[NTLUG:Discuss] Some background on tomorrow's meeting, Saturday 10/19

Mon Oct 21 14:18:36 CDT 2013

I don't know of anything contemporary right now.  I use a Hauppage USB 1950.

Mainly because I used the older NTSC Hauppauge PVR USB2 in the past (and
still have that device as well... which means there was a time when I
could record two show simultaneously... noting that with Aereo, the cost
would be $12/mos for two antennas... but you also get 60GB of cloud based
PVR storage)

Folks... you can certainly build all of this stuff on your own.... and
I've certainly spent 100's of dollars doing this stuff.  If you've got the
wallet and want to have some fun.. great!!  Remember, I'm looking at
lowest cost for all of the things I wanted.  Some will baulk at the
monthly fees... but maybe the features are worth it.  If not, sure, try to
build something on your own, but it might takes literally years of those
monthly fees to pay for your home build at the end of the day (just
saying).

For those with "good enough" equipment lying around... go for it.  Just
that people expect things like 1080p, etc.. and sometimes, the stuff lying
around just isn't good enough.

> If anyone has setup mythTV or some other OTA on Linux, I would be
> interested in your methods.  I actually have  more or less the same setup
> as Chris: central Linux (Ubuntu) server running Plex, Roku's on the TVs
> with Netflix, Plex, Amazon Prime.
>
> I tried out aereo for a while, but I really don't record enough OTA TV to
> justify the even small $8 a month cost.  I'm currently using a USB
> Hauppage
> TV tuner, that more or less works, but I had to rig up my own recording
> scripts because I couldn't find any "pre-packaged" ones that work.  I also
> still get frame drop outs even though if I watch the same signal from the
> same antenna directly on the TV, it is clear.  My guess is it has
> something
> to do with my recording script and possibly either the hard drives aren't
> keeping up with the volume of data, or perhaps the TV tuner card driver is
> buggy.
>
> Anyway, if anyone has a TV tuner card that works well in Linux with the
> new
> digital TV signals,  I would love a recommendation.
>
> Preston
>
>
> On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 12:56 PM, David Simmons <dave at dgnal.net> wrote:
>
>> Chris - appreciate you sharing the information/thinking/testing/results.
>>
>> One thought about your 'Live TV' events is since these are all 'over the
>> air' signals (and the Aereo service is at least $96 per year) - why not
>> get
>> a a standard HD antenna, plug it into a recorder (bet you already have
>> one
>> of those or could find cheap) and combine it with MythTV for the DVR
>> functionality?
>>
>> Even when we had cable, I would watch the local games OTA for one reason
>> -
>> NO COMPRESSION.  The HD signal OTA is clean/clear/awesome.  The cable
>> guys
>> (and I'm guess Aereo) compress the signal to save when the 'ship it
>> around'
>> through their gear.
>>
>> Just a thought.
>>
>> -dave
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 12:46 PM, Chris Cox <cjcox at acm.org> wrote:
>>
>> > So begins the search for change...
>> >
>> > 1.  Get rid of U-verse U200 TV (too expensive)
>> >
>> > 2.  Explorer streaming options (but focus on Roku for device)
>> >
>> > 3.  Media server for existing purchased DVDs/BDs/CDs.
>> >
>> > Why Roku?  Does what it does for cheap and it the number one steaming
>> > device.  (And I went to school with its creator)
>> >
>> > On 1, canceling U-verse saves us $120/mos.
>> >
>> > On 2, we looked at Hulu, Neflix and Amazon Prime.  Ultimately, stuck
>> with
>> > Netflix ($8/mos) and Amazon Prime ($79/yr).  We found Hulu to be sadly
>> > lacking.  Amazon Prime is certainly the cheapest and has the added
>> benefit
>> > of free 2 day shipping if your an Amazon consumer.  But as far as pure
>> > content goes, Netflix is the largest (by a huge margin).
>> >
>> > More on #2 in a bit...
>> >
>> > On 3, chose Plex Media Server as the software base.  It's well used
>> and
>> > very friendly and has a plugin (channel) for Roku.
>> >
>> > On 3, I asked my wife for permission to spend upwards of $350 on a
>> server.
