[mythtv-users] MythTV vs. Windows Media Center

[jedi]

On Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 11:06:07PM -0600, Reynolds, Brian wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
> [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of jedi
> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 8:08 PM
> To: Discussion about MythTV
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] MythTV vs. Windows Media Center
> 
> On Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 07:01:13PM +0000, Richard Morton wrote:
> > On 11 February 2011 16:55, Jacob Mansfield <cyberjacob at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > > just my 2p, but sorry guys, I feel I have to say that this is a
> > > completely unfair argument. how can you expect M$'s products to even
> > > come near the epic-ness of open source.
> > 
> > I think you're basing this on 2 things:
> > 1. People like PVRs being more than just an appliance, more of a hobby
> > 2. They have the technical ability to work with Myth
> > 
> > MS W MCE and TiVo are reasonable products, they are crippled by having
> 
>     Tivo is a real appliance and it's the gold standard by which every
> other PVR is measured. MCE is no appliance.
> 
> > to use DRM in their products essentially to support hardware that is
> > plug and play. So to make their products easier to use they forgo
> > tuner solutions and to avoid political or regulatory pressure.
> 
>     No. The problem with MCE is basic architecture. By forcing the use
> of 3rd party speciality appliances rather than just allowing other PCs
> to be extenders, much of MCE's potential value is wasted. 3rd party
> plugins account for a great deal of what MCE has going for it. You can
> also augment MCE with separate apps in a manner similar to what you can
> do with MythTV.
> 
>     Extender appliances can't take advantage of any of that.
> 
> > 
> > MS W MCE was developed in a fairly short time and as a solution that
> > is easy to use and with now what amounts to a small team as this isnt
> 
>     Microsoft has had plenty of time to perfect MCE. What counts for
> meagre
> resources at Microsoft is more than what most commercial companies can 
> dedicate and certainly more than what volunteer products can muster.
> 
>     As far as being easy goes, I think you are giving MCE more credit
> than it 
> deserves
> 
> > a core or strategic product. Imagine what they could do if they really
> > tried.
> 
>     That's not really relevant.
> 
> [deletia]
> 
>     I don't think you have much if any experience with MCE and that you
> will
> likely be disappointed when you do. Perhaps you should just buy a Tivo.
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Jedi,
> 
> I'm sure I could think of a few phallic references, but that would

    You are really out of your depth here.

> probably be against the "rules" here.  No, I don't have experience with
> MCE.  I'm going to install it (and Myth) on one or two machines I

    Yet you spout all sorts of propaganda about it as if you actually
have a clue. Perhaps you should get a clue first before spouting nonsense.

> currently own.  I'll play around with them and even install at least one
> tuner card that is compatible with one or the other (or both).  I've
> also asked my son if he can borrow a friend's Xbox so I can play with an
> extender (he doesn't like Xbox, we own a couple of Wii's and a PS3).
> However, I have TONS AND TONS of experience with Windows (since Windows
> was an infant... think 1.0).  I know that nearly everything in Windows
> can be hacked.  From what I've read, Win MCE will do 99.9% of what I

    That's really where something like MythTV diverges from the Microsoft
aproach with MCE. Some box running a Myth frontend is the actual Myth 
software as opposed to some 3rd party appliance that may or may not be up 
to snuff either in terms of hardware or software.

    Nevermind the fact that MCE itself needs tweaks before it's going to be 
able to offer what you seem to be interested in.

    A number of us use BD rips with MythTV.

> want to do, with those hacks.  However, I have VERY LITTLE experience
> with Linux and/or MythTV.  I am, however, a quick learner and actually

    That seems to apply to MCE as well.

> enjoy learning something new.  I love a challenge.  I'm looking to you
> guys to help me find any benefits to Myth that I haven't already
> considered.  TiVo is already off my list... it doesn't have the features

    The inability to run a copy of MCE on another PC as an extender is 
probably the main issue. Console hardware may or may not have the ability
to deal with content that a PC can either handle with sheer brute force
or with better dedicated hardware.

[deletia]