[mythtv-users] Anybody get a gander at the Neuros box?

[Dewey Smolka]

Anybody get a look at this thing?

http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4532837874.html

Some excerpts:

Neuros Technology is offering Linux hackers first dibs on beta units
of its next-gen DVR (digital video recorder). The Linux-powered device
can record MPEG-4 video from cable or broadcast TV, DVDs, etc., and
transfer it to portable media players, or serve as a network music
player.

[...]

The OSD ("open source device") was developed primarily as the
next-generation platform to replace Neuros's petite DVR set-top box,
the Recorder II. It can record MPEG-4 video from analog sources such
as cable or broadcast TV receivers, DVD players, and so on, and then
transfer it to various sorts of memory cards or directly to portable
media players such as Neuros's own 442, Apple's video iPod, or any
number of Linux-based A/V devices.

[...]

The OSD is based on a TI DM320 SoC (system-on-chip processor). The SoC
has an ARM926EJ core clocked at 200MHz, along with a C54x DSP core
operating at 120MHz. It also has dedicated MPEG-4 video
encoding/decoding hardware that Neuros says enables the OSD to support
"DVD-like" playback quality at D1 (DVD) resolutions.

The OSD available through Neuros's beta program will have 8MB of flash
memory, and 32MB of RAM -- twice the capacities of the first OSD
prototype.

I/O includes:

    * 12Mbps USB 2.0 interface
    * SD/MMC/MemoryStick, Pro, Duo socket
    * CF socket supporting I/O mode
    * RS-232 serial console port (also used for controlling tuner boxes)
    * 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
    * Infrared detector for remote control
    * Infrared blaster for controlling tuner boxes
    * NTSC/PAL composite or S-Video input
    * NTSC/PAL composite video output

Much more detailed technical information about the OSD's specific
chips and capabilities can be found on a Wiki page on Neuros's
website, here: http://wiki.neurostechnology.com/index.php/OSD_Developer_Board_v1

________________________-

It seems that this at least could work as a direct-to MPEG4 encoder,
although a bit pricey for just that function. Anyone have an opinion
how hard it would be to make it a slave BE with remote storage
(there's no HDD or storage of note on the board) and/or a front end?

It's got an MPEG4 decoder, but could it handle streamed MPEG2? Could
Mythfrontend even compile on it?

Just thought I'd share.