[mythtv-users] Some notes on Google TV

[Brad Templeton]

> I don't think you will ever see that. What Netflix does not want is your
> being able to make a recording of the content, and Linux, being open,
> will of course allow you to do that. They want a "protected path" for
> the video all the way through, including the OS. The Linux-based devices
> that can do Netflix apparently use a proprietary chip to handle the DRM.
>
> (Actually I'd guess Netflix couldn't care less if you record things, but
> the studios who own the material do seem to care, and thus won't make
> material available to Netflix unless they comply with their wishes)
>
> That's the reason I allow a Windows machine in my garage. It's running
> PlayOn (which requires Windows), and exports everything (including
> Netflix and Amazon VOD) as a UPnP server.
>
> Of course there is nothing preventing me from recording the component
> output of a UPnP player with an HD-PVR, but I guess they haven't figured
> that out yet.
>
> But why would I want to record something I can watch any time I want to?
> Let Netflix store things, and save me money and power.
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>    
Of course they are trying to close the analog hole.  And while recording 
is nice because it gives you a real mpeg on your disk, the downside is 
that the quality is going to be lower, and also lower per gigabyte.  
Generally the best thing to do is to record the pre-compressed encoded 
stream if you can, and not to transcode.

However there are many reasons to enjoy having an open recording, even 
of something you can fetch any time.

a) You can't watch it any more if you cancel your netflix subscription
b) You can use Myth's "Speed up with adjusted audio" which is one of my favs
c) You can do commercial elimination -- a feature coerced out of other 
PVRs.  However, I believe there are alternates to make this possible in 
the GTV situation.
d) You can extract clips and screen captures for fair uses (which I have 
actually done a few times.)
e) You can watch without using up a lot of your internet connection
f) You can copy to your laptop and watch on the plane.  (Of course DVDs 
also allow this.)  Or in remote locations or on your phone.

This is a good list, but at the same time not enough to win over many 
users.   I do expect the speedup with audio correction to show up 
eventually in commercial players.   Commercial elimination is a tricky 
one.  TV Networks will use what pressure they can to block it from 
commercial products.  It can be done on DRM players through 
crowdsourcing, I think, even without access to the video stream -- if 
you can FF in the stream.  As you know, with many online sources today 
like Hulu the commercials can't be skipped.

But otherwise I agree, why spend disk space on a copy.  For me, I almost 
never watch again anyway.

On the 3rd hand, I would like to continue the push for open video 
systems so we don't have to play all these games.  But for Myth to 
thrive it needs to be ahead of other offerings, and it is facing 
challenges in a few areas.    Playing netflix is one issue.  The other 
issue is that the cable boxes won't output in-the-clear firewire for 
various channels,  in particular premium channels.   Since I don't want 
premium channels this has not bothered me, but it does bother me that if 
I accidentally tune one it seems to muck up my firewire.  If I really 
wanted HBO, I might have to move away from Myth.  However, the new DLNA 
DVR control protocols offer an option, particularly if we can make the 
transition smooth.   Google TV does that by being able to send the HDMI 
through the GTV box, allowing it to both seamless feed of the video, and 
even to do OSD on top of it -- presumably by having its own HDCP licence.

It's not out of the question that we might see HDMI input jacks 
available for our PCs to allow pass through, but probably not 
modifcation of the stream for OSD unless there is a protocol for that.   
Alternately we might be able to use ir-blaster (ugh) or DLNA or Anynet 
to command the TV to switch video sources for a slightly ugly switch to 
playing from a satellite DVR STB.   At least one would still control 
everything with the same remote and interface, but the OSD would then 
come from the STB when you hit pause etc.

I this this would be tolerable, if imperfect.