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New Linux-based PVR from Sony: Cocoon
jivany writes "Linux based set-top box being offered by Sony that has a broadband internet connection and may offer the option of being programmed from a cell phone." Japan-only for now. There's an article in Japanese with assorted photos and screenshots.
Who cares. Do we live in Japan? No. Stop feeding us bullshit. You have www.slashdot.jp - This is news that does not matter.
who cares about pictures of a STB dont they look like a box....
what matters is what running inside is it a shoddy x86 or a nice MIPS/ARM chip
regards
John Jones
I just got a pvr with my dishnetwork, it is great.
It's almost what I wanted in 1980. I'm a dreamer.
New Linux-based PVR from Sony
This makes it sound like Cocoon is the first Linux based PVR, or the fact that it is Linux makes it newsworthy (this may not be the case, but its how I percieved it).
TiVo is a linux-based PVR.
Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
1st "Japan gets all the high-tech stuff" post
The US market will not accept this. It is great for us geeks, but the average Joe off the street won't buy it. If they did, then thinkgeek would be rolling in the money, and microsoft's PVR/webtv crap would be selling.
Just because it has linux as it's OS doesn't mean it will do well, especially in the US, where there isn't a market for it.
---
Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
its the ATI Xillion a STB on a chip, nice pice of kit
so sony didnt do anything to produce this except rejig the opening sceen and maybe some other fairly easy things
what I would like to know is can I have the sound server source and does it work (-;
(because the ATI supplied stuff sure does not)
regards
John Jones
"Cocoon" line of products that aim to become an alternative to the PC for accessing Internet content.
The Cocoon line sounds interesting, but as for this product, I didn't see much difference between it and the Replay4000.
Not that it is a bad thing, maybe now I will be able to afford upgrading to a 4k.
___ I don't respond to Anonymous Cowards, and I Never Mod them UP.
I could have sworn I've used a PVR that does most of this and also connects to a broadband connection, as well.
A Linux (good) PVR made by Sony (evil)? I haven't been this ambivalent about liking or hating something since Jean Luc Picard became a Borg.
I think I need to lie down for a while.
Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
who cares about pictures of a STB dont they look like a box....
what matters is what running inside is it a shoddy x86 or a nice MIPS/ARM chip
"Cocoon uses the freely available Linux operating system and a microprocessor based on reduced instruction-set computing technology developed by MIPS Technology Inc"
www.matthewmiller.net
"Live Free or Die." Don't like it? Then keep out of the USA
Sounds good to me
MG
Randomly distributing Karma whenever possible.
The 160GB HDD video recorder of SONY and D1 output equipment
- Ethernet built-in, tuner and MPEG-2 encoder 2 systematic loading
November 1st sale
Standard price: Open price
Ahead communicating: Customer consultation center
Tel.0570-00-3311 (Nabi dial)
Tel.03-5448-3311 (portable telephone * PHS)
SONY loaded 2 systems of the ground wave tuner and the MPEG-2 encoder, Ethernet built-in 160GB HDD video recorder " CSV-E77 " is sold on November 1st. Price is open price, but as for shop front expectation price the possibility of 13 ten thousand Yen. The monthly output quantity has planned 5 thousand units.
The CSV-E77 foam/home AV gateway product group " CoCoon " of regular connection type network functional loading which the same company lectures (the C$onnected Community ON Network) becomes the 1st feature product. In addition, the 80GB HDD and HDD which is sold in May video recorder " CSV-S55 " which builds in 56kbps modem (the channel server) it is the superior model. Because of that, term of endearment has become the " channel server ".
2 systems of the ground wave tuner and the MPEG-2 encoder it had to load the largest strengthening point as a hardware. Because of this, even while videotaping it views the program of the channel which is different, reservation video recording while executing, it is possible to videotape the program which is in the midst of viewing.
In addition, the program which is reserved by hand and, entrust 2 programs repeating the program of thing and the same time zone which videotape the program of video recording simultaneously by hand, estimate it is possible also to omit. However, unless when starting the video recording it has entered stand-by state, reservation of 2 programs is not executed simultaneously. Furthermore, there is no ghost reduction function, does not load the BS analog tuner.
