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New Review Compares MythTV to Vista MCE

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other dept.

Parkus writes "There's a nice review on AVS forum of MythTV (Ubuntu) and Windows Vista MCE. The author tried both back to back and explains the pluses and minuses of each system after using them for a month. Helpful if you're thinking about setting up your own home theater rig."

7 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. Puts on his flame retardant suit by dreamchaser · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've had a MythTV box for a couple of years. It's nice, works well. However, my new Vista Home Ultimate media machine is far easier to use and 'just works'. The ironic caveat, as mentioned in the article, is that MythTV (and it's underlying Linux kernel) have *better* hardware support than Vista! On supported hardware I find the Windows Media Center experience to be far better in general though.

    That being said, if I were building a quiet entertainment center PC, I'd go with a Myth box and customize it to my liking. I can do that because I know how. Most consumers do not.

  2. Digital HDTV by tivojafa · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I use both a MythTV DVR (64-bit Ubuntu) and a MCE DVR (64-bit Vista) at home. The MythTV machine is primary and the Vista machine is secondary.

    The automatic commercial skip in MythTV is fantastic!
    You watch TV shows and there are no adverts. Simple as that.

    The biggest problem is resisting to urge to pick up the remote when the show is leading into an ad break :-)

    Both machines can record ATSC HDTV and Digital Cable (QAM) - running a total of 4 digital tuners (2 x HDHomeRun network digital tuners with two tuner each - http://www.silicondust.com/)

    1. Re:Digital HDTV by tivojafa · · Score: 5, Informative

      To get cablecard support you need a cablelabs certified PC.

      You can't buy a cablecard tuner for a PC - Vista or otherwise. The only PC-based option is to buy a PC that the manufacturer had certified as a complete system (software, hardware, monitor, etc).

      The fallback option is to use an analog capture card and to prioritize the digital tuners over the analog capture so you get high-def whenever possible.

      Nick

  3. Re:dumbest review ever by ERJ · · Score: 5, Informative

    He didn't review HDTV because he was overseas not because Mythtv doesn't support it. I have had MythTV recording HDTV for over 1 1/2 years. Support is very good if you have fast hardware.

  4. The basic difference by Anrego · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have used both, and what I`ve found to be the real difference between Windows MCE and MythTV (and really all the FOSS HTPC types) is tha MCE is simple, straight forward, and just works but is very inflexible (as said in the article, it's hard to even modify the menu, try doing something like having an extra button on you're remote control change the screen font) whereas MythTV requires a little tinkering to get running, but is very flexible. I think this is really what it comes down to with most Windows VS. FOSS situations. Windows apps tend to work well and are more intuitive, whereas FOSS apps tend to require a little tweaking, but provide more opportunity for customization. So in short, if you're someone (like me) who likes to have everything just right and doesn't mind messing around for a few days in config files, go with MythTV. If on the other hand you're someone who doesn't mind the canned generic MCE look and feel, and wants something thats just going to work, go with MCE.

  5. Re:not mythtv -- Wait, yes it is! by Stocktonian · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Huh?
    When I read the article is was very clearly talking about MythTV compared to Vista MCE. I don't think he tried Linux MCE at all.

    Linux MCE is a very different animal and MythTV only forms a small part of it. http://linuxmce.com/ It's an amazing piece of software.

    ---
    http://www.linuxlaptops.eu/

    --
    XePhi Computers sell really cheap Linux CDs! http://www.xephi.co.uk
  6. Re:DVD backup illegality? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For the record, at least in the United States, it's not illegal to create backups of any of your owned media, DVDs included. Doing so is protected as Fair Use of the copyright of which you have purchased a license.

    Your argument would be correct with the minor exception of that pesky DMCA. Currently in the US, backing up a DVD that you've purchased involves bypassing a digital encryption algorithm, which is explicitly prohibited by the DMCA. This renders the rest of your argument moot. Repeatedly seeing these same incorrect things spouted over and over and over again as gospel around here is really making me want to go to law school for copyright law. It's clear that many of you have no interest in actually understanding the law and what is and isn't legal. How do you expect to actually bring about the necessary changes when you can't be bothered to understand the underlying problems?