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New Linux PVR Box
An anonymous reader points to this product from Interact-TV, known as Telly, writing "Cool little box. PVR, stores photos, burns VCDs or DVDs (if you get a DVD burner), serves up stored content on your home network, nice gui, works with some satellite and digital cable boxes, 2.4.18 kernel. Freevo or mythTV can do about the same thing but this one is ready out of the box."
Now that I have a TiVo I could never give it up. But the fact this offers network connectivity, 5.1 digital out, and composite video is quite impressive. The price may seem a little steep, but a new TiVo with a lifetime subscription is about 650-700, but this box is subscription free.
The real question is the interface going to be able to compete with TiVo? The ability to do season-passes are (IMO) what will make it or break it.
Mike
Can you record and store TV programs and later burn them on a CD?
Yes, Telly's Video Library supports an archiving feature. Eventually Telly will support DVD burning; the current MC1000 supports a CD-RW drive. You will be able to expand your unit to include a DVD-RW drive in the near future.
Also you can't pause the live feed which is imo one of the best features of Tivo
Is it possible to pause/rewind/skip-commercials of live TV broadcasts?
Currently not on live TV broadcasts, but once recorded, you can skip 30-second intervals, pause, and rewind.
If they push the envelope like they claim they will, this will be one excellent box. At $899.00, it's pricey for all but the serious buyers... however it's tough to come in cheaper for a do-it-yourself solution.
-sid
Buy your Telly MC1000 Home Entertainment Server today for only $899.00
Hell, pick up three or four.
Until these things cost the same as a VCR I couldn't possibly justify paying the price.
Of course, I am just about to justify the price of cable, so I guess I'm already a step behind most couch jockeys. It's just that the return of Ren and Stimpy is such an enticing reason to get cable.
Bad choice for a trademarked name?
Here in the UK, "telly" is the generic term for television.
Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. - Ambrose Bierce
Actually my DirecTiVo. Beautiful digital signal from the bird so high in the sky straight to disk. No recompresssion. Far higher quality than this or any other PVR (other than DishNetwork's PVR).
Hell I can build an "almost" top of the line PC for that. The software doesn't look all that impressive and it is still a PC that doesn't look like an entertainment center applaince. Reading the specs of a VIA C3 sub 1 GHz processor with 256 megs of 2100 Ram. This thing is a $200 PC for almost a grand.
But it runs linux, wait no, that's free.
Seems like quite the not good deal ...
Ignore the "p2p is theft" trolls, they're just uninformed
This thing is a small fortune at 900$ plus tax. How do they expect to compete with that kind of barrier to entry? How do they justify that price when everything else I've seen is half that or less in the case of Tivo?
I'll pass thanks.
Cool.. but my Xbox does that as well...
The price seems a bit steep, with high end PVRs coming in a lot cheaper...
Maybe good for the enthusiast or rich man, doesn't seem like an average joe would pay $899 for a "linux tivo" (In their eyes)
Excuse me, I don't mean to impose, but I am the ocean
I can't find anything on the marketing overview page about it being quiet or not. You'd think they would trumpet, so to speak, the fact if it were a quiet box.
The specs include a TV tuner and analog S-Video/Composite inputs. $899 is an OK price to pay for an integrated box, but most people (i dunno, I do) probably have enough parts laying around to make something exactly like this out of common parts.
And, analog mpeg-2 capture isn't exactly something to be proud of. Hardware mpeg2 encoder cards can be picked up for $100 these days, and this "DVR" doesn't offer any of the advanced features such as skipping during live shows, etc, so why pay more for almost standard PC hardware?
Now if this supported hdtv recording via firewire, or direct mpeg2 recording off dish network or whatever is today's digital satellite system, that would make it worth the money.
Analog mpeg2 DVRs dont impress me anymore, too much quality loss, not enough features to make me switch from using a normal PC for similar capture tasks.
Why hasn't a company come out with an adult version of the PVR?
Name it the "Porn-O-Tron" or "Porn-O-Matic"
Include a subscription business model with various channels of varying fetishes, etc. and market it as just that. Tie it all together and the customers will flood the place...ok bad pun but you get the idea.