CSV-E77
(160GB) (Reference)
CSV-S55
(80GB)
Mode HQ/SP/EP SP/LP/EP
Bit rate 9mbps/6mbps/3mbps 6.0Mbps/3.7mbps/2.8mbps
Video recording time Approximately 35/50/100 hour Approximately 25/40/55 hour
Video recording mode joins from the SP/LP/EP of the CSV-S55, the HQ, the LP is shaved and 3 types of HQ/SP/EP are prepared.
Bit rate was pulled up with the 9mbps/6mbps/3mbps respectively. Furthermore, compilation function this time is not loaded.
Already, as for one big strengthening point, network interface, from 56kbps modem, had to be modified to the Ethernet. Because of that, network function is utilized, regular connected environment becomes prerequisite.
As a network function, the CSV-S55 in the same way the channel server user private home page " ???! The my caster " is used. With this sight, " @ (at) video recording reservation " service and, " for record 2 keyword renewal service is offered entrusts * roundly ". Furthermore, it is possible also to renew the firmware by way of the network, also functional addition and the like is planned.
When " @ video recording reservation is used (at)", the portable telephone ahead going out (I mode, the J-SKY and EZweb correspondence) and, from the personal computer video recording reservation becomes possible. In the private page which is on the WEB log in it does by the personal computer, or the portable telephone registers program reservation.
As for service plan, free " BASIC plan " and, 300 Yen / 2 types of month " economy plan " are prepared. As for difference of both @ with only video recording reservation, " @ the video recording reservation LE ", economy plan " @ video recording reservation SE " can utilize BASIC plan. As for the difference of the LE and DX, at the frequency which connects to the reservation server, as for the LE 1 day 2 time, with DX 1 time, connecting to the server in shortest 10 minutes, you verify reservation.
In addition, directly from the CSV-E77 the ???! It reached the point where the home page of the my caster can be perused. Then, the contents of news and the forecasting et cetera are planned.
With the software, it is feature of the channel server, " entrusts * roundly record ", to " was strengthened record 2 entrusts * roundly ". Entrusts * roundly record program genre of the taste, just sets keyword and one time time zone, the program chart (the EPG) from to do searching the program which is based on condition, the function which it keeps videotaping automatically.
Until recently calling keyword from program information of the program which is in the midst of viewing, in addition to the keyword of 44 types which SONY prepares in the same way, besides the fact that it can set, it corresponded to also the manual input by the software keyboard. Furthermore, whether or not the male is completed program liked, question is done, in the taste, you say the program where to that also information of reservation video recording and elimination protection is added, from is videotaped also " the male be completed it loads algorithm ".
Furthermore, keyword of 44 types 1 time is renewed in 1 month by way of network. At present the Ethenet the ???! Functioning has done in only connection to the my caster, it does not modify direct setting from the personal computer outside, does not look at image and/or with cannot say.
As a playback function, " multiple loop view " was loaded. It classifies the program which was videotaped into 9 categories such as movie, music and sport automatically. It adds there, the program which is in the midst of broadcasting as one category, just like the channel of the television, changing, it can see.
View mode, while looking at the playback picture, can select program " normal view mode ", plays back image " high-speed preview mode ", can look through program name has 3 types of " list view " with 360 time speed.
Furthermore, the ground wave EPG is not modified with the G guide system which the gem star developed from the CSV-S55, also announcement indication is done. In addition, it loads " TV pause function & flash " function. Continuing from the scene which it stops at one time even with the program which presently is broadcasted, after cancellation it has stopped, it is possible to view. Furthermore, the scene which the program which is in the midst of broadcasting overlooks, whenever the flash key of remote control (minus) you push, going back time $dm 15 seconds, playing back it is possible. Furthermore, list function of the audio attachment of 1.5 times and 2 times et cetera does not have.
The 160GB HDD increasing, also the service which it makes the 320GB is planned, but start time, both price undecided. Furthermore, channel server similar, " user itself as for conversion doing the impossibility (the same company) with is the HDD first ".
As for the output terminal the D1 terminal to be added 1 system, composite 2 systems and S image 2 system, analog (the L/R) audio 2 system. The input terminal composite 2 systems and S image 1 system, analog (the L/R) has audio 2 system.
As for the CPU with the MIPS 350MHz, as for the OS the Linux is adopted. As for external size 430×360×79mm (width x depth x height), weight approximately 6.5kg. Because it can select the remote control cord/code from 3 types, it can use properly the plural stands.
