More Cringley on Linux Embedded Hardware Hacking 90
enrico_suave writes "I , Cringley on Linux hardware hacking (the good kind). Some neat points on what enterprising individuals are doing with Hauppauge MediaMVP streaming content settop box/client thingie." The story is mostly about Micro ISPs, including a few choice digs on Slashdot readers.
Re:Imagine (Score:2, Funny)
only on
Why? (Score:3, Funny)
Because.... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Why? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Why? (Score:1, Funny)
Man, if only the "preview" feature featured a cool-o-meter or confuse-o-meter to warn me before I posted. Then the post would never have existed, and it wouldn't have possibly been off-topic.
If only I were posting the message via a hacked MediaMVP box. Then I'd be on-topic.
If only the "subject" text field were labeled "topic", and my cursor was placed over that field. Then I'd be on-topic.
But I digress...
Re:Why? (Score:1)
Re:Why? (Score:1)
Good use of resources (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Good use of resources (Score:2, Interesting)
OK, it's got a 300 MHz PowerPC. Does it have a BDM or JTAG port, or a monitor in ROM? In other words, when I accidentally scrag the firmware in flash, is it a brick now or is there a recovery path to get it bootable again?
Re:Good use of resources (Score:3, Informative)
Looks like it just has tftp/bootp in ROM, so it can't run standalone. But at least that also means it's real easy to recover if you screw up!
It would be insanely great to get GDB set up to attach remote processes running on the MVP.
Still violating GPL? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Still violating GPL? (Score:5, Informative)
AFAIK, Hauppauge are now complying correctly, they've got the relevant Busybox sources, and also the kernel sources online.
What's not available are the sources to the IBM proprietary kernel modules for the STB25xx processor's hardware features, nor the client program that runs on the MVP once it's booted.
However some enterprising individuals have managed to figure out most all of the ioctl(2) interfaces to those modules, and also developed native player software that doesn't depend on the HCW supplied windows server software.
Personally, I've got a couple of these now, using the mediamvp plugin for VDR (the Linux DVB PVR system) to get both live and recorded digital TV distributed around the house.
The best link I know of for discussions on using Linux on the MediaMVP are the forums at http://www.shspvr.com/forum/ [shspvr.com]
WRT54G on sale ($56.50 or $66.50) at Amazon (Score:5, Informative)
Pretty cool price considering most of your other options.
Re:WRT54G on sale ($56.50 or $66.50) at Amazon (Score:1, Informative)
Wow (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wow (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Wow (Score:2)
-
But wait a sec... (Score:5, Insightful)
I am not discrediting the Hauppage device as it sounds really cool. But for 80 bucks I think I would compare the other devices in this category and find a better alternative. IMO that is.
Re:But wait a sec... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:But wait a sec... (Score:1)
no it doesn't, unless you consider cutting and soldering two cables together a hardware hack. the most effort i expended for the buffer overflow hack was locating a compatible usb flash stick.
it was trivial to network xebian into my NAT server and set up ssh. i need to read up on network media streaming though. and a nice NTSC friendly interface/desktop would be nice. jeeze, what do i want for free? and i still can attempt to beat my grandkids at spongebob saves bikini bott
Re:But wait a sec... (Score:3, Insightful)
I am not discrediting the Hauppage device as it sounds really cool. But for 80 bucks I think I would compare the other devices in this category and find a better alternative. IMO that is."
ah.... but the rub there is the 13 beans a month (or 300 beans for lifetime of the "unit" subscription
Re:But wait a sec... (Score:2)
Tivo and Xbox are not even close to the same device. Your comparing apples to wart removal cream. The tivo actually encodes video and serves it up for you to watch later. With a good amount of effort (no it's not easy and there are at least 4 truly ugly gotchas) you can convert an Xbox int
Re:But wait a sec... (Score:1)
I currently have a DirecTV TIVO and a little unit that sends the output to a remote location. It works great as long as we don't want to watch one program upstairs and a differ
Hauppauge MVP encoding? (Score:5, Interesting)
"... the MVP is attracting attention from people who want to alter its firmware.
This is a very different device from the wireless router. For one thing, it has hardware MPEG video encoding and decoding."
There's no mention of video encoding on the official product site. Is this an error, or is there a hack that allows for it?
RTFLINK (DONT CLICK) (Score:2, Informative)
MediaMVP alternative firmware? (Score:2, Interesting)
Does the MediaMVP support streaming of DVD VOB files from a file server?
Re:MediaMVP alternative firmware? (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.shspvr.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=38 [shspvr.com]
MediaMVP - Video Encoding? (Score:5, Informative)
For one thing, it has hardware MPEG video encoding and decoding
I don't think this is correct. According the the Happauge site, the MediaMVP has hardware decoding, but does no encoding (it doesn't even have audio/video inputs, only outputs). They only talk about acquiring video in the context of their WinTV products, some of which have hardware MPEG2 encoders.
