[mythtv] Regarding the MediaMVP

[John W. Ross]

I have 3 of these and quite like them.  Granted the UI is a bit slow but
Hauppauge is working on that.

They work well, I currently use them served via a windows server that samba
links to my myth directories.  I link each recording from myth to a .mpg
file name and the MVP plays the recordings very well, as well as my PVR350.
I can have different content feeding to each of the MVPs and it all works.
If there were a way to feed the live recording to the MVP it would it would
fullfill all my needs (I don't use mythweb/mythvideo/mythgame etc.)  I've
read that live feeds are working on other projects (VDR).

I've been watching http://www.rst38.org.uk/mediamvp/ and what I would like
to see is not an attempt to get MythTV running on the MediaMVP.  People have
already been changing the "look" of  the UI and following the work
http://www.shspvr.com/forum/ switching the interface to look like MythTV
should be relatively straight forward.  So what would be needed to make the
MVP work for Myth (not as Myth)?

Playing music?  Hauppauge already has this working and serving to the
MediaMVP in the same way is reported to work via the VDR server.

Playing Video?  When it is MPEG2 this works and once again the VDR stand
alone is supposed to do this.

Pictures?  Once again the stand alone is reported to do this.

Weather?  Since the UI is a web page for all intents and purposes, this
should be able to be done.

Browser?  Could be a real challenge without a keyboard, but once again
should be able to be done.

Live TV.... this would be the "enhancement" (beyond getting the server off
windows).

Games... no joystick, probably not reasonable

DVD... MediaMVP has no drive so, no point although sending a message back to
the VNC server should work

News?  if displayed in a web browser like format, should be the same as
Browser or the UI

I don't do network coding so I don't can't speak to the effort needed, but
much has been done thus far.  I would really like to see the live TV portion
running.  But it does seem that the best move would be not to try to
actually run MythTV on the MediaMVP but rather to create a server that
replicates the look of MythTV.  It appears what needs to be done to make it
work for Myth is the link to the live buffer and some "prettying up".

Also, since the MediaMVP is not x86 based, but rather PowerPC based, it
would seem that this approach would be cleaner.  Trying to move the MythTV
program onto the MediaMVP would probably require a much greater programming
effort than the rewards would justify.

Just my .02.
John