Linux-Powered PVR/Satellite Machine

spicyjack writes "After reading this story, I thought this submit would be appropriate. A German company called Dream-Multimedia-TV has come up with a schweet custom box targeted for the PVR/Satellite markets. How about a machine with a 250Mhz IBM PowerPC, 2 SmartCard readers, one CompactFlash slot, UDMA66 IDE, MPEG2 support with MPEG4 (DivX) support on the way, Ethernet, LCD display, SPDIF out, yada yada yada (zipped User's Manual). Oh, and it is built specifically to run Linux. Available right now. Commence hacking!"

Comments

$499 euros?

[Gromph]

Only a 250 mhz processor and it's 499 euros which is about US $499. And this is a good thing why??

Re:$499 euros?

[Tim Browse]

My question is what speed PowerPC does the tivo use?

50MHz.

Tim

Re:$499 euros?

[uradu]

> if you really think that clock speed is all that counts

Obviously you're one who thinks that the performance of PowerPC expands to beat any competitor at any given time. While the x86 and PPC are not comparable MHz for MHz, you can certainly figure out how much work each one does per cycle. Just for comparison, a dirt cheap throw away CPU nowadays would be a 1GHz Duron (around $35), which runs four times faster than this particular PPC. The PPC would have to execute four times more instructions per cycle than the Duron to be roughly comparable, and you can bet your life that it doesn't. So, all in all, while the PPC might be more efficient per cycle, it is not per dollar. IOW, for any given dollar amount you can buy considerably more raw processing power in an x86.

For example, check out the Epia boards from Via. For around $100 you get roughly the same processing power plus all conceivable peripherals on board. Add a $30 graphical LCD from Crystalfontz, get (or make) a suitable case, and you're set for WAY less than $500. Especially if hacking is what you want anyway, this approach is much cheaper and more flexible (not to mention more fun).

Re:I wish I could find some good Linux PVR softwar

[parnold]

try freevo, it can work quite well with a monitor & mouse. http://freevo.sourceforge.net

TiVo

[RzUpAnmsCwrds]

TiVo already has a box like this. No, it doesn't have as many features. It's also $199.

DirecTV DVR powered by TiVo (basically a renamed Series II combo box) has a 200mhz MIPS processor, 32M of RAM, 2 tuners, hardware MPEG2 decoding, 40GB disk, USB 2.0, etc.

It's also powered by Linux.

Re:TiVo

[6hill]

TiVo already has a box like this.

And again, there are parts of the world where TiVo does not exist as a market entity. Say, most of Europe. (Not saying this thing is worth the dough they ask for it, only reminding that some of us live in countries where the number of options is severely limited.)

Re:What formats does this unit support?

[Student_Tech]

Well in the specs the mention MPEG2, DVB compatible.
DVB page is http://www.dvb.org

A linux group working with some DVB cards can be found at http://www.linuxtv.org/dvb/

I haven't looked into it for a while but I don't think DISH or DirecTV use a pure DVB compatible signal, but I may be wrong.

Re:250MHz and DivX?

[parnold]

if you read the site its says that it won't do divx encoding only DECODING. and will proberly just use mpeg2 for the PVR functions. anyway a divx player is cool

Re:250MHz and DivX?

[BagOBones]

It has a hardware Mpeg2 Decoder... It saies Divx support to come so I would assume that it will be a one chip solution in furture models.

It looks like Windows aint outta the picture yet

[teamhasnoi]

Do my eyes decieve me?

Perhaps its just a theme. I guess I'll find out on the next episode of 'Taken'.

Better picts

[new500]

Here

that's http://www.dream-multimedia-tv.de/cat/pictures.php 4 for the still Goat conscious

Re:What formats does this unit support?

[jpt.d]

From what I remember on my previous research into this was that the Express-Vu up in Canada, which is a version of the dish network, uses DVB coupled with Nagravision - the protection mechanism.

A word of warning

[zztzed]

A word of warning to any Slashdotters who are thinking this might be a nice way to get around paying for a DirecTiVo (or DirecTV DVR as I think they're calling the Series 2 ones) or DishPVR:

I've looked into building my own satellite PVR, and from what I learned, I think I can safely say that this box in all likelihood will not work with DirecTV or Dish Network. DirecTV uses its own proprietary encryption scheme which isn't supported by anything but DTV-licensed receivers, and while Dish Network uses Nagravision encryption, which is supported by some things (like Hauppauge's WinTV DBS card), they marry their smartcards to their receivers, so a Dish Network smartcard will only work in the receiver in which it was first activated unless you hack it (and even then it may not work outside a Dish Network receiver). Basically, this thing is useless unless you want to use it to record free-to-air satellite broadcasts.

Re:A word of warning

[zztzed]

Good post. Glad to see good posts still exist around here ;)
Heh heh. Thanks. :)

But Dish, OTOH, does broadcast some channels unencrypted, which you can pick up with a DVB receiver - the Lyngsat site can tell you which ones are FTA.
I just looked -- the only channels Dish broadcasts in the clear on CONUS are the barker channels (remote control help, 3-minute PPV/sports guide), the Muzak channels and one Sky Angel channel (I think...I saw it when I was skimming the lists but I couldn't find it again). There are also a few locals that are in the clear, but they're on spot beams.

I was aware that Dish broadcasts several channels unencrypted, but I didn't really feel like it was worth mentioning -- because like you said, these channels may be free, but no one wants 'em. :)

Re:A word of warning

[mgs1000]

Check out the Tivo video extraction forum at DealDatabase.com

Re:What formats does this unit support?

