On 2006-12-25, Erik Funkenbusch <erik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 08:28:45 +0000, Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>
>> Open Source DVR Challenges TiVo
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>| A/V geeks and open source hackers alike are sure to fall in love
>>| with the MonolithMC HD DVR system, which runs the Linux based
>>| MythTV platform.
>> `----
>>
>> http://gobloggit.com/?p=27
>>
>> Both are using Linux, yet the latter is not Free Open Source.
>
> This is a hugely resounding BFD. It can't record any encrypted channels in
> HD, unlike the TiVo, which has CableCARD support to record HBO or ESPN or
> any other HD show that's not over the air.
...which is like what? 10?
Having seen HD cable, I really am in no real rush. Most of the
content is still in SD. Meanwhile, all of the nifty media sharing and
networking features from the SD Series 2 Tivos have been gutted from the
S3.
...as far as ESPN goes: you might find yourself still wanting
a network HD feed.
...as far as HBO goes: well that just gets you into the movie
channel shuffle where none of them have everything. Even with channels
owned by the same parent company you will find yourself needing to
subscribe to them all to get everything.
HD PPV would be far more useful. Although it's not clear that
the S3 Tivo would support that for any cable provider.
>
> You can (likely) use an irblaster to record SD shows off of a set top box,
> but goodbye HD. All for $1000, when you can get a Series3 HD Tivo, with
> dual HD channels (this only has one HD tuner and one SD tuner) that can
> decode encrypted channels and another 100GB's of disk space for $800.
>
> BFD.
Given the storage requirements of HD, and the computational
requirements of transcoding HD to something smaller, attaching to the
SD output of an HD set top box might not be as silly as it first seems.
Given all of this, for $1000 an S3 Tivo really should have room
for multiple drives and some special hardware for transcoding to H.264.
What comes in an S3 is really quite puny. Even dual 750G drives would
pose a problem (since HD is so much larger).
This is another area where the inability to just slap in a
standard (non cooked) drive continues to be a major irritant with
Tivos. By this point, given the long history of weaknees already,
they should have finally gotten a clue over at Tivo corporate. There
should be an S3 that allows for the like of BestBuy to cheaply boost
the storage with 3 or 4 750G drives.
It's not just the $800 for the S3 but the fact that you
won't be able to connect it to your S2's or other S3's and the
fact that ready made upgrade drives will have a 100% markup.
CableCard is the ONLY thing that an S3 has going for it.
It's not even that great compared to an S2.
--
If you think that an 80G disk can hold HUNDRENDS of |||
hours of DV video then you obviously haven't used iMovie either. / | \
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