[mythtv-users] Commercial PVR offerings - is MythTvstill competitive ?

[Doug Young]

For me, it really isn't about cost, it's about openness and features.
My MythTV system has features that my parents' Dish Network STB PVR is
only now catching up with, and I've had them for years...such as
adaptive scheduling and duplicate detection.  So now they're starting
to do some rudimentary web interface...about time...can they stream
video?  I use that feature all the time as I travel some and I'd
rather watch my videos at my leisure (even at lower quality, streamed)
than futz with the hotel's TV and figure out what the regular schedule
is.  Honestly, since I've run mythTV for over 4 years now I don't have
a -clue- what time my TV shows air...I normally sit down and say
"what's new to watch today?".

In addition, MythVideo is a big plus which they will likely never
have.  Compare the cost of even a myth system as big as mine or
Yeechang's to a Kaleidescape system (http://www.kaleidescape.com/) and
you come out way ahead.  Believe me, with 8 kids this is my #1 plugin
... my movie collection (yes, they're legal) is HUGE (829 as of this
morning when my wife bought Madagascar 2).

Multiple front-ends is another feature that is just entering the
market on OTS DVR's...and I've yet to see one that's able to run more
than 2 TV's.  Not acceptable around here...I run 3 full time front
ends, MythTv Player on my windows boxen, and have the mythfrontend on
my linux desktops to serve at will.  Heck, I even upgraded the ram on
my eee-pc and it can serve as a small wireless frontend in a pinch!

In the end, yes, I've spent a -lot- on my Myth setup, both in $$ and
in time.  The 7.2 TB NAS array is just the beginning.  Heck, I just
spent $300 this last weekend on a new HD ready front-end...but every
time I look at an OTS DVR, I say "but it doesn't do X, and I cant live
without that" ... so for my family, there's no other option!

-- 
Doug
Way too much computer equipment to list, most of which runs MythTV in
some form or other.