Making a PowerMac G4 a DVR

[dmachine]

I am looking at getting a PowerMac G4 off of ebay to turn into a dedicated DVR.

My first question is what are the minimum specs that it should have?

What accessories would I need to get this setup and running, i.e. video card,cables,software,etc.?

Is this very difficult to do, I dont want to do too much other than record some random TV shows and possibly burn them to a DVD?

I cant think of any other questions right now, but all suggestions/comments are very much appreciated.

PS: I forgot to mention that I will be using this will digital cable TV service, I dont know if that makes a diffference.

 

[dmachine]

No one can help me with this?

 

[Zeke]

Very difficult...better off getting a PC to run MythTV (incompatible with OS X) and use the mac as it's meant to be used. If you get something like EyeTV you could do it but I don't think the functionality is as good as a real DVR.

 

[steveedge]

Generally

Generally speaking, you want a G4 that is fast enough to Capture the video stream without dropping frames. I am not sure where the mhz line is for capturing an acceptable resolution video but since you will need an A/V converter anyway, it should have the required specs somewhere in the product description.
These A/V converters come in all price ranges from $100.00 or so to thousands.
Really that is all you need. The A/V converter will capature the audio and video from the source and send it into the computer where it is recorded via whatever software you use.
Once captured, you can edit the movie then export it as DVD, Quicktime or whatever.
Just remember that the faster computer and converter you have, the more likely that you end up with an acceptable result.
Good Luck,
P.S. You may come out better buying a DVR though, by the time you buy a G4 and a converter you will have 600-700 bucks invested. I think you can buy a DVR for half that