You could even tie in various adult products that plug into the box and someone on the other end could operate them for $19 a minute. Virtual Spanktravision might even be a better name or sub-brand as long as it doesn't canabalize the main brand.
Porn is BIG business and why hasn't a visionary other than myself come up with this?
You aren't free to do anything, until you've lost everything.
This one's really cool, I have planned to build my own system based on MythTV, and that's exactly the chassi I had in mind, it looks so HiFi.
http://coolermaster.com/case/p620.htm
Who loves ya Baby?
Anyone want to start a pool on how long this will last before the MPAA gets them shut down?
I'll take a month...
Disinfect the GNU General Public Virus!
Anyone thinking of getting one should strike now before the lawsuits begin and the features are slowly removed or crippled.
Vino, gyno, and techno -Bruce Sterling
$900 PVR, $50 TV card and cron...tough choice... Maybe in a few years when these things are a common appliance (and priced like today's VCRs).
Defined by our esteemed parent poster.
You can get network connectivity with a non-authorized ethernet card for Tivos. Do a google search, I think they run about 60 bucks. As far as composite out goes, maybe a video geek can help out here, but considering the source (cable/satellite) it may just be that the law of diminishing returns kicks in real hard after a point and its may not be worth it.
I kinda dig the standard directivo. Dual tuners, S-Video out, etc. I'd much rather see a cheaper tivo that doesn't hurt the pocketbook too much than just more feature creep.
From the website:
>Buy your Telly MC1000 Home Entertainment Server today for only $899.00
Err no thanks. Where's that $100 Tivo?
From the description of their "media OS" based on Linux, http://interact-tv.com/EOS.php, I noticed something...
ItvXUL: XML based description language for describing itvgui based applications.
Does that mean their UI is based on http://www.mozilla.org/projects/xul/?
I've used a Tivo daily for about 3 years, and couldn't live without it. How do these alternatives compare? Are either of them mature products? Or will I be needing to use nightly builds to get essential features?
My Tivo's getting old, and I know at somepoint it will fail. I'd love to get one of those shuttle mini cases and roll my own PVR if the usability and ease of use were up there.
Extra features like xvid, mp3/ogg, etc support are nice, but do these programs really have the same level of functionality as a Tivo's most essential function: watching and recording TV?
Any ideas?
I have a mini-itx box that is cheaper and (subjectively) cooler looking. I just don't have a remote, but who cares with a RF keyboard/mouse combo... Now what I want to know is, if that is based on Linux, then is there any way to get the software so that I can turn my own box into a PVR? Now that's an OSS I'm looking forward to! :-)
Bonus: look for the following and you too can build a Tivo out of your old PC's spare parts: Via Epia M 933 Mhz, Cubid 2699R mini-itx case (also in black), IBM Wireless Navigator Pro. (note: all these links point to pictures, not shops). Add the appropriate Linux distro, and voila, cheap PVR.
The ENIAC Demo Competition
...and he isn't going to explode.
(Still looking for Penguin on the Telly).
--
# Canmephians for a better Linux Kernel
$Stalag99{"URL"}="http://stalag99.net";
I forgot to mention the need for your favorite brand of (PCI) TV tuner card. Furthermore, the Mini-itx motherboard has integrated TV-out and 5.1 surround connectivity. :-)
The ENIAC Demo Competition
Considering DVR technology is still in its infancy, the price is rather good. In 1983 our RCA VCR/Camcorder combo cost almost $2000. If you wanted to shoot video away from the TV, you were required to carry 3/4 of the twenty pound VCR with you. I think the unit without the camcorder was $1300 or so, adjust that for inflation and your looking at about $2500 for that VCR. Good thing these things aren't at VCR prices..
At $900, it's too expensive. But remember, VCR's started out at $1k.
A next gen one of these (cheaper, more features..DVD-RW, pause live video, etc etc) will bring Linux to the masses. Easy network with the house LAN, bigger HD for general storage, web server and access from anywhere, reasonable GUI...
But they won't know or care. The guts of the GUI and Linux kernel will be hidden, so Joe TV can't screw it up.
Root access? What's that? Oh...the 'Config' button on the remote that asks for a password so I can change some settings? ok...THAT thing. Gotcha.
Sounds like a neat unit, but I have one question...
