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Digeo To Ship Full-Featured Linux-based PVR

Gentu writes "Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, has embraced Linux in his latest product offering, Moxi. Moxi is a PVR system from Digeo with some additional cool features, like wireless ethernet support, internet/router/firewall/gateway capabilities, DVD playback and more media functionality in general. OSNews has the article, screenshots and more information. "

105 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. Router? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why would I want my PVR to act as a router?

    1. Re:Router? by BrK · · Score: 5, Funny

      How else will it reliably relay packets to/from the toaster?

      Duh!

      --
      -This sig intentionally left blank
    2. Re:Router? by caveman · · Score: 4, Interesting
      I have a similar question, but I can see the answer. In the UK, there are four ways to get your TV signal.

      Ordinary analogue terrestrial,

      digital terrestrial (previously known as On Digital and then ITV digital

      Digital Satellite, and

      Various cable TV companies

      I'm a digital satellite viewer myself; more on that later.

      The various cable TV companies also offer cable modem access. For some companies, this is a seperate device, such as a standalone modem which is connected seperately to the TV set-top-box; but some cable companies have ethernet ports built into their digital decoders. These provide you with simple-to-configure (assuming you have an ethernet card and appropriate cabling to keep your PC a fairly good distance away from the TV, because there's nothing more annoying when you're trying to watch a film then to have noisy PC's running (or kids playing noisy games on the same)). In that sense, the device could easily be a router. (However, having had past experience with UK cable companies, they will advertise such as device as X, but it's really only a Y)

      How this integrates with the plans of the TV cable companies, who usually run their own systems on equipment that they supply, not catering for user-acquired decoders, I don't know, but it may be an attractive prospect for some of them.

      Back to the digital satellite. Sky also provide a PVR service, called Sky+. Essentially, it's a hard disk, connected to a satellite tuner, connected to a quad-LNB dish, allowing the box to receive MPEG-2 streams from two channels, record one, and view another at the same time, together with nifty features that TIVO users would be familiar with. I don't have one of these, but I expect one day I'll be persuaded to part with the GBP300 plus GBP10/month service charge. Because the satellite system is one-way, with interactive services provided over a telephone line, I can't see much use for a router in it, unless Sky plan to break into the ADSL market; although I'd still be uncomfortable with that (eggs, one basket, etc.).

      Now, what I'd really like to see developed is a satellite/cable receiver, which records MPEG-2 to hard disk, and dumps the same to DVD-R instead of to video. I'd bet the movie industry would hate this idea though. However, given that the UK market for satellite receivers is far more open (you can buy them in the shops, and self-install, dealing with Sky only insofar as getting a contract to receive subscription channels and a viewing card), some bright spark out there should hopefully be able to design one of these. Let me test it for you!!.

    3. Re:Router? by xchino · · Score: 5, Funny

      Great, so now I'll have to patch my appliances to keep script kiddies from exploiting my toast?

      --
      Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It's just that yours is stupid.
    4. Re:Router? by grub · · Score: 2


      Seriously, if it could tell my microwave "wait a moment, the toaster oven is on" to avoid me running downstairs to reset a popped breaker I'm all for it.

      --
      Trolling is a art,
    5. Re:Router? by halftrack · · Score: 2

      To reduce the numbers of box needed. Routing chews few CPU cycles so it seems irrational to have a dedicated box for it. By centralicing of applications fewer machines are needed and the purchase cost is reduced (and probably the TCO since this is purely software based centralisation.)

      --
      Look a monkey!
    6. Re:Router? by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

      As an aside, if you get DoS'd, is your video going to get jumpy?

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
    7. Re:Router? by BrK · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yup, sad but true...

      For all of it's benefits, sometimes IP connections are better replaced by cereal port connections.

      --
      -This sig intentionally left blank
    8. Re:Router? by damiangerous · · Score: 2

      Does your microwave spotaneously start microwaving things on its own? Mine requires that I set the desired cooking time and push the Start button. This allows me to only activate the microwave when no other appliances that would pop a breaker are on. I think you have a tad too much automation in your life.

    9. Re:Router? by grub · · Score: 2


      I think you have a tad too much automation in your life.

      True enough; life is just one big cron job.

      --
      Trolling is a art,
    10. Re:Router? by SirSlud · · Score: 4, Funny

      The only downside here is exposing yourself to the possibility of a Denial of Breakfast attack ...

      --
      "Old man yells at systemd"
    11. Re:Router? by rakslice · · Score: 2

      Although Denial of Breakfast (DOB) attacks abound and are widely reported on in the mainstream press, this is somewhat of a smokescreen.

      There is still a significant risk of House Arson attacks, even remote ones. And, as vendors would like us to believe that modern software engineering practices have made serious vulnerabilities impossible, they have clamped down on discussion of the subject in the fairly incestuous kitchen appliance technical press.

  2. Anyone else find this a little suspicious? by Raul654 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am going to venture a wild guess and say that the licensing costs to run windows on this thing would be the #1 reason why Mr. Allen is using linux...

    --


    To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
    --E.C. Stanton
    1. Re:Anyone else find this a little suspicious? by sql*kitten · · Score: 2

      I am going to venture a wild guess and say that the licensing costs to run windows on this thing would be the #1 reason why Mr. Allen is using linux

      Why would he pay licensing costs? He'd just create the company as a Microsoft spin-off, subsidiary or even business unit and after a little accounting, get it effectively for free. Therefore, there must be a technological reason for his decision.

    2. Re:Anyone else find this a little suspicious? by LostCluster · · Score: 3, Informative

      Paul Allen is not being friendly to Microsoft at all here, because this product is also a direct competitor to Microsoft's Ultimate TV product.

    3. Re:Anyone else find this a little suspicious? by BrK · · Score: 5, Informative

      The "technological" reason is because Digeo started out as Moxi, which was another Steve Perlman venture. By the time that Digeo/Motorola bought Moxi they had already invested significant R&D into a mostly-working platform that was based on linux.

      Who knows what Perlman's motivation for linux was over Windows (my guess would be all the obvious stability, resource requirements, licensing issue), but at this point Paul Allen's associations with any other OS have nothing to do with why the box runs linux today.

      I'm anxious to see when/if these boxes actually show up en masse in consumers homes.

      --
      -This sig intentionally left blank
    4. Re:Anyone else find this a little suspicious? by GLX · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Part of the reason why this isn't exactly true is because Microsoft announced it is completely dropping UltimateTV now that TiVo has partnered with DirecTV officially (and dropped the DirecTiVo monthly price to $4.99, which MS can't compete with)

      Paul may piss off the people working on the X-Box, but he's not going to affect UltimateTV one iota.

      --
      Sig (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
    5. Re:Anyone else find this a little suspicious? by timeOday · · Score: 2
      (and dropped the DirecTiVo monthly price to $4.99, which MS can't compete with)
      Why couldn't they compete? $60/year seems like a lot for that service; more than most subscription websites dare charge. tvguide.com and tv.yahoo.com provide the same information for free.

