[mythtv-users] MythTV production run

[Larry Howe]

I think the three most important things about getting more people to use linux
(e.g. MythTV) are volume, volume, and volume. After volume, the next three most
important things are ownership, privacy, and privacy.

Someone did mention volume and how there may not be too much advantage to more
volume. I have a bit of a counterexample. I made some custom hardware a few
years back and I could only break even when I made a couple at a time. When I
did get an order for 20 or so at once, then I could turn a profit. This is of
course a classic chicken and egg problem, more people don't use it because more
people don't use it, etc.

In terms of ownership and privacy, this is something I think needs to be
emphasized more in all linux advocacy. Someone mentioned digeo.com on here and
how it is "the competition" for MythTV. It is not the competition for MythTV.
If you look at the digeo literature you'll see that it not only monitors your
viewing, it then cleverly inserts targeted advertisements INTO THE NAVIGATION
MENUS. So it is only the competition for people who don't mind that sort of
thing.

For me personally, maybe it's my age, but I've had one too many ads fed to me,
and I don't want more of them popping up in new places. How many people would
be willing to spend $20 per month for a supported MythTV that has more
features, and isn't trying to sell them stuff? And would $20 per sub per month
be enough to support a business of supporting mythtv boxes?

I would be willing to put up some money (but not all the money) to support a
short production run (20 boxes maybe?). I can also help with sales and
marketing but someone else would
have to do the design and offer the support. My feeling is we would have to hit
near the $300 price point to even be able to sell 20. Any takers?

Larry

Quoting sukeband at vzavenue.net:

> Hey everyone,
>
> I know the subject of selling commercial mythtv boxes has
> been probably talked about to death, but I’d hate to see
> talents and skill of the major developers on this, go
> unrewarded monetarily. I’ve been playing around with the
> software for a few months now and, I feel like it's nothing
> short of brilliant.
>
> Is anyone adverse to the idea of marketing prebuilt systems
> and having any some of generated go to the major developers?
> Does anyone see a fairly large market for these? If this is
> the case, I don’t see a problem taking advantage of that, if
> it went towards the betterment of the players in the
> community, especially the people that made this project
> possible?
>
> What are your thoughts on this guys?
>
>
> -Rob
>




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