Author Topic: Popcorn Hour Units  (Read 13444 times)

colinjones

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Re: Popcorn Hour Units
« Reply #15 on: February 05, 2009, 09:38:23 pm »
I misunderstood - I though you were talking about proprietary media solutions.

Actually, I didn't say I was going to invest in more nVidia hardware - I said I was "carrying a a torch" and that I "can't wait to see commercial products based on it." Simply because the hardware looks fantastic, and I can appreciate these things from a technology perspective without actually having to own one :) But more importantly, because I think it will be a great advantage for LMCE in getting more people into it.

That being said - if it lives up to what I hope, I may consider buying something based on it anyway. (have no need of any more MDs at this point, but you never know!)

nVidia hardware is no more proprietary than any other piece of hardware (computer or otherwise!) - they don't give you their blue prints and design documentation. And even if they did, it doesn't mean you can then copy it and make your own. Non-proprietary does not equal "open" in both the OSS senses. Intel's and AMD's CPUs' hardware are just as "proprietary", even though the specification for the command set is entirely open.

I think you meant the drivers, ie the software is proprietary. It is certainly true that nVidia produce a proprietary driver for their chipsets. There are other (crap) drivers too - but taking up my comment that was simply about the ION platform, and claiming it is proprietary is somewhat meaningless. The only sense in which this is true, is also true for every piece of hardware in existence (including anything you are running LMCE on). Whether the software you are running on it is proprietary depends on which driver you select, and I wasn't commenting on that at all.... just the hardware.

Anyway, apologies for hijacking this thread :)

Zaerc

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Re: Popcorn Hour Units
« Reply #16 on: February 06, 2009, 01:29:25 am »
If the specifications aren't available to write proper drivers then I call it proprietary hardware, excuse me for being such a simpleton. 

And on a sidenote those other (crap) drivers have been reverse engineered with no help from nvidia whatsoever, just like their "official" linux driver for certain network chipsets (which is utter crap too).
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totallymaxed

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Re: Popcorn Hour Units
« Reply #17 on: February 06, 2009, 01:57:12 am »
If the specifications aren't available to write proper drivers then I call it proprietary hardware, excuse me for being such a simpleton. 

And on a sidenote those other (crap) drivers have been reverse engineered with no help from nvidia whatsoever, just like their "official" linux driver for certain network chipsets (which is utter crap too).

Zaerc - what hardware do you use in your Core & MD's then?

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colinjones

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Re: Popcorn Hour Units
« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2009, 02:04:32 am »
... other (crap) drivers have been reverse engineered with no help from nvidia whatsoever...

This I was aware of already, and yes, it is inexcusable. Its one thing being so backward that a multibillion dollar company can't get their heads around open source. But another entirely that they set road blocks in place to prevent other drivers from interfacing with their hardware. Normal companies would at least publish the hardware interface specs like an API. Not doing so is at the least passively supporting a monopoly; at worst, actively participating in anti-competitive behaviour ... a criminal offence in most modern jurisdictions! They haven't even been decent enough to produce a full featured prop. driver. Read: having all the features of their Windows driver. Who maintains 2 entirely separate code trees for code that does exactly the same thing rather than maintain the guts in common, and only the kernel interface needs be different - that in the least should be investigated.. it seems to me that it would be easier and cheaper for them to maintain a Linux driver that had all the features than not.. in which case what, or who, is prompting them not to? (getting into conspiracy theory now, so signing off :) )

Zaerc

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Re: Popcorn Hour Units
« Reply #19 on: February 07, 2009, 02:51:07 pm »
If the specifications aren't available to write proper drivers then I call it proprietary hardware, excuse me for being such a simpleton. 

And on a sidenote those other (crap) drivers have been reverse engineered with no help from nvidia whatsoever, just like their "official" linux driver for certain network chipsets (which is utter crap too).

Zaerc - what hardware do you use in your Core & MD's then?

All the best

Andrew

Most of my hardware (except for my recent development-box) can be found in the wiki.
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hari

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Re: Popcorn Hour Units
« Reply #20 on: March 23, 2009, 12:14:31 am »
wow, this went a bit off topic.

Looks like the popcorn beast can be controlled with http requests. Frankly, if this provides me with tearing-free playback, perfect. I would not miss the orbiter on the TV as I have plenty of other tablets for that :-)

How many LMCE users have one of these flying around?

best regards,
Hari
rock your home - http://www.agocontrol.com home automation

Marie.O

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Re: Popcorn Hour Units
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2009, 11:58:54 am »
hari,

I do not know how many people do have the Popcorn hour, but some other info might be helpful as well. [urlhttp://www.networkedmediatank.com/wiki/index.php/Technical_Documentation][/url] has some nice information on remotely controlling the unit.

I still prefer the HDI Dune Center. Unfortunately, they have no remote control capability atm.