TV-Out cards (or video cards with TV-out) generally deinterlace the signal in the process of converting the signal to something that the TV can understand.
The advantage of this is that the picture can easily be scaled to handle overscan. But the disadvantage is that the image quality, especially in panning scenes, is compromised. An interlaced NTSC signal will display 59.94 fields per second. This will allow for smooth motion, especially in the example of a scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen. When the signal is deinterlaced, that rate is cut in half to 29.97 and there can be blurring in areas of fast motion.
If this unit is using standard PC hardware, then it is likely deinterlacing the output. If so, it would make a pretty poor replacment for a DVD player. So much for an all-in-one solution...
Does this Telly unit have true interlaced TV output? If so, how is it achieved?
Beos is already in use professionally as a audio scheduler (Tunetracker), I see no reason that video can't be added.
Of special note, using Beos would allow you to 'roll your own' on *much* cheaper hardware than Win or Linux - an old Pentium 233/64 ram most likely could handle the job, since it is ass-fast on old boxen. Add a big ol' harddrive and you're in bidness.
THX-1138 really was the future! I like my hair, and I prefer "colours" other than white!
Then again, I could always run until they run out of money...
If you could be told what you can see or read, then it follows that you could be told what to say or think - BoC
How about a simplistic modem you can plug into the phone outlet so you can have callerid overlaid on your TV for incoming calls? Or notifications of friends/etc logging onto IM or IRC servers, and the ability to 'page' you?
I know it's not widespread right now, but those of us that have it aren't likely to be very impressed by NTSC or PAL images (oh yeah, I'd like my Dolby Digital 5.1 sound too).
My understanding is that TiVo will have an HDTV unit around the end of the year, until then I'm hanging onto my wallet (well, not exactly - I'm just buying different toys).
Help save the critically endangered Blue Iguana
They seem to have their heads screwed on right. Customer centric, expandable design. Didn't see it said explicitly but I would hope you can mount the disks elsewhere on the network with samba so they don't have to make noise in the TV room.
Looks more likely to be expandable to dtv and hdtv too, though the latter is probably something that requires new hardware to output to the hdtv.
(What I want is a component architecture on 100mbit ethernet. The decoder should stick on the TV and take ethernet to it over which the compressed stream flows, is decoded, mixed with overlay, and put onto the monitor. Thus when you get a different type of TV standard, all you need is this decoder built into or slapped onto the TV.)
The only reason I don't want it is the MPAA wants to put DRM in it, but otherwise it should be digital all the way to the TV. Forget ugly protocols like firewire and USB which try to define the format of streams. Ethernet and IP all the way.
Tivo started out great but is starting to work in anti-customer ways, locking up their later boxes, letting Replay lead the way and be sued. It's good to see competition coming forward.
Yeah, but then you are tied to the company that owns ReplayTV that week, and whatever they decide to charge. If it could pull TV listings off of a free website (even if there is a small, non-animated banner while you go through the guide) and could schedule recordings by time/day-of-week/date without any subscription, then I'd be happy to get one. Since that's not the case, I spent just under $300 to get a seriously high-end machine, plus a TV-capture card, and can get it to do anything I want, no company standing in the way... I will admit it is a huge hassle to get everything working under Linux, but definately worth it.
(It was very easy to get everything working under FreeBSD, but ironically, there isn't any really good FreeBSD software for recording from TV).
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
As a web developer, there is no way I will give up my mozilla and assorted mozilla mutants (Javascript debugging is just too damn convenient).
Btw, that is an extremely poor statistical analysis.
To quote the senate hearing: "the rate of fatal rollovers for pickups is twice that for passenger cars and the rate for SUVs is almost three times the passenger car rate" - and using your logic this implies that pickups are twice as numerous as passenger cars, and SUV's are three time as numerous as passenger cars.
Not that I disagree with the majority of historical points, but there is definitely a niche market (of developers no less) who have a vested interest in it's continuation.
My $0.05 (2c is no longer valid currency in Australia).
Q.
Insert Signature Here
This is a case of a company hoping a user will just be too lazy to do the work themselves, considering a vast majority of the hardware and software has counterparts available to the consumer.