      (Granted, that information has less value when not integrated with the TiVo hardware, but that doesn't affect the question of how much it costs to provide said information).

  3. Somebody forget TiVo? by LostCluster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This article makes a big deal about the fact that Moxi is using Linux, but neglects the fact that TiVo has been out for a few years with a Linux-based PVR already.

    1. Re:Somebody forget TiVo? by SunPin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You have a point about TiVo but remember that Allen isn't just anybody and Gates talks a lot about "embedded" XP... if anybody *should* have given embedded Windows technology a chance, it should have been Allen.

      --
      Laws are for people with no friends.
    2. Re:Somebody forget TiVo? by tswinzig · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The big deal is because the company is owned by Paul Allen of Microsoft. The article does mention TiVo.

      --

      "And like that ... he's gone."
  4. PVR's? by FortKnox · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't TiVo's PVR based on *BSD or Linux?

    Just adding "Linux" to the title doesn't make it newsworthy.
    Sorry, but its just following the trend of TiVo.

    --
    Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
    1. Re:PVR's? by Emugamer · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just adding "Linux" to the title doesn't make it newsworthy

      Umm... Yes it does

  5. This will be my PVR of choice. by dhsmith · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This looks like just what I would want in a PVR. Linux is a robust operating system that is especially well suited to gadgets like this one. I've always thought that WinCe has too much bloat to be practical in this sort of application. With the DVD playback feature thrown in, I'm hooked.

  6. Slashdotted by Illuminati+Member · · Score: 2, Redundant

    No need to mod up, just read.

    A few months ago Paul Allen's Digeo [http://www.digeo.com] company acquired Moxi, who at the time was working on a TiVo-like PVR Linux-based solution, also named Moxi [http://www.digeo.com/prodserv/mediacenter.jsp]. Many expected [http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/03/29/14592 08&mode=thread&tid=129&threshold=2] that the co-founder of Microsoft would modify the product to use WindowsCE, but instead the Moxi has continued to be developed with Linux. In fact, Digeo seems really happy with the popular open source kernel. Continue reading to learn more about this exciting new product and view the exclusive screenshots we have for you.

    We talked with Toby Farrand, Digeo's CTO last week, and he provided us with some exclusive insight on the inner workings of the Moxi product. Digeo specifically chose Linux as the underlying operating system because of its open nature that allows all kinds of modifications and because it is fast and stable. "It was a very easy decision", Mr Farrand told us. "Linux is secure, complete and reliable".

    Digeo's developers have made a large number of check-ins to the 2.4 and 2.5 versions of the Linux kernel. These changes were mostly to do with partitioning code and its security options, but Digeo are also the main maintainers of the ext3 filesystem. In addition, the Linux implementation used in Moxi boots from Open Firmware.

    The Moxi product is the most powerful PVR system to be found today in this specific embedded market. It runs on a 733 Mhz C3 Cyrix x86 CPU, uses a Broadcom graphics chipset with dedicated video capabilities and is fully configurable by a cable provider. It comes with 40 GB of hard drive, but can easily use more than 100 GB. Moxi supports HDTV and has a TV-out (naturally), but no VGA output. Providers can customize the machine and the OS will also provide the required software for any additional peripherals (for example, a DVD or a CD-RW drive).

    Digeo is concentrating on making Moxi a presentation device and a media center (it includes decoders for MPEG, MP3, DVD, Real but not Quicktime) and direct camcorder support is being considered for the future.

    However, another very useful feature of Moxi is its ability to be... a server. It can function as an internet gateway and has a built-in firewall and router. It includes a modem so you can connect to the Internet directly, while it also supports plain ethernet and even wireless. Although these features will not be useful to all people, they bring Moxi a step ahead of the competition and they come pretty much "for free" due to the use of the GNU/Linux operating system. However, the Moxi is not (yet) an internet appliance so it does not offer a web browser.

    Moxi can also be used as a VideoPhone. It can connect to other Moxis or via the PC, and supports the H.323 protocol. It will include MSN Messenger as well.

    Moxi is the realisation of what Microsoft and Apple are trying to achieve with their notions of a "digital hub". Moxi is a PVR with the ability to play DVDs and other multimedia files, connect to a digital camera, view PhotoCDs (or view images on TV via an ethernet link to your computer), provide access to the internet and more. Mr Farrand believes that PCs can't be as successful in this particular area, because home computers do not interact correctly with TVs and cable providers, and that computers can't work as integrated with a channel (e.g. a scrambled cable channel like HBO which needs special bypassing) as a dedicated solution can offer. PCs take a "top-down" approach to try to behave as specialized devices, while in reality they are multi-purpose devices. This can create specific problems in usability and functionality of the system. Also, PCs are not secure enough for the PVR purpose, as most channel providers won't like to see their content easily pirated. Moxi provides such security after special agreements with the cable provider or channels. Another critical problem with PCs is latency and multithreading. "You don't want your recording to freeze or lose frames while you are checking your email or running a scheduled CRON job you had forgotten about", says Mr Farrand. "You expect recording and playback to work as well as when watching it on TV, live. Microsoft's or other solutions wouldn't have the same sophistication and seamless integration that a dedicated product would".

    The current focus of the company is the USA market, but creating compatible versions for other regions wouldn't be too hard, Mr Farrand told us. In the US TV market, the Moxi can record on 5.1 surround sound, at 256 KB/sec and preserve this quality on playback. Users can change these settings via the TV user interface (which uses Macromedia Flash!).

    The company plans to add OpenGL (and CGL) and 3D support and also license and port some games to their platform. The current games included in the device are simple games using Flash. Another useful feature of Moxi is that the ROM and operating system can be completely upgraded on the fly from the cable operator via the included modem. This way any bugs or other problems on the customer's device can easily be fixed.

    Moxi will be available via cable providers or other Premium TV companies, and the hardware will be custom for each one of them. The price is not set in stone yet, but the company expects it to be in the same price range as the competition. Leasing options will also be available.

    Moxi is expected to be launched in the begining of the new year, and it looks set to be an interesting player in the growing market of the PVRs and personal media center systems.

    --
    Yeah, I'm a Republican AND a geek. It is possible.
  7. What about higher layer software? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's cool that this runs on linux, but it would be nice to see some of the higher layer software or tools provided in open source form.

    I would love to get one of these and start writing collaboration apps that run on it, but if the development model is closed, how can I?

  8. Ugh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's only going to be avail from your cable provider, you can't buy it at Circuit City, and they make a big deal of securing the content, which means I won't be able to "tape" SG-1 onto it and copy it to my burner. I'll pass.

  9. Just what I want by greechneb · · Score: 2, Funny

    A probably poorly designed tivo-ish router. I'd be interested in watching outgoing traffic. It would be very easy to put in a little reporting device to record what shows you watch, and what dvd's you watch. It might all be a ploy for in-depth marketing research.

