Latest SnapStream PVR App Reviewed

martensitic writes "Yahoo! posted this positive AP review of the newest version of a third-party PC app designed to compete with TiVo and Microsoft's Media Center. SnapStream 's 'Beyond TV 3' (sounds like something Fox would produce) allows streaming to standard web browsers for watching on other computers in your home, and promotes automatic commercial break recognition that has been downplayed in other products. (Previously mentioned here.)"

Comments

or you could

[xeeno]

use mythtv for free and install the windows frontend.

Beyond TV

[acherrington]

First off, I think that this is a bad post, seems like another slashdot ad.

Second, I have beyond tv 3 and have really enjoy it. I am never home and it records all my tv shows. That way, when I do have time to watch tv, I can skip the commercials (it dog ears the commercials so you can skip forward) and watch only what matters to you.

Even when I am unable to get to my computer, I can break out my treo 600 and program to record any tv show.

The only problem with it is the security model is a bit lax. You can always find people who have their setups wide open (port 8129) on google thanks to the web interface. People really need to starrt locking that down.

Re:Cool

[TheApocalypse]

does it easily allow you to copy your recorded shows to your PC too? :)

At first it probably will. Until studios start complaining about it and how it takes away from the sales of the Anna Nicole Show on dvd. It may be just me, but i feel that recording shows onto your computer is no different than recording them on vhs. We pay for cable and the channels, should we not be allowed to make a backup for our enjoyment?

But something like this has probably been debated just like downloading music. It's really a no win situation in both subjects, and for everyone invovled.

Re:Too bad it sucks

[Total_Wimp]

By some amazing coincedence I downloaded it earlier in the week. I got everything working alright, but I considered the quality of the video to be quite low.

Then I started playing with the settings...

Bottom line: Mikey likes it. I haven't played with everything yet, but on a very high setting grabbing a recent movie on HBO from my digital cable box the video quality is nearly as good as a DVD. Certainly much better than sending the S-Video directly into my monitor (I have a high-end Mitsubishi).

It's definately worth fiddling with if you want a high-quality feed. It was not and is not pain free, but if you're willing to endure then I believe it will pay off for you.

TW

MythTV IS better, but try installing it....

[pineapples10]

Many people argue that MythTV is better, but I say to them "How many hours did you spend installing and configuring it?" MythTV could effectively ruin companies like SageTV and Snapstream if they A.) Made it very easy to instal...and I mean easier than KnoppMyth (still a pain in the ass) or B.) GASP ported it to windows!

Re:MythTV IS better, but try installing it....

[_Shorty-dammit]

the machine I use as my PVR box is still used actively by the significant other, as well as visitors, and consequently will always be a windows box. So that's one strike against MythTV for me. With BTV and a PVR250, and the subsequent 1% CPU usage while recording, the machine still gets used for everything from email to counterstrike while still recording any shows we've set to record. I never gave MythTV a chance for various reasons, but the fact that it would no longer be a functioning windows box for its other uses was a big no go factor.

Cutting ads out...

[innerweb]

My only thought is about cutting the advertisements out. Having worked with marketing so much, and having a small amount of experience working with a cable franchise and how marketing revenues lowers people's monthly costs... What will the users of these products do when the content providers start raising the prices of the content to cover the cost no longer covered by marketing companies that see these as lost advertising dollars.

Seriously, the numbers are not high enough now to have that effect, but can you imagine having to pay for every channel the same way you do for HBO and Showtime? Or, maybe the marketing people will become more savvy and include marketing in a way we can not skip over. Like web pages with embedded marketing (product placement)...

This is more interesting to me than the ability to save the movies in the first place. The question in the end for the business, is where does the money come from. These machines change that dynamic. What are /.s willing to put up with in terms of advertising that would not be deletable to continue to have TV that is "end-viewer" discounted. Since the reality is that the ad dollars are paid for when you purchase the products, could the masses have the vision to see moving those dollars from product purchases to content and delivery fees?

InnerWeb

Re:Cutting ads out...

[Anonymous Coward]

If you have to pay more for cable because there are fewer commercials, you will also pay less for everything you buy. Marketing isn't cheap. It takes big bucks to pull off an ad campaign and it is you who ends up paying for the creation of ads. The money has to come from somewhere-- it's subsidized by additional costs added to goods you buy. Fewer ads means fewer hidden costs, which means lower price, and that is a good thing.

strangers having access

[scubacuda]

From the article:

It's fairly simple to enable security so strangers don't have access to your television signal or recordings.

Oh dear, we mustn't let others have access to free media.

here's a more compelling article

[The Lynxpro]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=17 38&ncid=1738&e=9&u=/zd/20040305/tc_zd/1209 74

Like the author of this pondering, I would prefer to see Apple make a media-centric Mac with the same footprint as most component consumer electronics items like DVD players and tuners. It would be awesome. Stack it and place it in your components cabinet (hopefully an open aired one for good ventilation). The machine would hook up to your plasma or HDTV. That's the problem with Windows Media Center PC's. They do not complement an audio/videophile's components. By using the plasma and/or the HDTV screen, the Media Mac would take charge of all the other devices yet it would still retain the media-ness of the whole system. To have iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD along with timeshifting in your living room with the help of a wireless mouse, keyboard, and friendly remote control would simply rock.