Find your favorite brand CD-RW drive or DVD drive:
CD/DVD R/RW drivesrange from $35 - $359
Find your favorite case:
mini-itx cases max $112
Find your favorite rounded IDE cables:Rounded IDE cablesmax $10 each
Get your favorite Linux ISO:
List of Linux ISO
Do you want/need a wireless keyboard and remote? Those kits are available too. You can use various handheld devices, learning remotes or dedicated programable remotes. You can also use a wired keyboard and mouse.
Yeah, there are bits and bobbles I have left out. Yeah, you need to install Linux and one of the PVR programs available out there. Yeah, it will suck your time, but you'll know a lot more about your machine, you'll have a machine you can upgrade, change, etc at will. You'll have full controll of the software without any need for hacking, for a lot less.
That is a faster machine, likely a faster HDD, probably higher quality RAM, better cables, your choice of cases and whatever else you want. You could throw in a a 1 or 2 slot PCI riser, a Sigma Designs XCard and Remote and whatever else you want.
It's still $550, you still need to pay s/h and taxes where applicable. However, you can decide to save some money on the ram, the case, or any other part.
I'd buy one of these in a flash if it worked in Canada. Same with the tivo, I'd love to have one if it worked with Canadian listings.
I don't even talk on the compression group anymore.
So if you are going to try and insult me at least keep uptodate.
And "asshole" is very subjective. My guess is your beef with me is I'm your target of the day. So if that is the case being an "ass" by your standards isn't very meaningful.
Also you haven't addressed the issue. Why are my libraries "shitty". Or were you just mouthing off?
Tom
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
This Telly device does seem expensive. What's exciting is the prospect of better, cheaper, and more mainstream products to come.
When this concept becomes mainstream things will really get cool.
It took mp3 players to legitimize the mp3 format and show consumers that audio cd's are limiting. It will take PVR/media playing hardware to do the same for movies and tv.
First off newb-to-reality I didn't rip off his code. He just didn't agree with my license. In the end I agreed with him and removed his code.
It's called a discussion. See where multiple people talk without resorting to cowardly practices and name calling.
Can't we just get along? I bet in real life you're just the sweetest person on Earth. Ahh gimme a hug!
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
no sales tax here... ie in the $1 store things really are $1 not $1.07 or what ever...
because that is a stupid idea.
You guys are really missing the point of this device. It's true it's similar to TIVO/ReplayTV but go and read everything in the web site:
;-)
-This is a PVR and DVD player. The only TIVO that has this is the fancy panasonic for 1000$ that hasn't come out yet.
-It's also a cdwriter and can be upgraded to a DVD writer in due time.
-It's network transparent even for Windows/Mac people, no extra usb ethernet needed.
-It's expandable without having to hack it, you can add two hard drives bought of the shelf. I'd put it in the infinite expandable category just for that. BTW the extra space will look like one volume.
-It's standard linux, it has a web server, samba, etc. So it replaces whatever old box that you have lying around as a server, storage or whatever else.
-You can access the interface which seems nicely done both directly and remotely via a web server.
-As a plus it has all kinds of media playing capabilties: video, audio, photos.
-The one linked is the analog one, there is also a digital version for 100$ bucks more.
Finally, and very importantly they give you the SDK for producing your own software, they seem keen on open source and people developing their own little apps. So if you think a feature is missing, heck you can go and program it yourself. Isn't that the most important feature?
That's on the positive side. The one thing that it seems to lack is replay as it records. But that should be fixable if we overflow their mailboxes with requests
Disclaimer: I don't work for them or knew anything about them until I read this post but I've been waiting for just this since forever. It has everything I wanted in a tivo.
Platy
I may have my faults but at least I don't have a tail or a sixth toe on either foot.
Tom
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
I was struck by both the EPG and their data provider(Tribune/Zap2it). I didn't see on their site that they license IPG technology from Gemstar/TV Guide. A Linux based IPG solution might be attractive to cable/satellite operators who need to use their set-top box resources efficiently - especially once they seriously start deploying integrated PVRs. Perhaps it's not about the $899.00 box - maybe the box is a stalking horse to get into the EPG business. Prove it works on this platform, make a relationship with a data provider with deep pockets, and then go after every cable/satellite box in the country.
out of my a...? what attic? OMG there was a burgular in the house. I caught him and told him to rob your parents basement [re: your "home"]
Tom
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
I think it's possible, especially with the new Linux no modchip boot if it works as advertised (I haven't tried it yet). Anyone out there working on this or want to? I'm up for it, but not by myself.