At the same company, there is the respective merit demerits " in the HDD and the record type DVD this time, concerning the reason which does not load the record type DVD. Proper thing you think future line-up development. But, still HDD video recording it is splendid, you thought under the present conditions which are not acknowledged, it informs about that thoroughly and the ? wants this time made only the HDD ", it has explained.
Video recording system: MPEG-2
Sound recording system: MPEG-1 (LAYER2)
HDD capacity: 160GB (when increasing 180GB)
Maximum video recording time: HQ approximately 35 hours, SP approximately 50 hours, the EP approximately 100 hour
Reception channel: VHF 1 - 12ch and UHF 13 - 62ch, CATV C13 - C38
Output terminal: 1 system, composite 2 systems and S image 2 system of D1 terminal, analog (L/R) sound 2 system
Input terminal: Composite 2 systems and S image 1 system, analog (L/R) sound 2 system
Electric power consumption: 39w
Maximum external size (width x depth x height): 430×360×79mm
Base machine mass: Approximately 6.5kg
Everyone seems to be forgetting the fact that this means that Sony does not condone PVRs.
I think that is a big step for a company that has a huge stake in the 'entertainment' industry (recording, producing, whatever).
They are sending a clear message that its ok with someone as big as them for the business to change. Its a good thing.
my 2 cents
Try this article from Reuters instead!
This box is actually based on the TiVo software, it just doesn't use the TiVo service. TiVoPony has said that there is a possibility this box could be released in the States, where TiVo service is available.
Here is a link to a discussion of this box on the TiVo Community Forum.
"The guide is definitive, reality is frequently inaccurate."
I was shocked at the price (~1,100$ US). Who is willing to pay that much to watch TV. I dont watch much TV, and even if I did, I wouldnt pay that much damn money! Why purchase something like this when you can get DVDs for around 10$ a piece. Seems like an overpriced dust collector to me.
It's all Flash animation, which means I can't run it through babelfish, but ...
http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/CSV/
Can someone who reads Japanese click on the "My Net Communication" and translate the text? Looks like it's programmable through the net (cool).
Also, what is this image all about? That's a weird looking GUI for a channel guide!
Tuus crepidae innexilis sunt.
I think the interesting part of that article is that they mention that future models may include DVD recording... this from a company who's pushing copy protection and DRM in the music world... guess it's because Sony doesn't produce as much TV content.
Old price: $1249.99
New price: $899.99 (but the service price is broken out. even if you want to add the up-front cost back in, it is still $100.00 cheaper than is was last week. This price is for an equal (160 hour) system. You can get the smallest one (40) for $350.00 now.
Here is the price page
competition is GOOD.
___ I don't respond to Anonymous Cowards, and I Never Mod them UP.
If I still had mod points, this would have gotten either insightful or funny.
Sony, of course, are in the interesting position of potentially making a profit from "copyright" sales and from devices that enable users to do things that rights holders don't like.
Last year they made profits on music film and games and losses on technology.
However the market size for the latter is at least an Order of Magnitude bigger. Sony can't be unaware that DRM technologies are likely to stifle the growth of these devices (and could lead to lower revenues on sales of film and music in the bargain).
How they try to resolve the problem, economically and organisationally, is going to be interesting to watch.
VDR records in MPEG2 and plays DVD / DIVX / MP3 / SVCD / ... I love it :)
The way most things are going they should allow you to have a secured web interface on the PVR to allow you to configure it from the internet or using a direct dialin connection. I also haven't seen any pictures but if it is expandable to 320GB it's probably not going to fit on a tv.
Just becuase it runs on a version of linux doesn't make it special, now if they gave you the option to install whatever os you wanted and set it up the way you want, that would be different.
"The secret of success is to know something nobody else knows." -Aristotle Onassis
"Connected Community ON Network" won't go down to well as an acronym in most of the English speaking world...
I can't wait to see the fine print on this and other future Sony PVRs.
"Sony retains the right to update firmware automaticaly, replace it with Windows without disclosure if it so pleases, track your information for Sony's marketing departments, and limit number of downloads that are not paid purchases of Sony digital media. If Sony wishes to change this agreement in any way, you are to praise them for protecting you from the true axis of evil: yourself."
