[mythtv-users] Roku as myth frontend?

[Byron Poland]

On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 12:32 PM, Brian Wood<beww at beww.org> wrote:
> On Tuesday 08 September 2009 09:56:20 Torfinn Ingolfsen wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
>> > Although it's twice the price, I think the best bet for something like
>> > that would be a Myka:
>> >
>> > http://www.myka.tv/
>> >
>> > This runs Linux, and is described as "open source hardware". They do make
>> > an
>> > SDK available and seem to encourage third-party development.
>>
>>  Well, I had a little look around the Myka web site. I couldn't find any
>> open source drivers for the hardware.
>> Until Myka publishes all specs on the hardware, and / or full open source
>> drivers, I fil to see why this is any different from the Roku box and
>> service.
>
> I would suspect Sigma is keeping some material to themselves, that seems to be
> what they have done in other cases, and if you want to use their tecnology
> you play by their rules.
>
> Looks like some modules used by Myka are probably binary blobs:
>
> Module                  Size  Used by    Tainted: PF
> em8xxx                878848  4
> arusb_lnx             393168  0
> ide_generic             1248  0
> ide_cd                 48384  0
> ide_disk               20784  4
> tangox_bmide           13024  0
> ide_core              127120  4 ide_generic,ide_cd,ide_disk,tangox_bmide
> llad                  116128  5 em8xxx
>
> It's definitely a Sigma SOC:
> # cat /proc/cpuinfo
> system type             : Sigma Designs TangoX
> processor               : 0
> cpu model               : MIPS 4KEc V6.9
> Initial BogoMIPS        : 291.84
> wait instruction        : yes
> microsecond timers      : yes
> tlb_entries             : 32
> extra interrupt vector  : yes
> hardware watchpoint     : yes
> ASEs implemented        : mips16
> VCED exceptions         : not available
> VCEI exceptions         : not available
> System bus frequency    : 198000000 Hz
> CPU frequency           : 297000000 Hz
> DSP frequency           : 297000000 Hz
>
> Hardware decoding seems to me to be the way to go, VDPAU is at best a halfway
> measure towards this.
>
> You really can't blame a manufacturer if Sigma puts idiotic restrictions on
> the use of their products.
>
> Perhaps some other manufacturer will see the light, and this may point Sigma
> and others in the right direction.
>
> We can always hope.
>
> --
> Brian Wood
> beww at beww.org


I think there are whispers of support for the broadcom crystal hd
chip/card coming to linux (or a similar device), and then it can be
stuck into an appletv (swapping out the network card) or something for
full hardware decode.  That's just from posts I've seen here and on
the atv-bootloader list.