[NCLUG] MythTV Questions

[Brian Wood]

Paul Hummer wrote:
> 
>> I have a Comcast DVR right now.  It sucks, and costs me more money in the
>> long run than a MythTV setup should cost.
>>
>>   
> So what you're saying is:  "I have comcast cable"  This new "mandatory 
> HD upgrade" that you're so afraid of doesn't even affect you.  Comcast 
> can (and will) continue to send you SD content.  Shoot, they'll probably 
> LOVE to service you, because you won't be complaining that X-competitor 
> has more HD channels, because you don't care!

I think you will see cable operators moving away from analog. They might 
continue to send SD, but not as NTSC, as QAM (as they are doing now). 
They might have an analog output of their STBs to accomodate users of 
analog sets, but that will still force you to use their stupid box.

> 
> I don't see what the problem you're having is.  This law only affects 
> over the air transmissions, and frankly, I WANT the government 
> monitoring what is broadcast in the air on what frequencies.  Can you 
> imagine 802.11g competing with GSM, HAM radios, your local NPR station, 
> and Bluetooth?  

Well BT and 802.11b/g/(n) do share the same frequencies, and the 
congestion on those channels, especially in urban areas, is getting 
serious. Most users don't notice it as all they know is that their 
internet is "working". They don't notice all the retransmits, mostly 
because their internet connection is nowhere near as fast as even 
degraded 802.11. If you want something even close to "private" you need 
to go with 802.11a.

> 
> What I WOULD like to see (and something more relevant to the list), is a 
> linux device that is capable of being THE set top box.

TiVos and some STBs do use Linux, so I suppose they are "Linux devices" 
in a technical sense, but they are using proprietary hardware to subvert 
the entire GPL concept. They want the free OS benefit without giving 
anything back, and are actually working to limit what other Linux users 
can do.

beww