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Television Media Toys Hardware Technology

Open Source Set-Top-Box Adds YouTube Support 88

Posted by Zonk from the for-all-of-your-wow-pvp-video-needs dept.
mrspin writes "Media streaming boxes such as the AppleTV, XBox 360, PS3, and products from Netgear do a varying job of bridging the gap between the PC and television as well as, in some cases, delivering Internet content directly into the living room. But all are closed systems. The result of which is that users are left trying to hack these devices against the wishes of manufacturers or have to make-do with whatever official features are implemented. Bucking this trend, Neuros is taking a wholly different approach, and has open-sourced the firmware for its Neuros OSD media center, meaning that anybody is free to write add-ons that extend the device's functionality. This week the company announced that thanks to the open-source community, the device now lets users browse, search and view the entire YouTube catalog."
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Open Source Set-Top-Box Adds YouTube Support More

Open Source Set-Top-Box Adds YouTube Support

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  • Dont we have this? (Score:2, Informative)

    by ampmouse ( 761827 )
    This sounds alot like MythTV [mythtv.com] with special hardware!

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Yoooder ( 1038520 )
      ...no... Neuros is _hardware_ whereas MythTV is _software_ Granted, Neuros has and uses software, and with external storage could perform functions similar to MythTV. But it is much much broader than MythTV.

      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Lumpy ( 12016 )
        so in other words, you need a complete PC AND this box. sounds like a worse combo as the software is windows only.

        Why dont they stop the silly special software crap and simply make the dang things play from a SMB share and call it done? Why the stupid streaming crap or silly VNC tricks like the Hauppage Media MVP?

        I am so tired of this media appliances that require "special" software or use the stupid Upnp protocols that simply suck to high heaven.

        Is SMB that fricking hard?

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by XMyth ( 266414 )
          AMEN!

          Lack of SMB is the only thing keeping me from switching from XBMC to something that supports HD.

          If Neuros only supported HD then I'd keep an eye on this latest development for some kind of SMB support...but without HD it has no chance of competing with XBMC.

        • so in other words, you need a complete PC AND this box. sounds like a worse combo as the software is windows only.

          That's what I thought at first as well... but after visiting the official website and reading through it... it sounds like it can function as a stand alone DVR. It simply needs a storage medium such as an external usb harddrive or Flash memory or it can store it's files on a networked drive/on some other computer. No idea if it actually does schedules like a Tivo or something else

          I've been l

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Cylix ( 55374 )
            I built my single tuner box for the cost of the tuner. I had a fairly nice small form factor box serving up video with a dxr3 (em8300) already. The box itself cost me nothing as I did some favors for a local computer shop. (they had a complex client).

            Now, my solution is pretty, but you could probably find a decent older p3 or p4 box and stick a pvr350 on it. Run it headless after the install with serial support or frame buffer console for booting issues. For X needs, I run vnc on the little bugger.

            I've begu

            • Now, my solution is pretty, but you could probably find a decent older p3 or p4 box and stick a pvr350 on it.

              It's possible. (Heck I did it years ago and still use it). But the Internet is not going to be a widely adopted platform for delivering video until people can buy something that works out of the box and plug it into their TV. It just amazes me how long it's taking for that to happen. Why haven't TiVo and Netflix teamed up and just made it happen? Or maybe Blockbuster, don't they have the cl

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by JoeBorn ( 625012 )
          The OSD does support SMB. It's supports SMB as a client for browsing other shares (as well as NFS). In addition, within the next month, it will be able to act as an SMB server. Attach an external hard drive and it'll act like a media server so to speak (sort of a PVR +NAS). In addition, some users have enabled an FTP server on the device, so you can pull your recordings off it from outside the LAN.

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Holmwood ( 899130 )

          How is this insightful? Did you even spend 10 seconds looking at the article or the device?

          sounds like a worse combo as the software is windows only.

          No, the product is Linux based, as in:

          The world's first open source Linux-based embedded media center

          (see http://www.neurosaudio.com/osd/osd.asp [neurosaudio.com] [neurosaudio.com])

          Why dont they stop the silly special software crap and simply make the dang things play from a SMB share

          Here's the awesome thing about open source. You want it to play from an SMB share? Go ahead

  • What a heading/title! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by bogaboga ( 793279 ) on Friday June 29, 2007 @08:41PM (#19695975)

    Open Source Set-Top-Box Adds YouTube Support...

