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Ricor PVRs To Hit Russia

BlackShirt writes "Mediacenter acts as a digital video recorder, i.e. it enables the viewer to plan his/her future television broadcast recordings. 'Live' broadcasts can also be recorded. Program recordings are stored in the video archive, and the user can playback, delete or unable deleting of recordings (here are some screenshots). I personally like their advertisements more than their product. (Shopping-tv style, wife doesn't allow to watch football, so disapponted husband knocks on his neighbors' door, as they turn their fabulous Ricor TV box from pause to play.)" It looks like this is being marketed to Russian cable companies as an all-in-one portal, since they also include electronic ordering capabilities and "near video on demand"; I wish American PVRs had all these features by default (ethernet, USB, microphone, camera inputs ...)

80 comments

  1. Sky Digital? by AndyFewt · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    This sounds amazingly like a machine that some Sky subscribers in the UK have. Sky plus allows live pause, recording, playback etc etc etc. I can do all this already, but its nice to see this stuff catching on in Soviet Russia

    1. Re:Sky Digital? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Soviet Russia? What year do you think this is?

    2. Re:Sky Digital? by AndyFewt · · Score: 0

      It was a bad attempt at a joke :p

  2. tivo by freedommatters · · Score: 2, Funny

    looks nice but you'll have to pry my tivo from my cold dead hands

  3. In Soviet Russia by SaxMaster · · Score: 2, Funny

    PVR Records YOU!

    --
    "Dancing is the vertical expression of a horizontal desire" --Robert Frost
    1. Re:In Soviet Russia by EverDense · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Article:I wish American PVRs had all these features by default (ethernet, USB, microphone, camera inputs ...)

      How trusting are people that the government won't
      turn those built-in microphones and cameras on?

      --
      http://jesus.everdense.com/
    2. Re:In Soviet Russia by dapuk · · Score: 1

      Russia hits Ricor PVRs

  4. No kidding by autopr0n · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's just incredibly asinine that companies which broadcast their content through to open air or pump it into our homes can even think to sue people who make PVRs that aren't to their liking. Go after someone who posts copied shows on their website or Kazza sure, but suing a company because their PVR has an eithernet port.

    It's just assinine.

    --
    autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
    1. Re:No kidding by inode_buddha · · Score: 1

      Maybe it's just business. Not that I disagree with your sentiments, BTW.

      --
      C|N>K
    2. Re:No kidding by TLouden · · Score: 1

      Agreed. But the company makes no false assumptions that this technology will make stealing their content easier and more wide spread. It's the way they operate, smash anything that threatens their $$ and while you're at it try to get a little more of the green stuff because you certainly don't have enough if all you can afford is a giant teams of fulltime lawyers, congress, and well, the government in general.

      --
      -Tim Louden
  5. Features... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Put Myth TV on a computer with a hardware encoding TV tuner card and you'll have a damn fine PVR.

    1. Re:Features... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not to troll or anything, but that is one of the most beautiful and most functional tuner programs I have ever seen. But...is there a windows version? :(

    2. Re:Features... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      No. Having switched from using an AIW Radeon under Win XP to a GF3/BT878/Linux combination, I can say that nothing comes close to what MythTV offers. It's incredible. One year ago, it was pathetic compared to the Windows competition. Today, it is far superior. I love my MythTV box.

    3. Re:Features... by fidget42 · · Score: 3, Informative

      If you don't mind spending money, go an try out SageTV. I purhcased the software (about US$60) and have a dedicated PC with two Hauppauge PVR-250 encoder cards installed (and a third on the way). With this system you can have up to four PVR-250s in tha same box, and multiple PCs all slaved together in one big "recorder farm." They have a bundle where you can get the software with a PVR-250 for US$175. Not a bad deal.

      It doesn't require a subscription-based service and works with XMLTV if you don't have coverage for your area (such as overseas or Iowa, as in my case).

      --
      The dogcow says "Moof!"
    4. Re:Features... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmmm... might be more impressive if their screenshots didn't include an obviously mislabelled program. Just about anyone with kids would know what "Dragon Tales" looks like, and it ain't a bunch of live polar bears walking around.

    5. Re:Features... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or buy a pre-built MythTV box

  6. WTF are you talking about? by Gay+Nigger · · Score: 0


  7. Inputs by Wyatt+Earp · · Score: 2, Informative

    My older ReplayTV has RCA inputs which lets me hook up my digital camera, and it has S-Video inputs that lets me hook up my All-in-Wonder or my camcorder.

