Building your own?

[divxhacker]

When the time passes for these converter coupons, would we see more kits for building our own converter box?

ATI, a maker of the best video cards out there, should make one of these converter boxes, and let the user put whatever flavor of Linux (Popcorn, etc.) or Windows CE, hard drive, memory to suit your needs. They'd really rock. It would also revive business at local computer building shops, too.

Too bad nothing like this would be shown at the Consumer Electronics show, as this is something kinda trivial, and is comparable to "selling popcorn." That means selling things with very little profit margin, unlike the HDTVs, Blu-Ray DVRs, laptops, cell phones and game systems featured there.

 

[Thermo]

I read your examination of the Zinwell ZAT box, and wondered if you knew of any other rating(s) of other boxes. The only source I've seen is the Feb '09 issue of Consumer Reports. I like the Zinwell's feature of channel changes, but no one seems to carry it around here.

 

[divxhacker]

I got my Zinwells at Albertsons.

The house has a Zenith available, but it's tucked in some nookie. It's also currently in use by other family member, so I can't open it up just now. I might get at it when it gets replaced with a Zinwell. The program schedule option is the key factor in switching the Zenith out.

I've also opened up and looked at a Panasonic DMR-EZ28 DVD-recorder, but this is the wrong forum to talk about in-device DTV tuners. Does anyone know where I can post a review about this device that uses an European Dreambox satellite receiver DTV tuner component?