I live in an upstairs bedroom. There is a difference!!!
Also I never have lied about it. As you so aptly have traced I've discussed my lack of an entertaining life on usenet.
Can we be friends? I'm so lonely!
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
I submitted this story yesterday morning and it was rejected...go figure.
I am a troll. Though to some I'm a tolerable troll. Which is more than I can say for you.
How many shitty crypto libraries have you written lately? That's right, ZERO!. While I have at least written one half-ass shitty backwards crypto library.
Booyah. Suck it.
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
from their FAQ: [http://interact-tv.com/faq.php]
Q: Can I buy the Telly software separate from the hardware?
A: No. Currently Telly is sold as a complete unit. The software isn't sold separately. If you have a hardware platform that you would like to run EOS/Telly on, contact our dealer program.
um...... dare i ask if i can download a tarball?
wheres all the savings from using a free os?
The XP Media Center which claims similar features (sort of) is what, $3-$4k
Sorry, whatever people say, as a person who build several Myth boxes, $900 is not far about what it would cost in retail prices and there are many aspects where this beats the Myth box hands down (dynamically adding hdd storage space is something I've been wanting for a while) If this thing is actually stable, I think it is a reasonable box. Not cheap, but not too overpriced.
And no, it will not replace tivo or VCR, this is a whole different animal. Kinda like comparing boombox to a home theater, similar purpose, different scale.
-Em
RelevantElephants: A Somatic WebComic...
Get used to it. I gave up submitting long ago. For your reason (more than once) and also lots of well thought out questions. Waste of time spending hours carefully typing submissions that get rejected, but EVERY SINGLE DAY another rant about software patents or Microsoft security weakness gets accepted.
Is the USB on the XBox fast ebough for that? Alternatively is there any other bus access on the XBox fast enough to handle streaming video. I guess what I'm really asking is whether there's a high enough bandwidth access without soldering modchips in (once was enough!).
TiVo runs on Linux of course.
It's funny because it's true.
This is a fancy PC desktop case.
This is NOT a typical size for home entertainment devices. If you "giant" Pioneer reciever "just fits". This is a couple inches bigger.
I thought that if I ever got anything Media Center-ish, it would be a Linux box, if only because it would be cheaper and avoid Microsoft's DRM slavery to the media industries. But then I thought that the perfect entertainment center-ish box can better justify a higher price than TiVo if it can also be used to play games. This seems to (unfortunately) make Windows the superior choice. Anybody have arguments in the other direction?
Could you imagine a beowulf cluster of these?
--- I'm going to get a score of -1 for this post because the mods are fuckers.
A comparable TIVO would cost you the following:
TIVO Series2 - $349.00
Non-transferable lifetime subscription - $299.00
Network Interface - $100.00
DVD/CD burner - Unavailable
TOTAL ------> $748.00
Telly 80GB DVR - $899.00
So $150.00 buys you:
1. Privacy (nobody downloading your viewing habits)
2. A cd burner
3. Easy upgrades
4. Unmatched hackability
I for one was excited about this box becuae it does give me more freedom. I ABOSLUTELY FSCKN HATE the idea of subscriptions (on top of my already high cable bill) for a TV guide. The idea that one day there will be more ads with TIVO and that it takes an act of god to hack your TIVO are all reasons to consider this.
Could you do a similar thing for less? Sure, but this is designed to be a consumer device. In terms of cost of ownership, I think it is VERY comparable to the latest TIVO's.
If the SVCD's are of a good quality (think good quality VHS that doesn't degrade over time) then this box has a place for home video archiving. Also as pointed out there are a lot of future ideas and extensions coming down the line.
My guess is that this box even supports SSH connections and looks like a Linux box all the way. Sounds like a great deal to me.
For starters, I bought a Ultimate TV unit for DirecTV for about $35 after all the rebates. I know you anti-capitalists want 'freedom' to use digital recorders to record staticy broadcast or analog cable.. Yeah, you do that. I'll live in the 2000's, thank you very much. Any digital satellite service is superior to any cable or broadcast network on the planet in regards to quality, quality, and price. Want to argue about that? Ok. Fine. You have reality issues.
