linux pond, I’m now considering putting together my own Linux box and rolling my own Tivo. Thanks to a Wired article on the subject, I’m considering attempting to install MythTV, which is an OpenSource project that allows you to setup your own digital video recorder. I read this article back in June, but it wasn’t until I saw the Hush Silent Mini-ITX PC that I started giving it some serious thought. There’s a plethora of Mini-ITX cases out there, with all sorts of options and bells and whistles. What appealed to me about the Hush is that is already pre-configured and it’s super quiet, which is perfect if you’re going to have it in your living room.


But why do I want a digital video recorder (DVR) you ask? What I like most about the idea of a DVR is that you have a digital agent that is constantly monitoring the television for you, recording your favorite programs. Imagine sitting down and always being able to watch your favorite shows. From everyone I’ve talked to, they say it totally changes the way you watch TV. Sure you can program your VCR, but it’s such a PITA, who does it? You have to know in advance that you’re going to miss your show in order to tape it. With a DVR it will record every episode of Friends it can find without you having to remind it to do so. If you’ve seen it already, fine – with one click you delete the program and go to the next one.

My hope is that I’ll abandon sitting through crap TV in the hopes of finding something I like later and instead watch the shows that I like. However, I’m not taking that step just yet. I’m just seriously thinking about it. I don’t have the cash yet and more importantly, I don’t have the time to start another project, but the itch is there and it isn’t going away. 🙂