Messages

1

Feature requests & roadmap / Re: Support for modern Hauppauge WinTV tuner cards

« on: May 28, 2009, 08:54:27 pm »

tschak909

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Hope you don't mind but I plan to PM the post to you to so I know you get it, as I do not know if you will check back..


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Ok, basically if I understand you correctly. It is not that these newer cards are not supported. But, instead that the distributed build of LinuxMCE has never seen them. So until it is told by some one how to use them, it can not.

But, that once it has been told how to use them.. If all the appropriate files were send back to you all you could add them to future releases and updates. As a result LinuxMCE would automatically know what to do with these cards on anyone's system.

Assuming all of this is correct the ultimate solution to this would be: some one buys all these cards, gets the needed help configuring them, then sends all the needed info back to you all.

Do I understand correctly?

2

Feature requests & roadmap / Re: Suport for other ditros?

« on: May 28, 2009, 06:40:35 am »

colinjones

You make good points. However, I should point out I am being more "abstract" in my points.

IE I am coming from the point of view of getting people to embrace Linux & things like MCE the slandered to expect from a home entertainment system.

Heck, if people actually had cabled networks the Ethernet booting tie in would solve all of this. But the truth is most peoples home networks these days are WIFI. At least State Side.

Now in the Demo Video, the guy talks about newer homes having the phone lines done with RJ-45(Ethernet). While that make the way it is in Europe, State Side every thing is still RJ-12. Most people buy a LInksys WIFI G-Router and either a WIFI dongle or in most cases the PC already had Built in WIFI.

I am getting the impression for the most part Europe chose to modernize their infrastructure. The revers happened in the States. We spent the last decade circumventing it.

I think the link program and option 4 of the ones you mandate is probably best for my ends.

In case what those are is unclear the main goal of what I am talking about, and in regards to Linux n general is trying to stear it to be compatible with the exsiting stuff and set up people have and can redaly get.

My honest opinion is at the end of the day if you are the best in town or not is irrelevant if people can not make use of you: with out spending 3 times as much, needing stuff they don't have/cant get, or have to jump through other hoops as annoying to even use you.

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Please understand I am not trying to be negative, but practical about what most people would have or be using. That is all.
 

3

Feature requests & roadmap / Support for modern Hauppauge WinTV tuner cards

« on: May 28, 2009, 06:16:55 am »

I noticed a trend when reading through things regarding WinTV tuner cards aka Hauppauge..

The comon thread seams to be "IDIOT GET A 150 OR 150MCE". Well I have one, in fact 3 of them. However you cant buy them any more state side. I think they still sale the in Europe, but it seams like they are phasing them out there to like they did here.

That leaves the (Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 MCE) for those with PCI slots

and the (Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1800 MCE)  for those with PCI-e

or if you want duel tuner

(WinTV-HVR-2250 MCE)

I am actually betting it wont be more than a few years before you cant even get the 1600. When you consider that more and more motherboards are using PCI-E instead of PCI..

But that is besides the point. as stated on their site "Note: this product is no longer for sale in the United States. It has been replaced by the WinTV-HVR-XXXX MC". So you cant buy them any more.

And to be frank at times getting a 150 to work can be slightly problematic..

I get the notion plans to support these cards are coming. But when it comes to LInux "coming can mean a lot of things.

All I am trying to suggest is supporting the cards that are actually being sold today is probably a good idea.

Am I crazy, or do others agree?
   

4

Feature requests & roadmap / Re: Suport for other ditros?

« on: May 27, 2009, 05:28:35 am »

tschak909 pretty much hit the nail on the head. I am aware when in MCE mode the OS desktop is hidden away.

And, while yes duel booting like wierdbeard65 proposes would keep you from having to get dedicated boxes. But while simple has obvious draw backs, people who switch modes often would have to reboot all the time. In the same Line a VM could work but same kind of stuff and VM cant always get you there. I just honestly feel people should not need to make that switch.

My guess would be in most homes the actual MCE/hub would be the slandered Kubuntu MCE

The interlinking is the important part for the other OS. For lack of a better example somthing like what Beyond TV link is to Beyond TV. Not that I am saying Beyond TV even compares to MCE, because it does not. 

As I understand it the end goal here is home decimation and a superior Media Center. One where all the media on all the PCs, DVD players, TV feeds is avilibal on all the PCs and TVs in the house through an easy interface; and all the essentials like phones, security systems, lights are fully integrated.

I here you tschak909. If I had the programing skills I would probably disapier into a dark room for 6 moths and emerge with the App X being talked about. But, unfortunately as said before I am not a programmer. I do not have the $100,000.00 to spend on a BS in computer science, and I am more one of those people who learn by doing, Part of why I am trying to find some Software Engineers & or programmers to work with. In part to help me with what I want made, But also so I can learn the way I learn.

I am more a designer and an artist, that because of my background also happens to be a bit of a tech person.

tschak909, if you have any suggestions on classes or books let me know. I know the greates potentials to Linux is if you know who to make software you can literally do any thing you can imagine. But, I don't know much about programing. Aside from HTML, some JAVA, and with enough time being able to make some logic of scripts you can edit in a text editor I don't really know any thing about the iner workings of software; save the basic concepts of how a PC uses software.

