This is the blog where Kris Buytaert points you to extremely interresting and totally irrelevant stuff that happens in Life , The Universe and Everything
Too bad you spend some unneeded money.. what you should have done is build yourselve a nice MythTV box.
Has all the features you list.. and doesn't need a subscription .
Submitted by Kris Buytaert on Wed, 11/14/2007 - 13:12
Ik maak gebruik van een AppleTV hoewel die iets beperkter is in mogelijkheden,
stop je namelijk niet zomaar een PCI kaartje voor DVB-S in, maar het is wel mogelijk
met EyeTV + MacOS op de AppleTV :-)
Daarnaast heb ik een HTPC maar die zal ik verkopen omdat ik net iets te veel staan heb :)
DVB-S op Linux is inderdaad zeer goedkoop te implementeren, alleen wou MythTV niet met
men huidige kaart (andere PC nog dan die HTPC) terwijl hij wel werkt in Linux zelf.
Het concept van MythTV is super, maar de implementatie is wat ... vuil.
Bij elke update breken ze wel het protocol en hun backend is niet altijd even stabiel.
Maar goed eens het werkt, werkt het dan ook wel super.
Digitale TV van Telenet en Vlaanderen (ik val in herhaling) is een mop, een leugen.
Mijn DigiRecorder heb ik nog nooit kunnen gebruiken zelfs niet om TV te zien,
enkel haperingen. Bij men vriendin doet hun TV gids het niet terwijl ze genoeg betalen :p
1) Yes (although the 3th is not digital but analogue)
2) I already had dvd/divx and vcr players, so Yes. If they ever break down, i'll buy an apple tv :)
3) Yes (but I don't want to, as my LCD displays are better than my TV)
4) No, I have a Roku Soundridge and an iTunes compatible open-source nas box for that, as it is pointless to leave my TV on if I want to listen to radio
And it's still cheaper than your solution :)
The only viable alternative I seriously looked at and considered (and still consider if I had to redo it) is TV-Vlaanderen, the digital Sat guys.
As for your point that a mythtv box cheaper than what I have now: that's completely untrue, unless you can show me a mythtv box with 2 (time shift capable) tuners that cost less than 100 eur (the price of the digicorder - what I save each month).
1) Since when do they have that .. can't to that with the box at my parents place.. at least not while not paying for the service.
2) So how many boxen do you have below your TV set ? :)
I don't remember ever saying my mythtv box was cheaper but all the digital TV subscriptions that were offered to me were more expensive than my current cable subscription so adding up that on a monthly base seems more expensive in the long run compared to a one time purchas.
1) Since like ... ever? You can record one and watch one at the same time using the digicorder. And you still have the "analogue" cable as well, so Record program 1, watch program 2 on the digicorder and watch program 3 on the "analogue" channel. If you have an "old skool" vcr, you can even record using that analogue channel as well :)
2) Digicorder, DVD/divx player and old vcr/dvd combo (that my wife had).
I don't know if you have INDI or Telenet, and I haven't looked into the INDI offer as I can't get them here, so I can only compare with the Telenet offer.
In the Telenet world, (basic) digital tv is the same price as "analogue" cable tv. It's actually less, as the VAT is only 6% on digital TV and it's 21% on the "regular" tv. So if they offer you something that's more expensive than what you have know, you either can't add (which I doubt :)) or they are trying to get you to sign additional channels (like Prime or adult or music or news channels) or you aren't adding up the correct things. The only extra you have to pay in subscription is the 5 eur their ask for enabling the "easy recording and timeshifting" software features on your digicorder. However, the fact that the VAT is lower and that they have a "pack" which includes that together with Telenet Internet (which I had anyway), makes that I don't pay more than before.
From the Telenet TV site: "Telenet Digital TV is inbegrepen in je kabeltelevisie, je betaalt geen extra abonnementsgeld."
Then you have to buy the digicorder, which costs about 199 eur if I am not mistaken. I've noticed in their recent adverts that they now try to push you into "renting" the box instead of buying one, but I didn't have the option at that time, so I just bought one.
One can argue that it's stupid to charge a recurring fee for enabling a bunch of software features in a device you've already bought, and I completely agree. However, considering all the options, I don't pay more than I did for "analogue" cable, and I had to pay a "reasonable" amount of money for the digicorder. At that point, that seamed the best option for me. The only alternative I seriously considered was TV Vlaanderen.
Can you record 2 shows simultaneously and watch a 3rd realtime ?
Can you watch other videos on your box ?
Can you show your pictures to your family on that same device ?
Can you listen to your whole music collection from that box ? :)
...
For me Digital TV in belgium is a lame excuse for the Cable guys to sell their beta development to some customers that don't know they can get the features Telenet and Belgacom are claiming they can get via other ways.
If you want more channels sure.. but if you just want to be able to record shows nah..
Een mythbox is niet goedkoper dan een digicorder in aankoop. En ik betaal vandaag MINDER voor mijn digitale TV dan jij voor je analoge kabel TV. Bovendien heb ik meer kanalen (ja, waar ik effectief naar kijk).
Comments
#1 TimothyP : HTPC / MythTV / AppleTV
Ik maak gebruik van een AppleTV hoewel die iets beperkter is in mogelijkheden,
stop je namelijk niet zomaar een PCI kaartje voor DVB-S in, maar het is wel mogelijk
met EyeTV + MacOS op de AppleTV :-)
Daarnaast heb ik een HTPC maar die zal ik verkopen omdat ik net iets te veel staan heb :)
DVB-S op Linux is inderdaad zeer goedkoop te implementeren, alleen wou MythTV niet met
men huidige kaart (andere PC nog dan die HTPC) terwijl hij wel werkt in Linux zelf.
Het concept van MythTV is super, maar de implementatie is wat ... vuil.
Bij elke update breken ze wel het protocol en hun backend is niet altijd even stabiel.
Maar goed eens het werkt, werkt het dan ook wel super.
Digitale TV van Telenet en Vlaanderen (ik val in herhaling) is een mop, een leugen.
Mijn DigiRecorder heb ik nog nooit kunnen gebruiken zelfs niet om TV te zien,
enkel haperingen. Bij men vriendin doet hun TV gids het niet terwijl ze genoeg betalen :p
Mensen die interesse hebben in een HTPC:
http://www.itcrowd.be/entry/HTPC+Mania+-+HTPC+for+sale.aspx
Mensen die een AppleTV hebben mogen mij ook altijd contacteren, is best wel leuk
om wat hacks uit te wisselen. (Zonder de kast te openen natuurlijk).
TV Vlaanderen all the way :p
#2 frank : 1) Yes (although the 3th is
1) Yes (although the 3th is not digital but analogue)
2) I already had dvd/divx and vcr players, so Yes. If they ever break down, i'll buy an apple tv :)
3) Yes (but I don't want to, as my LCD displays are better than my TV)
4) No, I have a Roku Soundridge and an iTunes compatible open-source nas box for that, as it is pointless to leave my TV on if I want to listen to radio
And it's still cheaper than your solution :)
The only viable alternative I seriously looked at and considered (and still consider if I had to redo it) is TV-Vlaanderen, the digital Sat guys.
As for your point that a mythtv box cheaper than what I have now: that's completely untrue, unless you can show me a mythtv box with 2 (time shift capable) tuners that cost less than 100 eur (the price of the digicorder - what I save each month).
#3 Kris Buytaert : That's new for me :
1) Since when do they have that .. can't to that with the box at my parents place.. at least not while not paying for the service.
2) So how many boxen do you have below your TV set ? :)
I don't remember ever saying my mythtv box was cheaper but all the digital TV subscriptions that were offered to me were more expensive than my current cable subscription so adding up that on a monthly base seems more expensive in the long run compared to a one time purchas.
But then again .. I could be wrong ..
#4 Frank : 1) Since like ... ever? You
1) Since like ... ever? You can record one and watch one at the same time using the digicorder. And you still have the "analogue" cable as well, so Record program 1, watch program 2 on the digicorder and watch program 3 on the "analogue" channel. If you have an "old skool" vcr, you can even record using that analogue channel as well :)
2) Digicorder, DVD/divx player and old vcr/dvd combo (that my wife had).
I don't know if you have INDI or Telenet, and I haven't looked into the INDI offer as I can't get them here, so I can only compare with the Telenet offer.
In the Telenet world, (basic) digital tv is the same price as "analogue" cable tv. It's actually less, as the VAT is only 6% on digital TV and it's 21% on the "regular" tv. So if they offer you something that's more expensive than what you have know, you either can't add (which I doubt :)) or they are trying to get you to sign additional channels (like Prime or adult or music or news channels) or you aren't adding up the correct things. The only extra you have to pay in subscription is the 5 eur their ask for enabling the "easy recording and timeshifting" software features on your digicorder. However, the fact that the VAT is lower and that they have a "pack" which includes that together with Telenet Internet (which I had anyway), makes that I don't pay more than before.
From the Telenet TV site: "Telenet Digital TV is inbegrepen in je kabeltelevisie, je betaalt geen extra abonnementsgeld."
Then you have to buy the digicorder, which costs about 199 eur if I am not mistaken. I've noticed in their recent adverts that they now try to push you into "renting" the box instead of buying one, but I didn't have the option at that time, so I just bought one.
One can argue that it's stupid to charge a recurring fee for enabling a bunch of software features in a device you've already bought, and I completely agree. However, considering all the options, I don't pay more than I did for "analogue" cable, and I had to pay a "reasonable" amount of money for the digicorder. At that point, that seamed the best option for me. The only alternative I seriously considered was TV Vlaanderen.
#5 Kris Buytaert : Appelen en
Frank,
Can you record 2 shows simultaneously and watch a 3rd realtime ?
Can you watch other videos on your box ?
Can you show your pictures to your family on that same device ?
Can you listen to your whole music collection from that box ? :)
...
For me Digital TV in belgium is a lame excuse for the Cable guys to sell their beta development to some customers that don't know they can get the features Telenet and Belgacom are claiming they can get via other ways.
If you want more channels sure.. but if you just want to be able to record shows nah..
#6 Frank : Een mythbox is niet
Een mythbox is niet goedkoper dan een digicorder in aankoop. En ik betaal vandaag MINDER voor mijn digitale TV dan jij voor je analoge kabel TV. Bovendien heb ik meer kanalen (ja, waar ik effectief naar kijk).
Now come again please?