[mythtv-users] prebuilt pvrs for developers benefit?
Tony Maro
tony at maro.net
Tue May 4 01:13:20 EDT 2004
Chris Petersen wrote:
>>The hardware is cheap you can get mini box for 150 cpu for 50 memory 50 and
>>nice tv card from 20 to 200. hard drive 120GB is 70
>>
>>
>
>$500 isn't cheap. Heck, $300 isn't cheap, especially with cable
>providers starting to offer DVR's with their digital cable packages
>(Tivo is only as popular as it is because it's part of DirecTV - look at
>how much worse off ReplayTV is).
>
>
>
>>Now with tivo you are limited to what you can record and you have pay fee to
>>get programing liftime is 299 for one unit so when you upgrade your tivo
>>you have to pay another 299.
>>
>>
>
>Can't argue with this.
>
>BTW, not sure if people keep up on this stuff, but Moxie is seemingly
>finally coming to market... http://www.digeo.com/ - it's a
>client-server system, just like myth (although not quite as powerful, I
>think the number of clients is limited), and has some MASSIVE financial
>backing (Paul Allen, if I recall correctly), which explains how they're
>still around about 2 years after announcing their product. Anyway, this
>is what you'd have to compete against, not Tivo. No pricing on the
>system itself, but it says that an extra client box will cost $79.
>That's dirt cheap.
>
You're looking at this the wrong way. MythTV should be considered a
high-end solution. I know a guy who just last year spent $3000 on a
Linux-based MP3 server similar to Myth. It had TV out to select the
album, would auto-rip any CD placed in it, automatically downloaded
cover art from the Internet and played back using digital outs, and was
rack mounted. I know it was Linux based because I watched it boot ;-)
It was in his "theater room".
And this was JUST for MP3's.
A MythTV box really is a similar high-end product because it's not
limited to just a few features. Most mass-produced products are
crapped-down to cut corners and save costs. High-end theater equipment
however has extra's added and prices tripled.
If I were to market a MythTV box, I'd offer installation and
configuration for around $3000 in a package designed for A/V enthusiasts
with too much money to spend. I'd then offer a $600 / year maintenance
agreement that covers maintaining the software, updates when the cable
TV adds channels, etc. I might even consider offering a service to rip
their own DVD collections at $20 / DVD and placing it on the HD for easy
viewing.
In a town like Atlanta or NY, you should be able to easily sell two or
more a month with your eyes closed. As long as the case is pretty.
-Tony
More information about the mythtv-users
mailing list