[Student_Tech]

Ok, I was wrong. The DVB site has under the supported items many things from Echostar (DISH) including some of the satellite receivers. Quick google seems to show that yes DISH is DVB ok.
Didn't see any Hughes (DirecTV) and from what it looks like (another google) they use an MPEG2 signal that isn't DVB compatible.

So it seems DISH yes DVB, DirecTV no DVB.

Sony's Vaio Solution [Slightly OT]

[zwoelfk]

For anyone interested in an out-of-the-box solution for PVR/DVD -> VCD, etc. Check out Sony's Vaio PCV-W102 (I think it's only available in Japan, though)

As a programmer, I like to tweak with my boxes, but this is so cool by default, I don't even want to mess with it! 1.6GHz Celeron (Could be worse!), 256MB Ram (512MB would be much better, but what the hell!), DVD/CDRW, Tuner (coax-in only, unfortunately), all-in-one integrated AV remote (however, can't use remote as a mouse, that's too bad...), memory card slot, 2 PCMCIA slots, 3 USB, 2 Firewire, Widescreen flat 15.5" display (it looks sweet!), etc. It's has Windows XP installed, but it has lots of cool-ass software for ripping music and video, so I'll leave it be.

Anyway, Cygwin now has support for rootless mode under X, so I'm running all my favorite apps (esp. Konsole!) seamlessly.

It's not a set top box, but it did completely replace my TV/DVD/VCR setup, and I'm stoked about it!

It cost me around 170000JPY at the Sony store.

Re:Sony's Vaio Solution [Slightly OT]

[zwoelfk]

I think that's an IR reciever on the left side of that picture. That's integrated into the current models (under the display) - so you only have to deal with three plugs out of the box - USB mouse, main power, and Ethernet (it has a modem too, though)

Dynamism sells these things to foriegn customers and has an english description - I don't know anything about that company though.

Also, on Sony's page here they have a little widget which'll give you a 360 degree view around it (click the action button when you see it). (note: I have no problem with this page on Mozilla 1.2.1 under linux.)

Re:With 250MHz PPC's?

[PeePeeSee]

Yes - they run on these things out of the box - Now you can commence to buying 100 of them and starting your fangled whiz bang e-commerce/distributed computing/colocation company. Lemme know if you need investors!!

But you can't hack the Tivo Series2

[xerofud]

Is it still true that no one has managed to "log into" their Series 2 Tivo and bring up a bash prompt? When I bought one a few months ago and learned that all the nice hacks were restricted to Series 1 Tivo's, I prompted returned my Tivo 2 for a full refund.

Now I'm using a homebrew box (which by the way cost the same as Tivo Series 2 + lifetime subscription) and am running MythTV.

And I could not be happier.

Things I wouldn't know how to do with a Series 2:

1) Customize the UI and navigate it with a wireless keyboard instead of a remote.

2) Burn content to DVD.

3) Integrate my MP3 collection and digital photos.

4) Update programming guide if Tivo went bankrupt and my "lifetime" subscription expired worthless.

5) Export recorded content to other machines sittings on my LAN.

6) Customize the commercial-skipping function.

7) Upgrade/replace a component (e.g. hard drive)

Not *quite* the ultimate system

[Analysis Paralysis]

This box, while looking pretty flexible in most areas, does not have a positioner so cannot control a motorised dish directly. There is also no mention of DiSEqC 1.2 (explained here along with lots of other things) compatibility which would be an alternative to a positioner (the specs only mention LNB switching which is DiSEqC 1.0). The specs *do* mention an I2C connection for an external control and there is Linux support for it in the kernel apparently.

Oh, and the twin SCART sockets may be ideal for European users, but there is no mention of composite or S-VHS socketry for the US - so Americans will have to get a SCART-to-S-VHS cable to use this box.

Re:Not *quite* the ultimate system

[Analysis Paralysis]

Warning! The link in the above comment is just an attempt to get Mr Anonymous Coward lots of ad banner clicks for a free shell or root account!

Satellite == DVB == European Only

[-tji]

This seems like a cool box for the Europeans among us. But, for the Americans, it's not very useful. DVB is a European satellite standard. The American satellite services, DirecTV and Dish Network are completely proprietary.

Re:What formats does this unit support?

[general_re]

They mention satellite service in the article, but after (albeit briefly) browsing the German website I can't tell which services it is compatible with. I happen to use Dish PVR, I would love to move to an open source option!

This isn't a replacement for the Dish subscription. Dish is sorta-kinda DVB-compatible - you can use a DVB receiver to pull in some of the Dish Network channels, but only the channels that are unencrypted. Which means that you won't get the channels you're probably most interested in - this box will not get you free HBO or free PPV movies, for example.

And just to round out the picture, DirecTV's feeds are entirely incompatible with DVB, so you won't pull in any DTV channels.

Re:It's the software

[Rolo Tomasi]

The EPG (Electronic Program Guide) info is embedded in the DVB stream. In Europe at least.

Re:250MHz and DivX?

[Klaruz]

Jeeze man, look at the date on the page. Sept 99. A quick google says that in sept 99 the fastest pc cpu was a 600mhz p3. I believe 450mhz g3s were shipping at the time.

I'm not going to get into the differences in the chips at the time, but apple's ads were pretty accurate. Today is a different story though.

Please step away from your distortion field.

Re:with a price tag of?

[adlai]

It's currently selling for 275 pounds (490 dollars) in the UK at this site (Satstore), with an explicit warning that "this box is still in development" and only interested enthusiasts should purchase it...