[mythtv-users] The $99 frontend is here. Is this too good to be true?

[Sean Goodpasture]

On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 10:25 PM, stuart <stuart at xnet.com> wrote:

>
> <o-o people are top commenting again :O, I'll try to fix it...>
>
>   Sean Goodpasture wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 9:12 PM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org <mailto:
>>> beww at beww.org>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  On Wednesday 01 July 2009 19:40:52 Sean Goodpasture wrote:
>>>> This is why I'm using a NMT (networked media tank) as my front
>>>> end.  A bit
>>>> more expensive ($165ish), but smaller (15x11x5cm), low power,
>>>> quiet, and
>>>> they play all my other formats too.
>>>>
>>>> Sure the interface with Myth is a bit hacky and totally not 100%,
>>>> but it
>>>> works.
>>>>
>>>
>>>    What box precisely are you using? I just picked up a Myka. I think
>>>    the Popcorn
>>>    hour is referred to as an NMT as well.
>>>
>>>    Are you just using the Myth UPnP server? How do you schedule
>>> recordings?
>>>    --
>>>    Brian Wood
>>>    beww at beww.org <mailto:beww at beww.org>
>>>
>>
>>  I'm using a K100 (Kaiboer brand) and have a couple eGreat's on their way.
>>   I hacked  mythweb...
>> http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showthread.php?tid=24292
>>   <http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showthread.php?tid=24292>And I
>> always  schedule with my computer.  I've found the scheduling process in the
>>  mythfrontend to be "cumbersome" at best and useless at worst.  I also
>>  never use LiveTV on my myth setup since it's always just crashed
>>  something... plus commercials suck.
>>   I want one box that can do it all... and a minimyth was pretty close,
>>  but not quite there.  The NMTs are the same, but I think they are better
>>  for all the non myth media... in a smaller box.
>>
>
> The PopCornHour and the NetworkMediaTank are the same AFAIK.  It is the
> marriage of SigmaDesign hardware and Syabas (Linux based) software.  You
> will find this mix in various forms dating back years and popping up in no
> name as well as well known brand boxes.  People are working on these boxes
> (i.e. something more interesting then just re purposing the existing
> software) in order to make the mythtv experience more fluid.  I don't think
> anyone is actually porting the real mythfrontend.  It is more likely you
> will eventually see a custom front end that can speak natively to the
> mythbackend.
>
> All that said, small form factor computers are catching up in size and
> price.  I don't think SigmaDesign or Syabas have been extremely supportive
> of the open source community in the past.  Too bad because as small
> computers that can support a real mythfrontend start popping up, open source
> interest in these dedicated boxes will likely falter.
>
> Comments?  Did I leave anything out?
>
> -thanks
>
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Top commenting = better, but whatever.

The NMT is $165-170.  Has HDMI and optical outs.  It plays whatever video
format you can throw at it (1080p BR rips, no problemo as long as the
network or attached hard drive can keep up).  I spent a few hours on a
Sunday hacking Mythweb to allow me to play & delete recordings off of the
mythbackend.  My time's not free, but I would have spent it dealing with the
mythfrontend anyway.

I just got done building a front end.
Nice Asus motherboard, 5050e CPU, 2 gigs of ram, $160
Basic HTPCish case: $50
basic memory stick for booting minimyth: $5
MCE Remote: $15

WAF?  Good for myth.  Bad for media, especially trying to get VDPAU to work
causing DVD ISOs to die and general instability on the frontend.

And I'm seeing quite a bit of traction with new application development for
the NMTs (Syabas = Popcorn Hour, NMT = generic name for the devices).  A lot
of people have then working as automatic torrent downloading devices (so a
DVR of sorts really).

I've been doing the HTPC thing for a loooong time.  Any time I can replace
the computer with an off the shelf solution, I do it because when my wife
wants to watch a movie, she doesn't want to have to call me to help.  I even
bought one of the original Bravo D1's because of this!
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