  10. From the article... by sdo1 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Moxi supports HDTV...

    Sold. I -love- my TiVo, but the lack of HDTV functionality is going to kill them if they don't rectify the situation quick. Several people I've talked to about getting TiVo are reluctant not because they have HDTV now, but because they want to be "ready" for it in the future. They don't want to invest in a technology that's near a dead-end.

    Moxi will be available via cable providers or other Premium TV companies, and the hardware will be custom for each one of them.

    IMO, that will be the biggest problem for them. Standalone TiVo is ubiquitous. It can be used with just about any source... anyone's cable box... any satellite system.

    Of course, 90% of consumers (maybe more) are sheep. It might work out well for Moxi since the hardware will be coming from "their cable company" and not some third party. Do you think most cable consumers have any clue who makes their cable box and what features is has? To them this thing will be just another cable box with some cool stuff.

    -S

    --
    --- What parts of "shall make no law", "shall not be infringed", and "shall not be violated" don't you understand?
    1. Re:From the article... by BrK · · Score: 2

      IMO, that will be the biggest problem for them. Standalone TiVo is ubiquitous. It can be used with just about any source... anyone's cable box... any satellite system.

      True 'dat, but market research has shown there is a large techno-phobe population that would prefer to "lease" their Tivo from the cable company, a la their STB's and modem's today.

      By making it an integrated offering, the cable company can find a new revenue stream (which they need...), and hook more customers who would simply prefer that the nice man from the cable company show up sometime between Noon and 6:00pm to install and configure everything for them. And, rather than shell out $400 for the box, plus a subscription fee, they'll pay $19.99/mo instead.

      --
      -This sig intentionally left blank
    2. Re:From the article... by Arkham · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Moxi will be available via cable providers or other Premium TV companies, and the hardware will be custom for each one of them.

      IMO, that will be the biggest problem for them. Standalone TiVo is ubiquitous. It can be used with just about any source... anyone's cable box... any satellite system.


      It's funny, the people on the TiVo forums feel the opposite way. They generally think that the biggest threat to TiVo is the fact that cable companies will be delivering their own boxes to their customers for $10/month with no hardware to buy. If it integrates a digital cable tuner in the box, it has a huge advantage over the TiVo, which has to change the channels over IR (or serial in one rare circumstance).


      Personally, I think TiVo has an amazing interface, but I could see how someone who didn't have TiVo could be happy with a Moxi box from their cable company.

      --
      - Vincit qui patitur.
    3. Re:From the article... by jeffcuscutis · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Being provided by the cable company is not the biggest problem. It's their salvation. If it comes with your digital cable box, it's already there. You don't pay the fee for the channel guide, the cable company does. (yes, I know we will pay for it, but it will be less and included in our cable bill.) The only downside to this I see is that you can be sure there will be no commercial skip. They know who their customer is and it is not us; it's the channels, and their customer is the advertisers.

      Related articles:

      http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=36471

      http://www.broadbandweek.com/news/010122/ 010122_through_pvr.htm

    4. Re:From the article... by thatguywhoiam · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Moxi supports HDTV...

      Sold. I -love- my TiVo, but the lack of HDTV functionality is going to kill them if they don't rectify the situation quick. Several people I've talked to about getting TiVo are reluctant not because they have HDTV now, but because they want to be "ready" for it in the future. They don't want to invest in a technology that's near a dead-end.

      Okay, that's all fine and good, but don't you think it's a little over-the-top to think a lack of (current) HDTV support is going to kill TiVo? You know HDTV has been 'coming' for 7 years now right?

      And while I'm on it, where did everyone get this notion that if they don't have a compatible television, they'll be left in this lifeless wasteland of analog non-viewing, down on their knees like Heston, screaming 'Whyyyyyyy???' (not directed at you, sdo1, just a general question). There will always be a converter box for whatever you're using. Sure it won't actually be HD but guess what, consumers are not screaming for it. They like it - maybe even love it - if they see it, but otherwise the unwashed masses are pretty happy with their TV.

      --
      If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
    5. Re:From the article... by Overzeetop · · Score: 2

      Hmmmm...how much you want to bet that it supports HDTV by being able to record a 480i down-converted signal in NTSC format for playback on your set?

      --
      Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  11. Dear Valued Customer, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Another useful feature of Moxi is that the ROM and operating system can be completely upgraded on the fly from the cable operator via the included modem. This way any bugs or other problems on the customer's device can easily be fixed."

    All those neat features you thought were too good to be true, that led you to buy the box? They were bugs. We fixed 'em. No need to thank us.

    Lovingly yours forever,
    The cable company.

    1. Re:Dear Valued Customer, by bergeron76 · · Score: 2

      3 words:

      DRM "feature" Creep.

      Dear subscriber:

      We fixed a little bug that lets you play pirated DVDs with your 4/1/03 patch; and on your 5/23/03 update, we fixed the bugs that allowed you record copyrighted movies.

      Regards,
      Broadband Customer Service

      --
      Don't think that a small group of dedicated individuals can't change the world. It's the only thing that ever has.
    2. Re:Dear Valued Customer, by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

      Making it Linux-based brings in a whole new dimension...

      I can just see some user implementing an authorization-required system for updates, so you'll be able to look at the changes and decide whether or not to implement them.

      It'd probably have something to do with iptables, and whatever port the box receives updates on. Probably notifying a userland logger, which would move to quarantine any changes made by the updating software.

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
  12. Wireless LAN by d3xt3r · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This is a cool toy and I like their "server" aspect to this thing as well. Since a bunch of people get cable and cable modems from the same provider, this can then replace the cable modem + DHCP server to share the connection around the house.

    I hope this thing is expandable, it would be cool then to have it be the wireless hub as well, serving out connections to laptops, etc around the house.

    It will be interesting to see if they're as liberal is TiVo with the hacks though.

  13. I'd still rather roll-my-own by nesneros · · Score: 2

    Even if it means having to live with windows (for now), I'd still rather roll my own PVR. You can do it easily for 5-6 hundred, and have the ability to burn VCDs or other archival means.

    Even if they're using linux, with "server-like" capabilities, I really doubt they're going to give you any method to archive media outside of the box.

    --
    Some men spend their entire lives trying to kill themselves for having been born. --Ross MacDonald
    1. Re:I'd still rather roll-my-own by tmhsiao · · Score: 5, Informative

      For five to six hundred dollars, if you're unscrupulous, you can buy a TiVo with lifetime subscription, and add a TiVo network card, and load software to download your shows to an existing computer.

      You could also try a TiVo with lifetime sub, and a video capture USB device (like a Dazzle or Pinnacle), and add it to your existing computer.

      Both will guarantee that you'll get a far better interface than one that you could build, plus an exceedingly rich featureset.

      But rolling your own does have a "I want to figure out how this works" appeal, as well...

      --
      "My God...It's full of ads!" -Fry, about the Internet, Futurama
    2. Re:I'd still rather roll-my-own by mikeee · · Score: 2

      Ok, I'll bite:

      Why is this unscrupulous?

    3. Re:I'd still rather roll-my-own by tmhsiao · · Score: 2

      The hack to download movies from the TiVo is not an "endorsed" hack, and more than likely would be considered illegal (of course, under the DMCA).

      I think the general feeling amongst TiVo users is that using said technology may cause a Hollywood backlash against TiVo. I think Tridge coded his own backdoor into the files but didn't publicize it out of respect for the company and its interests.

      --
      "My God...It's full of ads!" -Fry, about the Internet, Futurama
    4. Re:I'd still rather roll-my-own by tmhsiao · · Score: 2

      I'm well aware of some of the open source PVR projects. The benefit for both the average and the technology-savvy user of a unit like the TiVo, is it's pretty much a turnkey solution, for both hardware *and* software.
      This would include Season Passes to record every episode of a given show, Wishlists to record everything Alyson Hannigan has ever starred in, everything Coppola ever directed, or everything with even the slightest mention of Poker; A well-designed and customizable remote which works well with satellite receivers, cable boxes, and regular antennae, and both hardware and software upgradeability.

      But again, as I mentioned in my first post, I don't deny the appeal to rolling your own PVR--from both obtaining the technical knowledge, to perhaps contributing something to the Linux community at large. But if you're looking at a PVR from the standpoint of cost-benefit analysis, you'd likely be better off with a mass-produced unit.

      --
      "My God...It's full of ads!" -Fry, about the Internet, Futurama
  14. MSN Messenger by xingix · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The article states that the unit will have MSN Messenger built in. This might be a stupid question, but how will they get a licensed MSN Messenger on the Linux box? Doesn't that mean Microsoft will have to create a Linux port?

    --

    Confucious says: Man who runs behind car gets exhausted.

    // jeku.com

    1. Re:MSN Messenger by peter_gzowski · · Score: 2

      Gaim handles MSN IM just fine. Nothing like having all your buddies in one window.

      --
      "Now gluttony and exploitation serves eight!" - TV's Frank
  15. What's the point? by xchino · · Score: 5, Informative

    My Freevo box is Linux based, and can act as a firewall/gateway/router. Do I get a slashdot article too?

    --
    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It's just that yours is stupid.
    1. Re:What's the point? by benwb · · Score: 2

      Really? Because their web site still says that recording "should be coming shortly." If they can get it recording it might be worth trying out, but I have a feeling I'll be sticking with mythtv anyway.

    2. Re:What's the point? by fungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The current version is useful for watching TV, AVIs, DVDs, playing MP3/OGG and viewing images. TV recording should be coming shortly.

      Come on! I've been watching TV since 1995 on my P200 under Linux with a simple bttv878 tv tuner.

      If "Freevo" cannot record tv shows, how does it compare to Tivo or any other PVR?

      How can you think that Freevo is more newsworthy than this PVR?

  16. multimedia centers on Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    take a look to freevo ( http://freevo.sf.net ) & MMboX ( http://mmbox.tuxfamily.org ).

  17. Curious on costs... by Viewsonic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If the cable company can offer it for the cost im paying for my Tivo per month, then I might switch just for the extra features. But - they need to allow me to FF through commercials easily, and not bombard me with annoying banners or ads. And it has to be FAST. If they try and stick their fingers to far into the pie, it'll be ruined. They'll need to play it smart.

    1. Re:Curious on costs... by BrK · · Score: 2

      Well then, you might not be what they would call an "ideal customer" :)

      --
      -This sig intentionally left blank
  18. to delete or rotate this photo... by nwanua · · Score: 2, Funny

    press OK

    'nuff said :->

  19. It runs Linux and plays DVDs? by Glytch · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I know it's technically possible (I love Ogle myself) but how did they legally pull this off? Does this "Broadcom graphics chipset with dedicated video capabilities" have a DVDC licensed CSS decoder, is it included with the DVD extras package they're selling, is this all thanks to Jon Johansen, or has some company released a Linux version of a legal DVD player? Neither the article nor the company's website gives any details.

    1. Re:It runs Linux and plays DVDs? by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 2

      Moxi probably wrote their own legal DVD player app.

    2. Re:It runs Linux and plays DVDs? by jkf · · Score: 2, Informative

      Here is a company making a legal Linux DVD player. Its not available to the public, but its possible it could've been licensed in this case.

    3. Re:It runs Linux and plays DVDs? by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

      Then the question boils down to, is it opensource?

      There just seems to be something really "insecure" (from the MPAA's perspective) in allowing unencoded data to be stored on a modular medium with a filesystem freely accessible.

      It would require something like black-box encryption to prevent the data from being transferrable to another machine.

      And the fact that these things can directly access the Internet on a high-speed connection, well, It must be giving the MPAA chairman nightmares.

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
    4. Re:It runs Linux and plays DVDs? by Fizzlewhiff · · Score: 2

      Just because Moxi is using Linux doesn't mean they are hacking together the whole system based on open source and other free shit. This is a commercial venture, not some case mod like project that Joe Sixpack can reproduce with a dremel tool and a hot glue gun. Moxi is paying licensing fees to the parties they need technology from. You're not going to be able to roll your own Moxi when they are finished.

      --

      'Same speed C but faster'
    5. Re:It runs Linux and plays DVDs? by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 3, Informative

      Of course it's not open source. Legal DVD players cannot be open source, period.

  20. First commercial HDTV PVR by -tji · · Score: 3, Informative

    If this actually ships near the first of the year, like the article claims, it will be the first commercial HDTV PVR.

    Of course, since they mention that it will be sold as a customized box for cable & satellite services, it's not clear what 'shipping' means. Does that mean that Moxi is done with the platform, or that DirecTV/Dish will be ready to ship a unit that I can buy?

    If it's the former, it will be quite a while until we see these.

  21. What is TimeWarner thinking? by tswinzig · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Moxi looks awesome. One of Digeo's partners is Scientific Atlanta. TimeWarner's digital cable boxes (most of them) are built by this company. In fact, the new "DVR" that TimeWarner is releasing soon is Scientific Atlanta's Explorer 8000. And from what I've read, it sucks (right now).

    Which leads me to ask, why doesn't TimeWarner wait for ScientificAtlanta's Moxi-based device? I mean, TW is pushing HD in several markets, and yet the Explorer 8000 doesn't even support HD (even though the literature says it does... check the wiring diagrams, no HD).

    Hopefully they will offer Moxi soon. I love my TiVo, but a sweet device like Moxi, integrated with my digital cable service, combined with HD support equals TV HEAVEN.

    --

    "And like that ... he's gone."
    1. Re:What is TimeWarner thinking? by tswinzig · · Score: 2

      Which part of that says it supports HD?

      That FAQ is new. I've been watching SA's site for a while now, even writing them asking about HD support, because they weren't real clear about it before. At least they finally updated.

      --

      "And like that ... he's gone."
  22. I love my Tivo, but... by tgd · · Score: 4, Insightful

    *please* let this not be vaporware...

    Sad to say it, if they sell a box with those features, thats as easy and convenient to use as my Tivo, my Tivo may be relegated to my bedroom instead of my living room...

  23. Come on.. by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    This is only /.-style "news" because Paul Allen is involved., there are other Linux-based PVRs out there.
    If Bill Gates created a Linux-based vibrating buttplug, it'd be front page news on /. for 2 weeks.

    (personally I'd use OpenBSD for that, less chance of a backdoor assault.)
    :P

    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:Come on.. by metamatic · · Score: 3, Funny

      If Bill Gates created a Windows-based vibrating butt plug, there would be a whole load of MCSEs bent over and greased up at midnight on release day.

      --
      GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
  24. Here we go again by unsinged+int · · Score: 5, Funny

    Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, has embraced Linux in his latest product offering, Moxi. Moxi is a PVR system from Digeo with some additional cool features

    Uh oh....embrace and extend anyone?

  25. Must be revenge... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

    ...for what Bill did to Paul's car in Pirates of Silicon Valley .

    (Not sure it really happened, though.)

    --
    What's this Submit thingy do?
  26. Since the cable company will own it....No mods! by stienman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I was loving it right up to the point where they explain that these will be available through the cable companies and enhanced tv providers. This means that it will be rented by and owned by companies that control what shows can be recorded, and can prosecute anyone caught 'tampering' with the device in any way.

    If I could simply buy the hardware, great! But they know that they will make a more steady stream of money offering essentially a tivo like cable box to cable companies who can rent them to customers for $20/mo or more, who will gladly pay for them rather than $400 or more for a Tivo.

    It's a great business idea, and I see them putting Tivo out of business in the larger markets. Tivo (and other pvr companies) will have to maneuver furiously to maintain their current customer base, nevermind a growing base.

    But all is not so happy in geek land. You won't be able to record shows, or even pause shows, that providers don't want you to - and eventually that'll be most movies, lots of first run shows, etc. Skipping commercials may be disallowed at the providers descretion.

    It's essentially a bid to take back TV, while providing customers with a facade of extra functionality. I bet they'll win, since eventually service providers will be required to use such devices if they want to carry certian premium channels - though that's a while away, it's coming.

    -Adam

    1. Re:Since the cable company will own it....No mods! by stienman · · Score: 2

      Ah, but it doesn't have the same capability of the vcr. With a VCR, I simply say 'record' and it'll record my tv show without fanfare. This box will not record certian shows.

      How will consumers react when they can't do something they are now able to do?

      All of the newest copy protection schemes seem to revolve around the concept that joe consumer will give up certain abilities for higher quality or more bells and whistles. The new SACD, for instance, or HDTV with its record flags. They learned a lesson from macrovision - you have to put the hardware in the player, so you have to own the rights to anything that can play it (like every VCR has some royalties to, IIRC, RCA, but they require every manufacturer to put in a circuit which enables macrovision to work as a copy protection scheme). Thus, create a new format, create a new player (MiniDisc), own certian necessary patents (HDTV, MP3) and require everyone to buy into your copyright protection.

      Which, in reality, I don't have a problem with. If I miss a show, movie, etc, I haven't really lost anything - if anything I've gained time. But fair use is still worth fighting for, it impacts much more than just being able to watch a show when/where/how it's convenient to me.

      -Adam

  27. TiVo vs. Moxi by Q3vi1 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ah yes, another epic battle is about to commence. Similar to how TiVo and ReplayTV started battling. The biggest problem I see with Moxi is that their business structure doesn't allow people to actually 'own' the boxes. The whole craze about TiVo is it's expandability and their functionality as a stand-alone product. I'm sure when they come out with the Series3 TiVo, they will have incorporated several of the features that the general public are crying for.

  28. Paul Allen / Linux angle by -tji · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think people are blowing this out of proportion. Moxi was an independent company until about 6 months ago, when they were bought by Digeo (Allen's company). So, there was a choice then to scrap all the Linux work and start from the ground up with WinCE or XP-embedded. Or, they could take the easier path and finish their Linux project.

    I'm sure the costs or WinXX, and power of Linux were factors in that decision. But, it's not like he just snubbed MS, his cash cow, because Linux was too compelling.

  29. My name is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Diego Mantoya, you killed my Tivo, prepare to die.

  30. Thinking of the X-Box... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

    Does this thing have 3D accel functionality built-in? It'd be a perfect console. Imagine playing DOOM III on a big-screen TV. (Or, for the very rich, imagine it in a theater.)

    MAME would be especially cool.

    --
    What's this Submit thingy do?
  31. Moxi is old news by McSpew · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Hell, it won "Best of Show" at CES in January and they still haven't shipped a product. Their claim to having a deal with Dish Network also turned out to be completely bogus. Then, they nearly went bankrupt, fired their founder/CEO and got sold to Digeo.

    Don't get me wrong. The stuff Moxi demo'd at CES in January was incredible and if they can pull off even a fraction of it, they'll eat TiVo for lunch (assuming TiVo doesn't respond with similar features). However, their kitchen-sink approach is hugely ambitious and it'll be tough for them to ship all the cool stuff they demo'd at CES, such as wireless distribution. That, coupled with the fact that they're selling boxes only through cable companies and other TV service providers, rather than as standalone devices, will probably keep the feature set minimized.

    So don't hold your breath about getting everything they're capable of delivering.

  32. Business Model? by viper21 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What is their business model. Does anybody know?

    You would think that people would realize that it is difficult to make money selling hardware. Somebody will always try to sell it for less. Without a decent margin on your equipment, why bother?

    And I think that Tivo has shown that there is not a huge market left of people who want to pay a $10/mo subscription for updated channel programming lists.

    So how exactly do these guys expect to make money?

    -S

    1. Re:Business Model? by aaarrrgggh · · Score: 2

      This is a huge win for the cable companies! They suddenly have full control of your DVR! Plus, you have to pay them even more money each month. The cable companies want to figure out as many ways as possible to increase their average customer bill to $200/month. That's their wet-dream number.

      The things that eat into this ability are mainly other things that draw your attention away from the TV set, and competitors for your purchasing dollars. This device could have some of the functionality of a PC, and "save" you the cost of a DVD player, DVR, Set-top box, etc.

      Unfortunately, it doesn't really offer the consumer as much as the headline would suggest.

      (But then again, how many Paul Allen companies (even with a great product) turn a profit?)