I fail to see the benefit in buying PCs from media moguls.
"Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards." -Aldous Huxley
linux: nice cuddley penguins.. symbol of all that is good.
.. evil incarnate
sony: major proponent of the **aa's
owwww my head hurts now!
"What's that on top of the telly-vision set?"
"Looks like a penguin!"
BTW, The Linux set top box could make for a convenient scapegoat:
"Did you remember to record 'Steel Magnolias'?"
"Uh... yes."
"Then why isn't it playing?"
"It's not my fault... it's a segmentation fault!"
I'm not any kind of grammar nazi, but decent spelling and grammar are important to me. The occasional affect/effect problem doesn't bother me (it just lowers my opinion of the author), but when a piece is riddled with errors (there/they're/their, its/it's, then/than, etc..) it's hard for me to read. Partially, I think this is because I sight read and I don't subvocalize. In other words, when I see, "It's over their," in print the first thing I think is, "It's over their what? Is it hovering over their kitchen counter? Is it over their heads? What is this person trying to say?" Of course, I don't just sit there pondering those questions (it only takes a split second to see there was a grammar error in the sentence), but I can't read as quickly when every few lines my eyes flick back to an earlier word.
Maybe I'm just hypersensitive. I don't know. If you don't know what I'm talking about though, check out this piece by Prince. It doesn't have very many grammar problems, but the "creative" spelling is really distracting.
What looks like a fan is clearly visible in the photo of the back of the unit here.
I'll be interesting to see how noisy the box is -I for one wouldn't want to fork out $1000 if it sounds like a vacuum cleaner.
Even if it it reasonably quiet, it can't be silent. Surely the future is in solutions that network home appliances like this to a box with lots of hard disks and fans that can sit making as much noise as it likes, so long as it's not in the living room where I want to listen to my music? It would make the prices of things drop significantly, too.
It is time to start porting windows on it!
Just imagine, we will able to run your favorite Windows application on it and use it as expensive PC!
I'm quite sure that if we buy many Cocoons and then don't run their linux software, they have lost money!!!
That will surely be the cruel punishment for evil Sony corporation!
It apologises if the user rejects its selections.
I really dunno if I could deal with this. Part of the reason I live away from my family/parents is so that I don't have to deal with them causing guilt trips for things they've done/bought for me. And anyway, I end up dealing with it every christmas, birthday, et cetera.
"I'm sorry you didn't like the Britney Spears revue Dave. But what has the DVD player ever done for you?"
What? Just a story about a new Tivo? Old news.
:)
The headline being Japan, I figured it would be about a Tivo that would pipe recorded video to your cell phone so you could watch on the subway while going to work! Aren't they supposed to be years ahead of us?
This could indicate Sony takes stock in rumors that Microsoft will eventually charge exorbinant fees to encode digital media for their future "screw the little man" secure OSes
Brain fart.
"Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards." -Aldous Huxley
This will lead to lots of publicity for pvr but more visibility for pvr's is not necessarily a Good Thing. Why? Because one thing that has prevented Them from cracking down is that the installed user base is so small.
But rest assured They will if Sony is successful, either by trying to ban pvr's as we know them outright, legislating for restrictive technology on the insides, or splattering movies, sports events, news, etc with commericals during the actual broadcast.
Assuming they actually do broadcast commercial announcements at, say, the bottom of the screen, the only way to fight back will be to mask off the screen with cardboard or some similar material.
I suspect there will be a change of biz model to a pay per use and it will happen so fast our heads will spin. So we'll end up paying for the cable and also paying for all content.And then it's only a matter of time until they add commercials to the content you've already paid for.
I'm going back to books.
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20020904/so ny0194.jpg
Is it a preview of recorded shows that are stored on a HD or a tv guide-like service with previews? Anyone know for sure?
Linux PVR is nothing new but look at the unit's plethora of input and output ports. I can't read japanese but from the pics it looks like it has 2 HD ports, 2 component video outs and 2 ins, optical audio out, ethernet and normal svideo and audio io. If I am not mistaken, you can access the box via web browser...I would love to connect to it from work and schedule "tapings" of programs. (I usually find out about good shows on tv from my coworkers and friends and it would be nice to bookmark them before I forget)
It's called a T*I*V*O. They've been out for a few years now.
What is the news story here?
