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| Author | New Geek Project: Operation PVR-6500 (Read 4416 times) | ||||||
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roystonlodge
4 MB  Posts: 6 
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on: July 24, 2009, 22:04
The small TV in my bedroom is dying. Actually, it's an old Commodore 64 monitor with an old VCR functioning as the tv tuner. That monitor has served me EXTREMELY well since it was first purchased way back in the late 80's. But, it's finally starting to die on me. Actually, I think it's just a loose connection in the front video-in port, but regardless I'm going to replace it. But buy a new tv? That's madness. Madness, I tell you! I have a Powermac 6500/275 Creative Studio Edition in my storage locker. It has the AppleTV video capture card and AvidCinema. I'm going to put it in the bedroom, pop in a way bigger hard drive, and install an Ethernet card. Then, I'll connect the old VCR and the old DVD player that I never use anymore. The plan is to network it with the rest of the computers in my apartment and figure out some way to use it as a PVR. Any suggestions for 7.6.1-compatible software that would help me in my quest? The bits of the puzzle that I haven't even started to figure out yet: - How to get 7.6.1 to network with 10.4.11 (or Windows XP for that matter); - How to get 7.6.1 to record shows on a timer; - How to access 7.6.1 remotely to tell it to record a show; and, - How to browse tv listings automatically online, using 7.6.1. My deepest fear is that much of this is impossible without doing some scripting/coding myself, and I know NOTHING about scripting/coding for 7.6.1. My scripting experience is pretty much limited to BASH, HTML, Javascript, and a wee bit of PERL. That's right, I never learned Applescript. I feel shame. Part of me says, "why not just get a cheapass video capture card for your PC?" But that would mean the Powermac stays locked away in the storage locker. I want to free it from its prison and put it to productive use! Plus, I have a perverse desire to have a computer in every room, serving an actual purpose. (I have a Newton eMate which will one day serve in the kitchen as a recipe server / wireless email client. I'm still working on a purpose for a computer in the bathroom. Is it possible to program a gumstix PC to email me when it's time to change the 2000 Flushes puck?) So, regardless, I would enjoy any input y'all can provide on making the Powermac 6500 more useful. I don't want this to just be an exercise in nostalgia. |
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wove
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1024 MB Posts: 1363
Reply #1 on: July 26, 2009, 14:38
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You are undertaking a pretty complex project. I would begin by doing some trials to see if the PM6500 is suitable for recording and playing back video from a DVD/VCR. The AV ports on the 6500 do a fine job of allowing one to watch TV, however there are limits to its recording capacity. There are a great many variable to successful video recording. Typically you need to reduce the frame rate, and/or the color depth in order to sustain a capture over a long period of time. Most video work for computers at the time of the 6500 was focused on short clips. To successfully capture video it is necessary to focus the machines resources on the task. That involves turning off any extensions or features not specifically needed for capture. Your video capture would suffer for instance if the 6500 would become involved in network activity. Applescript is recordable. You can have Applescript capture your actions on the computer, generate a script and play the script back for you. This will probably not accomplish everything you wish to do, but one a basic script has been created you can open it learn about it and then edit it. Basic network connectivity from the 6500 to new machines is becoming more difficult. There are helpful tutorials on this site, and there are other software solutions for network connectivity. Taken as individual tasks the things you mention are possible at least to some degree with a PM6500. I would take each task individually at first and see if you get acceptable results from your hardware and then move towards integrating the individual tasks into a useful workflow. Specific questions about specific parts of your task will likely generate the most helpful responses. bill
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