  33. Gates and Allen meet in the Executive Washroom by paiute · · Score: 5, Funny

    Paul: Bill, how's it hanging?
    Bill: What's up?
    Paul: I brought you my latest toy, man. It's a PVR and stuff.
    Bill: Cool. What's it running, CE? XP?
    Paul: Linux.
    Bill: Linux? Linux? You frigging idiot, we're trying to crush Linux!
    Paul: Since when?
    Bill: I sent you an email, you retard.
    Paul: Yeah? You'd better read your own freaking manual, bigshot genius, because you didn't copy me on that.
    Bill: Crap. Oh, well. That's what I pay all those goddamn lawyers for. Look, I'll buy you out and go Chapter 6 or whatever it is these days.
    Paul: But...but I don't want you to buy me out. This is my baby. Why don't you go think up something novel on your own? Oh, wait - you can't, can you, Mr. Innovation?
    Bill: Piss up a stick, Allen. I want that Linux hellspawn dead asap.
    Paul: Well, you can...what's that rumble?
    Bill: Sounds like the plumbing.
    Paul: Wait - don't tell me you turned the hoppers into smart devices.
    Bill: Yep. Booted them up today, and they haven't been hacked yet.
    Paul: What time this morning?
    Bill: About ten minutes ago-
    (Sounds of exploding geysers, shrill screams, porcelain shattering.)

    --
    If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
  34. It's Linux-based, remember. by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

    If it's Linux-based, they'll have to release the sourceode for their version of the kernel, and any other programs derived from GPL'd software.

    So unless interaction with the hardware was done at the userland level (ack!) with binary-only programs, then the code is available for you to hack at and change any way you want.

    This is the GPL at its finest, allowing a competent user to implement his own ideas into an otherwise static featureset.

    --
    What's this Submit thingy do?
  35. sonicblue by asv108 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It should be noted that the Replay TV 5000 supports USB 802.11b adaptors. I decided to pick one of these up since it can use the net instead of requiring a phone line like Tivo

  36. No VGA Out?!?! by essell · · Score: 2

    I'm sorry. But this is a huge disappointment. Something like VGA Out would be so easy to include on this PVR, with little cost-per-unit involved. Many people who own LCD/DLP projectors will find this lacking feature quite disappointing, as the Digeo could quite *easily* be a progressive DVD player and de-interlacer for standard TV.

    Perhaps I'm missing the point and they have component video out, but not VGA? In this case, it's even sillier that they did not include a VGA out option.

    --
    i swear my userid used to be lower.
    1. Re:No VGA Out?!?! by Quikah · · Score: 2

      Well I hope they have component out, otherwise the whole HD thing is worthless.

      --
      Q.
    2. Re:No VGA Out?!?! by mosch · · Score: 2

      Far more people have component inputs than VGA inputs. besides, what the hell do you own that doesn't take component in?

    3. Re:No VGA Out?!?! by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 2

      It's pretty simple. HBO doesn't want digital outputs on cable boxes, so they make this clear to the cable companies, who make this clear to Moxi, and you don't get VGA.

    4. Re:No VGA Out?!?! by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 2

      Good point. It's probably high-resolution enough that the paranoid entertainment cabal still won't allow it.

  37. Can't let this one pass... by SPYvSPY · · Score: 2

    Personally, I think TiVo has an amazing interface...

    I have DirecTiVo, and it has the *slowest*, *clumsiest* interface that I have ever used on any computer, including everything since the TRS-80 days. The interface hangs constantly for long pauses, refreshes the channel and program list so slowly that you can miss entire pages (!), and the for some stupid reason the program guide is alpha'd over the live signal, rather than scaling the live signal down into a corner box (which would allow me to keep watching it). All of these problems are true for the TiVo-style interface, and are worse for the DirecTV-style interface (you can choose which program guide you want). For chrissakes, TimeWarner's digital cable interface is better! (Do you know how much I hate to say that?)

    I suppose you could argue that the pure-TiVo portions of the interface (i.e., other than the live tv parts) are okay, but even those are laggy, with poor layout and poor interaction (e.g., why doesn't hitting down at the bottom of a menu put you back up to the top?!). I find the whole searching mechanism totally unsophisticated, too. I'm generally disappointed with TiVo because it seems like a great idea and a poor implementation. Factor in the choice of USB as the sole digital interface for the next generation, and you can be certain that my next PVR will be the alternative: a PVR that supports wireless LAN (or at least ethernet), and that has a quick interface that supports channel surfing.

    1. Re:Can't let this one pass... by Paul+Carver · · Score: 2

      Wow, I disagree one hundred percent. I assume your first paragraph refers to the guide that you get when watching live TV. I think it's much better designed and faster to navigate than the interactive guides I've seen on some cable systems, but I never use it.

      Why don't I use it? Because it's only available when you're watching live TV. If you're watching live TV then you just don't understand Tivo. Either that or you have too much time on your hands. Get up and go do something useful.

      My Tivo's "Now Showing" list provide 2-3 times more stuff than I have time to sit in front of a TV watching and I don't even have premium cable.

      "Search by Name" is much faster and more efficient than and guide organized by air date/time or channel.

      "Season Passes" are highly customizable so Tivo keeps "Now Showing" filled without needing constant interaction from me.

      "Suggestions" effectively supply additional shows to fill out "Now Showing".

      And "Wish Lists" and allow my Tivo to keep watch for shows that aren't on in the near future. Tivo keeps on the lookout for any show, movie, actor, director, or subject even for years in advance.

      Oh, and the ATI All in Wonder in my Athlon allows me to capture anything I want to keep long term. The problem is that the user interface is lousy and user intensive compared to Tivo. Flashy, but not as efficient as Tivo.

      I wouldn't object to a faster CPU in my Tivo, since "Wish Lists" are a little slow to process, but the software is very near perfect at serving its function.

  38. Big Question by mmol_6453 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Note to self: RTFA.

    Here're the Big Questions:

    Can the cable companies forbid us from modifying the source?

    At least parts of it are going to be GPL. Will they still be able to resist giving us the source code?

    Even if they do give us the source code, can they forbid us from patching it and modding the box?

    Is there legal basis for charges based on "violating the spirit" of a contract?

    --
    What's this Submit thingy do?
  39. Linux does not beget an OS. by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

    Just because the Linux Kernel runs the device doesn't mean there's going to be a shell, or that there are going to be any of the normal utilities you find in a standard Linux distribution.

    This machine is designed as an embedded system. However, given the level of flexibility Linux provides, a *nix-savvy person shouldn't find it too difficult to add shell support, and I'm sure that, if Moxi doesn't come with a full distribution, then I'm sure some group will wing one out within a month or two of initial release. After all, there's an open-source OS for Lego Mindstorms, isn't there?

    --
    What's this Submit thingy do?
    1. Re:Linux does not beget an OS. by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

      A lot of us (myself included) have the software knowledge, but don't know much about how to safely put together a computer. (Until recently, I didn't appreciate how easily static electricity, sans, could fry a part. In electronics class, I discovered that touching the base lead of a transistor can seriously mess up its collector output, which means, for the uninformed, that you absolutely do not want to touch a live board, or drop a screw, no matter how many times you've gotten away with it.)

      Others will just buy the product for the convenience of it already being put together and set up. Anyone have figures on how many people install Windows an Wal-Mart OS-less PCs?