    An individual who is not that connected to the internet might think Youtube is an application...or is it?

    You see, we are used to hearing support for "platforms" or software. Maybe I am wrong on this...!

    • Re:What a heading/title! (Score:4, Informative)

      by semiotec ( 948062 ) on Friday June 29, 2007 @09:25PM (#19696229)
      "An individual who is not that connected to the internet" probably wouldn't be reading Slashdot anyway.
    • An individual who is not that connected to the internet might think Youtube is an application...or is it?

      If the article was in the WSJ you might have a point. But even the WSJ has informed the world of youtube, thanks to google buying them, and lawsuits and such.

      Pretty much a household word now.

  • Yes, the RSX can't be used in ps3 linux, but the Cell can be, and Sony encourages the installation of linux on the ps3. All that's lacking are apps that take advantage of the cell fully, and I've been talking to people who are working on it. Several patches are available, just waiting to be included with various media players.
    • > Yes, the RSX can't be used in ps3 linux...

      This is true, 3D support is the only think Sony is holding out on and you don't need that for a media center. They do give you direct YUV video modes at all of the standard HD modes and that is probably good enough. Especially with all those Cell units available to do de-interlacing, upscaling, onscreen display overlays or whatever else needs doing.

      $600 for a kick ass myth front end isn't unreasonable on it's own. Compare and contrast to putting together an

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Ant P. ( 974313 )
      That's nice. Wake me up when they can run a blank X session at native HD res without the mouse skipping.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by samkass ( 174571 )
        Why, can the Neuros (the subject of this article) do that? It sure doesn't look like it.

        I think it's pretty disingenuous of Neuros to claim that running custom software is 'hacking' the PS3 'against the wishes' of Sony when Sony provides a linux distro and switching to it is in the built-in menus.

  • Interesting idea, now do it with useful gear (Score:5, Informative)

    by jmorris42 ( 1458 ) * <{jmorris} {at} {beau.org}> on Friday June 29, 2007 @08:45PM (#19695993)
    Last time I looked, the box had no onboard storage, no component, DVI or HDMI i/o and not nearly enough compute power to need HD outputs. In other words it is an SD device is an HD world, and an underspecced device for a lot of SD uses. The lack of even an S-Video output was when I stopped reading. USB1 is also pathetic these days.

    Having brought out a product the manufacturer couldn't think of a use for they threw magic "Open Source" pixie dust on it hoping we could think of things to do with it. Which is better than nothing, but why not give us a slightly more commercially viable platform to work with?

    • Re:Interesting idea, now do it with useful gear (Score:4, Interesting)

      by stabiesoft ( 733417 ) on Friday June 29, 2007 @08:54PM (#19696059) Homepage
      agreed, this box woulda been something 10 years ago. Now though with no HD, its a joke. I have a Roku that was doing HD 5 years ago. I'm looking for a replacement and some of the the new stuff from netgear/linksys looks promising, but obviously if it was hackable it would be better. Hopefully Neuros will come out with an HD offering.
      • Would love to see more links. I am getting a new HD TV and would like to get something expandable that can play movies/music/etc. I was thinking about Mac Mini, but it doesn't look like they're going to update it (to better processor and HDMI) any time soon. I wonder what alternatives people think there are.
        • dvi is pin compatable with HDMI, just get a dvi - hdmi cable.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by reezle ( 239894 )
            DVI has no audio signal, though.
            • For those of us with receivers (and a TV/Monitor that doesn't pass it through), that can be a good thing.

              Personally, I run all my audio optically (at least as far as I can - haven't seen optical speakers yet).
    • "In other words it is an SD device is an HD world" Thank you for the broad generalisation :) -- Someone who doesn't rot their brain with TV and computer games
    • 1. It's been "Open Source" from the beginning, as are _all_ of Neuros' products. It's not "pixie dust" that they've added in the hope of increasing sales.

      2. USB1 is fine for external storage. People stream video across networks for Christ's sake!

      Lack of HD is not, in my opinion, a big problem, but it's becoming one.. But yeah, lack of s-video is a prob. Especially now that the AppleTV is out, and will soon run MythTV, a much more mature system. Unfortunately, development of the Neuros OSD has just taken too

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by Blakey Rat ( 99501 )
        2. USB1 is fine for external storage. People stream video across networks for Christ's sake!

