[mythtv-users] Firewire no longer required on HD STBs

[Ivan Kowalenko]

On Jun 29, 2010, at 16.37, Brian Wood wrote:

> On Tuesday, June 29, 2010 03:28:07 pm Eric Sharkey wrote:
>> On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 5:10 PM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
>>> I have seen devices that stream video from the net, and present it as a UPnP server
>> 
>> That's different.  Generally most stuff on the net can be played on-demand.
>> 
>> When talking about a device that can stream just whatever is playing right now on a small handful of channels (compared to the number of videos available for streaming from a typical web service like YouTube or Hulu), a UPnP type interface seems like an odd fit.
>> 
>>> Basically it just needs enough information  about the "file", like the name, size etc., to be able to fake out a UPnP renderer and make it think the streamed program from the cable co. is actually just a file, which is all it really is anyway.
>> 
>> But it doesn't stream programs, it streams channels.  How big is the file that represents Comedy Central?  Not the Tuesday night 11PM showing of The Daily Show, but all of Comedy Central?  It just doesn't make any sense.
> 
> Could you just have the device output whatever you have tuned with the STB as a single "file"? Thus it would work for 
> "channels" or for individual on-demand programs.

Well, it's kind of moot since we can't design the device. But as long as we're talking about designing a system, here's something simpler. Can't a UPnP server present available streams? As in live streams, like Shoutcast-style streams (as opposed to an on-demand, YouTube or Hulu style stream)? So it just says: "these are the streams available. There's the Comedy Central stream, showing South Park, there's the Fox News stream showing Bill O'Reilly, there's the BBC America stream showing Top Gear," etc. All that needs to happen then is to request access to that stream, 

> I'm just trying to think of a way the IP interface could be easily used by consumers without having to purchase a ton of 
> new gear, or rent something more from the cable company.
> 
> I agree the HDHR type system would be nice, but few people own equipment that could use it, short of a PC of some sort, 
> but many people own X-Box 360s, PS3s or one of the many UPnP-capable media players now available.

Well, few people own hardware that speaks to their cable boxes via FireWire too. But it's one of those build-it-and-they-will-come situations. Very few people have USB 3.0, but there are still a few devices (mostly HDDs) out there that have USB 3.0 onboard, so when they want to take advantage of it, they just upgrade what they need.

You'll never see your 360 or PS3 speak to your cable box. Neither Sony nor Microsoft want that, since they want you buying your media from the Live Marketplace/PlayStation Network Store. Other UPnP media players will adapt. At least the HDHR system works, and people already know how to use it.

> An IP interface nobody can use benefits nobody, except perhaps the cable companies.

Hence why cable companies like it. But again, it's a start: no one can use it now, but its availability (assuming it's open and documented) will spur consumers to purchase hardware to take advantage of it. Not many computers have FireWire in them now, but people who want to use FireWire for their cable box (or video camera, or hard disk, or scanner, or whatever) will purchase that add-on hardware, just like we will obtain whatever add-on software we need to use this.