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
    2. Re:Linux does not beget an OS. by tmhsiao · · Score: 2

      What many people haven't realized is that TiVo and other manufactured DVR's strength is not in the fact that it can record shows digitally.
      Their strength is in the software and interface which will allow you to record every possible episode of Invader Zim on any given channel without the need to interact with the machine after initially telling it that you like Zim (or more appropriately, Gir).

      --
      "My God...It's full of ads!" -Fry, about the Internet, Futurama
  40. Assuming they can get a foot in the door... by Otto · · Score: 2

    It's a great business idea, and I see them putting Tivo out of business in the larger markets. Tivo (and other pvr companies) will have to maneuver furiously to maintain their current customer base, nevermind a growing base.

    It would be a great business idea, if someone hadn't already thought of it first. Tivo had this same business idea three years ago and had been trying to get exactly such a digital cable box device w/Tivo created. Cable companies weren't interested in buying from Tivo. They *are* interested in buying from existing cable box makers, like Scientific Atlanta.

    SA's latest digital box has "Tivo-like" functionality, which basically means it can record to it's hard drive in much the same way you'd program a VCR. By time, with repeating recordings possible. In other words, it ain't too bright, but it does do minimal recording abilities.

    Moxi has to compete with these heavily entrenched cable box manufacturers. Scientific Atlanta and thier ilk have been making cheap crappy boxes for cable headends for a long, long, long time, and have a product that is seemingly "good enough" to someone interested more in claiming "our cable company provides a PVR service!" than claiming "we provide a *good* PVR service".

    --
    - Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
    1. Re:Assuming they can get a foot in the door... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

      The fact that it's a Linux-based PVR might convince me to get cable in the first place.

      I have a TV and a DVD player. No cable, satellite, or even an antenna. My life is plugged into the wall, both for 110VAC and Ethernet access.

      The idea of having a flexible, Linux-based system as the front-end for my TV stands a good chance of getting me to buy this PVR, even if it means subscribing to cable. I could dedicate its spare CPU cycles to something like fold@home or my home beowulf cluster. (currently consisting of a 166 laptop, a 200MHz computer, and a 700MHz Duron.)

      Now picture Comdex...If geeks know that one particular hotel in Chicago has PVR's in every room, and chrooted shell-and-X11 access on a site-wide Beowulf cluster, where do you think they'll stay for a night?

      Pretty powerful cluster, too. figure four floors of 100 suites each, an average of 1.5 TVs per suite (money can snag you a two-bedroom suite with a TV in each room.) That works out to be a 600-machine with a total cycle count of 420 GHz.

      On the other hand, a chain of hotels, with just 10 hotels like this one, would be able to sell (ala IBM) 4.2THz of processing power as one large WAN, or parceled out in whatever division you please.

      Take this to a large chain with a "two-in-every-state" approach to locations, and you'll have 42THz to work with. Anyone know the conversion from Hz to FLOPS?

      Figure maybe five chains with this kind of roomage, and you've got 210THz of processing power, which, while probably not grouped into one network, would still be really helpful for research institutions into things like modeling the Big Bang, or examining star collisions. Protein folding would be a cinch.

      Anyway, it's a massive potential revenue for hotel chains, as well as any other system that has a lot of cable TVs. (Schools, anyone? Talk about a fundraiser.)

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      What's this Submit thingy do?
    2. Re:Assuming they can get a foot in the door... by stienman · · Score: 2

      I think the problem here is that you won't be able to do anything with it. No command line, no x term, etc.

      They would have to do that because if the box has signal decoding/decyphering capabilities then anyone with more than 'record', 'change channel', and 'volume' is going to either gain valuable info about how a particular station is encoded, or be able to have it decode all stations without paying for full service.

      The tricky thing is - how does the GPL fit into this? Are they going to require cable companies to distribute a CD with every installed box and say, "You'll never need this, but by law we are required to give you the source code for this box, except the proprietary (useful) bits that are seperate binaries..."

      -Adam

    3. Re:Assuming they can get a foot in the door... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

      That really is the Big Question.

      After the dust settles on that one, there'll be another couple:

      Were any companies seriously burned by embedding Linux in their otherwise proprietary systems? Will it serve as a warning?

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
    4. Re:Assuming they can get a foot in the door... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2

      I'd think you'd get PRI circuit loops from the phone company. Depending on the interconnectivity required, you might end up ordering several PRIs connecting one site to another, forming a kind of backbone. Or you might pay the cable company to feed data upstream. (You'd have to compare the cost-per-MB/s of cable to that of multiple PRIs. In a large urban area, PRIs are going to run you something like three grand per month.) I don't know what's involved to get a fiber link between sites.

      Even distributed computing in the sense of separate clusters, for parallelable computations, is faster than the same number of individual units in an @Home-style distributed system.

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
  41. I'd like o see a PVR PCI board that supports Linux by MrJerryNormandinSir · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It would be cool to see a low cost PVR board that
    supports Linux to come out of this.

    Right now I use Nuvrec (on a 1.5Ghz AMD) and
    when the recording is done I make a second pass and encode an MPEGII file.

    Nuvrec works great with a Wintv card at 720x480x30fps!

    But I'd like to do hardware mpegII encoding.

  42. It's not ROM by mgkimsal2 · · Score: 2

    It's not ROM if it can be overwritten. PROM or EPROM maybe, but not ROM.

  43. HDTV requires hardware integration. by RebornData · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Keep in mind that so-called "standalone Tivos" are *analog* recording devices- they work with all systems because they support the ubiquitous analog inputs and do all the digital encoding and compression on-board. But to do HDTV cost-effectively, you'll have to capture the streams *prior* to decompression, since components capable of compressing a full HDTV source in real-time probably aren't going to be cheap enough to use in mass-market consumer devices for quite a while.

    It's like the DirectTivo, which stores the encrypted, compressed satellite feed on the disk directly, and only decompresses / decodes when you watch. This requires custom, DirecTV-specific hardware. For DRM reasons, I doubt that any satellite or cable operator is going to let you grab unencrypted, but still compressed HDTV data from their set-top box and make it available in form to an external "standalone" PVR.

    Of course, traditional VHF/UHF broadcast is a different matter, but keep in mind that, unlike a standalone Tivo, a PVR that supports broadcast *won't* automatically work with a cable or satellite system for the reasons described above.

  44. I did by schlach · · Score: 4, Informative

    Part of the reason why this isn't exactly true is because Microsoft announced [techcentralstation.com] it is completely dropping UltimateTV

    I noticed that when you said "Microsoft announced..." you pointed to a news article on another site, rather than a press release on UltimateTV's site. So I read that article, and sure enough, the author of that article says "Already, Microsoft has announced that they're discontinuing their UltimateTV set-top box,". So then I clicked his link to UltimateTV's site, and found absolutely no mention of any supposed discontinuation.

    The Press Releases section bears no mention of any discontinuation. You can still buy it. If the company discontinued the product, it wouldn't make much sense that they'd still be promoting it.

