[mythtv-users] MythDevice?

[Meatwad]

Brian Wood wrote:

> On May 30, 2006, at 7:12 AM, Anil Gupte wrote:
> 
>> I am looking for something that is mass manufactured specifically  
>> to run Linux
>> based PVR software, so the price can come down to say, $300 per  
>> machine and it
>> looks good next to my DVD player and Audio system.  Then all of us  
>> can justify
>> having a bunch of them - some to use, some to take apart, some to  
>> play with,
>> some to bring them all in and in the darkness... never mind... :-)
>>
>> Seriously, someday myth will be all growed up and it needs to have  
>> a stable,
>> reliable platform on which people can run it - perhaps even pay for  
>> it.
>>
>> What "couple of outfits" are selling such boxes now?
> 
> As I said, you have described a TiVo perfectly (though some might  
> argue about the "looks good" part). Standalone models can be had for  
> around $50 US "after rebate".
> 
> The "couple of outfits" I referred to are selling pre-configured Myth  
> machines, but these are not mass-produced and the prices are high.  
> The Dragon was mentioned here, I think the MyTV online store has an  
> offering as well. The Media Ready series from Video Without  
> Boundaries is another possibility.
> 
> Be aware that if you are in the US I am not at all sure of the status  
> of these machines using DataDirect to obtain their listings, it may  
> or may not be a violation of the letter of their license, but it is  
> almost certainly a violation of the spirit of it. Of course other  
> arrangements could be made with DataDirect, as was done by TitanTV  
> and others.
> 
> The current MCE offerings are so poor that there is certainly a  
> market for "something better", but I think successfully running a  
> Myth system will require better-than-average computer skills for the  
> foreseeable future. Third-party software solutions that run on  
> standard XP are better than MCE solutions, some are actually pretty  
> decent, but quality video hardware will always be expensive unless  
> subsidized, as with TiVo and the PVR offerings from Cable Operators,  
> and with those you wind up paying in the end in monthly fees.

Very well stated. I nominate this answer to the OP be added to the FAQ. 
With an equally succinct mention of the guide data issues. And the fact 
that the primary developers have no commercial interest in the project. 
Brian?