Lourens Veen wrote:
quoted text
> On Saturday 01 July 2006 10:22, Dieter wrote:
>>>> Tivo wants a monthly fee.  Tivo spys on you.  Are you SURE that
>>>> Tivo will let you record any show you want, and archive it?  And
>>>> will continue to do so?  They are making another attempt to get
>>>> the broadcast flag into law.
>>> If that happens, you still won't be able to record anything, and=20
>>> moreover, this would also affect any device we want to make. Laws
>>> apply=20 to everyone. Well at least theoretically. And TiVo isn't
>>> the only way=20 to get a media centre. I was using it as an
>>> example.
>> The X-video-server does not contain a tuner, and thus does not
>> record. I haven't read the latest proposed broadcast flag law, but I
>> assume it would not affect the X-video-server.
> 
> So, your X-video-server which can not record anything at all is better 
> than a media centre box that may not record some content because it 
> honours a legally enforced broadcast flag?
> 
>>> Well, yes. So why use a PC with a pizza box attached to it if you
>>> can=20 just get a media centre that just works?
>> What is your definition of "media centre"?
> 
> Okay, let me try: A media centre is a plastic box which my mother can 
> buy in a shop, unpack, and place in the livingroom. She will then be 
> able to read the manual, connect a cable to the TV, to the power outlet 
> in the wall, and to the cable or DSL modem (unless that's included). 
> She can then turn it on, and watch TV, record TV, watch DVDs, download 
> movies and music, browse the internet, and heck, maybe my cousin can 
> play a game or two when he visits, too."

Such a product is probably a good idea.  But, it isn't the market that 
we are looking at.  We are looking at Linux and BSD (and maybe Solaris) 
users, that probably already have a PC, that want a graphics solution 
that is 100% open (hardware and software).

Media centers are already on the market.  Although, I don't know if 
there are Linux, BSD, or OpenSolaris based ones yet.  The question we 
would need to consider if we were to market a media center is if it 
would be purchased by the average customer in preference to a Windows or 
Mac OS X system (yes they are coming) and what advantages we could 
offer.  IIUC, the advantages that Linux or BSD can offer for a media 
center are the result of it being assembled by the user -- we couldn't 
sell something that was not really 100% in compliance with the law.

-- 
JRT
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