Open Source Set-Top-Box Adds YouTube Support 88
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."
Dont we have this? (Score:2, Informative)
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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?
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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.
Re:Dont we have this? (Score:4, Funny)
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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
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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
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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
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How is this insightful? Did you even spend 10 seconds looking at the article or the device?
No, the product is Linux based, as in:
(see http://www.neurosaudio.com/osd/osd.asp [neurosaudio.com] [neurosaudio.com])
Here's the awesome thing about open source. You want it to play from an SMB share? Go ahead
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As I said, some of us like the idea of plugging in memory cards, iPods, MP3 players and playing the media off those. You obviously think that's a step backwards. Fair enough.
And I've no idea what the OOB experience on this is. If you do, great. Enlighten us, AC who is NOT the OP.
IIRC, they embra
What a heading/title! (Score:4, Insightful)
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...!
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Re:What a heading/title! (Score:4, Informative)
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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.
PS3 not all that closed (Score:2, Informative)
PS3 open enough for a media center (Score:2)
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
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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)
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)
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Personally, I run all my audio optically (at least as far as I can - haven't seen optical speakers yet).
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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The onboard USB is USB1, which is useless for video.
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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Re:Already taken care of (Score:4, Funny)
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my new LCD HDTV (Score:1)
Set-top box? No. PVR, maybe. (Score:3, Insightful)
Inaccurate article (Score:3, Informative)
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Xbox Media Center (Score:1)
youtube on TV? (Score:1)
Xbox Media Center... (Score:2)
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...
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It doesn't play any x.264 (really H.264, x.264 is used to make H.264 videos) media very well, not even low bitrate/low resolution. Keep in mind that XBMC does have the software support, but the processor just can't handle the decompression so it plays back way too choppily to be watchable. If, like GP post suggested that the proc and ram were easily upgraded, it may be able to handle the job.
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Yes, you do. Even the software mod for the XBox is illegal as you are circumventing copyright protection. Any XBox that can run XBMC can also run copied software.
Actually no, it is not all illegal. Hacking/modding the xbox is not illegal (at least not where I live, and to the best of my knowledge (IANAL) under the DMCA it is not illegal, provided you are not doing it to commit copyright infringement). What is illegal is installing a hacked BIOS which allows you to run pirated games.
The XBMC and Xbox Linux projects actually use an open-source, clean room implementation of the Microsoft BIOS. It allows you to run homebrew projects, but it does not allow you to pl
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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.
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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
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I'm not sure that a small form-factor wire like HDMI or DVI would have better quality than three big, fat Component wires, but I have to say...HDMI has gotten a lot cheaper. Monoprice.com...HDMI 15' $6.50!
I would have a hard time beating that price even if I made my own component cables.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Inter
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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
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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
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Thank you so much! (Score:1)
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.
"against the wishes..." bullshit! (Score:2)
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Apple even liked the people that loaded standard OS X, turning it into a cheaper Mac Mini?
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SageTV has been able to do this... (Score:2)