[mythtv] Brainstorming a new idea for the program guide

Jay Merrifield fracmak at gmail.com
Tue Sep 22 17:20:47 UTC 2009


lol, there's a reason I asked the mailing list before I started coding. So
it sounds like this is a no-go without some kind of real cheap source of the
files. I'm certain TVDB would allow us to grab their images and host them
somewhere else to reduce the load on them, especially if we give them credit
(think a byline somewhere, or a watermark on the images). So then it comes
to where could we host the images? And how much would it cost?

Bittorrent is definitely a solution especially since with htpcs, they're
often always on. A lot of media software uses bittorrent to download all
kinds of files off the internet. I think the largest downside to that is the
problems with configuring a bittorrent client properly in this day and age
of NATs and routers and the backlash of people who say that the bittorrent
client is destroying their internet connection.

Another idea is storing it in a cloud like Amazon S3, but again, that costs
money. I'm wondering if anyone has ever considered an approach like the
"Premium Themes" of PS3. Where the normal service is free, but if you want a
few nicer perks and cool flashy gizmos, you pay a little bit of money.
Though I have no idea how to avoid people viewing this as opening pandora's
box where slowly more and more new features are moved into the "premium"
category while the free users get left in the dust. I know there was huge
backlash when myth was moved to schedules direct.

3rd idea would be getting a corporate sponsor. Having a large organization
with tons and tons of bandwidth donating some of it to us. Like maybe if we
approached google or someone else who supports open source software and
getting them to donate some space for us to push the envelope in terms of
features.

All in all this feature isn't complicated to do, it's just the economics of
the matter.

Thoughts?
Jay

On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 1:05 PM, Stuart Morgan <stuart at tase.co.uk> wrote:

> On Tuesday 22 Sep 2009 17:47:38 Jeff wrote:
> > Perhaps tmdb will have to implement a subscription fee for the HD
> artwork,
> > but could provide lower-resolution artwork for free.  I'm sure there will
> >  be users that complain about a fee, but at the same time, there will be
> >  many who understand the economy, and that servers, electricity, and
> >  internet bandwidth all cost money, and would be glad to subscribe to
> their
> >  services for the HD artwork -- especially if it's a choice between "We
> >  have to do this, or shut down..."
>
> I suspect that the core users of TVDB with applications like XBMC would
> rather
> it died that pay anything for it. It's simply their pattern of behaviour,
> they
> don't understand (or care) that these things need to be paid for.
>
> --
> Stuart Morgan
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-dev mailing list
> mythtv-dev at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-dev
>
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