[mythtv-users] Why cant we make a STB?

[Jonathan Larson]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org [mailto:mythtv-users-
> bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of jedi
> Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:52 AM
> To: Discussion about mythtv
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Why cant we make a STB?
> 
> On Thu, Feb 05, 2009 at 09:10:03AM -0800, Brad Fuller wrote:
> > On Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 6:02 AM, jedi <jedi at mishnet.org> wrote:
> > > On Wed, Feb 04, 2009 at 05:00:15PM -0800, Brad Fuller wrote:
> > >> On Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 4:56 PM, Nick Rout <nick.rout at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > >> > Perhaps what is needed is a mythtv frontend "reference design" -
> in
> > >> > fact it may be very similar to the ion reference design, but
> with a
> > >> > remote. Its something people could build with confidence,
> knowing its
> > >> > gonna work.
> > >>
> > >> A reference design is not a bad idea. If we could form a SIG here
> with
> > >> its purpose to create a MythTV HW reference design, HW mfrs could
> > >> utilize the design to build competitive products.
> > >>
> > >> At the very least, it would show HW mfrs what the community is
> > >> interested in. At it's best, it could be a design that mfrs could
> > >> develop from.
> > >
> > > ...perhaps we should approach one of the Linux system vendors like
> > > System76 with the specs of what we're interested in. A suitable
> > > dedicated frontend shares a lot of the same sorts of requirements
> > > as an AppleTV or mini Mac/PC and could probably be sold to the
> > > same sorts of customers. System76 already has a couple of "off
> > > the shelf" systems that are somewhere close to where a good MythTV
> > > extender would need to be.
> >
> > We could. Or we could make this vendor -neutral. Develop a ref design
> > independently, and then if mfrs want to use it, they can have it.
> 
>     ...sounds like an awful lot of work.
> 
>     It makes a lot more sense to drop a line to the sorts of people
> that are already selling this sort of stuff and tell them "Hey! We
> all want to buy THIS!". Those that are already doing this sort of
> thing can put their already developed experience to work and we
> can be a small part of their plans and benefit in the end.
> 
>     Neuros in particular seems to be about 85% of the way there
> already.
> 

I don't see any products at Neuros that really look like it could handle H.264 at the bitrates captured from HD-PVR/Bluray. 

The Popcornhour A-110, OTOH, advertises H.264 (up to HP at L4.1) and VC-1 (up to AP at L3):

http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/index.php?module=onlinestore&pluginoption=catalog&task=info&item_id=6&main_id=0&category_id=