    This ZDNet article mentions some restructuring:

    But UltimateTV didn't take off as Microsoft had hoped, and the company recently announced it was restructuring that division and laying off some workers.

    So I found that article.

    And then what may be the source of this rumor. A ZDNet "Story" by David Coursey entitled, "Why UltimateTV was an ultimate failure." From the piece: "If you call Microsoft, as I did, you will find the company disagrees will [sic] my assessment that it is getting out of the DVR business."

    So as near as I can tell, some guy thinks Microsoft is getting out of the market because they cut their staff from 500 to 160. I dunno, maybe they are, but my point is that there was never a "Microsoft announced..." moment. At this point, it's still rumor. So let's keep the facts-to-speculation ratio as high as possible on slashdot. You too, moderators.

    Paul may piss off the people working on the X-Box, but he's not going to affect UltimateTV one iota.

    If your speculation is what you were basing your conclusion on, then I must disagree. I doubt Microsoft is really all that happy that a founder's company is using Linux on anything, regardless of their relative strength in that market.

    1. Re:I did by GLX · · Score: 3, Informative

      I looked at what you linked to, and you're partially correct - however there are many more references to MS "restructuring" and "disbanding" the UltimateTV unit than you lead on to.

      There was this in DotCom Scoop, pointing to an article in the SJ Mercury. Unfortunately the article has been archived and they charge to see archives, but the beginning states:
      "Source: KRISTI HEIM, Mercury News Seattle Bureau
      Microsoft plans to cut more than 150 positions in a major restructuring of its troubled television business based in Mountain View, sources close to the company said Monday.The reorganization will eliminate Microsoft's UltimateTV division in Silicon Valley, which has about 500 employees. About two-thirds of those employees will be consolidated automatically into other Microsoft groups. The remaining 168 employees will be given three months to find other jobs within Microsoft or face"

      That certainly sounds like they're doing away with it to me. As well, a search on buy.com yielded no results for UltimateTV and amazon.com has three matches that all read "This item is not stocked or has been discontinued.". Tweeter.com stocks no UltimateTV devices, yet they were listed along with the Tivo receivers last year during X-mas.

      So, before you cast stones, check your facts. It's obvious that MS has canned the current Ultimate TV platform as we know it.

      The last press release on the Ultimate TV site is from Jan 7, 2002... They knew they were in for it when DirecTV officially partnered with Tivo because satellite was their biggest market.

      Maybe a little bit more research was warranted other than going to the UltimateTV.com website before countering - if we all believed what manufacturers had on their websites, we'd all have 100% Herbal Viagra + Huge penises.

      --
      Sig (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
  45. Ugh...not again... by SPYvSPY · · Score: 2

    A perfect example of the party line from the 'hardcore' TiVo loyalists:

    If you're watching live TV then you just don't understand Tivo. Either that or you have too much time on your hands. Get up and go do something useful.

    First of all, if I want to channel surf, I ought to be *able* to do it without fighting through a laggy, crummy interface.

    Secondly, some of us that own TiVo like a certain measure of uncertainty in our lives, and are not the sort of pre-programming automatons that you apparently think we *all* are.

    If you put TimeWarner's DTV live TV interface next to TiVo, and think TiVo is better, you are hands-down, certifiably insane.

    As for TiVo's search functions being sophisticated, I really have to continue to disagree. It's basic, and it works, but it's hardly the full-blown rules-based system that it could be if they put a little bit of thought into it. Plus, it's laggy, and there's no way to quickly scroll through the huge lists of results that it gets, and you can't attach boolean rules to recording instructions (e.g, record auto races with 'formula' in the title, but not 'formula vee'), and it's very difficult to tell what channel multiple instances of the same show is on because it only gives you the wierdo DirecTiVo channel designation (e.g., 'NY4' instead of translating to 'Local ABC', in spite of the fact that DirecTV supplies that information to it). Shall I go on?

    TiVo: -1, Overrated.

    1. Re:Ugh...not again... by Paul+Carver · · Score: 2

      Well, I don't know about "the party line of hardcore Tivo loyalists", I personally don't know anyone other than myself that has a Tivo.

      I enjoy uncertainty in my life as well, and I've found there's quite a bit of it once you get out of the house and start interacting with other people in a non-"staring at the tube" manner.

      I said Tivo's interface was efficient. I didn't say it was a sophisticated boolean search engine. I think perhaps you should really take a look at how much of an influence TV is on your life. Do you really need to do boolean searches on TV listings? Is there any system that meets your needs today? If it's really a popular feature I expect Tivo will add it, since they've added several very nice features afterI bought mine.

      I recommend Tivo because it lets me catch the stuff I want to see with a minimum of time and effort so that I can spend more time away from the TV. It sounds like you want to maximize your interaction with your TV.

      I'm not trying to force you to love Tivo, but instead of making sweeping statements like "I have DirecTiVo, and it has the *slowest*, *clumsiest* interface that I have ever used on any computer, including everything since the TRS-80 days." please at least consider that maybe there is a target market to whom Tivo's interface is ideally suited. And maybe next time you'll do a little more research before spending a couple hundred dollars on something that apparently causes you so much distress.

  46. Big deal is x86 by Scyber · · Score: 2, Interesting

    IIRC, Tivo isn't x86 based. This is (it uses the C# processor from cyrix). This means it should be easier to roll your own PVR.

  47. MythTV by xerofud · · Score: 2, Interesting

    And why not also mention MythTV ... another open source Tivo-style project that continues to be actively developed as a "media convergence" system, but already sports most of TiVo's features.

    Visit: www.mythtv.org

  48. Not a couch potato... by SPYvSPY · · Score: 2

    Please stop condescending to me about television. I barely watch mine (I'd guess about two to five hours per week, maximum). If I weren't so busy I might watch more.

    Of course, that doesn't mean that I haven't noticed how much TiVo's interface sucks. And by the way, I did plenty of research about TiVo and all I heard were people raving about how revolutionary TiVo is, which indicates to me that most people are so thankful to have TiVo's core functions that they overlook its weaknesses. This has been confirmed to me since, because I have posted complaints to the tivocommunity.com forum about the interface, and all the responses were pure zealotry along the lines of what you've been saying to me.

    Now be a good little boy and get away from your computer so you can go out into the real world and play with the other children. You really should lose the whole TV = evil bit -- it comes off as luddite and *very* condescending.

  49. Re:Does it include... by ClosedSource · · Score: 2

    To those that think this is offtopic:

    From the Motley Fool:
    "Allen also owns a quarter of Dreamworks SKG, the Spielberg-Katzenberg-Geffen film studio, and nearly 16 million shares of Barry Diller's USA Networks (Nasdaq: USAI), which also controls the Home Shopping Network and Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch (Nasdaq: TMCS)."

    Had the article not mentioned Allen, then it would have been offtopic to joke about his connection to Ticketmaster, but since he was mentioned, his investments are quite relevant. Clearly Allen is not a "free as in beer" or "free as in GPL" kind of guy.