[mythtv-users] MythTV Presentation

[Mike Ryan]

Quoting Dewey Smolka <dsmolka at gmail.com>:

>> If I may make a suggestion.. Make a statement or two about the freedom
>> MythTV offers.  When I was looking at building or buying a PVR, I made
>> the decision to go with Myth primarily for the reason that I expected
>> the recording industry lobbyists and advertisers to ruin the commercial
>> PVRs.  We're starting to see that happen, with them controlling the
>> content in more and more ways.  With Myth, I don't have to deal with any
>> of that nonsense.  I can use the system to legally time shift and
>> archive shows I pay for with my cable TV subscription and not be treated
>> like a criminal for it.
>
> Hear, hear.
>
> I find that one of the weakest ways to promote any FOSS system or
> application is on price. This is particularly true with something like
> MythTV, where the OS and software may not cost anything, but the
> hardware cost of the system is comparable to MCE, and far more than
> TiVo (which, IMHO, will not be around much longer despite its name and
> mindshare). This is not to mention the time it takes to get something
> like Myth up and running.
>
> The thing to tout with Myth is that it's your system, not MS's, not
> the cable operators, and not TiVo's, meaning it's up to you what your
> machine does, and there's nothing in Myth to prevent you from doing
> whatever you want with your media.
>
> Some talking points to consider (in no particular order):
>
> * Distributed architecture and expandability. This is one area where
> Myth blows everyone else away. It's a set of modular parts that can
> all go on one machine or spread across as many machines as the user
> wants. MCE extender modules are not really the same thing.
>
> * DRM. Simpy put, Myth hasn't got it now and will never have it;
> everyone else does, and theirs will get worse as time goes on. Most
> consumers are sympathetic to the idea that artists and creators need
> to be paid. This is why consumers pay for cable TV instead of splicing
> a signal from their neighbors. This is why most consumers buy/rent
> DVDs instead of scouring BT for cam copies. But this sympathy goes
> away the minute a consumer can't use paid-for content in ways they are
> used to. Have you bought a new copy-protected
> CD-that's-not-really-a-CD? MythTV and GNU/Linux can read, rip, mix and
> burn the audio content however you want. MS MCE cannot. Repeat this
> statement as often as necessary.
>
> Myth is based on the idea that content (whether broadcast or delivered
> on optical disc or otherwise) that you buy is yours, and you are free
> to time-shift, format-shift, and backup however you want (provided you
> do not try to redistribute your content in illegal ways -- this is not
> supported by MythTV, and is actively (and adamantly) discouraged by
> the Myth community and the developers). MS MCE is built on the idea
> that you have bought a license to the content, and they can redefine
> the license terms at any time for any reason.
>
> * DRM pt2: HD. Make sure you mention MS' plans to require DRMed
> display devices in future versions of MS Windows for HD playback.
> Basically, if you set up an HD-capable MCE system today (if that's
> possible) it may not work for HD in the future without a new display.
> I believe starting with Vista, the video signal (at least when HD)
> will be encrypted, and must be decrypted by your display. That $1200
> LCD you just bought will be obsolete for MCE in less than two years.
> Don't like it? Buy another display.
>
> * Community development. MythTV is developed by people who want the
> same things as you or me -- things that make viewers happy. Like com
> flagging and transcoding, archiving to optical media, management and
> playback of virtually any media file, the freedom to tweak the sytstem
> to add functionality, and giving nobody the ability to change my
> system, its capabilities, or the terms under which I use it without my
> consent.
>
> Contrast with MCE -- developers want to keep MS happy (locking people
> into closed, proprietary formats); MS wants to keep content producers
> happy (by restricting use, preventing copying and archiving,
> 'expiring' recordings, having the box phone home to check up on your
> activities, etc); and both of them would like to be the gatekeepers
> for all forms of digital media.
>
> In summary: cost is not a major concern. What should be a major
> concern is how robust the system is, how flexible it is, how
> expandable it is, and how the system will grow to address the needs of
> its users. MythTV is without doubt the most powerful media engine on
> the planet and its strenth is growing at a breathtaking pace.
>
> MCE is overpriced and bloated, built on top of XP Home rather than XP
> Pro (meaning crippled networking and lack of solid admin tools),
> closed and locked down, and allows you fewer possibilities with your
> media than you had in the analog days.
>
> TiVo is a different category of device, since it is cheap hardware
> supported by excessive monthly fees, and is not really a media center
> because it only does TV, not home videos, not music, not pictures, and
> certainly not DVD archiving. TiVo will also fade as cable/sat
> providers make their own boxes that do the same thing and undercut
> TiVo's pricing.
>
> I wish I could help with the presentation. When it moves from East
> London to Washington DC, I'll be there.
>
> Good luck.
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>
>

All

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Nick,

As you say, the OpenTech link was for a pervious presentation I did. 
The new one
is the WSFII link which I forgot to post !! (Note to self, don't post when
you're tired!)
http://www.okfn.org/wsfii/programme.html

Marius

I believe that there will be some kind of webcast announced although I 
can't see
anything on the home page yet - stay tuned.

Michael

The main theme of the whole day is open-source, so this will be the 
main focus.
I will mention the alternatives briefly, particularly the recent auto-deletion
of content that Tivo has decided to do (which I'm sure most people have heard
of , but just in case here's a good link
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/09/16/tivos_accidental_nos.html)

dsmolka

Thanks for the detailed reply. Lots of food for thought there and I'll go
through your mail in more detail and in the context of the 
persentation. Thanks
for taking the time! My only problem, is that I only have 10 mins as I 
could go
on about MythTV for hours!

Hopefully see some of you there?

Thanks and Regards

Mike