The revolution is not being televised. But you can download it off the Web.

Google's video search has been hailed as the next step beyond TiVo for people to take control of the video programs they watch. Of course, this increases the availability of unauthorized versions of shows and movies such as Family Guy and The Matrix.

But the increasing availability of cheap storage, fast processors, and high-quality compressed video is giving rise to another tech phenomenon. Some folks are taking television into their own hands and making the kind of programming they want themselves.

High-quality homemade TV
This isn't the Web's version of public access either. One of the highest-quality examples is a show called Systm, a part of the Revision3 network, an entirely Web-only TV network. Systm is hosted by former TechTV personalities Kevin Rose and Dan Huard. Frustrated by the disappearance of that network, the two have set off on their own to make a network-quality show.

Systm is about 10 minutes long and touches on geekier how-to content. The first episode shows you how to build a device that can receive unencrypted signals from video cameras. The two intrepid geeks drive along city streets and are able to see inside an office building and down an apartment complex's alleyway. It's a chilling reminder that unencrypted wireless devices are a big privacy and security hole.

The second episode shows you how to make an HDTV recorder for less than $500, no subscription required.

Revision3 distributes its shows under the Creative Commons license, meaning it can distribute the shows for free and allow others to distribute them without worrying about losing copyright protection.

The shows are also available in eight different formats, depending on your operating system bandwidth or file format tastes. All the files are downloadable using BitTorrent, so you can get them quickly, too.

Can homemade make money?
The network hopes to make its money from viewer donations as well as by taking sponsorships. In the meantime, it stands as an example of how much can be accomplished by individuals, given the amount of technology available and a little bit of smarts.

Got an idea for a TV show that the television industry probably will never produce? Why not make it yourself? Get a little equipment and brush up on the basics, and you're on the way. Now that's what I call reality TV.