[SGVLUG] Upcoming MythTV talk...

[Michael Proctor-Smith]

On Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 8:04 PM, Joel Witherspoon
<joel.witherspoon at gmail.com> wrote:
> Can Mike also explain the difference between MythTV and LinuxMCE? I have a
> few Blue Quartz boxes on which I'd like to try it out, but I can't decide
> what software I should really use.

Well just from googling(is that spelled with the "e" or not?) I guess
that LinuxMCE is a distro which uses lot of other open source projects
but for there DVR component they use MythTV.

> On Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 5:04 PM, Emerson, Tom (*IC)
> <Tom.Emerson at wbconsultant.com> wrote:
>>
>> I think We were successful in twisting Mike's arm so that he'll give us
>> an updated talk on "MythTV" [next month is it?]  and normally I'd be
>> promoting his talk about now, however I have a slightly different reason
>> for writing about it this time...
>>
>> While I was in Fry's the other day, though, I noticed something that
>> Mike may want to comment on and we may be able to get a possible
>> co-presenter with a corporate influence [save your boo's and hisses for
>> later]  On the last end-cap in the burbank store (just to the Klaatu's
>> left) they have some security cameras and dedicated multi-channel "DVR"s
>> -- what caught my attention to this was the list of features of the
>> QSD6209 -- "Linux Operating System"
>> [http://www.q-see.com/newwebsite-design%201/digiequip/QSD6209/qsd6209-fe
>> ature.htm]
>>
>> Down the aisle are more dedicated DVR's as well as various PC cards with
>> 4 input channels, including some from the same company -- q-see.
>> Unfortunately, the boxes for the PC cards do NOT mention linux support,
>> but I imagine these cards are very similar, if not actually included, in
>> the hardware based DVRs, so it stands to reason that if they are using
>> Linux to control the box for recording, they have drivers for their
>> cards...
>>
>> So, the question for Mike is: are you familiar with products such as
>> this
>> [http://www.q-see.com/newwebsite-design%201/digiequip/QSPDVR04/qspdvr04.
>> htm] and do you know if/how well it would work in a MythTV setup

My experience with them is that I have seen them in Fry's(I noticed
them about 3-4 years ago). Sense Tivo anyone that does embedded device
video has been doing it with linux. Even some "network cameras" are
little linux boxes. Just because there box runs linux does not mean
that anything they make supportes linux. They may or may not be under
an NDA from the chipset manufacture. Lots of these things are
engineered in China/Taiwan.

Remember those devices have little to do with PVR/Tivo like
functionality and are really DVRs(Digital video recorders), they are
just designed to be better then 12hour timelapse tapes that they are
replacing for security cameras. Don't get me wrong I hate all forms of
tapes and I am sure the the police are glad when a store gets robbed
and they get to look at digital video in stead of a worn-out  vhs
tape. But I am pointing out that those boxes have little to do with a
PVR that you would want at home.

>> The question for the rest of you is: would you be interested in having
>> someone [preferrably from their technical department] come out to our
>> meeting to discuss the joys and headaches of using Linux in their
>> dedicated DVRs?  (and possibly shed light on Linux support for the cards
>> themselves)  Although I cannot guarantee getting someone to come to our
>> meeting, they are located in Anaheim, so chances are good we could get
>> someone from there to stop on by.  I don't expect much other than "it
>> works, see?" so I can't imagine them taking a full presentation time
>> slot, but perhaps in conjunction with Mike's talk about MythTV they
>> could fill an odd 10-15 minutes or so...
>>
>> Thoughts?
>
>