Secondly, You could build a AMD K7 box, get a lian li mini ATX case (the new pancake fits in with AV components really well), 100 gig drive, ATI all in wonder pro, DVD, and a good sound card for less than this box -- but have greater performance. Plus you'll have access to all the great PC applications and HDTV outputs ($35 dongle required).
You could also get a used Xbox and a mod chip for 1/5th the price of this thing and get most of the functionality with Xbox Media Player. It also supports HDTV..
I'd suggest not getting excited and feeding the hype for these over-priced hacks. There's just no excuse to spend 900 bucks on something that doesn't do anything ground-breaking.
When somebody makes this the size of a small DVD player and sells it for $249 at Wal-Mart, then it will take off.
ReplayTV were bought out by Sonic Blue a couple years ago, and recently acquired by DM Holdings (the Denon Marantz people). Looks pretty stable to me. Sure, they could go tits up - any company can - but they show no signs of it.
As for building your own - been there, done that. I don't mean to detract from the incredible effort and talent being poured into MythTV, Freevo, etc., but the software and drivers just aren't there yet. Replay and Tivo are mature consumer products. I can understand wanting to build your own, or have ultimate control over it, but this is an appliance we're talking about here - something the rest of the family would like to be able to use!
I built a WinXP box for less than $300. SnapStream can be had with promotion/coupon for $50. It gives great results, even better if you buy a Hauppage PVR card with built in MPEG2 enocoder. $900 seems a bit steep.
Grreat, just what the world needed: yet another way to record American Gladiator reruns, Springer, and all the other trash that's on television. I find TiVo fetishism and this culture of passive, TV-facilitated vegetation disturbing. Here's an idea: pick up a book. The Penguin classics series runs me 2.41 at my local bookseller. For roughly 1/200th the price of a PVR you'll get a vastly more entertaining and provocative product with all the same features. Pause it wherever you want. Keep a copy for archival purposes when you're finished. Instantly fast forward to any point. No commercials. Accessible from any room of the house over sneakernet. It's ingenious, I say--a must have Christmas present for any geek this season.
I think there is a world market for maybe five personal web logs.
If you've ever owned one before, you're going to kick yourself in the face when one of the parts breaks and takes the rest of it with it. I'm sorry, but the people looking to buy this already have a really nice DVD player to begin with. If you want to replace your server, this already means you have one, why would you? There is no point.The DVD writer is a good idea, but id also like to have that seperate so when it dies my machine isn't crippled. Sending these things in for warranty repairs is going to take your entire world off line - F That!
From the manual, page 17: "While Telly is recording, Telly's TV window goes blank and you can't watch TV. You can use other Telly features like the music library, photo library or TellyPortal."
Arg. Sounds like a step back from my VCR.
Otherwise, the idea is great, the interface looks wonderful. Just a little work needed on the TV watching features and the price.
Most writers regard truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use - Mark Twain
That's the nail in the coffin on this one. I couldn't believe it when I read it. TO skip commercials, you have to record an entire program, then watch it.
Pricewise it's right about on the money (read some of the other posts making comparisons). It's not as cheap as some used POS Tivo or Replay, but compared to buying the comparable Tivo w/ subscription and a DVD player, it's pretty close.
The problem is that its not a true home theatre PC - It's clearly not designed to push hi-def displays, doesn't mention anything about pre-tweaked resolutions etc... The folks who are going to buy something like this want the perfect box, and this isn't it, so they end up just building it themselves, and (here come the flames) the near universal consensus is that XP is currently the best way to drive a HTPC - vastly more options for Codecs, tweakers, etc... Continuous stable driver support for all the mpeg2 encoders and high end audio cards, etc...
You CAN do this with Linux, sure. You CAN do anything with Linux, but sometimes Linux is not actually the best tool for the job.
Some people may find that $899 is quite expensive. But if you look at the chassis, you'll notice it is a coolermaster atc-610 (or 620, don't remember). It's is one of the most expensive desktop case around. If you had to buy it new, you'll have to pay $200+ (at least where I live).