It still looks like a cool device for SDTV use. But, I am waiting for one that supports at least component 480P output (preferably 720P or 1080i) and digital audio output for DD5.1 support.
Re:MediaMVP - Video Encoding? (Score:1)
I'd like to point out (Score:5, Interesting)
See BusyBox's hall of shame here:
http://www.busybox.net/shame.html
May I suggest that we at
Re:I'd like to point out (Score:3, Informative)
s/Cringely/Eugenia/g (Score:3, Insightful)
Straight from his site (Score:5, Informative)
When it comes to information technology, I know what I am talking about. Twenty years in and around the PC business have earned me wisdom, if not wealth. It's not that I am so smart, but that my friends are smart. The best and brightest in Silicon Valley talk to me all the time. It's my job to sift through their thoughts for valuable bits to share with you. But wait, if I am so great, why is this service free? Good question! Maybe it's time to renegotiate my contract with PBS."
He's a sort of consultant/analyst person who appears on TV shows, writes books and more.
s/Enderle/Cringely/g s/Windoze/Linux/g (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course the same could be said for thousands of /. readers who log in here every day. What do I have to do so I can stop working and start being a technopundit? Do I need to have an extra Chutpah organ inserted into my chest? Executive level hair? Immune system t
Re:Straight from his site (Score:1)
Re:s/Cringely/Eugenia/g (Score:2)
Like many parents he seems so proud that he can even reproduce.
Re:s/Cringely/Eugenia/g (Score:2)
I can't imagine losing one of my babies...
Re:s/Cringely/Eugenia/g (Score:4, Informative)
Then he did this movie, called Triumph of the Nerds [pbs.org], about Microsoft and Apple's foundings. You see, back then, he was still a tech writer, and he met with Apple in their garage, and knew Bill Gates when he wasn't worth much. He tracks them and personal computer's rise.
He is quite interested to technophiles, and that is a columnist's job. He gets people interested, reading, and writing about his ideas. He's probably the best technical writer around (I certainly think so - I started reading him around when the nerds movie came out).
If you haven't seen the movie, you may find it interesting, and free on PBS.
Not to be an asshole.... (Score:2, Informative)
Techno Utopianism (Score:3, Insightful)
Technically... (Score:2)
Re:Techno Utopianism (Score:1, Redundant)
Re:Techno Utopianism (Score:2)
Re:Techno Utopianism (Score:2)
Re:Techno Utopianism (Score:2)
- Lithion Ion batteries are used in these types of PDAs, meaning they would need either some place to get free power, or a mod of some type to use regular batteries. Either way, I doubt they could afford them on their own
- Second prong of the previous problem; lithium ion batteries have a limited lifetime. Who's going to pay for replacement batteries?
- You need to sync a pocket pc somewhere every once in a while to back up information (like phone numbers, pho
Avoid the MVP, just misses the mark. (Score:5, Informative)
The evening I figured out that all my MPEGs with AC3 audio weren't going to produce audio, I was very unhappy.
The video looked great, and people have even put together software to allow serving files from Linux, but without audio, its a waste.
Pinback
Re:Avoid the MVP, just misses the mark. (Score:2, Informative)
some enterprising folks in shs's forum [shspvr.com] have a pass through working (looks like anyhow). It's probably not for the feint of heart though =)
It's not the processor speed, but probablly licensing/DMCA like buggery that the MVP doesn't do AC3 *shrug* but I could be off base on that...
Soo are you selling yours? =)
Maybe it's just me... (Score:1)
obligatory: beowulf cluster of all your STB belong to us - Darl.
Re:Maybe it's just me... (Score:1)
There's nothing that obsucated about it!
The boot process is just DHCP/TFTP, although the window's DHCP server uses a non-standard port. However the boot-loader in the MediaMVP supports both that port and the standard DHCP port, anyway.
Mine boot just fine from ISC dhcpd off my Linux box, you just need to set the TFTP filename to the "dongle.bin" file extracted from the software installer on the HCW site.
FYI (Score:2, Interesting)
- Mike
New g Routers at Computex Taipei (Score:1)
Gen-WAN [etmag.com]
OvisLink [ovislink.com.tw]
Well Communication [wellgroups.com]
Xavi [xavi.com.tw]
Minitar [minitar.com]
WebPro [webpro.com.tw]
SENAO [senao.com]
Amigo [amigo.com.tw]
Dig! (Score:3, Insightful)
He's right, the revolution will not be slashdotted...
Just One Flaw (Score:2)
Except all I hear about is the Chinese *closing* Internet cafes as a threat to their system of domination.