Lourens Veen wrote:
On Saturday 01 July 2006 10:22, Dieter wrote:
Tivo wants a monthly fee. Tivo spys on you. Are you SURE that
Tivo will let you record any show you want, and archive it? And
will continue to do so? They are making another attempt to get
the broadcast flag into law.
If that happens, you still won't be able to record anything, and=20
moreover, this would also affect any device we want to make. Laws
apply=20 to everyone. Well at least theoretically. And TiVo isn't
the only way=20 to get a media centre. I was using it as an
example.
The X-video-server does not contain a tuner, and thus does not
record. I haven't read the latest proposed broadcast flag law, but I
assume it would not affect the X-video-server.
So, your X-video-server which can not record anything at all is better
than a media centre box that may not record some content because it
honours a legally enforced broadcast flag?
Well, yes. So why use a PC with a pizza box attached to it if you
can=20 just get a media centre that just works?
What is your definition of "media centre"?
Okay, let me try: A media centre is a plastic box which my mother can
buy in a shop, unpack, and place in the livingroom. She will then be
able to read the manual, connect a cable to the TV, to the power outlet
in the wall, and to the cable or DSL modem (unless that's included).
She can then turn it on, and watch TV, record TV, watch DVDs, download
movies and music, browse the internet, and heck, maybe my cousin can
play a game or two when he visits, too."
Such a product is probably a good idea. But, it isn't the market that
we are looking at. We are looking at Linux and BSD (and maybe Solaris)
users, that probably already have a PC, that want a graphics solution
that is 100% open (hardware and software).
Media centers are already on the market. Although, I don't know if
there are Linux, BSD, or OpenSolaris based ones yet. The question we
would need to consider if we were to market a media center is if it
would be purchased by the average customer in preference to a Windows or
Mac OS X system (yes they are coming) and what advantages we could
offer. IIUC, the advantages that Linux or BSD can offer for a media
center are the result of it being assembled by the user -- we couldn't
sell something that was not really 100% in compliance with the law.
--
JRT
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