def __init__(self):

UPDATE:
Aug 29, 2010: There is support for Save.TV XL but the sqlite database is not compatible with the old version. Delete save_tv.sqlite and start from scratch.
Apr 29, 2010: Around April 20, 2010, Save.TV redesigned their website. Get the new version below!

When I and my wife moved from Germany to New York few years ago we missed German television programming. To fill the gap I subscribed to SaveTV service – online DVR for German TV stations. It’s simple: I choose a program from a guide, click record, and download later. The shows are recorded in standard definition – no HD, but many stations air in 16:9 format.

SaveTV provides a windows application to download its shows, but other operating systems users can only download them using the browser. This is when my love to script kicked in. I wrote a simple Python script that logs in to the website, get a list of shows ready to be downloaded and gets them for me. I’d like to share the script because I believe there are many non-windows users out there who use SaveTV just like me.

The script depends on Mechanize library and wget utility. I’m releasing it under Apache License. No warranty and no support. The source is hosted on github.

The new version is a bit more sophisticated than the previous one. It uses sqlite to store downloaded shows and needs a configuration file. It can also send chat notifications (XMPP – Jabber, google talk, etc) and messages to Prowl (iPhone Growl client). To get chat notifications get xmppy module. For Prowl get this one.

Download the script here and the sample configuration file here. The config file is expected in the home directory as ~/.save_tv.cfg or globally as /etc/save_tv.cfg.

This weekend I got my new media center computer – this time a Mac. The last media center I owned was a PC, a Shuttle box, that served me for the last 5 years. It needed to be replaced because it was becoming slow, especially with HD content.

So I got a Mac Mini – an older model (Intel 1.83GHz, 1GB RAM) – perfect for HD media center. The new model came out few weeks ago and J&R had the old one on sale. Perfect deal. Especially because the older model is easier to connect to HDTV – just a $10 DVI-to-HDMI cable and I was set. Just connected the cable to Toshiba REGZA 32HL67 and the Mac recognized it setting the resolution to 720p. The old PC gave me more trouble here.

In addition to easy connectivity it uses less energy, takes less space, and looks great.

Mac Mini comes with a remote control so I can play the content from across the room. I also configured my Logitech Harmony remote to play nicely with the new Mac. One click and TV switches to HDMI input and the Mac wakes up from sleep. I also use Apple’s bluetooth keyboard and mouse which allows me to browse the internet sitting on the couch. Small size of the keyboard allows it to be used as a remote for any media software as well.

Before getting the Mac Mini I always wanted to try Boxee but it did not meet my expectations and I’m still using XBMC. Boxee looks nice and is a promising product but some things just don’t work. I had trouble playing content from a network share. Boxee expects you to name the files in a certain way in order to get the metadata from the internet. That would cost me some time, but a lot of content I have is not from US and it would give me trouble anyway so I disabled that option. I added my remote shares to the media sources but can’t see any of it in Movies or TV category (due to disabled metadata pull), only browse for it in the directory structure. But even with browsing Boxee did not play saying that the content is not added to the media sources, although it was. Added SMB shares were showing up as not-connected but were browsable. Still buggy. Local content worked just fine. And I could not sort the content by date! There is one thing that makes Boxee a promising products: the plugins. I could watch my Netflix movies, Hulu content, CNN, and the others using my remote control!

XBMC works perfectly on Mac as it worked on a PC before. Remote content plays great over 1Gbit LAN, content sorting works. I also think that the menus and options are more usable than in Boxee. But it’s a personal preference. I’ll stick to XMBC for now.

I also love media content sharing in Macs. I share my iTunes and iPhoto library on my laptop and can browse them on my Mac Mini without copying the files. I love that feature.

There are also remote control applications for iPhone and iPod Touch users available. I can play iTunes music using Apple’s Remote app. I can control XMBC, Boxee, iTunes, VLC, and others using Rowmote and a small helper application! All over wireless LAN so not line of sight needed! Also Boxee has a remote control application, which has the best interface of them all.

I’ll post more on the Mac as media center as I get to use it more.

My macro shots with Nikon D90 and Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro lens.

[Show as slideshow]

In search for wall decoration my wife and I got an idea to create a oil painting. After few months it finally hangs but needs a frame. It has two hidden and unintentional errors.

I got the new keyboard from Powerbook Medic. Replacement took half an hour after yesterday’s practice with opening the laptop. The trackpad works again!

Yesterday evening my MacBook’s trackpad started to behave strangely stalling every so often and displaying a dropdown boxes. Banging it with fingers helped for few seconds and it stalled again. Reboots did not help (I did not expect that but had to try). External mouse worked fine, but who wants to sit on the couch with a laptop and a mouse? The trackpad broke! Kaput. And the best part is that I’m gonna have to pay for the repair, because my warranty expired 4 months ago.

I decided to repair it myself (I’ve replaced keyboard and a fan in my Thinkpad before, so Apple should be no different). I started looking for a shop that sells Apple parts. The first hit was Powerbook Medic – they sell Apple parts, new and used, and provide detailed manuals with step-by-step replacement procedures. Their manuals tell you what screws have to be removed and how to open the laptop – the last thing I wanted is to remove all the screws. There are also multiple YouTube videos on the topic. Apple itself does not sell parts; at least I could not find any pointer on their website.

I could not wait. I opened my MacBook carefully placing away every screw on previously prepared piece of paper with a drawing of the screw placement. I advise doing the same because event screws next to each other have different lengths. The keyboard came off and I checked for loose connections – that was my first guess. But I was wrong. I guess the trackpad is really broken. I put all back together and decided to replace the keyboard. I ordered a new keyboard from the Powerbook Medic site. I could get a used one from eBay for $30 but it would break earlier. It’s gonna arrive tomorrow (update coming up).

One good side of the whole thing is that the cracks on the keyboard’s edges will be gone!