I picked up QCast a few months ago and was hoping to use it to watch stuff that I'd pulled off my TiVo. The bottom line is, they still have some performance issues to work out before you can watch high quality video. I've got a ton of stuff I've ripped from TiVo and up-sampled to Divx 640x480 from MPEG2 480x480 (SVHS - native TiVo aspect ratio for high and best quality video). They start to play okay, then it goes to slide show with audio, then it crashes. I spent weeks fiddling the Divx encoder trying to find just the right combination of size, bit-rate and quality, and was never satisfied. I did get an episode of Futurama and Cowboy Bebop to look real good at 512x384 (BroadQ's highest recommended resolution), but non-animation shows would skip frames no matter what the bit-rate was. But if you down-sample to 320x240, everything plays perfectly at pretty high bit rates - just with a noticable loss of resolution. The QCast decoder does support MPEG1/2, so I thought I would try playing a captured TiVo MPEG2 - no dice. I got one or two frames, and then crash. From what I've read on their forums, there seems to be a bandwidth problem with the PS2 itself (or rather, their software's use of the PS2's hardware), it just can't handle high-res quick enough.
The next rev of the software (due out "real soon now") addresses some of the performance issues, FF/Rew (it's missing currently), and has "expanded and enhanced codec support". Following this release, they plan on concentrating on performance issues, which unfortunately means re-writing their media player from scratch. Ouch.
I really hope they get it working, though.. If I could play 480x480x4Mb MPEG2, I'd be TOTALLY happy. I don't mind transcoding to Divx at a lower bitrate, as long as the quality is there. Its a great product with tons of potential, and a great MP3 player in the meantime. Of course once I get HDTV, I'll be screwed all over again... Oh well.
First off, take a look at the world of open source. There's a HUGE selection of amazing free libraries and software systems that are functional, stable and FREE. For example: zlib, libjpeg, libpng, openssh, etc. Many of these open source projects even depend on each other. Given this huge repository of free software, don't you think Microsoft would've thought about it a little bit? I think the answer is a resounding "yes". Just like many other companies (i.e. IBM, Apple), they must've taken a look at open source as a simple means to lower development costs. Microsoft may be a bunch of monopolistic, lying, cheating, per-seat-licensing bastards - but they're not stupid. However, whereas other companies have adapted to open source by writing their own *NON-GPL* open source licenses, Microsoft chose to attack the GPL. But they do support things like the BSD license. For example, the C# compiler, and the.net framework were released for both Windows and BSD simultaneously.
For Microsoft, its not a matter of open source versus closed source, its a matter of licensing - GPL versus whatever-license-they-can-use-to-still-make-money. If Microsoft adopted the GPL license, RMS would probably fall over dead from the shock. MS is about making money, they only share their source code when it means they can make MORE money. GPL is about sharing free, non-copyrighted software that anyone can use. Microsoft can not make more money by opening ALL of their source code, therefore, they won't. Its just that simple.
I worked for a company that shipped large-scale microprocessor test equipment overseas.. We ALWAYS had shipping problems. The most notable was when our system got stuck in customs for a month. That was cute.
Personally, I've also had a few experiences with old-school arcade machines. I had a Gauntlet II machine arrive at my house and the driver says: "So. You gonna get that off the truck yourself?" in his best Union-Proud voice. Sigh... If you're personally receiving something very big, make sure you've got a handful of beefy friends to help you, and go pick it up from the dock (or airport or whatever) yourself. I did that with two other games, and everything went nice and smooth. Rent a U-Haul if you have to, but usually some pizza and beer will convince someone with a truck to help out.:)
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I picked up QCast a few months ago and was hoping to use it to watch stuff that I'd pulled off my TiVo. The bottom line is, they still have some performance issues to work out before you can watch high quality video. I've got a ton of stuff I've ripped from TiVo and up-sampled to Divx 640x480 from MPEG2 480x480 (SVHS - native TiVo aspect ratio for high and best quality video). They start to play okay, then it goes to slide show with audio, then it crashes. I spent weeks fiddling the Divx encoder trying to find just the right combination of size, bit-rate and quality, and was never satisfied. I did get an episode of Futurama and Cowboy Bebop to look real good at 512x384 (BroadQ's highest recommended resolution), but non-animation shows would skip frames no matter what the bit-rate was. But if you down-sample to 320x240, everything plays perfectly at pretty high bit rates - just with a noticable loss of resolution. The QCast decoder does support MPEG1/2, so I thought I would try playing a captured TiVo MPEG2 - no dice. I got one or two frames, and then crash. From what I've read on their forums, there seems to be a bandwidth problem with the PS2 itself (or rather, their software's use of the PS2's hardware), it just can't handle high-res quick enough.
The next rev of the software (due out "real soon now") addresses some of the performance issues, FF/Rew (it's missing currently), and has "expanded and enhanced codec support". Following this release, they plan on concentrating on performance issues, which unfortunately means re-writing their media player from scratch. Ouch.
I really hope they get it working, though.. If I could play 480x480x4Mb MPEG2, I'd be TOTALLY happy. I don't mind transcoding to Divx at a lower bitrate, as long as the quality is there. Its a great product with tons of potential, and a great MP3 player in the meantime. Of course once I get HDTV, I'll be screwed all over again... Oh well.
For Microsoft, its not a matter of open source versus closed source, its a matter of licensing - GPL versus whatever-license-they-can-use-to-still-make-money. If Microsoft adopted the GPL license, RMS would probably fall over dead from the shock. MS is about making money, they only share their source code when it means they can make MORE money. GPL is about sharing free, non-copyrighted software that anyone can use. Microsoft can not make more money by opening ALL of their source code, therefore, they won't. Its just that simple.
I worked for a company that shipped large-scale microprocessor test equipment overseas.. We ALWAYS had shipping problems. The most notable was when our system got stuck in customs for a month. That was cute.
:)
Personally, I've also had a few experiences with old-school arcade machines. I had a Gauntlet II machine arrive at my house and the driver says: "So. You gonna get that off the truck yourself?" in his best Union-Proud voice. Sigh... If you're personally receiving something very big, make sure you've got a handful of beefy friends to help you, and go pick it up from the dock (or airport or whatever) yourself. I did that with two other games, and everything went nice and smooth. Rent a U-Haul if you have to, but usually some pizza and beer will convince someone with a truck to help out.