Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Modular Home Network PVR at CeBIT

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the different-kinds-of-tv-networks dept.

Mackus Daddius writes "This ought to give the MPAA a conniption: 'The Lancaster system is modular, consisting of a TV tuner (analogue or digital), a hard disk module and an interface module that ties the system together and connects to your TV. The modules are connected using standard Ethernet connections, giving you flexibility over where the modules are placed and used. Multiple storage and interface modules can be used, increasing the capacity of the system and allowing multiple TVs to be used for watching programmes.' From the ZDNet UK article and here's an article with pics."

2 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Does it speak TCP/IP? by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And does it properly respect the appropriate ethernet specifications? In other words, if I depend on my network to operate my house, will it be safe to plug this thing into it? I would hope the answer is yes, but of course, you never know. I would assume (we all know where that leads, though) that TCP/IP is the only thing that would make sense since they mention the possibility of extending it over wireless networks, but perhaps they are planning a proprietary scheme for that as well? Anyway, maybe someone could shed some light on this, because I'm too busy to go look it up right now :(

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. This is the future by IWannaBeAnAC · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Surely this is the future way that these devices would evolve in a free marketplace. Consider the way that you can build up a stereo system by assembling a cd player, perhaps a tape player, perhaps a DAT player, probably a radio tuner, with an amplifier/mixer and some speakers, and whatever else you want to include. All the connectors are compatible (at worst, with a trivial adaptor), you can mix and match as you see fit, the only limit on the capabilities of the system is the imagination.

    Of course, this does not stop you from purchasing an all-in-one "black box", but it certainly sets the benchmark of functionality that you can expect.

    Contrast this with the MPAA/RIAA/Microsoft view: An "entertainment console" with pervasive DRM, encrypted and incompatible connections between different components, functionality fixed by the manufacturer and not expandable (except perhaps by buying components from the same manufacturer, protected by encryption from compatibility with equipment from another manufacturer).

    Given a free market, which product do you think would be most successful?