hijack of "Do I need additional hardware?" thread

[McBainUK]

First requirement is to have a PC that you can tie into your TV or home theater system. I had an older EMachine box laying around. I replaced the motherboards built in audio/video connections with newer cards. A video card with hdmi interface to the tv, and an audio card with spdif (optical) to my Yamaha receiver. On the PC one needs to disable the motherboards built in chipsets for these functions. The eMachine had a slow IDE hard drive which I replaced with a SATA 7200 rpm drive. I also had to replace the power supply.. Older parts, eMachine brand, junk, etc... Am using a USB tuner which works fairly well, but would recommend using a PCI card. Others can give recommendations on that as I have not done much research.

There is a learning curve to get nPVR up and running, and some really cool plug ins for added functionality. I am still learning, but believe strongly in the package.

To the current users, developers, etc.. We have to find a way to make this easier for newcomers!

Greg

The other reason a tuner is optional is that you may want to use npvr for library browsing and movie or music playback duties only from the comfort of your sofa.

Open-source? Cheap as free? Sounds good!
Just to be clear, NextPVR is not open-source.

To the current users, developers, etc.. We have to find a way to make this easier for newcomers!
Johnsonx42 has a great quick start guide.
Steeb (especially) and others have spent countless hours to build the wiki pages up to help new users get started (although I noticed that there is nothing on decoders....)
And obviously the folks are here to help people get up and running as quick as possible with any issues.

What's missing?

Look at the home page.. http://www.nextpvr.com/ Is there a getting started link? Look at the text. Many terms which are foreign to new users.



I still do not know what the "Popcorn Hour" is? And don't care!

The main goal I was seeking was finding a way to replace my cable's hd pvr with over the air signals and having a way to record them.

After you read the introductory text, one sees the download link and a jump to the forums at the right of the page. I feel that introduction to the forums/support area should follow some well thought out and written pages describing just what a new and less technically inclined user should do. A step by step approach. There should also be a Help Doc included with the download for people to get started. Help doc could contain some basic info and links to the appropriate npvr's wiki.

I do not consider myself to be a techie nor guru, but it has taken all of prior knowledge learned, and experience to follow this development.

Greg

No offence guys but I think there's a danger of hijacking this thread with a discussion of how documentation might be improved, which isn't particularly useful to the OP's question. Might I suggest the Documentation forum for further discussion?

Cheers,
Brian

<<Hijack redirect>>

I think it has been assumed (rightly or wrongly) that people know that a wiki page (link top right) is where people find reference material.

Look at the home page.. http://www.nextpvr.com/ Is there a getting started link?

There is a Quick Start link at the bottom of every nextpvr.com and wiki (ie non-forum) page.

[steeb]

Yup, one of those times for an arsey steeb late at night reply.

Though some people acknowledge some work that I have done with the wiki etc (thanks all for that support) I would like to put on record that it is McBainUK that has driven/pushed and created the new wiki.

And my hat tips way off to him because he has put up with the usual sh*t that comes along when trying to document this stuff.

There has been a load of help along the way.

BUT it is a wiki. That means it is built by the community. And guys and girls, NOT being critical in any way here. If you have even tweaked a page of the wiki you are immune

Why I am riled?

Because McBainUK had to say:

There is a Quick Start link at the bottom of every nextpvr.com and wiki (ie non-forum) page.

Is not that quite obvious, what is missing. Where do we go from here.

and personally though I have hijacked this thread I would get a little unctious if any one tells me I am being too silly. Even though I probably am

It is late in UK and I have been changing nappies all day (diapers for the US)

cheers

steeb