Biobug.org

I’m waiting for my new projector to show up. Since my HT is down ’til the end of the week, I finally took some time to work on my HTPC. It’s a linux box running Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon. My original IR receiver vanished, so I built a new one and just screwed it up inside the edge of my equipment shelf. (recessed into my garage wall).

After some annoying documentation searching I managed to get LIRC configured and set up for a spare TiVo remote. Then I installed Freevo from packages, disabled the built in TV program and setup libdvdcss, etc.

Now I can play media without using a freaking VNC session. Later this month I’m going to add a Logitech Harmony remote and a hardware DVD player to the mix and really get things streamlined.

I’m either going with an Oppo or a Toshiba HD-DVD. The Toshiba’s are cheap now, come with freebie movies and have nearly the same upscaling performance of the Oppo. I’ll probably move my HDMI connection to the DVD player since I can guarantee the source quality and use component for my Satellite given how much the quality varies. Once I upgrade my receiver, I’ll just it to switch HDMI inputs.