    1. Re:Inputs by Reece400 · · Score: 1

      but does it have an infrared blaster?!? lol.. can anyone tell me what that's supposed to be? thanks,

      Reece,

    2. Re:Inputs by Wyatt+Earp · · Score: 1

      Mine came with one.

      My IR blaster hooks up to the back of my Replay, and the little IR nodule/lens sticks to the front of my cable box over the IR port.

      You tell the Replay/Tivo you are using it, it asks you what kind of cable box you have, then it will tell the cable box to change channels while you are steering the Replay/Tivo around and picking shit to watch and record.

  8. build your own by SHEENmaster · · Score: 1, Informative

    I'm sure a sound card, video capture card, and video card could be thrown into a pentium2/ultrasparc/powerpc with Linux for all of those features and then some.

    A router/pvr/fileserver should sell well in the US if properly advertised.

    --
    You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
    1. Re:build your own by Brummund · · Score: 1

      Yes, and the best thing is that it would only take two weeks to configure, and then you'll have almost synchronized video and sound! Yeah!

    2. Re:build your own by Picass0 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Funny you should say that!

    3. Re:build your own by Ella+the+Cat · · Score: 3, Informative

      I use a Pinnacle DC10+. It creates HUGE but beautiful mjpeg files at 768x576 (PAL) using lavrec (mjpegtools), gobbling 8.1 Gbytes/hour(!), but with mencoder I can shrink these files down to manageable DiVX size. Nice thing is, the DC10+ -always- gets video and audio in sync, it does not load the CPU or gobble memory bandwidth (it has hardware compression), and it can playback to the TV. It supports NTSC and PAL. It can't do pause while recording unfortunately but I prefer nice quality recordings to such features so I'm happy. At least it's a different approach for Linux PVRs. There's a catch, diagonal lines interference in some machines (see Pinnacle webboard) but there's an easy fix if you can solder.

    4. Re:build your own by evilviper · · Score: 1
      I'm sure a sound card, video capture card, and video card could be thrown into a pentium2/ultrasparc/powerpc with Linux for all of those features and then some.

      Anyone who says something like that has not actually tried to do it...

      http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=73411&cid=6603 612
      --
      Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
  9. medical-men-horse-lovers-etc??? by JessLeah · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Could someone please explain the reference in the department title for this story?

    1. Re:medical-men-horse-lovers-etc??? by Cyno01 · · Score: 1

      Do you really want to know?

      --
      "Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
    2. Re:medical-men-horse-lovers-etc??? by ruprechtjones · · Score: 1

      Could someone please explain the reference in the department title for this story?

      The article mentions several times that one of their key demographics is horse-lovers, along with married women over 20, etc. Why? I have no clue. One of their marketers is on crack.

      --
      Kip Hawley is an idiot.
    3. Re:medical-men-horse-lovers-etc??? by waynemcdougall · · Score: 1
      Obviously a reference to Rasputin and Catherine the Great.

      In Tsarist Russia the horse mounts...oh never mind...

      --
      Recycle PCs and build a wireless community network www.hillsborough.org.nz
  10. Untitled Document by SlightlyMadman · · Score: 1

    Great device, but it looks like the wily "" tag is a bit beyond their technical abilities.

    --

    Money I owe, money-iy-ay
  11. American... Russian.... by Grelli · · Score: 5, Funny

    <ruskie accent>
    Amercian PVRS

    Russian PVRS

    ALL MADE IN TAWAIIN
    </ruskie accent>

    damn you lameness filter, sometimes you need to yell.

    1. Re:American... Russian.... by Threni · · Score: 1

      Yeah, if their tv is anything like the radio programs they put out on shortwave, then never again need our friends in the east miss out on such exciting news items as `potato harvest rises 4% against last year`.

  12. Ricer PVRs? by Space+Coyote · · Score: 4, Funny

    Did anybody else read the subject line as 'Ricer PVRs To Hit Russia' and get visions of set top boxes with oversized wings and a large aluminum exhause pipe coming out of the back with way too many decals plastered all over it?

    --
    ___
    Cogito cogito, ergo cogito sum.
    1. Re:Ricer PVRs? by nxs212 · · Score: 1

      yup, I sure did. Few days ago /. had an article - Rice of Cooling about abit motherboards. It must be my Engrish!
      http://www.engrish.com

  13. And if you add a IC-R3.... by ProfessionalCookie · · Score: 1

    If you add a IC-R3 Advanced Portable TV in Soviet Russia, PVR records Everything...including YOUUUUUUU!

