The iRecord program is interesting as it takes the functionality of the AV/C Browser, but puts it in a much simpler interface with one clear purpose - scheduled recording of shows. While there are many limitations of the AV/C Browser, some of them are solved through another program by Patrick Edson called iRecord. Standard definition content is a little more manageable, at 3 - 13Mbps (1 - 6GB/hr).
As such, the file size is quite large - most HD content recorded off of cable is between 15 and 19Mbps, translating into 6-9GB of storage required for each hour of recorded content. Now, what you're recording is effectively a MPEG-2 transport stream. Then you can use the AV/C Browser to tune to whatever channel you want, hit record and it will start recording. The only requirement is that you have to connect to your cable box first, which involves nothing more than setting your cable box (using your remote) to a channel below 63 (0 or 1 are the easiest) and doing the same in the AV/C application, then telling it to connect. Patrick's AV/C Browser Enhanced will let you change the channels on your cable box over FireWire, so you can do away with your remote. The AV/C browser is necessary to connect to some cable boxes, but Patrick's modified version eliminates the need to have two applications - it integrates the functionality of Virtual D-VHS (recording and channel tuning) into the AV/C application. The first alternative is Patrick Edson's AV/C Browser Enhanced, a modified version of the AV/C browser that also comes with Apple's FireWire SDK. You can use the Virtual D-VHS application provided in Apple's FireWire SDK, but there are some alternatives. The next step is to fire up the Virtual D-VHS application and here you have a couple of options. The same applies to most cable boxes with FireWire ports. The Motorola 6200 cable box is recognized automatically. All you need is a 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable, plug one end into the cable box and the other end into your Mac mini and you're done. We had a Motorola 6200 unit at our disposal, which made things even easier as you'll soon see. The installation and setup of your cable box is extremely simple. But for those who are interested in using the Mac mini as a HTPC, here's what can be done today.
Vlc for mac mini windows#
At this point, your best bet for a polished HTPC with DVR functionality is something running Windows XP Media Center Edition. In many ways, this article isn't about using the Mac mini as a HTPC, but rather, its viability of being used as one if certain elements fall into place. As a part of the FireWire SDK, the Virtual D-VHS application is more of a proof of concept or an enabling tool for developers to go out and make something interesting out of it - not to use as a turnkey DVR solution. The application included in Apple's FireWire SDK is called Virtual D-VHS, which as the name implies, allows your Mac to act as a Virtual D-VHS recorder fully capable of recording both standard and High Definition content over your cable box's FireWire port.īefore we get to the details of implementation, the first thing that must be noted and understood is that the Virtual D-VHS application is not a full-blown DVR nor was it designed to be. And although PCs have more recently been given a similar type of application, the support was first given to Macs.
What is even more interesting is that an interface to FireWire enabled cable boxes is actually provided by Apple through their FireWire SDK.
Vlc for mac mini software#
Despite the fact that support has been around for almost a year now, software to take advantage of the FCC mandated FireWire ports on cable boxes is still in a very infant stage. With this capability on modern day cable boxes, you would think that it would be fairly easy to record content, including HD content, on your computer using a simple FireWire cable. The ruling is also affected by another FCC mandate, in which all electronic devices capable of recording content must recognize and respect a broadcast bit that determines how the content can be shared across multiple devices.įireWire ports are now on most cable boxes. The ruling came based on an interpretation of Section 304 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In April of last year, the FCC mandated that all cable boxes must come with a FireWire port if requested by the consumer.
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