Basically, I know just enough to have an idea of how much I don't know.

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on a completely unrelated note how many TV tuners can be used at once on one system. Obviously only one thing can be displayed on one screen at a time, but how many simultaneous  recordings is what I mean. Theoretically with 4 500MCE cards you could record 8 overlapping shows/movies but will Myth & MCE see and share all 8 of those feeds?

5

Feature requests & roadmap / Re: Suport for other ditros?

« on: May 26, 2009, 07:57:35 pm »

I may wind up trying to do so if I ever get the team I want to put together..


I get that MCE is not a "duct taped together media player" My thinking was more in line with a lot of the smart home functionality and features like follow me?

As I understand it these features only relay work with other MCE systems. SO while the Living room PC and Kitchen mini box may be MCE systems, if the office PC is a more practical distro for that like PClin, Suse, whatever those features wont work. Am I right in my thinking?

Ideally the things like follow me should follow each person in the house around: "Kid A" should be able to go from the living room to their room and regardless of what LInux distro they run or phone they have (say iPhone, G1, Palm, Nokia, and so on), Mom go from office to kitchen to living room to bed room... and so on and so on.

Adding a a $XXX.XX box to each TV is one thing. But I don't think many people want to have to add another box to a room that has a PC already, nor have to choice between using there PC how they want or having it work seamlessly with MCE.

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That all being said while I am not a programmer more a hardware person. I do sympathies with the leg work that would be involved. So I understand that the MCE team does not have the time to do so, but am glad that you all are likely open to helping others do so.when they run it to problems.

I don't know how long it will take before I can come back to this, But hope it is some time this year or early next at the latest...?

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Right now I am in the middle of a lot of projects, but part of the cornersone of most of them is doing as much PR(Public Relations) as possible for Linux. But as said before I am more focused an make adapting Linux easy and pain free. More welcoming that confusing..

Dont get me wrong. It is just or all the good things Linux offers going LInux is a tad overwhelming to a non geek. In some cases what I consider the best distros for alot of people are in alot of ways not main stream know of. In some ways the greatest asset of Linux, it many many flavors, is it greatest adversary.

It is largely just my opinion, but what I feel Linux need most is to be actually be more main stream known. Even if is not used by all. Most people know to ask: is it Vista compatible, they look for does it work on MAC to even if they don't have one. As a result most of the larger stores try and staff people who can answer these questions. But go in to a store and ask any thing about Linux, odds are no level of competency. In fact I only got, really really really. lucky once  in about 10 years.

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Ok I am babbling. Sorry about that. But as things stand now unless you are a tech/geek/nerd person, or routinely communicate with one, you probably have never herd of Linux then alone tried it. The OS lives on word of mouth, so to travel to other circles it needs tech phobic people using it.

Sorry for babbling. Here is hoping I get my Linux team together soon.






 






 

6

Feature requests & roadmap / Suport for other ditros?

« on: May 26, 2009, 05:33:15 am »

I don't know if I will get my head bit off for suggesting this line of development..

But I honestly would love to see the LinuxMCE package be available on other distros of Linux. I know Ubuntu/Kubuntu has a large presence, but to be honest I never really got why. I might be the minority but when I sit in front of an Ubuntu or Kubuntu I just don' feel at home. To me it is a tad counter intuitive.

Please do not get me wrong I am not bashing Linux. I love Linux I just prefer distros with a UI like PClinux or Madriva. The differences are not enormous, but to me and most I know, the UI is just more intuitive to where I look for stuff & how to configure. I also think ditros like these are a much better starting place for newbies than distros like Ubuntu. Even though I will be the first to admit at times PClinux is behind the curve despite being a rolling distro.

I also like that distros like this let you shrink the windows partition so just in case you still have windows around. I often format the whole drive. But at least for now despite the vast improvements to Wine & Crossover over the years, some things just can not be used in Linux that can in Windows. It is not really the fault of Linux more Hardware & software developers shorsitely not considering LInux.

While I try and spread Linux as much as possible I would rather some one not switch to Linux than have a bad experience with it. Most Users wont care that the issue do to legal soup, or that their printer they love is 15 years old so has no Linux driver, and so on.. They will just say Linux sux cause it works in Windows. The last thing any of us want as Linux users..

At the end of the day I am a very pro PC(Personal Computer) User. I define that as I am pro peoples ability to chose their: hardware, parifiales, OS, and software..

based on the Videos I think I would love LinuxMCE, and think I know some tech phobic people who would love it. But I know no way most of these people would let me nuke their Windows Install.

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I don't know how dependent on Ubuntu MCE is but if it is possible I think making it available for other distros and have the option to re size instead of wipe out. And if possible a demo/ live DVD ver would make it easier to get some people to try it. and not force people to chooise between there current distro or taking advantage of what MCE can do.

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I know most Linux users are all pro Linux micro soft SUX. I am more a Pro PC person. And when it comes to Linux I am pro having any one I get to try it to fall in love with it.

Sorry but I know some people who will not fall in love with Ubuntu but would love other Linux distros...

I welcome any feedback on if this can likely be or will be done. I also welcome any debate on the pros and cons of Ubuntu as the "best" distro ever.