"Its" vs. "It's" : Slashbots get this one wrong all the time.
"Besides the fact that 2 tuners are loaded, the 10Base-T it has". Use the force, Luke.
from the bablefish translation.
Sony isn't selling you a PC. They're selling a set top box. They didn't choose Linux because they hate MS (what OS comes preinstalled on VAIO?) they chose Linux because of technical and financial considerations. If they sold you a box and said, "Ok, now go install your OS and your PVR software," then no one would buy it.
Obviously you can hack the device and put on whatever OS you want. But that's not Sony's concern.
If it runs linux, isn't it generally assumed it's programmable in by any conceivable method?
When, oh, wen will they make a PVR that will let me burn programs onto DVD (or even VCD!) so I can archive them and watch them at my liesure.
For all of the failings of VHS, I can archive a LOT of materail for years.
Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
Will I be able to play my PS2 games on it?
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
Vaios loaded with Linux! WOW
Go for it SONY!
They give a quote for how many hours it can record of HDTV. But it gives no info of how the unit deals with it. Does it stay digital, does it get converted back and forth, and does this thing have any fricken copy prevention crap.
http://www.wickedtoast.com
The great thing about this one is support for HDTV. There are severl "roll your own" options for HDTV PVR's. But, this will be the first off the shelf version (assuming it beats The Dish Network's HD PVR to market in the U.S.).
If it supports satellite TV reception, I will be first in line for one of these things.
If not, I will probably stick with my HDTV PCI card, homebrew PVR. Even though it's Windows based, it is an open usage system, which allows more flexibility than a closed system that I assume Sony would provide.
Migth want to give a try to allwell. From my understanding the UI is mozilla based and you can hack your own picture-in-picture menus via js !
remember?
So could it be that Sony is thinking of adding PVR features to the Playstation 3?
Why not?
As others have noted, ReplayTV can already do most if not all of this. I believe ReplayTV even allows you to program recordings/manage it over the web (and therefore from a PDA or phone ...). Furthermore, they do not impose unnecessary restrictions on their users -- they allow program sharing over the broadband connection and automatic commercial skipping.
... or any new PVR that another company puts out. Are people afraid that they won't last against the possible legal litigation? Are they just too expensive (my excuse ... for now)? Is the mandatory broadband connection holding them back?
;)
Why isn't ReplayTV more of a player? They seem a distant second to TiVo
I would think ReplayTV would be the darling of Slashdot. Are they not running Linux on their boxes or what?
How does this post get +4 Informative?
I can hardly understand what the guy is saying? Is it just me?
its the ATI Xillion a STB on a chip, nice pice of kit
Did ATI make a chip with STB? Some sort of kit?
I need the universal translator.
It's a PVR that Isaac Richards has been working on for a while now
I've been thinking about setting this up as soon as I have a TV card to go into my spare box.
http://www.mythtv.org
$5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!
Someone needs to tell Sony that FreeBSD is way better than Linux. It's a shame that commercial companies are fooled by the linux hype and end up with an inferior copycat OS that's not stable under load (else why would it need an entirely new VM and filesystem??)
Boycott Sony
Well here comes Sony again. Do we trust them and their proprietary formats? Is this system going to be open to playing/tweaking. Tivo doesn't officially encourage it but they don't stop you either. Sony's interest lie in content protection as many of the coments from the article will attest to. If you slashdotters are serious in promoting their "fair use" rights then they shouldn't forget them just becasue a company that disagrees with them comes out with a new toy.
Restore America: Dr. Ron Paul for President!
Sew, u r smart enuff to figer it out, eh ?
Think about it dipstik, if everyone was as lax as you, and didn't give a rat's ass
in hell how the fuck things were spelled, then befor lawng, all ritten Enlish on
the internet wood be near inkomprehensebull. It takes much longer to parse a shit
ass sentense when a asswipe moron uses "their" insted of "they're" becus it is
the wrong damn word. Why should everyone have to read it and mentally fix all the
fucking mistakes when the asshole who posted in the first place could have just payed
attention in the 7th grade ? THAT IS RIGHT. IN THE 7TH GRADE I HAD ALREADY LEARNED
ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER THAN COMMIT ANY OF THE MISTAKES THAT ARE MADE IN 90% of MESSAGES.
There is no fucking excuse, so cut the shit.