[mythtv-users] Possible Cheap Frontend

Brian Wood beww at beww.org
Wed Jul 15 01:25:15 UTC 2009


On Tuesday 14 July 2009 19:08:42 Jean-Yves Avenard wrote:
> Hi
>
> 2009/7/15 Brian Wood <beww at beww.org>:
> > Thanks for the (informal) info. I once tried o get a straight answer from
> > MS, got referred to their legal dept., and gave up. Appparently they do
> > not want people knowing precisely what their licenses actually say.
>
> I got a pretty clear answer from them when I asked once. Complete FAQ
> on their web site (can't recall where on top of my head).
>
> I asked at the time because I changed the motherboard and I needed to
> re-activate the XP license.
>
> OEM license is for a motherboard + CPU.
>
> Should you change either, you need a new OEM license.

So if I upgrade my CPU I need to pay again? That's stupid, though I know that 
Oracle once had the same policy (they may still). At one time the Oracle 
license price was dependent on the the CPU count and speed.

If I purchase a used machine with a COA and a damaged XP install I assume I 
can re-install, but how do I get a license number? I once called Dell, told 
them my dog ate my COA and they gave me their "universal" one. I'd guess that 
Dell violated the terms of their agreement by doing so, but it must be a 
common problem.

>
> Vista/XP allows you to register online twice though so you can easily
> get around it.... And when you make a call to re-activate so long as
> you state is the same machine, they okay it easily. But legally, it's
> in breach of the T&C

I hope I never have to deal with Vista. I have a legal beta for Windows 7, but 
that will expire, obviously. They keep offering me lowball prices if I buy 
now.

Trying to get back on topic, there are a LOT of used machines out there that 
would make aceptable SD frontends, and with VDPAU even HD ones. A lot of 
machines originally sold as thin clients would probably make OK F/Es as well, 
if you can blow a new OS into them.

I have a couple of 1GB VIA machines with Unichrome Pro video, but I can't see 
getting them to do HD, no way to get VDPAU-capable graphics into them.

I'd love to find a way to get a graphics card with one of the Sigma designs 
chips on it, so it could play just about anything in hardware. If we can get 
a frontend onto one of the Network Media Tank units...

-- 
Brian Wood
beww at beww.org


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