Slideshow: Building a TiVo, a Step at a Time

Thanks to free software, intrepid do-it-yourselfers can build their own digital video recorders that promise to blow TiVos and ReplayTVs off the shelf. All you need is a lot of cash, some programming savvy and a little patience. By Leander Kahney.
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Basic program information on MythTV uses a customizable on-screen display.Isaac Richards

See related story: Building a TiVo, a Step at a Time

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MythTV users manage recording, playback and deletion (shown) of television programs through an easy-to-use interface.

Isaac Richards
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MythTV lets users access local weather forecasts.

Isaac Richards
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MythTV is TiVo on steroids. It does everything a TiVo will do -- pause and rewind live TV, fast-forward through ads and so forth. It also supports multiple tuner cards for simultaneous recordings, a distributed network architecture and recording radio.

Isaac Richards