[buug] ANNOUNCE: EFF PVR Build-In, Saturday 12 March, 11AM

Sun Mar 6 15:53:08 PST 2005

> > [tony]
> > > Subject: [buug] Re: Anyone interested in doing a EFF PVR build-in?
> > > ... as described in...
> > >
> > > http://eff.org/broadcastflag/cookbook/buildin.php
> > >
> > > I can host a half dozen or so at my apt in Alameda.
> > > My cable brings in, I think, a couple of free HDTV
> > > channels, and we get 3Mbps.
> > >
> > > Alameda is not as handy as some places, but it's only
> > > a short bus ride from downtown SF or downtown Oakland.
> > > I'd happy go elsewhere too.
> > >
> > > If folks are interested, I'll announce a meeting for a
> > > Saturday following the BAD meeting.
> > 
> > [more tony]
> > Hi, folks.
> > 
> > PVR Build-In will be Saturday 12 March, 11AM at my
> > second-floor apartment in Alameda (two blocks West of
> > Webster, near shoreline).  My apartment is second floor 
> > and looks West, so I think we have a pretty good chance 
> > of picking up San Francisco HDTV stations.
> > 
> > EFF has confirmed that they are sending the EFF build-in kit:
> > 
> > * EFF hat and a few t-shirts
> > * Cool case stickers
> > * KnoppMyth ISO - a CD with the latest KnoppMyth distribution
> > * Print version of "Cooking with EFF: KnoppMyth and pcHDTV for DTV Liberation" 
> > 
> > I told them I have two RSVP's so I assume they are only
> > sending three T-shirts.  Let me know ASAP if you plan to
> > show and maybe they'll send more.
> > 
> > If you want it to be an HDTV PVR, you'll need to get 
> > a Linux-friendly HDTV tuner, such as the pcHDTV
> > (antenna-only) or Air2PC (antenna + unencrypted digital
> > cable).  EFF's instructions are for pcHDTV so that would
> > probably be simplest.  If you want to do Analog, that's fine
> > too- the cards typically do both cable and antenna.
> > 
> > EFF recommends a P4 at 3GHz+ with 800MHz FSB to record HDTV.
> > 
> >   http://www.eff.org/broadcastflag/cookbook/guide.php#requirements
> > 
> > HDTV tuner cards seem to be going fast, so order right away!
> > 
> > The priority will be to get EFF HDTV PVRs up and running but 
> > folks wanting to do analog are also welcome.  I believe the
> > EFF-supplied (KnoppMyth) CD supports has a pretty recent kernel 
> > device lib.  Lower spec computers are OK for Analog, especially 
> > if you have a card with hardware MPEG encoding.  See...
> > 
> >   http://mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-3.html#ss3.1
> > 
> > I have limited room, so you'll need to RSVP me if you plan
> > to come.

[Michael]
> This is the first I've heard of this, sounds really neat.
> 
> Anyone have an idea if you follow the general build-guidelines how
> many channels we're talking about? 

I don't know for sure.  The antenna selection site the EFF
references (antennaweb.org) predicted I could receive this
amazing list...

* red - uhf KCSM-DT 43.1  PBS SAN MATEO CA    248°  9.4 43
  red - uhf KICU  36  IND SAN JOSE  CA    115°  29.9  36
* red - uhf KICU-DT 36.1  IND SAN JOSE  CA    115°  29.9  52
  red - uhf KKPX  65  PAX SAN JOSE  CA    136°  51.6  65
* red - uhf KKPX-DT 66.1  PAX SAN JOSE  CA    220°  10.1  41
  red - uhf KBHK  44  UPN SAN FRANCISCO   CA    248°  9.4 44
* red - uhf KBHK-DT 44.1  UPN SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 45
  red - vhf KGO 7 ABC SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 7
* red - uhf KGO-DT  7.1 ABC SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 24
  red - vhf KTVU  2 FOX OAKLAND CA    248°  9.4 2
* red - uhf KTVU-DT 2.1 FOX OAKLAND CA    248°  9.4 56
  red - uhf KCNS  38  SAH SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 38
* red - uhf KCNS-DT 38.1  SAH SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 39
  red - uhf KSTS  48  TEL SAN JOSE  CA    114°  29.3  48
* red - uhf KSTS-DT 48.1  TEL SAN JOSE  CA    114°  29.3  49
* red - uhf KTEH-DT 54.1  PBS SAN JOSE  CA    115°  30.0  50
  red - uhf KTLN  68  IND NOVATO  CA    312°  31.1  68
* red - uhf KTLN-DT 47.1  IND NOVATO  CA    312°  31.1  47
  red - uhf KFSF  66  TFA VALLEJO CA    248°  9.4 66
* red - uhf KFSF-DT 66.1  TFA VALLEJO CA    248°  9.4 34
  red - vhf KQED  9 PBS SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 9
* red - uhf KQED-DT 9.1 PBS SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 30
  red - uhf KMTP  32  IND SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 32
* red - uhf KMTP-DT 33.1  IND SAN FRANCISCO CA  FCC Ext 248°  9.4 33
  red - vhf KRON  4 IND SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 4
* red - uhf KRON-DT 4.1 IND SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 57
  red - uhf KDTV  14  UNI SAN FRANCISCO CA    114°  29.3  14
* red - uhf KDTV-DT 14.1  UNI SAN FRANCISCO CA    114°  29.3  51
  red - uhf KTSF  26  IND SAN FRANCISCO   CA    220°  10.2  26
* red - uhf KTSF-DT 26.1  IND SAN FRANCISCO CA    220°  10.1  27
  red - uhf KBWB  20  WB  SAN FRANCISCO   CA    248°  9.4 20
* red - uhf KBWB-DT 20.1  WB  SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 19
  red - vhf KPIX  5 CBS SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 5
* red - uhf KPIX-DT 5.1 CBS SAN FRANCISCO CA    248°  9.4 29
  blue - vhf  KNTV  11  NBC SAN JOSE  CA    137°  51.6  11
* blue - vhf  KNTV-DT 11.1  NBC SAN JOSE  CA    137°  51.6  12
  blue - uhf  KRCB  22  PBS COTATI  CA    323°  42.9  22
* blue - uhf  KRCB-DT 22.1  PBS COTATI  CA    323°  42.9  23
  blue - uhf  KTEH  54  PBS SAN JOSE  CA    115°  30.0  54
  violet - vhf  KCRA  3 NBC SACRAMENTO  CA    36° 54.9  3
  violet - vhf  KVIE  6 PBS SACRAMENTO  CA    35° 54.6  6
  violet - uhf  KSMS  67  UNI MONTEREY  CA    133°  82.1  67
* violet - uhf  KSMS-DT 31.1  UNI MONTEREY  CA    135°  57.4  31
  violet - uhf  KION  46  CBS MONTEREY  CA    141°  92.8  46
  violet - uhf  KDTV-CA 28  UNI SANTA ROSA  CA    328°  63.8  28
  violet - vhf  KXTV  10  ABC SACRAMENTO  CA    37° 53.4  10
  violet - uhf  KAXT-CA 22  IND SANTA CLARA-SAN JOSE  CA    121°  42.3  22
  violet - uhf  KMCE-LP 43  AZA SAN MARTIN, ETC.  CA    133°  82.1  43
  violet - uhf  KTFK  64  SAH STOCKTON  CA    52° 22.4  64
  violet - uhf  KFTY  50  IND SANTA ROSA  CA    328°  64.9  50
  violet - uhf  KFTL-CA 28  IND SAN FRANCISCO, ETC  CA    115°  30.0  28
  violet - vhf  KOVR  13  CBS STOCKTON  CA    37° 53.4  13
  violet - vhf  KSBW  8 NBC SALINAS CA    133°  82.1  8
  violet - uhf  KTNC  42  AZA CONCORD   CA    52° 22.5  42
  violet - uhf  KCBA  35  FOX SALINAS   CA    133°  82.2  35

The asterisks are digital.

However, plan use an indoor antenna, so the list could be 
way shorter.  But the signals are digitally encoded, so I would 
expect the image to be snow-free (if it comes in at all).
If someone brings an outdoor antenna to try (we can do a
temporary mount to the bannister), I'll try that too.

Part of my plan for the build-in for me is to play with the 
technology, tho it may turn out I return the antennas to
Best Buy and Radio Shack and stick to Alameda Power and Telecom 
for now.  But if I do start to use the pcHDTV right away, I figure 
I'll put a couple of analog tuners in my box too and have MythTV 
grab each show from the source that comes in best- Daily Show and 
Hitler Channel and Discovery from cable, broadcast networks in HDTV 
from antenna where possible and from analog cable where not.  I
ought to be able to get PBS from either- AP+T carries five KQED 
channels in (unencrypted, I hope) digital.  I would be surprised 
if their broadcast antennas produce anything different.  Actually, 
tho, I think when they run HDTV stuff, some or all of the non-HD 
digital channels go into "not available" status.

I do have a Motorola HDTV tuner/PVR provided by AP+T (for
$2/mo extra, what a deal!) for comparison, but I don't
subscribe to any of the premium channels.

Come to the Build In and find out the answer to your
question, or wait till it's over and you'll get a better
answer (at least for a second floor apartment in West Alameda 
near the waterline with line of sight to SF blocked by 2-story 
townhouses and trees and line of sight to SJ blocked by the
rest of the apartment building).

Tony