Beyond TV vs Beyond TV Link

[Javiermi]

I've been using the streaming facilities of Beyond TV Standard for quite a while, and as far as I know is the only product in the market that allows this functionality on a remote client Web Browser.
I've seen some ot the specs for Beyond TV LInk, and to be honest I don't see any advantage!
Ok, you have the sleek BTV Gui, but as far as I can see ( I maybe dumb) you can do exactly the same through your web browser.
Why would somebody spend $40 just to see a nicer interface?, besides you will need to install the software on EVERY single PC you need to access the BTV Server.
Is there anything I'm missing?

Javier

[Goosemaster]

You cannot stream mpeg2 with your web browser.....

You can do it using windows networking, but beyondTV and Beyond TV link are more oriented towards that "10ft interface" in my opinion, where everything can be done with your remote....

[flavius]

My Kids want Link. Candy comes first, of course - then Link. They hardly ever watch Live TV anymore. Actually they watch a lot less "TV" these days.

[Seattlite]

I decided to get "The Link" because of a problem watching via the Web Interface when a recording started.

I would watch it just fine through the Web Interface, but as soon as a scheduled recording started, i would get kicked: the video playback would stop, and I couldn't get it restarted, it just gave me the "buffering" message, and never end (that is with clicking stop, and play... multiple times... in the embedded Media Player.

But, BTV Link ends up just being cleaner and less clumsy for me in the end, and with the added benefit of easily searching titles/keywords, the program guide, upcoming recordings... blah blah blah.

I still use the web interface for watching tv on my old Dell Inspiron 7000 (mobile PII 300MHz - old but a workhorse) and my iPAQ H5555. But finally caved into buying BTV Link for the Latitude because of the dropping issue when a recording starts. (Still pushing for a barebones Pocket PC version of Link)

[Javiermi]

Ok, so you guys prefer the Beyond TV Link interface, no surprises there!
I also like it, but as I stream WMV rather that MPEG ( uses less hard drive space, anyway: 300MB vs 1-2GB with Mpeg) , I refer the Web interface: I can schedule to record shows and later watch them .
And to be honest, there is no way I will use my 15" or 17" computer screens to watch TV instead that my 29" Screen TV with all the "bells and whistles"
Also find somehow lame to use the remote when you are about 1 ft away from the computer- besides you cannot cotrol EVERYTHING with it.

Thanks, anyway for your comments

[Seattlite]

Javiermi,

Hey, not knocking your choice to use the Web Interface to stream Live TV... I used it for a long time... still need to to watch it on an old Laptop that just can't handle BTV Link, as well as watch it on my iPAQ, so...

PLEASE NEVER REMOVE THE WEB LIVE TV FROM FUTURE RELEASES!

That being said, even with all the the bells/whistles BTV Link offers, ultimately the only reason I decided to go with it, was because of the problems I had when I was watching Live TV when a scheduled recording started.

[jkoon]

Originally Posted by Javiermi

Also find somehow lame to use the remote when you are about 1 ft away from the computer

Well the idea is that you’re sitting on the couch when using link (not at the desk). Not to mention that link is designed to be viewed on a TV screen, normal computing tasks (such as using the web admin) are not exactly easy to read on low-resolution TV screen.

[Chimera]

I never use BTV or Link on a computer monitor. My BTV server is connected to my Sony HDTV, and I have a 733mhz dedicated Link machine in the bedroom connected to a 19" TV. Both machines are also running Meedio (although I'm considering BM), and both use universal remotes. I can schedule programs, watch live or recorded TV or watch any movie stored on my movie server from either TV all using the remote. I've honed and streamlined the process, and the WAF is through the roof right now...being able to choose from a library of 200+ movies without digging through the DVDs is just too cool.....

[wxboy]

how do you steam MPGs with Windows networking?

[Seattlite]

Originally Posted by Javiermi

I've seen some ot the specs for Beyond TV LInk, and to be honest I don't see any advantage!
Ok, you have the sleek BTV Gui, but as far as I can see ( I maybe dumb) you can do exactly the same through your web browser.
Why would somebody spend $40 just to see a nicer interface?, besides you will need to install the software on EVERY single PC you need to access the BTV Server.
Is there anything I'm missing?

Javier

Javiermi,

There is one important point that I forgot to address. BTV 3.5 allows for the use/administration of multiple tuner cards. However, according to the documentation, all the cards used in a multiple tuner configuration must be hardware encoder tuner cards.

To use the streaming Live TV aspect of the Web Interface, you need a software encoder tuner card (thus only a single card can be used). Hardware encoder tuner cards encode in mpeg, so if you wish to stream live tv, BTV Link is the only option available.

Using multiple tuner cards was something that many of us really wanted, and I'm glad we finally have that option. I think that may be the biggest factor, for many, in getting BTV Link, as well as finally giving people with hardware encoder cards the option for streaming (BTV 3.4 and previous only streamed Live TV through the Web Admin, and was unavailable to them until BTV 3.5 and BTV Link. It just depends on how you've configured your system, and how you use it.

*Again (see below),
Software encoder cards (1 only) - streaming: Web Interface Live TV (WMV) or BTV Link (mpeg)
Hardware encoder cards (multiple) - streaming: BTV Link (mpeg) only
Mixing hardware and software encoder cards - not allowed (to my understanding)

*This apparently is tech support's official stance as of Ver 3.5.3; 4/15/2005. However, another user has reported to me that he/she has mixed, 1 software + 1 hardware successfully. I can only speculate on multiple software tuners and multiple hardware tuners in various combinations.

[Javiermi]

Seattlitle

So you are saying that BTV doesn't support more that one software encoded tuner card?

As I have learnt with experience, any mpeg hardware cards CANNOT stream, as it is only possible to stream WMV, and these cards don't support WMV.

In my case I only need 1 tuner card (software encoded), and I only want to be able to see the tely anywere on my home ( I use a satellite top set box in the lounge), and the possibility of scheduling TV recording, and watch those shows later.

Thanks for the clarification

[wxboy]

that can all be done through WedAdmin. You don't need Link.

[null_pointer_us]

Originally Posted by Javiermi

As I have learnt with experience, any mpeg hardware cards CANNOT stream, as it is only possible to stream WMV, and these cards don't support WMV.

BTV Link can stream live TV in MPEG from hardware encoders. I'm doing it over my wireless network connection.

[Seattlite]

Originally Posted by null_pointer_us

BTV Link can stream live TV in MPEG from hardware encoders. I'm doing it over my wireless network connection.

Javiermi meant, that you can't use the 'Stream Live TV' feature of the Web Interface to stream in mpeg. He has a software encoder card and has been streaming via the Web Admin just fine, and was wondering what the big advantage to BTV Link was.