I guess I should start from the beginning on this one. My gf & I always wanted to get TiVo, but it's kinda expensive. We have digital cable (thank you Comcast) and I was thinking I could work up some crazy scheme (it may not be so crazy - I read somewhere that somebody hooked up his toaster to linux.) to build a makeshift TiVo. I don't have anything better to do, and this seems like a good one. Anyways, my question is this : Is there any such device that accepts a coaxil cable input & provides the same (or RCA) output? Also, is there anything I should consider or desperatly need to know before attempting this kind of thing?

A TV card has input and output and a tuner. I don't know that it's going to work because it's a vhf tuner for a specific range of frequencies.

it would work in the sense that you could record TV if you get a vid card with a tuner. however, you'd have to remember that since digital cable requires a separate cable box, you wouldn't be able to control the station with your linux box, you'd have to use the cable box. :-)

>>you wouldn't be able to control the station with your linux box, you'd have to use the cable box. :-)

There's that, and I wouldn't be able to use a remote .

Also, I don't think the video card w/TV tuner is going to work out as it only has an outgoing signal.

A TV Tuner card has input and most have an output.

Let me tell you from experience how to do this...

Purchase Hauppauge's PVR-250 card which comes with a remote. download Mythtv from Mythtv.org and also check out Lirc.org

This will do MORE than you could ever dream off and it rocks.
I've been using it with my ATI Tv Wonder and it's pretty cool but in the mythtv mailing lists the pvr-250 is all the rage and very well spoken off.

Mythtv will do more than Tivo could imagine and it's far superior. Also you should be able to change channels on your digital box. Jump in the mythtv.org mailing lists for a wealth of info and help.