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Broadband Alternatives to WebTV?

Posted by Cliff on from the "come-into-my-parlor" dept.

tlon asks: "A friend recently approached me asking if there are any hardware alternatives to WebTV that allow for high speed internet access. For the unaware, WebTV is a dial-only solution, and does not allow for broadband. While there are several promising digital dish solutions cropping up, I've found none that leverage high speed cable networks. What set-top solutions are available for the computer illiterate consumer that allow access via a broadband network (aka Cablemodem). Perhaps some of these solutions leverage Linux on the back end?"

2 of 25 comments (clear)

  1. Dish PVR 701 by moosesocks · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Sometime in Jan-Feb 2002, DishNetwork will be releasing it's new set-top box, the DishPVR 701. It will be a TiVo like unit with webtv functionality built-in. It will have HD outputs (it's key selling bullets) as well as ethernet connectivity, a 120 gb hard drive, possibly have USB ports, AND will be linux-powered.

    Preorders being taken

    --
    -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
  2. 3com Audrey by cymen · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Check out the Audrey but it was end of lifed by 3Com so yadda yadda. TigerDirect.com was selling them off for $100 so you can probably pick one up on eBay. You'll need a USB network adapter. The Audrey runs QNX and can be upgraded. TigerDirect has some other interesting devices too (like some MSN thingy right now?) so look around there.

    Unfortunately surplus seems to be the best bet as no sane company is producing such devices at this time... AFAIK, YMMV, etc etc etc (god I hate this stupid disclaimers)

    free rant:
    Why do we feel the need to use all these disclaimers? Shouldn't any intelligent person recognize that anything one says is ones opinion unless it is explicitly backed up by fact? Wouldn't we just note the facts and if no notation is made there are no facts so it is obviously a personal opinion? Does this have something to do with the lawyers? Argh!