worship the glitch

Some commentary based on responses to my original post.

tj.hanton says

I’m looking at using my PS3 as the centerpiece and having some sort of opensource media server sitting on an old G4 desktop I have. I just need to upgrade the G4 and figure out what flavor of Linux to put on there …

I have an Apple TV.  I clung to it for two years.  I desperately wanted it to be the solution to the problem, but it just couldn’t cut it. I fear that XBOX, PS3, etc., while more powerful, are in the same boat.  Web video changes too quickly to do the job right without a device you have full control of.  A set-top box is closer to a cable box than it is to a computer.  And anything that lacks an OTA tuner w/ DVR isn’t really coming close to replacing cable.

This little device might actually work with certain set-tops, making them a viable option.

tanya77 asks

Curios, why the “Hulu Desktop”. We have a “set top box” that acts just like a computer and we access any site on the Internet and see it on our Livingroom flat screen.

You wouldn’t just access the Hulu site itself? Curious about your set up.

For this to be a viable solution for my me, it has to work entirely with the little white Apple remote.  Web sites aren’t an option.  For my project to be a success, a guest at my house should be able to easily use the system.  I’m 99% there.

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HARDWARE

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Stock Mac Mini 2.0 w/ 4GB of memory

External hard drive with 1.5+ TB of storage

EyeTV Hybrid USB Tuner

Cheapo amplified antenna from Monoprice

Some type of VGA/HDMI/DVI cable/adapter that matches your TV’s input

Optical digital audio cable

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SOFTWARE

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Front Row

• EyeTV Mod (launches live TV and organizes DVR’d shows)
• Understudy Mod (Netflix)
• Hulu Mod (launches Hulu Desktop app)
• Boxee Mod (launches Boxee)
• Plex Mod (launches Plex)

EyeTV (DVR software that comes with Tuner)

Boxee

Plex

Hulu Desktop

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NOTES

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• I’d love to use Boxee as the centerpiece of my system, but its inability to launch external apps is a dealbreaker.
• Most people forget about over-the-air broadcasts.  It’s a pleasure to watch and record full, uncompressed HD signal.
• A number of the Front Row mods do not work on Snow Leopard yet due to minor issues.
• Hulu Desktop does not carry all of the shows that are available from the website.

I’ll be revising this on a regular basis, as the project is still evolving.  I’m also certain that I’m forgetting to include something.