Media Centre Project - Part 4: Content

So now I had the Mac, TV Tuner and Storage the next issue was putting some content onto the media centre. eyeTV allows you to record TV programmes and these can be edited to remove the ads. It also allows you to export the recordings into iTunes in either AppleTV or iPod formats (there are other export functions for various devices, like the Sony PSP, too). The latest version of eyeTV also allows streaming of recordings to the iPod Touch and iPhone (but as I don't have either of these I can't comment on them). So that's broadcast video content sorted out.

DVDs can be played straight from Front Row via the built in DVD player but if you want to make this easier (or stream the content to an AppleTV or whatever) you may like to rip the DVD to the hard drive and watch it from there. Please note that I'm not a fan of content piracy - I think you should pay for the content (unless they offer it for free), however I do think that once I've paid for it I should be able to watch it on any of the devices I have. So I downloaded copies of Mac the Ripper, which allows you to copy the files off the DVD in unencrypted format, and Handbrake which allows you to re-encode the files into .mp4 so that they can be transferred to iTunes (DVD Player does allow you to play the copied files direct without re-encoding but it is a little extravagant use of disk space!). I also picked up a copy of MetaX which allows you to properly populate the meta-tags in the files (which is particularly useful for TV programmes as, when these are ripped, they tend to be seen as movies by iTunes). One big issue in doing this is time, particularly for TV programmes as, whilst the ripping is relatively quick - say 40 minutes for a typical DVD - re-encoding and tagging can take a while.

Obviously you can also buy video content from the iTunes store but since I'm based in the UK the range of content is pitifully small and relatively expensive. Video podcasts are also available and are free but vary in quality. Some of my favourites are the tech shows Unwired, Geekbrief.tv, dl.tv and MacBreak; and the DVD review show Discus but I suggest you trawl through them to see what floats your boat.

I'm also playing about with Joost, which is an IPTV provider but only currently in beta (and it occasionally shows!). It requires the download of an application (which given that I already have eyeTV and Front Row interfaces adds another) and all the content is streamed over the net. The video isn't too bad - it does pixelate periodically especially with rapid movement - but is quite watchable. There are some mainstream content providers available, like Paramount. Of course its still developing but the extra interface is a pain.

As to music things are somewhat easier as iTunes has a built in CD ripping capability for transferring your existing CD library and you can also buy music content from the iTunes store (of course the latter is up to its neck in DRM but there you go).

I've also uploaded all our digital photos into iPhoto and with the help of the slideshow feature I can have these running on the TV via Front Row when the relics come to visit - which solves one of the perennial problems with digital cameras - loads of pictures but no way to easily look at them without printing them out (and getting an overdraft to pay for the ink!).