You can buy the Coolermaster ATC-610 on newegg.com for $148 or if you can live without an aluminum finish (black would probably look better in your AV rack anyway) you can buy the ATC-620 version for just $108. Plus power supply of course. I imagine that if they buy signifigant quantities of these cases, they would get a nice volume discount.
The $899 pricetag is a really rather high for this kind of hardware (a C3 processor??, please), but I guess you pay for the integration.
What a joke, you can build the same machine from off the shelf components available from Newegg for less than $450. Observe:
Case - Coolermaster ATC-620C - $108
Powersupply - Fortron FSP200SNV - $25
Motherboard - Via C3M266-L - $64
Processor - Intel Celeron 1.3GHz - $45
Hard Drive - Seagate 80Gb - $81
CDRW - MSI DragonWriter - $38
Memory - All Components 256MB DDR - $33
Tuner - ATI TV Wonder - $63
That's all that is in the Telly. Actually, this configuration should be somewhat faster than the C3 based telly. Most of the work is in the integrated Via motherboard. If you can buy the parts to build a superior pc for $457, iTV can probably build the Telly for $400 at most. Save your dimes if you want something like this, and build it yourself. Put MythTV on it and you have a great system.
While I can appreciate the work iTV has done on this product, $900 for this machine is highway robbery. Sure you pay for integration, but is that integration worth $500 to you? I think I'll pass and stick with DIY and open source.
I see no mention of an IR blaster (or campatible) unit sold with this, or even the option for it. If it won't AUTOMATICALLY tuen my cable box on, tune to the correct channel, and record the show, then it's just an expensive digital VCR. I'll use my VHS, thank you very much.
Why would I spend $900 on a PC that has to be maintained and then I still have to shell out extra for a DVD burner and hope they properly add support for it in my lifetime?
I can spend $500 and just buy a DVD recorder, plug my VCR and Cable box into it, and hit the record button. It is programmable the same way a VCR is, and while that's not as fancy as a TiVO, it worked fine for me over the last 15 years of VCR recording.
Unless they develop clever software like TiVO has, that learns your viewing habits and searches for moved showtimes (which you need a taxonomy for -- hence the service charge)... there's really no point.
Sorry - no translation. Babelfish doesn't do Cockney babble.
It is true that it's difficult to get a TV card working under Linux, but that is a one-time effort... After that, you have a working system.
Additionally, it is incredibly easy to get things working under FreeBSD... If MythTV was somehow ported to FreeBSD, it would be a great combo. It would take you 5 minutes to setup following a 5-line set of instructions.
Personally, I find the setup time with Linux to be less significant than the monthly fee of Replay/Tivo. Not only that, but I don't just have control, I have a lot more functionality than I can even imagine Tivo/Replay will have. I can stick in a DVD-R and make DVDs if I want. I can may VCDs, SVCDs, I can send files over the network, edit videos, rip DVDs... Anything at all. Neither Replay nor Tivo give you anything close to that. MythTV/Freevo isn't there yet, so it requires some effort on your part to tie everything together, but at least you can do it when you have control over the system.
Besides, I would never buy a Tivo/Replay if for no other reason than that I am not going to allow someone else absolute control over my system. I am not willing to risk that I will wake up one day to find my PVR crippled.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
None of the systems in the hardware section of that page are remotely like the Telly device. See the post I made earlier for details for a device of similar capabilities to the Telly. If you don't like the ATI tuner, add a hundred dollars for the Wintv PVR-250. Still a heck of a lot lower than $800. And keep in mind that the prices I found were retailer prices. A company building machines would be getting OEM pricing, so it looks even more like a rip off to me.
My question to Interact-TV via their web site:
My question is regarding the Telly MC1000 Home Entertainment
Server. Does the recording and playback support closed captioning
embedded in the NTSC video data stream (line 21 data aka EIA-608)? What
about pass through, is the same VBI data preserved as live TV is watched?
This is crucial for hearing impaired users.
Thank you.
Their response:
Hello William,
This is a good question. Currently it does not keep the line 21 data
intact from recording to playback. Passthrough will keep it intact.
We will add this to our feature requests.
Regards,
Ken
--
Ken Fuhrman
Interact-TV Inc.
The very first paragraph of their site's index page has an obvious spelling error. Good webmasters must REALLY be hard to find these days?