Comments on: How to build a better set-top box http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/02/how-to-build-a-better-set-top-box/ For geeks with social skills! Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:31:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: VeryVito http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/02/how-to-build-a-better-set-top-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2711 VeryVito Mon, 03 Apr 2006 16:58:30 +0000 http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/02/how-to-build-a-better-set-top-box/#comment-2711 Thanks, but... Turdhead.com isn't really in the business of "blogging," per se. I just like to rant and appear silly in public. The products/technologies that you <em>do</em> see mentioned here are usually just part of my everyday life. Thanks for the links, though. (On the other hand, I <em>am</em> willing to paint any company's logo on my neighbor's house for a mere $250,000!) Thanks, but… Turdhead.com isn’t really in the business of “blogging,” per se. I just like to rant and appear silly in public. The products/technologies that you do see mentioned here are usually just part of my everyday life. Thanks for the links, though.

(On the other hand, I am willing to paint any company’s logo on my neighbor’s house for a mere $250,000!)

]]> By: Aaron Keogh http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/02/how-to-build-a-better-set-top-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2705 Aaron Keogh Fri, 31 Mar 2006 18:23:45 +0000 http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/02/how-to-build-a-better-set-top-box/#comment-2705 Just wondering if you'd be interested in bloging / podcasting about Matrixstream's cutting edge video on demand and IPTV Technology ( TV over broadband ). This is a technology that allows the consumer to receive a potential for unlimited VOD / IPTV content up to 1080P in H.264 codec over any broadband connection on a PC Player or set top box for TV ( IMX1020 1080P High definition STB - the world's first 1080P H.264 STB ) If you'd like to see pictures and video's of the this new STB you can go to www.matrixstream.com/presskit . Let us know if your interested. Yours Truly Aaron Keogh Tel: 604-291-7727 E-mail: aaron@matrixstream.com Website: www.matrixstream.com Just wondering if you’d be interested in bloging / podcasting about Matrixstream’s cutting edge video on demand and IPTV Technology ( TV over broadband ). This is a technology that allows the consumer to receive a potential for unlimited VOD / IPTV content up to 1080P in H.264 codec over any broadband connection on a PC Player or set top box for TV ( IMX1020 1080P High definition STB – the world’s first 1080P H.264 STB ) If you’d like to see pictures and video’s of the this new STB you can go to http://www.matr...am.com/presskit . Let us know if your interested.

Yours Truly Aaron Keogh

Tel: 604-291-7727

E-mail: aaron@matrixstream.com

Website: http://www.matrixstream.com

]]> By: Yevgyeni http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/02/how-to-build-a-better-set-top-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2439 Yevgyeni Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:34:06 +0000 http://www.turdhead.com/2006/02/02/how-to-build-a-better-set-top-box/#comment-2439 I've been using ReplayTV for a few years now and I've come to the realization that what I really want out of a PVR is a way to turn it into a media server. That's why I think computer connectivity is so important, so that you can use your PC as a media server. But ideally, it would be best to use your PVR as a server, and not be limited to just the single harddrive that comes with it. Why not add harddrives? Either into the box itself or as attached storage. That way, it can grow as you need it. And you should be able to do what you like with those files. They shouldn't be locked down to a proprietary format or locked to the box. You should be able to move them from PC to box and back. Also, it should recognize multiple file formats, including vobs, so you can rip and store your dvd's on the box and still get access to alternate audio and captions. Multiple recorders/tuners are important, too, so that you can watch and record different shows, or catch recording conflicts and shift them to another tuner. Ultimately, a successful box will have a good user interface, one that's easy to record shows, easy to find shows, easy to prioritize recordings, or to turn them off in whole or in part. Example, if you've got a channel set to record all shows with the word 'Iron' in it, and you see a show coming up that you don't want to see, you should be able to turn off just the one show recording, but keep your overall recording options intact. Also, Replay had a neat feature of internet sharing, where a show could be sent to another Replay owner over the internet. That's a good idea...but it was too slow. They used dialup speeds even though it was wired to a LAN, and those files are often over a 1GB. So, why not incorporate a BitTorrent client into the box? Speeds up transmission, and can be extremely fast if lots of people have the same show. And lastly, get a channel guide that can easily shift forward or back by a few seconds/minutes when recording a show. I'm so tired of networks shifting their schedule just to screw with the recordings, so you miss the beginning or cut off the end. Not fair, and the PVR should be able to detect it. If they notice a blank interval a few seconds before it's supposed to record, then it should guess that the network probably shifted the show early and start recording. I had some other thoughts on the subjects, but I can't remember them now. If all this gets put into a retail box, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I’ve been using ReplayTV for a few years now and I’ve come to the realization that what I really want out of a PVR is a way to turn it into a media server. That’s why I think computer connectivity is so important, so that you can use your PC as a media server. But ideally, it would be best to use your PVR as a server, and not be limited to just the single harddrive that comes with it. Why not add harddrives? Either into the box itself or as attached storage. That way, it can grow as you need it.

And you should be able to do what you like with those files. They shouldn’t be locked down to a proprietary format or locked to the box. You should be able to move them from PC to box and back.

Also, it should recognize multiple file formats, including vobs, so you can rip and store your dvd’s on the box and still get access to alternate audio and captions.

Multiple recorders/tuners are important, too, so that you can watch and record different shows, or catch recording conflicts and shift them to another tuner.

Ultimately, a successful box will have a good user interface, one that’s easy to record shows, easy to find shows, easy to prioritize recordings, or to turn them off in whole or in part. Example, if you’ve got a channel set to record all shows with the word ‘Iron’ in it, and you see a show coming up that you don’t want to see, you should be able to turn off just the one show recording, but keep your overall recording options intact.

Also, Replay had a neat feature of internet sharing, where a show could be sent to another Replay owner over the internet. That’s a good idea…but it was too slow. They used dialup speeds even though it was wired to a LAN, and those files are often over a 1GB. So, why not incorporate a BitTorrent client into the box? Speeds up transmission, and can be extremely fast if lots of people have the same show.

And lastly, get a channel guide that can easily shift forward or back by a few seconds/minutes when recording a show. I’m so tired of networks shifting their schedule just to screw with the recordings, so you miss the beginning or cut off the end. Not fair, and the PVR should be able to detect it. If they notice a blank interval a few seconds before it’s supposed to record, then it should guess that the network probably shifted the show early and start recording.

I had some other thoughts on the subjects, but I can’t remember them now. If all this gets put into a retail box, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

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