So now that the competition has anounced a Linux Server ?

[davefred99]

What plans does SS have to compete with the Linux server that Frey anounced at the CES last week. I read a little post awhild back that it was on the SS radar but nothing for sure.
I think that a Linux server would be great for most multi client users. Linux is so much more efficient than MS and its Open source so it will help lower the overall cost of the system. Only bad thing I see so far is its going to be sold as a complete OEM system and its unclear if you will be able to by just the software and install it yourself. Maybe it will be available like MS oem software if purchased with any hardware.

I did not see any anouncements out of SS at CES ?? Did I miss something or are they sitting back and watching the competition before playing there hand.

[flavius]

That wouldn't be that easy if possible at all. BTV is a .NET application.

[Brett]

Besides if your going to go through the hassle of setting up a Linux Server you might as well use MythTV. Part of the sale with BTV is that it is suppose to be easy-out-of-the-box setup.

-Brett

[mlbdude]

The Linux support in SageTV is targeted at OEM's so they can make closed box solutions. It may not even be released to general users.

[davefred99]

Originally Posted by Brett

Besides if your going to go through the hassle of setting up a Linux Server you might as well use MythTV. Part of the sale with BTV is that it is suppose to be easy-out-of-the-box setup.

-Brett

Brett
I can not comment on MythTV because I have no experience but my gut tells me it is not nearly as polished as Sage 3.0 will be. As too the hassles of setting up a Linux Server It depends on How it is distributed. If it comes with the operating system integrated like MCE does it should be pretty easy. Using XP is not always a piece of cake either thats why we have so many posts here asking for help.
I just like the idea of having a cross platform solution and anything that is not ruled by MS is ok by me.

[DonK]

Porting BTV over to Linux would be a very huge project for the devs here, if it were even possible. Even then, is there even a market for it given the established linux solutions? If you're that much of a diehard linux user, you'd probably be using Myth already.

[DanielS]

I'd much rather the DEVs concentrate on fixing the bugs and implementing features. Let the geeks keep their MythTV.

[ncamara]

MythTV is a great program, but it takes too long to set up. Linux is not for the faint-hearted. Well, if you just want a basic system, the installations do a great job of getting a very usable system. The problems lie in getting a good PVR solution. When I was trying to install MythTV year or two ago, I had to do lots of things like kernel compiles, driver updates, etc. My biggest drawback was getting my video card to output through the S-Video port. Sound card issues can be a pain in the ass too.

[bigbird1]

<Removed by Moderator - Crossposting not allowed>

[Edgarmoon]

I agree, I have no problem buying a product to work on Linux, and as long as you don't incorporate open sourced code into your product you are not restricted by GPL.

Of course, has anyone tried to run btv on Wine or some other windows emulator in Linux? That would be an interesting experiment. I assume the resource requirements would make that impractical.

[jsereda]

If you run linux where do you go for updates? When new hardware comes out, example is the PVR500, who writes the drivers and updates? The whole point of paying for a M$ operating system is the support you get. You know where to go for updates and drivers. I'm not a fan of the open source because you don't know where your getting these things, and who's supporting them. I probably just don't understand Linux too that great of an extent because Im not a big user of the os, but those are just a few of my thoughts.

[Brett]

Originally Posted by bigbird1

The price makes you want to find another solution. SageTV is in the process of coming up with that solution. SageTV is coming out with Linux based software

The linux based software will only be for "select" system builders only from what I heard. Plus, the beta box's, which are suppose to be at a discount rate, are rumored to cost $1000.00. So its not exactly saving you much money. The $99.99 device is as far as I read a basic MVP, you can do the same thing with BTV except BTV uses an open source project.

That said SnapStream is a LOT quieter with publically releasing information, and I would not exactly take that to mean things are not in progress.

-Brett

[DonK]

Speaking personally, not professionally as a member of Snapstream:

While I think Linux is a great OS, and has a future, right now, I highly doubt there will be a Linux or MacOS port of BeyondTV anytime soon.

You have to look at it from a business perspective also... Ask yourself:

"Given the market penetration of Windows vs Linux +MacOS combined, which would you develop for?"

I think the answer is pretty simple here, you'd develop for Windows....

[fester]

Originally Posted by DonK

Speaking personally, not professionally as a member of Snapstream:

While I think Linux is a great OS, and has a future, right now, I highly doubt there will be a Linux or MacOS port of BeyondTV anytime soon.

You have to look at it from a business perspective also... Ask yourself:

"Given the market penetration of Windows vs Linux +MacOS combined, which would you develop for?"

I think the answer is pretty simple here, you'd develop for Windows....

absolutely correct. unless sony or apple requested pricing for such a system. Snapstream would then be in a position to size up the model and revenue estimates makeing dev much more palatable

[bigbird1]

Originally Posted by Brett

The linux based software will only be for "select" system builders only from what I heard. Plus, the beta box's, which are suppose to be at a discount rate, are rumored to cost $1000.00. So its not exactly saving you much money. The $99.99 device is as far as I read a basic MVP, you can do the same thing with BTV except BTV uses an open source project.

That said SnapStream is a LOT quieter with publically releasing information, and I would not exactly take that to mean things are not in progress.

-Brett

The rumor you heard was almost correct on the price, its $995.00 for beta testing. The part about it being available to only “select� system builder is not exactly true. It is available to any OEM customer. As far as them using a MVP you would be correct in that, from what I understand. The only difference is that they done the development to make it work with their product. The open source solution with MVP for BeyondTV is a great ideal for hobbyist, but with it all of its drawbacks with playing live TV, you can’t really sell it to someone. BeyondTV should take a look at all their competition, not just SageTV. People who buy this type of software is trying to get a cheaper alternative to more high-end systems such as AudioRequest, VideoRequest, and Crestron systems. These types of system do sell for $12,000 and up, but they are stable. If BeyondTV could produce a cheap and stable client set-top box, I would say the sell of your BeyondTV software would skyrocket.



I think that the BeyondTV software is great. It’s much more stable than SageTV in my opinion, but the high cost of building a client is the problem.



P.S. Sorry about the crosspost from before.