Slashdot Mirror

Another idea might be to look at VLC for your streaming server with either IP set top boxes with a web based interface (LAMP). I know that Amino can provide IPTV set top boxes that will work work H.264 and should be able HD picture quality without having to setup a bunch of thin stations. This would allow you to use HD TVs, but it might cost you some interactivity by not having a button to push. The advantage would be that the hardware to run this would not cost as much.
Currently, I use VLC to stream a channel that is on a loop from our headend to our customers because I don't want to have to deal with DVD's, etc.
http://aminocom.com/
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/streaming.html

We worked with an older model Kreatel box. Still, the models shown on the Kreatel web site are larger than the AmiNET110.

Maybe you misinterpreted the quotation you copied from my post. Emphasis mine: Anyway, the Kreatel hardware I've dealt with is huge in comparison.

If somebody would actualy know something about area of IPTV, one would know that we already have a nubumber of Linux based STBs. Amino being the most successful ones. Oh, I don't know... We have been deploying them from the start of 2004, when most of the people didn't even know what IPTV should mean. Swisscom on the other hand started testing Microsoft OS (Windows MCE) based STBs at the same time... and the still don't work properly. And those units cost more than ten times the cost of Amino 103 unit... BTW: Windows MCE is complete Windows XP with couple of applications. With W-MCE only SW licence without HW costs $200, with at least $200 for HW to run the beast. Amino on the other hand "Just works", costs in $30 a piece if you order in bulk. Thats SW and HW together!

Anyway, I know it's Slashdot, but not checking the facts is so 20th century journalism...

Disclaimer: I work at (what used to be) one of the original IPTV middleware companies.

Having seen some Kreatel hardware, I can say that it's pretty cool, but certainly not unique. Amino makes the smallest Linux-based IPTV set-top box that I have ever seen. Their AmiNET110 is incredibly small. IIRC the only chip inside is an IBM system-on-a-chip (405GP, for those who care); not much else.

Anyway, the Kreatel hardware I've dealt with is huge in comparison. Both very cool products.

Don't forget:
ANT that also makes an XHTML browser called Galio
http://www.antplc.com/solutions/index.htm

Amino that has ready STBs that run Linux on an IBM PPC chip@252MHz
http://www.aminocom.com/products/iptv/
I tested the AMInet110 recently.

Oregan is working on an IPTV stack as well
http://www.oregan.net/product_concept.html

very interesting all in all :) Although I think I'd prefer to put a PC in the livingroom specifically for browsing instead of doing it on a TV, no matter how large the display is. An old laptop or a tablet PC or so.

Now whether Microsoft is part of that future remains to be seen, but I think IPTV will replace all of the other technologies out there. It already has support for some great features, and the possibilities are endless. I have IPTV with an AmiNET110 box and I couldn't be more pleased with my setup. There are still many features to be sought, but it allows for easy updates and adding of features, includes gaming and IR keyboard support, not to mention it is based on Linux.

Some thing like this http://www.aminocom.com/products/ipstb/aminet120.h tml plus streaming with http://www.videolan.org/ might be what your looking for...

Yes, look for a set-top box by Aminocom or Pace Micro combine this with either VLC or VLS streaming your shows over a fast ethernet connection and you could make your own 'channel'.

Try an Amino set top box. Small embedded Linux device which receives MPEGs and sends them to an audio or video device via standard RCA connectors.

We have a setup working on VideoLan working with Kfir hardware encoders and Aminet 103s from Amino Commnuications (STB's) working with 2 MBits!! Each costs about USD 200.

It looks like this little wonder should take care of the streams. And it even runs on Linux to boot