[mythtv-users] Roku as myth frontend?

[Brian Wood]

On Tuesday 08 September 2009 15:02:02 Byron Poland wrote:
> 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.

As John Banner said:

I know nothing.

Certainly will ^H^H^H^H would be nice though.


-- 
Brian Wood
beww at beww.org