        The typical home network is 100mbit. USB 1 operates at 1.5mbit. It's designed for mice, keyboards, printers and scanners, not streaming video. USB2 is fine for streaming video, but saying that USB 1 is fine because people "stream video across networks!" is ridiculous.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by JoeBorn ( 625012 )
          It's USB 1.1 theoretical max 11mbit, in practice it's not that fast, but it is fast enough to stream SD video, I do it all the time.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Mike89 ( 1006497 )

        People stream video across networks for Christ's sake!
        The theoretical maximum of USB1 is like 11-12 mbps I believe. Networks are typically (wired that is) 100.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

        1. It's been "Open Source" from the beginning, as are _all_ of Neuros' products. It's not "pixie dust" that they've added in the hope of increasing sales.

        Except that it has a DSP, programmed with tools that cost a large amount of money. It can be "Open Source", but it's gonna cost you to actually do anything with it. At least Neuros' other products had easily available development tools.

        As for AppleTV - well, Apple doesn't really care what you do with it. They make money off every AppleTV sold, and as long

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by JoeBorn ( 625012 )

          Except that it has a DSP, programmed with tools that cost a large amount of money. It can be "Open Source", but it's gonna cost you to actually do anything with it. At least Neuros' other products had easily available development tools.

          Well, it has an ARM9 core (where linux and all the application software runs) and an API to the DSP functionality so there's plenty that can be done with out the proprietary tools ( in fact, the typical Neuros hacker doesn't have any proprietary tools). In addition, Neuros is also working to get free tools for those that want to develop for the DSP.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dwater ( 72834 )
        > People stream video across networks for Christ's sake! ...and I'm sure He's very grateful.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Qwavel ( 733416 )
      I disagree.

      nothing I watch is HD. Nothing I download is HD. And YouTube certainly isn't HD. So how is this an HD world?

      I'm assuming that you (and many others) have HD TV, but this box is not meant for watching TV on.

      Regarding the onboard storage, why would I want that? With USB ports and Ethernet I can add storage to the OSD in many easy ways. Built-in storage would be inflexible and would increase the cost.
      • This Neuros box only has composite video out. Component or S-Video would be substantially better even for SD stuff.

        The onboard USB is USB1, which is useless for video.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by eihab ( 823648 )
      If I knew this device existed 4 months ago I would have probably bought one.

      I have a nearly complete MythTV box (just need TV out) in my living room now. I spent around $120 for the Happauge 150 card which only does TV in. I also shelled out around another $100 for a 250GB hard drive (numbers maybe skewed a little, weak memory). This device is a little over $200 which is about what I spent so far on my box (other than the box itself which I'm counting as $0 since I already had it and had no need for it).

      I d

      • I don't have Cable or a HD ready TV, but I'd like to be able to have PVR features with broadcast TV to record the shows that I always miss when I'm at work or even just being able to pause TV when my wife interrupts.

        You could just torrent the tv episodes automatically to the box. Assuming you're watching stuff late anyways, the only real difference is you'll automatically have no comercials and likely better quality.

        I've been debating getting an HDTV but really, paying Time Warner extra just for HD channels

    • The lack of even an S-Video output was when I stopped reading. USB1 is also pathetic these days. Having brought out a product the manufacturer couldn't think of a use for they threw magic "Open Source" pixie dust on it hoping we could think of things to do with it.

      Sad but true. It doesn't appear to even have a TV tuner, just a video capture card you have to hook up to something else and use the IR blaster...

      It cost $250 for all the capability you'd find in my PC in 1998, a $500/400Mhz K6 with a ($40) ATI

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jp10558 ( 748604 )
      IDK, there's an aweful lot of people with SDTV. Now whether those people would be interested in a box like this... I have no idea.
    • >Which is better than nothing, but why not give us a slightly more commercially viable platform to work with?

      I agree, Neuro's website goes out of its way to not mention Tivo. Since Tivo is what I have now, I'm looking to upgrade, not downgrade to a Neuros box with no storage.

  • Already taken care of (Score:5, Interesting)

    by AragornSonOfArathorn ( 454526 ) on Friday June 29, 2007 @08:52PM (#19696045)
    My Wii "set-top box" works great with YouTube, thankyouverymuch :-)
  • I recently bought a LCD HDTV that is PC compatible, I am still thinking about what to add to it, I wanted more than a DVD player, I have been thinking of just building a PC with a DVD-RW & mythTV, but this or something like this sure sounds cool...

