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Group Outlines Specs For Linux-based Set-top boxes

Posted by Hemos on from the power-your-multimedia-world dept.

Shadowhawk writes "According to Silicon Strategies, a group called "TV Linux Alliance" is creating a spec for digital set-top boxes using Linux. The specifications, dubbed version 0.8, defines the functions for RF tuners and other components in Linux-based set-top boxes. It also outlines the application programming interfaces (APIs) for those devices, according to officials from the alliance."

4 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. wow, real informative by cdf12345 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm I the only one who found no real information here?

    It'd be nice to actually see what standards were set, or at least have a link to them.

    It's like CNN having a news update about a presidental speech and saying "well the president outlined his goals for the economy and foreign policy, he is supported by these congressmen"

    Then failing to say what the policy is.

    Talk about a fluff piece.

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  2. If it's big business, it's bad news by bLanark · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This sounds like a big business thing. What will undoubtedly happen if this alliance makes significant market pentration is that some dude in Washington will lean on them in some way:

    Force Palladium-like stuff on them (or)
    Force viewing stats (or)
    Force no ad-skipping (or)
    or whatever.

    Hackers, on the other hand, start a sourceforge project, another sees what's available, enhances it for their needs, puts it back in the pot, and so on. That will never be controlled in the way this alliance can be.

    I expect that some of the alliance "components" will end up having some restrictions in them, so even they will not be available for open-source hackers.

    The only way will be to write your own, from the ground up (at best keep a "standard" interface). Sorry.

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    1. Re:If it's big business, it's bad news by squaretorus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Agree. Whats needed is a single simple download that can be dumped onto a fresh / old PC with an easily understood minimum spec by anyone that can instal a piece of windows software without wetting themselves.

      Make it kazaa easy! Have different flavours, and plug ins, and skins, and all the other crap we love, but first make it EASY to install.

      If it needs a big MF of a chip now instead of a dedicated hardware encode/ decoder who cares - we'll have 200GHx PVII systems in Walmart for $300 soon enough! THEN who needs a hardware encoder.

      This stuff doesn't have to be complicated - just enable people to do simple things VERY easily. After that all works start adding the nice to haves.

  3. Confidentiality in license vs. GPL by ukryule · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Looking at the license, it is treated as confidential material. To quote bits:

    3.1 Permitted use. This Specification Version contains information that is highly confidential to the TV Linux Alliance and/or its Founders. Adopter agrees to protect this Specification Version ... This Specification Version may not be disclosed to a third party...

    3.2 Time Period. Adopter's obligations regarding the confidentiality of this Specification Version will expire 5 years after the Effective Date (except for any source code not licensed under the GNU General Public License or other open source license, if any, which will be protected in perpetuity).

    Now, I guess it's fine to put these restrictions on a specification of a GPL-d system, but once they start releasing products, they'll have to release source code - so i'm a bit confused as to what the license implies. They're protecting the standard, but are going to release the source of implementations? Why?