>> >  It needed to "at least" have:
>> >
>> > Minimum reqs
>> >
>> > 1. 500GB harddrive built in.
>> > 2. Ability to do on the fly transcodes
>> >
>> > I didn't really care about "size" of the box.  It's a server... so
>> didn't
>> > matter much to me.
>> >
>> > Desired Extras
>> >
>> > 3. Low power, so it could actually be on 24x7 even.
>> > 4. Quiet
>> > 5. Small
>> >
>> > I began my hunt anticipating having to wait for year end deals.
>> >
>> > I looked at Intel NUC, Gigabyte's Brix, and Zotac's Zbox.  The problem
>> > with most of these was cost vs. what you actually got.  They sound
>> "cheap"
>> > until  you add memory and disk, etc.  While you might be able to get a
>> > good setup for $350... it was tough in my mind to justify... was
>> hoping
>> to
>> > do better.
>> >
>> > Going consignment (used) was certainly one way of answering 1 and 2
>> and
>> > even 5, but likely it would not be all that quiet and would likely
>> consume
>> > some power (80+W).
>> >
>> > What I didn't expect was the sale on the Lenovo's Q190.  Which pretty
>> much
>> > met all my requirements including desired requirements.  And all for
>> under
>> > $250.
>> >
>> > So armed with roku front ends, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Plex
>> integration
>> > to a central Q190 based server, we have just about everything to make
>> up
>> > for loss of TV.... except...
>> >
>> > Except... for "live TV"... and in particular sports.  Giving U-verse
>> meant
>> > no more Cowboys games, no more Aggies, etc.. (or perhaps it means I
>> had
>> to
>> > "bum" off of friends in order to watch games).
>> >
>> > I had signed up to be on the watch list for Aereo.  And lo and behold,
>> > guess what, Aereo came to Dallas about 1 week after we ditched
>> U-verse.
>> > Aereo is high quality over the air TV and your own remote PVR for
>> $8/mos.
>> >
>> > And there  you have it.  I can record the games, I can record Marvel's
>> > Agents of Shield, etc... and I have access to a ton of movies, TV
>> shows
>> > (from last year and earlier) and access to all of my already purchased
>> > media all from any device, including my phone....
>> >
>> > Done....
>> >
>> > Next....
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > > My (former) U-verse TV is (was) U200 and costs us $103/mo.
>> > >
>> > > $21 of that is the extra receivers we have.
>> > > $10 is for HD
>> > >
>> > > The base U200 is $72.00
>> > >
>> > > Then come the "taxes" of $16.43 for various state and local
>> taxes....
>> > > (yuk)
>> > >
>> > > That brings my total TV bill to $119.43/mo.
>> > >
>> > > ........
>> > >
>> > > Well, that's the message that helped start it all.  AT&T in a
>> classic
>> > > "bait and
>> > > switch" technique tricked us (employees) to sign up with huge
>> discounts
>> > > during a
>> > > time in which they knew they were selling our division off to IBM
>> (and
>> > the
>> > > employees did *not* know)....  thus we got U-verse U200 for around
>> $50,
>> > > additional receivers were free, digital phone was free, etc..
>> > >
>> > > Obviously, once we were sold, the price went back to the "norm".
>>  Genius
>> > > move on
>> > > AT&T's part?  Maybe...  maybe, not!!
>> > >
>> > > Having been a Comcast and Time Warner customer, I know that at least
>> > > compared to
>> > > those, U-verse is the "Cadillac" of subscriber style television
>> > (including
>> > > price)... but all of the providers aren't interested in a price war,
>> so
>> > > prices
>> > > stay elevated and really based on "costs" more in tune with the
>> early
>> > > 2000's.
>> > >
>> > > Shoot, I think we can all think of something to do with $120/mo.,
>> right?
>> > >
>> > > And... is it possible to do better than the "cadillac" of
>> providers??
>> > >
>> > > And... did AT&T "bait and switch" us again?  (that setup was too
>> easy,
>> I
>> > > think
>> > > you know the answer is "yes", but find out how they did it this
>> time).
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> *"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and
>> become more - you are a leader."  - John Quincy Adams
>> *
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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