  • Set-top box? No. PVR, maybe. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by SeaFox ( 739806 ) on Friday June 29, 2007 @09:19PM (#19696189)
    If this device doesn't have a cablecard slot or any other way of descrambling encrypted digital channels, I don't know how it qualifies as a "set top box" except in the fact it can sit on top of a CRT television. Using this logic, the clock radio on top of my TV is a "set top box" as well.

  • Inaccurate article (Score:3, Informative)

    by Have Blue ( 616 ) on Friday June 29, 2007 @09:25PM (#19696231) Homepage
    The article complaining about the AppleTV is over a month old, and too old to point out that the AppleTV now has an official, fully-supported YouTube browser.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Yvan256 ( 722131 )
      Not to mention that YouTube is switching over to H.264, can't wait to see what all the current "YouTube apps" will do.

      • I don't think it would make much difference to the XBMC Youtube script as XBMC supports H.264 already.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Yvan256 ( 722131 )
          Isn't it ironic that a modded/custom install of the first Xbox can play H.264 but the Xbox 360 cannot? (unless I missed something, and even then I'd need external USB drives, and it's too late anyway since I bought a 40GB AppleTV).

  • We've had this functionality on an "open source" platform for a long time now with Xbox Media Center (XBMC).
  • I dunno.. watching someone get his in the groin with a football just isn't the same if it's not on a computer screen
  • Open source project. Plays just about everything. The only real bummer is that it really can't hack 1080 very well, but it handles 720P just fine.

    I'm not sure that there is a world of difference between Component and DVI and/or HDMI in quality. If someone would just work out a relatively easy way to upgrade the CPU/memory of the Xbox, I doubt that anyone would be able to do much better for quite some time...
    • >I'm not sure that there is a world of difference between Component and DVI and/or HDMI in quality.

      Well, if anything, component would be better, or the same. Component is 5 wires (3 video, 2 audio).

      The question is how much difference is there for Composite, since composite (RCA) is what this box supports now.
      • HDMI > DVI > Component > Svideo > Composite

        I don't think it is even possible to push HD resolutions out on composite

        Component is just 3 wires. Audio is independent. Optical audio outputs are only one cable. i.e. my xbox is connected using 4 cables ...
      • The question is how much difference is there for Composite, since composite (RCA) is what this box supports now.

        There's been an HD breakout box for the original XBOX since its inception. You can get a convincing knock-off of the original (probably made in Taiwan or Korea) that works just as well for $10.00 (USD) on eBay [ebay.com] (the real McCoy's from Microsoft go for more than $100 in some places [amazon.com]). That gives you HD output. Plug one of these [amazon.com] (~$20 depending where you go) in the HD pack connector and you have opt
    • If someone would just work out a relatively easy way to upgrade the CPU/memory of the Xbox, I doubt that anyone would be able to do much better for quite some time.

      FriendTech used to have an X-BOX with more RAM and a faster processor. If memory serves, it was a 1.4 Ghz. Celeron (twice as fast as the stock box). It didn't take off because at the time people were just interested in gaming performance, but some games were hard-coded to expect a certain (slower) processor speed, thus games were sped-up and un
      • I remember something about that... I suppose since I don't play any games on my old xbox any more that the game performance wouldn't matter. I wonder if they still sell the conversion kits...
  • I have been looking for this for quite some time!

    Its at the top of my bookmarks lists for PVR now. It looks like one helluva neat box.

    Geez, why try to "roll my own" when I can get this? Everything I wanted and then some.

    Tips like this is why I read Slashdot.

  • AppleTV has been repeatedly "hacked" for enhanced functionality, without so much as a whimper or firmware update from Apple. They know what's happening. They like it. They even try to build on it occasionally. Don't lump this set-top box in with the rest-there's absolutely no evidence that they're opposed to user-created functionality.

    • AppleTV has been repeatedly "hacked" for enhanced functionality, without so much as a whimper or firmware update from Apple. They know what's happening. They like it.

      Apple even liked the people that loaded standard OS X, turning it into a cheaper Mac Mini?

      • I don't see why not. The CPU is less than half the speed of the Mac Mini, it has less RAM, and no optical drive. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple made as much profit on an AppleTV as a Mac Mini.
  • SageTV [sagetv.com] has been able to do this for several months now, and incorporates Google Video as well. Granted, SageTV is not an STB as such (actually an HTPC) but the functionality is there. The up side is access to lots of videos on your TV. The down side is that the video content and quality leaves a lot to be desired.

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