  14. English eh... by ovoskeuiks · · Score: 1

    Maybe my english is a little rusty but "delete or unable deleting" doesn't sound right to me. Shouldn't it be disable deleting of recordings

  15. uhhh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "playback, delete or unable deleting of recordings"

    me fail english, thats unposible.

  16. I could be mistaken, but.. by VPN3000 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "'Live' broadcasts can also be recorded." - Why's that mentioned? I think any PVR can do that. A broadcast is a broadcast, the material is the same whether it's 'live' or not.

    "It looks like this is being marketed to Russian cable companies as an all-in-one portal, since they also include electronic ordering capabilities and "near video on demand";"

    Any PVR has that functionality when combined with a proper/integrated tuner and PPV channels. If I know I am watching movies Friday night, I will pick some PPV movies to record during the day. With most providers you have the same movie with staggered timeslots where the movie starts every 15-60 minutes. I assume PPV overseas is similar.

    "I wish American PVRs had all these features by default (ethernet, USB, microphone, camera inputs ...)"

    I think this unit gives up more than it gains in functionality by only having one tuner. I don't see anything in their product description about recording one show on 'live' tv while watching another 'live' show. I don't consider it a true media center until you've got the ability to record one show and watch another one. This doesn't sound like a big deal to the uninitiated, but nothing is more lame than having a PVR and the associated freedoms, then get forced watching something your roomie wanted to record because you can't change channels. The hardware cost for a second tuner is not much at all, well worth the extra $20-30..

    Most american units have USB ports on them. I think that about covers the gambit of devices you would be attaching (camera, ethernet, keyboard, etc). I see the 'nifty' factor in being able to babble off how many types of ports something has, but I've noticed the people who own things with lots of ports tend to not own anything to connect to them. The different types of ports also run up the costs of manufacture for features that aren't needed or used. Much like all those funky ports on 8-bit Nintendos and other game systems of yesteryear's 'future expansion slot' thingys that nothing ever connected to. You have a PC, hook your stuff up to it. You have a PVR, use it to watch television. :)

    One nifty feature UTV has is the ability to record a whole timeslot hitting record at any time before the slot expires. That's handy when you are just randomly watching stuff on TV, find something, only get to watch the first 15 minutes before the phone rings and you have to leave. Just hit record and the whole thing is recorded from the beginning.

    I am guessing this will be a good hack unit. I don't care about that stuff with PVRs like most folks on here seem to do. From my experiences with modifying these types of devices, I become the only person in the house who can operate them. I'll stick to devices other people in the house don't depend on to modify.. :-)

    I don't mean to sound rude here, but beyond Russia getting a PVR I don't see how any part of this is news, unless it's a slow news day, especially when I have a unit I spent $40 on almost two years ago and it has way more features minus integrated DVD. I'm not crazy about all-in-one systems either. You try to hack it, break it, you are out a DVD player and a PVR. Same goes for just daily usage, break the tuner time to buy a new DVD player too.

    Always buy your components separately and avoid bundles if you want quality. Typically, the parts in multi-function devices are purchased from the lowest bidders. I'd rather be wise, save my money, read some reviews and buy a separate DVD player, PVR, tuner, amp, speakers, etc. You spend a little more but end up with a superior result and the ability to replace parts. Think you are too broke for that logic? You won't be thinking it when your DVD player dies and you have to get a whole new unit. Also, where's the component video connectors for HDTV? Is that dvd player progressive scan?

    I apologize, I always post like 20 paragraph messages in regards to home video links. I'm very anti-hype after seeing so many new products all to find they are crap later on. :)

    1. Re:I could be mistaken, but.. by Sam+Lowry · · Score: 1

      you are just jealous

    2. Re:I could be mistaken, but.. by badasscat · · Score: 1

      "'Live' broadcasts can also be recorded." - Why's that mentioned? I think any PVR can do that.

      Nope. See the earlier reply about the Pinnacle DC-10, and my Winfast TV2000 Deluxe doesn't do it automatically with the included software. Some Panasonic DVR's with built-in DVD-RAM or DVD-R drives also do not record live TV at all (though others do). It's not a feature you can just take for granted. Most P/DVR's do do it, but not all.

      "It looks like this is being marketed to Russian cable companies as an all-in-one portal, since they also include electronic ordering capabilities and "near video on demand";"

      Any PVR has that functionality when combined with a proper/integrated tuner and PPV channels.


      That's like saying "any car can haul a boat behind it, as long as it has a powerful enough engine and a tow bar". The fact is most don't. So yes, it's another feature that deserves mention; it's not one you take for granted. I can't do this with my TiVo, for example (do video on demand; not haul a boat... though I can't do that either!).

      I think this unit gives up more than it gains in functionality by only having one tuner. I don't see anything in their product description about recording one show on 'live' tv while watching another 'live' show.

      Uh, standard TiVo models can't do this either. Not sure about Replay. I can watch live TV and record it (the same show), or I can watch a recorded show while recording live TV. I cannot, without a kludge, watch one live show while recording another - that would require two tuners (and two cable boxes).

      It is possible for me to split the cable before it gets to the box, put the TiVo on standby mode and use my TV's tuner as the second tuner if I really want to watch something else on live TV other than what I'm recording. But as I said, that's a kludge, not a feature of the product. I'm sure you could do the same thing with this Ricor box.

      I don't mean to sound rude here, but beyond Russia getting a PVR I don't see how any part of this is news,

      Why wouldn't that be news in itself? There are a lot of Russians out there - this isn't a site just for Americans or Britons (or westerners in general). If I was Russian, I'd be ecstatic at this news, and it'd be exactly the kind of thing I'd come here to read.

      I don't see how Time Warner distributing DVR's to New York City residents was bigger news on Friday than this is today.

      Also, where's the component video connectors for HDTV? Is that dvd player progressive scan?

      Uh, is Russia really a large HDTV market right now? You say this after just spending an entire paragraph talking about unnecessary ports that no one will use driving up the cost of the unit. I doubt many Russians will take advantage of HDTV support. And for the record, TiVo does not support HDTV either, and my DVD player (purchased not too long ago) does not have component outputs either. I am in the US. These are still not universal features, and definitely not in DVR's, and definitely not in Russia.

    3. Re:I could be mistaken, but.. by VPN3000 · · Score: 1

      True to all that. I was just taking the position of a spoiled american technophile. :)

  17. "Are PVRs the enemy ?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just stumbled on an article about PVRs in a specialized magasine. You can access it by a Google redirect for free.

  18. It's a shame by rworne · · Score: 4, Funny

    Looks like Russia gets all the good programming. The first picture of the sample screenshots looks like the (very) old Japanese shoujo anime classic Candy-Candy.

    --
    I tried every decent and legal way I could think of to resolve the issue w/the business before I rented the chicken suit
    1. Re:It's a shame by Jarth · · Score: 1

      Although i've never been too fond of P2P i've never intentionally killed a kitten for it. Be carefull who's name you use next time.

      "i'm bewildered enough to write this stuff down so stake it just slightly serious"

      --
      free dom(inion) - free energy - free your mind - whee!
  19. Followup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    There is an interesting follow-up thread in the Klerck Tech Center's message boards. Check it out.

  20. Softpile, eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  21. Mic is on by aspelling · · Score: 1

    Twenty years ago every russian family had wired "radio" i.e. speaker plugged into "radio" outlet. The twist was that KGB could use these speakers as a microphones when they need to what people are talking about in their kitchens. Now the story continues

    1. Re:Mic is on by javiercero · · Score: 1

      Are you stupid or stupid... yeah they also had microphones implanted on ones testicles to hear what they were taling about while in bed too.

      Jeezzz.

  22. The reason is... by Bugmaster · · Score: 3, Insightful
    IMO, the reason for all the features of the Russian PVR (as opposed to the American one) is that copyright enforcement in Russia is nonexistent. There is no DMCA, no patent protection to speak of (except on paper), no RIAA/MPAA, etc. A right-thinking Russian would never think of actually paying $10k for some piece of software; he'll get the bootleg version for $5.

    This is bad for software/music/video companies, but good for the consumer. Unlike their American cousins, Russian PVRs don't need to be crippled just to appease some content cartel. Hence all the extra features.

    --
    >|<*:=
    1. Re:The reason is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is the fact that almost no Russian-based software company can survive (unless it can overcome huge odds and manage to get its product on the American and European markets) also good for the consumer?

    2. Re:The reason is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unlike their American cousins, Russian PVRs don't need to be crippled just to appease some content cartel.

      Uh huh... Because we are seeing all kinds of good movies and music coming out of russia. Looks like their relaxed copyright enforcement is really helping them.

      Newsflash, Mr Butt Licker, have you even considered the possibility that US content dominates the world because of our copyright laws and enforcement? Moron.

    3. Re:The reason is... by hughk · · Score: 1
      A right-thinking Russian would never think of actually paying $10k for some piece of software; he'll get the bootleg version for $5.
      Actually, larger companies will buy original software rather than bootlegs - they may install it on more than one machine though.

      Video is something else. Russian dubbing is some of the worst I have ever seen. Usually between one and two voices reading all bad translations of all the parts with little attempt to lip synch it. However most Russian are happy with the VCDs that they buy at $2 each.

      Every so often, the US state dept has an official moan and the militia makes a couple of raids to keep them happy. Unofficially, the staff at the embassies are buying up the cheap VCDs like every one else.

      --
      See my journal, I write things there
    4. Re:The reason is... by Viol8 · · Score: 1

      Actually there are some good fil;ms from russia , but they're in russian so your average yank isn't
      going to go see them. Just because foreign films don't get released in Hicksville USA doesn't mean they're not being made or doing well in their own countries.
      Stop being so insular.

    5. Re:The reason is... by Viol8 · · Score: 1

      Calling it "dubbing" is being kind. They don't even bother to lypsynch , they just read a
      translation of the script over the top of the soundtrack at roughly the same time that the
      characters speak. The funny thing is they still leave the *original* soundtrack underneath so
      you can occasionally hear the english (or whatever language) being spoken.

    6. Re:The reason is... by hughk · · Score: 1
      If you turn the volume up, you can almost follow the english - a kind of subliminal language learning tool.

      What makes me laugh though are the ones where one voice reads both male and female parts. Seeing some starlet in a moment of ecstasy whilst hearing a montonic male voice saying "Da, Da" is entertaining by itself.

      --
      See my journal, I write things there
    7. Re:The reason is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Compare the number of american films they watch in russia with the number of russian films they watch in the US, then quit being a butt licker like the grandparent.

  23. Nope. Mutated whales. by SuperBanana · · Score: 1
    Did anybody else read the subject line as 'Ricer PVRs To Hit Russia' and get visions of set top boxes with oversized wings and a large aluminum exhause pipe coming out of the back with way too many decals plastered all over it?

    Nope. I had an image of flaming, glowing PVRs reigning down from the sky onto unsuspecting Russians, and some evil mutated whale with a piece of Mir's reactor in its head laughing insanely.

  24. MythTV Kicks Ass. by Picass0 · · Score: 1

    - Themeable GUI driven frontend
    - Watch live TV
    - download XML programming scheduals
    - schedual tools make it easy to find what you want to record
    - MythWeb extention allows you view schedual and flag programs for capture from remote web browser
    - MP3, Ogg rip and playback with visuals
    - Xmame frontend (and generic emulator frontend)
    - Weather center
    - mplayer frontend
    - image browser

    It can be some work getting it all working, but DAMN it's cool. I would like to see the developers integrate a nuplevideo converter to export to divx:) or vcd.

    1. Re:MythTV Kicks Ass. by catalyst-killed-the- · · Score: 1

      you could use the mkmovie to conver nuv files to divx easily!. (http://www.icelus.org/)

      --
      who says micros~1 standards are bad?
  25. Not for men... by baywulf · · Score: 1

    If you read the web site, their target audience is married women, students and school dropouts and people who like horses!

    "Channel audience is middle class well-off families.
    The channel covers themes which appeal to 3 main target audiences:
    Married women (over 20).
    Students, school leavers.
    People fascinated by the world of horses."

  26. He's probably talking about ReplayTV... by MadAnthony02 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    a PVR originally made by SonicBlue, now owned by digital networks, part of the company that owns Denon and Marantz. There 50x0 series (5040, 5060, and 5080) had two nifty features - commercial advance, which allows people to skip commercials while they are watching as if the were not even there, and internet programing sharing, where you can send another replayTV user a program

    RePlay was sued over both these features, and the new model, the 55xx series, won't have either. It was stupid because the MPAA acted like program sharing was like Kazaa even though you had to own a replay to share, and you had to know the person on the other end - it wasn't like you could search replay shares to download. And commercial advance, while cool, is only a slight improvement over the fast forward buttons that viewers have been using to avoid commercials on recorded TV shows since VCR's were top-loading.

  27. I Don't... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I wish American PVRs had all these features by default (ethernet, USB, microphone, camera inputs ...)"

    I could do without the camera inputs and microphones. I don't need the cable company seeing what I do during Baywatch reruns ...

  28. how about TVtuners? by axxackall · · Score: 1
    I don't understand, why only PVR? I have my TVtuner card and I program myself all schedule-based functions. Using it I can skip commercials and digitize the show. I guess manufacturers of both TVtuner card and my computer (as well as all developers of all programming languages I use, including gcc, python, java, tcl and bash, as well as Linux for his kernel compatible V4L drivers), must be sued for giving/selling me tools I use to create a copy of that show.

    I think **AAs are not ready for doing a fair business in 21st centure. Somebody please switch them off.

    --

    Less is more !
  29. NO DVR IN AUSTRALIA by randomlogik · · Score: 0
    Is is just me? Did Australia miss the technology completely?

    I have yet to see a single DVR, TiVo or anything similar available on the market here. I want one - cause I just dont want to use the VHS anymore. My JVC VHS deck cost me more than my DVD Player... i bought it at the same time... something is wrong here.

    Even Russia has units like this available.

    Anyone know about the situation here? Shed any light? Is it a conspiracy by Sony to keep us buying VHSs?

  30. Better call it DVR. by burnsy · · Score: 1
  31. Hum by autopr0n · · Score: 1

    It wasn't the MPAA, it was the networks IIRC. MPAA sued over VCRs in the 80s though. Heh. Jack Valenti said they were 'the boston strangler'. God what an idiot.

    --
    autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
  32. No.. speakers work as Microphones.. by Large+Green+Mallard · · Score: 1

    Speakers work surprisingly well as microphones.. the newest iPods have a hidden feature which lets you use one of the headphones as a microphone and record as MP3.

    1. Re:No.. speakers work as Microphones.. by axxackall · · Score: 1

      Most of today Americans know about electronics from button labels on their Japanese home theatres. But that would not bad if they would not reject a new knowledge. What's really sad is that they think you are joking on them when you are telling them some facts from electronics.

      --

      Less is more !
    2. Re:No.. speakers work as Microphones.. by javiercero · · Score: 1

      LOL, I am an electronics engineer. I know perfectly well that a microphone is pretty much a "reverse" speaker. Anyway, well a few things here, did any of you just try and sit down and think about the logistics of recording MILLIONS of freaking microphones? And even if they did have such an infraestructure, wouldn't it a tad naive from the KGB to think that every daming conversation was going to happen in the kitchen, right next to the speaker (speakers make very very very poor air microphones in case you did not kow, oh wait I am sure you knew that right?)

      A little bit of common sense never hurt anyone really.

    3. Re:No.. speakers work as Microphones.. by axxackall · · Score: 1

      They did not listen ALL MILLIONS. Instead, they did for few (hundreds? thousands?) who were noticed to speak something bad already. Although I agree about the mic quality - KGB usually used something better, just like in spy movies, nothing sensational that you don't know already (from spy movies?)

      --

      Less is more !
  33. Features... by evilviper · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I wish American PVRs had all these features by default (ethernet, USB, microphone, camera inputs ...)

    Oh the joys of living in any country without an MPAA/RIAA... Ummm, except France.

    Anyhow, my PVR happens to have Ethernet, USB, Firewire, etc. It's just a PC with a TV-card.

    It's unfortunate if you ask me, that better software doesn't yet exist to make your PC a DVR. Sure, MythTV is there, but quality is so horrible that it uses MPEG-4 and still needs a bitrate of 2000+ just for a watchable picture.... Might as well just be using MPEG2/MJPEG. The only Linux app I've found that does good quality recording from the TV card, and great quality MPEG-1/MPEG-4 encoding is MPlayer, and, unfortunately, it isn't really optomized for TV-encoding, so I can't do anything else with my Athlon XP 2000 while it is recording. It would be nice if a package like NVrec made an 'mencoderec' program to compliment 'ffmpegrec' and 'nuppelrec', and hence have the power and quality of mplayer with NVrec's TV recording specific modifications.

    MythTV has many other drawbacks I could mention as well.

    What is there to use? They all seems to have quite a number of their own serious drawbacks.
    --
    Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant