[mythtv-users] Small, low cost MythTV clients...

[stuart]

Hi Rich...

Rich West wrote:
> stuart wrote:
>> Hi Mark...
>>
>> Mark Chang wrote:
>>   
>>> On 5/1/07, stuart <stuart at xnet.com> wrote:
>>>     
>>>> Well, that's an alternative.  But keep in mind the box we are talking
>>>> about (Galaxy 3500 IPTV (and others like the MediaMVP)) are disk-less,
>>>> require no fans and run on something much less than 10 watts (the wall
>>>> plug for the Galaxy is rated for 12 volts at about 1 amp).  So, for me,
>>>> it's obvious why such a box would be preferred over a full blown
>>>> computer - even if the computer is just a little over $300.
>>>>       
>>> Am I right in thinking that the LinkPlayer2 and the Galaxy are the
>>> current best bets for HD playback? Seems compelling to play with.
>>>     
>> I am in no position to say (haven't done enough home work).  Let's just 
>> say I bought my Galaxy 3500 for less than $200 - so the price was right. 
>>   As for what it can do - it has played back NTSC & ATSC (@ 720p & 
>> 1080i) recorded and served up by a MythTV box.  It has done this to a 
>> NTSC set w/o any problems.  It passes digital sound out it's optical 
>> SPDIF as well as stereo analog with the correct cable.  Out of the box, 
>> it sees the MythTV UPnP server and plays back recordings.  It does not 
>> play back MythTV audio recordings as the audio portion of the MythTV 
>> UPnP server is broken and only fixed in the SVN code (i.e. you have to 
>> get the development source code and compile MythTV for your self).  It 
>> does not have a digital HD output.  I have been told it plays back HD 
>> content on an HD monitor well using its constituent cable.
>>
>> If you need to play back audio and / or video recordings, you can get 
>> and compile WizD for your server box.  This combination (WizD and 
>> Galaxy) works well as the Galaxy will display the WizD web pages which 
>> are much better than the Galaxy's built in menus.
> 
> It is interesting, that is for sure.  It's quite a tease since it does 
> have component out.  I'd be interested to see how this develops.  Having 
> a full-blown desktop workstation (ok, so mine is a tiny Shuttle box, but 
> still) sucking up all of that juice vs a thin client like that and 
> getting HD.. That's something to look out for.
> 
> Admittedly, as of right now, I have very little understanding of how 
> UPNP works and what the menu system would even look like on one of these 
> units.  Now, had I come across this 6 months ago when I put my systems 
> together, I might have gone for these.. :)
> 
> -Rich

I believe UPnP is one of those thing that you can keep adding to. 
Currently the MythTV UPnP support that you find in the released 
(stable?) version along with the galaxy allows you to select (from memory):

list all (painful if you have lots of recordings)
list by channel
list by date
...hum, and about 4 or 6 other ways

Then you just need to page through the list.  Not as nice as a real Myth 
front end.  But adequate.  I don't think there is any support for 
anything beyond play back.

What would be excellent would be a thin client talking to the Myth back 
end using native Myth front to back commands (i.e. for viewing, 
deleting, scheduling...).

If someone would start a thin-client or galaxy wiki where we could post 
pictures, I could upload some examples.