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Sony PC/DVR Incorporates 7 Tuners & 1TB HD

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the thats-a-helluva-pvr dept.

GFD writes "TechJapan has an article on the 'Type X' Viao PC/DVR that will have 1TB and 7 tuners - allowing the recording of 7 shows at the same time. It also has a very cool look."

11 of 341 comments (clear)

  1. Sure, it has seven tuners... by Snowspinner · · Score: 5, Informative

    But they're all analog... you can optionally buy a single digital tuner. But, really... why? How is someone ever going to find seven shows they want to watch at once in general, little yet if they're limited to the analog band?

    And, obviously, no HD capabilities either.

    --
    Philip Sandifer's academic website
    1. Re:Sure, it has seven tuners... by Suidae · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'd have to agree. Before I buy a PVR its going to have to be able to handle at least two digital streams at once, preferably by directly storing the compressed video data without reencoding, ala DirecTivo.

      Frankly, I'd prefer if the cable company would just store all this stuff at THEIR end, dump all the broadcast channels, and use the bandwidth to feed the cable modem system so I can watch anything I want, whenever I want, without having to make copies at my end. I'll even pay extra so I don't have to watch commercials, and I'll be happy to tell the networks which shows I watch, when I watch them, and if I thought they sucked or not.

      They can even set up 'suggested lineups' for different viewing preferences so it works kind of like regular TV where shows come on at regular times, but they can talior the steams for more groups. This would let them take advantage of multicast capabilities and let them hit viewers with highly directed programming (ie, I want the sci-fi and technology stream, no chick flicks, and no horror-pretending-to-be-sci-fi, but my wife might want the cooking, home-improvement, and drama stream).

      It would be nice to still have the stream cached locally so I can pause whatever I'm watching, but I don't really want to have to keep a terrabyte system sitting around so I can watch older stuff, that should be provided by the cable company.

      Come on networks, use your imagination, this stuff shouldn't be too hard! I've already got purchase on demand, streaming, pause-able, rewindable digital movies, start doing it with regular TV too!

    2. Re:Sure, it has seven tuners... by mjh · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Frankly, I'd prefer if the cable company would just store all this stuff at THEIR end, dump all the broadcast channels, and use the bandwidth to feed the cable modem system so I can watch anything I want, whenever I want, without having to make copies at my end.
      Not me. I prefer to have the DVR at my house. Mainly because it allows me complete control. DVRs are a distributed problem; everyone has their own set of preferences that don't necessarily align with anyone elses. Consequently, distributed preference implies distributed control. So it makes sense to me that the solution also be distributed:
      • I can manage my own data space without having to rely on the cable company's shared data space.
      • I can decide that I want to keep a program for 7 months instead of relying on the cable co. to automatically delete everything after 7 days.
      • I can decide which shows I want to record instead of relying on the cable co. to decide for me.
      • I don't have to deal with latency associated with sending the command to do something accross the internet, and then be responded to by a machine that's trying to handle a gazillion of these types of requests simultaneously.

      IMHO, DVR is a distributed problem. In the long run a distributed solution works better for everyone.

      $.02

      --
      Key to financial independence: Spend less than you earn. Save and invest the difference. Do it for a long time.
  2. wtf by millahtime · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait, hold up. We at /. are complaining about overkill on a cool new tech toy.

    And when has it been said you need all that you buy it for. We buy SUVs and only like 1% of people can use them for what they are for. Overkill has bragging rights.

    --
    Evolution or ID?
  3. If it's from Sony... by CaVi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    it will look sexy, but will be crippled by some DRM, I'm afraid.

    The article is slashdotted already, but what DRM will it have? Sony has too much to protect (Sony Music) to allow people to enjoy their hardware fully.

    I've had a Sony MD, you could transfer from your PC to the MD with the USB cable, but what you recorded on the MD (even if recorded with an analog device, you couldn't transfer it back to your PC...)

    I hope they haven't done the same kind of mistake: making a great hardware, with functionalities crippled by some DRM.

    --
    -- No signature yet.
  4. Re:umm.... by jonjohnson · · Score: 5, Informative

    I want to record Law and Order, Simpsons, South Park, and the Daily Show. However, if I try to setup a schedule to do this, I'll have conflicts left and right, because I can only record 2 streams right now. While 7 may be overboard, I can see a need for 4 streams today.

  5. Well... by SavedLinuXgeeK · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In a non-home setting, this device could work really well as a video surveilance setup. I mean B&W vid @ low res, you could channel 7-sources into it, and keep a great deal of informatio stored. Now I am sure thats not the purpose of this, but that is the only thing I can think of, for seven tuners at one time. Unless you really want to watch every station's take on a presidential message, im sure the slight camera angles make all the difference in the world ;)

    --
    je suis parce que j'aime
  6. Re:"...very cool look" by jsinnema · · Score: 5, Informative

    Some pictures for scaling purposes:

    here

  7. What good is 7 tuners by Monoman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What good is 7 tuners if I have digital cable or sattelite?

    They need to come up with a standardized way to interface tuner cards in TVs or generic set top boxes.

    --
    Keep the Classic Slashdot.
  8. Time Shifting! by WushuJim · · Score: 5, Interesting

    As an owner of a ReplayTV, I can think of one great use for 7 tuners. Time shifting! Buffer the last seven watched channels or however many tuners available. That way if you switch to a channel and see something you want to go back and watch, it is buffered.

  9. Re:"...very cool look" by PeekabooCaribou · · Score: 5, Funny

    Keep in mind that the woman in the picture is six inches tall.

    --
    "I'll say it again for the logic-impaired." -- Larry Wall.