[mythtv-users] prebuilt pvrs for developers benefit?

[Joseph A. Caputo]

On Tuesday 04 May 2004 17:46, Bill Chmura wrote:
> On Tuesday 04 May 2004 05:14 pm, Joseph A. Caputo wrote:
> > On Tuesday 04 May 2004 12:23, Peter Lee wrote:
> > > I agree with the idea that the most obvious business potential in
> > > MythTV is in the high-end super-customized home-theater market. 
> > > The installation and configuration would go for $3K-$5K and would
> > > provide something truly unique and very highly personalized to
> > > the high-end customer (eg, UI themes designed specifically for
> > > the customer, etc).
> > >
> > > The main issue here is that this kind of business goes well
> > > beyond just building linux boxes.  Probably there would be a
> > > significant amount of general contracting involved (to build
> > > theater space, racks, lighting controls, etc), integration, and
> > > so on.  So the overheads would be a lot higher.
> >
> > Yeah, I've given this some thought myself.  Basically do custom
> > home-media setups for high-end customers (think: multi-tuner
> > backend(s) with frontends all over the house, that kind of stuff). 
> > Best way to do it would be to form a relationship with a general
> > contractor/home construction company.  Sit down with the customer &
> > design a plan, then sit down with the GC or electrician to lay out
> > the wiring.  Putting anything more than a simple 1-machine setup in
> > an existing home with no network wiring isn't worth it (at least,
> > not until we have 100 Mbit wireless...)
> >
> > Some friends of my sister-in-law recently had me come over and help
> > them get their new Gateway (MS) Media Center & plasma TV set up
> > properly. The Gateway salesman totally over-sold to them, and then
> > they wanted $800 to do an in-home setup and demo.  There's
> > definitely money to be made in home theater design & consulting.
>
> Maybe, but they didn't opt for the $800 did they...

Actually, the only reason they didn't was because I was available :-)

Generally speaking, I think folks who are willing to spend thousands of 
dollars buying exactly what an in-store salesperson tells them don't 
even blink at another $800, especially since they probably *need* the 
in-home setup and demo, because if they didn't they wouldn't have 
gotten swindled by Gateway/Circuit City/<insert favorite store here> 
into buying *way* more than they needed.

-JAC