Sunday, December 07, 2003
The beginning....
I am now beginning a blog to describe my efforts to build a personal video recorder. I first received a VCR my junior year of college, but it has outlasted its usefulness. I do not have a DVD player save for the one that recently came with a laptop we purchased so that I can finish school. More about that, later. Therefore, I want a video recorder and a DVD player. Though both objects are trivially inexpensive, experience has proven that it is all to easy to forget to set the timer to watch my favorite shows, and that in the absence of a favorite show, I'll watch any old thing on the television anyway.
I have heard of TiVo(TM), but have never owned one nor used it. My apartment building already pays for bulk basic cable service, and we pay for high speed internet in the home (first, so I can finish school, more on that later) so I have no desire to pay another monthly service fee to that the TiVo can find its way every month. But the concept that I could record a show at every playing and watch them in a controlled manner appeals to me. It might bring a harmony between my quest for fun and my need for productivity.
There will be software issues and hardware issues and there will be legal issues to look up on the Internet. There may be contributions at Christmas and waiting for parts as I earn more money. (Who am I kidding, my birthday follows Christmas very soon after.) More motivation for this goal, and updates on my Ph.D. thesis progress is to follow.
I have heard of TiVo(TM), but have never owned one nor used it. My apartment building already pays for bulk basic cable service, and we pay for high speed internet in the home (first, so I can finish school, more on that later) so I have no desire to pay another monthly service fee to that the TiVo can find its way every month. But the concept that I could record a show at every playing and watch them in a controlled manner appeals to me. It might bring a harmony between my quest for fun and my need for productivity.
There will be software issues and hardware issues and there will be legal issues to look up on the Internet. There may be contributions at Christmas and waiting for parts as I earn more money. (Who am I kidding, my birthday follows Christmas very soon after.) More motivation for this goal, and updates on my Ph.D. thesis progress is to follow.
