[mythtv-users] prebuilt pvrs for developers benefit?

[daryl faulds]

--- Tony Maro <tony at maro.net> wrote:
> Chris Petersen wrote:
> 
> >>The hardware is cheap you can get mini box for 150
> cpu for 50 memory 50 and
> >>nice tv card from 20  to 200. hard drive 120GB is
> 70
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >$500 isn't cheap.  Heck, $300 isn't cheap,
> especially with cable
> >providers starting to offer DVR's with their
> digital cable packages
> >(Tivo is only as popular as it is because it's part
> of DirecTV - look at
> >how much worse off ReplayTV is).
> >
> >  
> >
> >>Now with tivo you are limited to what you can
> record and you have pay fee to
> >>get programing  liftime is 299 for one unit so
> when you upgrade your tivo
> >>you have to pay another 299.
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >Can't argue with this.
> >
> >BTW, not sure if people keep up on this stuff, but
> Moxie is seemingly
> >finally coming to market...  http://www.digeo.com/
> - it's a
> >client-server system, just like myth (although not
> quite as powerful, I
> >think the number of clients is limited), and has
> some MASSIVE financial
> >backing (Paul Allen, if I recall correctly), which
> explains how they're
> >still around about 2 years after announcing their
> product.  Anyway, this
> >is what you'd have to compete against, not Tivo. 
> No pricing on the
> >system itself, but it says that an extra client box
> will cost $79. 
> >That's dirt cheap.
> >
> 
> You're looking at this the wrong way.  MythTV should
> be considered a 
> high-end solution.  I know a guy who just last year
> spent $3000 on a 
> Linux-based MP3 server similar to Myth.  It had TV
> out to select the 
> album, would auto-rip any CD placed in it,
> automatically downloaded 
> cover art from the Internet and played back using
> digital outs, and was 
> rack mounted.  I know it was Linux based because I
> watched it boot ;-)  
> It was in his "theater room".
> 
> And this was JUST for MP3's.
> 
> A MythTV box really is a similar high-end product
> because it's not 
> limited to just a few features.  Most mass-produced
> products are 
> crapped-down to cut corners and save costs. 
> High-end theater equipment 
> however has extra's added and prices tripled.
> 
> If I were to market a MythTV box, I'd offer
> installation and 
> configuration for around $3000 in a package designed
> for A/V enthusiasts 
> with too much money to spend.  I'd then offer a $600
> / year maintenance 
> agreement that covers maintaining the software,
> updates when the cable 
> TV adds channels, etc.  I might even consider
> offering a service to rip 
> their own DVD collections at $20 / DVD and placing
> it on the HD for easy 
> viewing.
> 
> In a town like Atlanta or NY, you should be able to
> easily sell two or 
> more a month with your eyes closed.  As long as the
> case is pretty.
> 
> -Tony

In my opinion high-end is the only market now. I'll
give an example. I've built stand-alone linux-based
ripper/players that sound brilliant. The folks who got
them wanted sound-quality and convenience and had the
money to pay. Saw one in use at a party, the hostess
never downloaded an MP3 in her life and here she was
showing off the thing loaded with something like two
thousand tunes. I doubt she will ever use an iPod with
earbuds.

MythTV hits those same buttons with my hostess. I have
built three different MySQL/MySQL implementations of
linux-based PVR and (again, my opinion) MythTV is the
most attractive. Having said that, it just can not
compete with RealPlayTV, and the hordes of cable-box
linked PVR that are coming. MythTV can compete with
TiVo handily, but that is not the competion in the
future.

The competition for the future likely comes from the
BitTorrent type access to HDTV within minutes after a
TV show airs. Even now you can grab nice versions of
the Sopranos etc right after the airing on the East
Coast. No tv-card needed.



	
		
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs  
http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover