Sony PS3/PlayTV PVR?

[Matthew]

Like others in this community, I've been thinking that the Playstation 3 could be an excellent MD. There's an MPlayer driver that uses the SPUs for accelerated video, and generic X (2D) acceleration has been initially delivered (though with some setbacks).

Sony is about to release PlayTV, which is a TV capture PS3 accessory that will support 1080p. It's due for release March 28, 2008 in Europe for E155. Is anyone preparing to use this platform for LMCE?

[totallymaxed]

Like others in this community, I've been thinking that the Playstation 3 could be an excellent MD. There's an MPlayer driver that uses the SPUs for accelerated video, and generic X (2D) acceleration has been initially delivered (though with some setbacks).

Sony is about to release PlayTV, which is a TV capture PS3 accessory that will support 1080p. It's due for release March 28, 2008 in Europe for E155. Is anyone preparing to use this platform for LMCE?

no... because Sony has locked down the hardware.

[Matthew]

Like others in this community, I've been thinking that the Playstation 3 could be an excellent MD. There's an MPlayer driver that uses the SPUs for accelerated video, and generic X (2D) acceleration has been initially delivered (though with some setbacks).

Sony is about to release PlayTV, which is a TV capture PS3 accessory that will support 1080p. It's due for release March 28, 2008 in Europe for E155. Is anyone preparing to use this platform for LMCE?

no... because Sony has locked down the hardware.

The PlayTV is locked down? Is there documentation of that, or description of a test?

[totallymaxed]

Like others in this community, I've been thinking that the Playstation 3 could be an excellent MD. There's an MPlayer driver that uses the SPUs for accelerated video, and generic X (2D) acceleration has been initially delivered (though with some setbacks).

Sony is about to release PlayTV, which is a TV capture PS3 accessory that will support 1080p. It's due for release March 28, 2008 in Europe for E155. Is anyone preparing to use this platform for LMCE?

no... because Sony has locked down the hardware.

The PlayTV is locked down? Is there documentation of that, or description of a test?

Well do you see a rush of Linux software that fully exploits the PS3 hardware?... Yes there are project hacking away at the box but I would not hold your breath. The PlayTV has to used with Sony's OS/firmware.

[Matthew]

Like others in this community, I've been thinking that the Playstation 3 could be an excellent MD. There's an MPlayer driver that uses the SPUs for accelerated video, and generic X (2D) acceleration has been initially delivered (though with some setbacks).

Sony is about to release PlayTV, which is a TV capture PS3 accessory that will support 1080p. It's due for release March 28, 2008 in Europe for E155. Is anyone preparing to use this platform for LMCE?

no... because Sony has locked down the hardware.

The PlayTV is locked down? Is there documentation of that, or description of a test?

Well do you see a rush of Linux software that fully exploits the PS3 hardware?... Yes there are project hacking away at the box but I would not hold your breath. The PlayTV has to used with Sony's OS/firmware.

OK, if you're saying PlayTV will be locked out just by inference from the lockouts in the basic PS3, then I'm not so hopeless. The PS3 doesn't get access to the RSX, and probably never will in competition with any Sony or Sony licensee offering (for longer than a few weeks/months cat & mouse between hackers & Sony firmware upgrades). But the development of SPU replacements for RSX features is coming along nicely, considering the novelty of SPU engineering and the split developer community between the official but inferior YDL and the superior Ubuntu, and the other distractions (like hacking the RSX and playing games). The PS3 MPlayer now has a 95% complete SPU driver, and even a spunky little RSX hack driver for all X functions. Full access to USB (which I believe is the connection to PlayTV) means hacking the PlayTV is possible, and likely. Lots of other PS3 HW, from BT remote to WiFi to SixAxis controller all had to be hacked, but are now supported stable in Ubuntu. So until there's evidence to the contrary, I'm looking forward to using PlayTV under Linux. Pessimists are never disappointed, but optimists are never pleasantly surprised .

[totallymaxed]

Like others in this community, I've been thinking that the Playstation 3 could be an excellent MD. There's an MPlayer driver that uses the SPUs for accelerated video, and generic X (2D) acceleration has been initially delivered (though with some setbacks).

Sony is about to release PlayTV, which is a TV capture PS3 accessory that will support 1080p. It's due for release March 28, 2008 in Europe for E155. Is anyone preparing to use this platform for LMCE?

no... because Sony has locked down the hardware.

The PlayTV is locked down? Is there documentation of that, or description of a test?

Well do you see a rush of Linux software that fully exploits the PS3 hardware?... Yes there are project hacking away at the box but I would not hold your breath. The PlayTV has to used with Sony's OS/firmware.

OK, if you're saying PlayTV will be locked out just by inference from the lockouts in the basic PS3, then I'm not so hopeless. The PS3 doesn't get access to the RSX, and probably never will in competition with any Sony or Sony licensee offering (for longer than a few weeks/months cat & mouse between hackers & Sony firmware upgrades). But the development of SPU replacements for RSX features is coming along nicely, considering the novelty of SPU engineering and the split developer community between the official but inferior YDL and the superior Ubuntu, and the other distractions (like hacking the RSX and playing games). The PS3 MPlayer now has a 95% complete SPU driver, and even a spunky little RSX hack driver for all X functions. Full access to USB (which I believe is the connection to PlayTV) means hacking the PlayTV is possible, and likely. Lots of other PS3 HW, from BT remote to WiFi to SixAxis controller all had to be hacked, but are now supported stable in Ubuntu. So until there's evidence to the contrary, I'm looking forward to using PlayTV under Linux. Pessimists are never disappointed, but optimists are never pleasantly surprised .

Well I don't doubt that all of that activity will deliver what you say... but my reservation was around whether that makes it a viable platform for LMCE. It might make it an interesting  platform to target... but will it economical or useful? I would love the answer to be 'yes' ;-)

[jeff_rigby]

I've got  a PS3 and didn't think anything of using it for a MD untill the release of the Playstation Camera.  It has a stereo mike and a very high resolution camera for $39.00.  Bottom end systems come in at $390 with 40 gig HD, gigabit eithernet, HDMI, Blue Ray DVD, 4 USB ports.

As a MD it makes a good system, Compact and powerful.  The economy of scale for this system makes it attractive. 

[Matthew]

I've got  a PS3 and didn't think anything of using it for a MD untill the release of the Playstation Camera.  It has a stereo mike and a very high resolution camera for $69.00.  Bottom end systems come in at $390 with 40 gig HD, gigabit eithernet, HDMI, Blue Ray DVD, 4 USB ports.

As a MD it makes a good system, Compact and powerful.  The economy of scale for this system makes it attractive. 

Have you tried running the PS3 as MD?

[hari]

I've got  a PS3 and didn't think anything of using it for a MD untill the release of the Playstation Camera.  It has a stereo mike and a very high resolution camera for $69.00.  Bottom end systems come in at $390 with 40 gig HD, gigabit eithernet, HDMI, Blue Ray DVD, 4 USB ports.

As a MD it makes a good system, Compact and powerful.  The economy of scale for this system makes it attractive. 

Have you tried running the PS3 as MD?

no, he has not. And nobody will until the endianess problems get fixed. And even then the spu enhanced mplayer would not run together with X. RSX access always gets "fixed" by Sony. Even if not used by X that would be helpful to use the unused graphics card memory as fast swap.

In my opinion we should focus on extending pnp support for these devices. LMCE could even expose some HA functions over DLNA.

regards,
Hari