Slashback: Revolutionism, Media, Oregon 201
Sounds and pictures from the same box -- impossible! An anonymous reader writes "The HP Digital Media Receiver ( discussed here before) is available for sale at CompUSA and online. The wired version is $199, and the wireless one is $299.
I've been using it for a little while, and I really like it so far. It took a while for the PC software to start serving, but now its fine. It found all my playlists and digital photos on the first pass, and the network setup worked properly too. I'd like to see higher-resolution photos, but it's a pretty cool way to show the pictures to my less-techie friends.
Also, I installed the PC software on both of my home PCs, and the Receiver automatically finds the music on both! It did have a bunch of duplicates (which made it easy for me to go prune out all my dual mp3s), but it was pretty cool. You can't edit a playlist at the TV set, which is a bit of a bummer, but I use WinAmp on my PC anyway, and that worked fine. I like the interface on the TV a lot (although it's a little dull after a while), and it sorted most of my media properly. Some of my MP3s ended up in weird places, but I guess that's from the ID3 tags?
One other thing - I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the Receiver runs Linux. Did anyone else see this too? The only other thing about it I didn't really like was the lack of a reset button. There is a power button, but it didn't reset the device when I pushed it, so I had to unplug it once.
Anyhow, I'm sure there are going to be a ton more products like this one out there soon, but I definitely prefer this to the Prismiq and the Audiotron. It's a much more intuitive box, although a front-panel LCD would be a really nice add!"
Since the general welfare means you, too. Cooper Stevenson writes "Thanks to all of those who called, wrote, and emailed their Legislators in Oregon, House Bill 2892 will get a hearing as covered by the Oregonian:
'A new bill would make Oregon the first state to take a formal stance against the hefty fees and technological limitations of software produced by large corporations such as Microsoft.''A House committee is scheduled to consider a proposal that promotes "open-source" software, which doesn't charge recurring fees and enables customers to alter the software code, making it more compatible with other programs.'
Global neural links sought. Controlio writes "With the first truly televised war underway, for the first time we have media members armed with sat trucks chasing the folks with the automatic weapons around. Several fixed cameras are mounted around Baghdad, and members of the media from all around the world are sending reports from the field using sat uplinks and video phones. So the question is, those of you with access to a Big Dish, have you found any wild feeds yet? I live in Michigan (U.S.), and have only been able to pinpoint local media backhauls (like Fox's news backhaul to their local affiliates), but nothing from abroad. Anyone out there have any sat and channel information for either the Baghdad cams, foreign news agencies, or best of all, the news feeds from the front line?"
This question is a good followup to a recent question posted as an Ask Slashdot seeking unbiased news about the current war.
sound and video on a PC (Score:5, Funny)
Course, we'll never be able to play HDTV on a computer.
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:5, Interesting)
You realize, don't you, by actually saying that something will never happen, you have practically assured that it will happen at some point. Just like when people said man would not fly.
Of course, this still doesn't explain the lack of flying cars ...
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, watching HDTV with a computer has already happened. :) See the HDTV snapshots [gnu.org] from the GNU Radio project site.
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
I've had PC HD cards for several years. Currently, I'm using a Telemann HiPix [telemann.com] with the user modified software [midwinter.com] from a dedicated group of hackers from the AVS Forums [avsforum.com]. But processor speeds have reached the point where one can playback HD transport streams solely in software using a tool like DVHSTool [kgbird.com] and the MPEG2 decoder from a software DVD player.
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
No, no, it actually does, because future pundits everywhere insisted those would happen.
(OK, there's a potential logical error there, but we might have a <=> b here...)
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:5, Funny)
You realize, don't you, by actually saying that something will never happen, you have practically assured that it will happen at some point. Just like when people said man would not fly.
You're never gonna get laid with that attitude...
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
"Bah! We're living in the 21st Century, and people still wage war to impress invisible superheroes who live in outer space! I thought we'd all be chilling out in solar-powered flying cars by now!"
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
I will never have sex with Hugh Jackman.
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:5, Funny)
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2, Funny)
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2, Funny)
I'm sure you'll want to fix the behavioral bugs... like not wanting to hang out with a Slashdot geek.
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
No, what you actually mean to say is that no-one will make an Open Source Uma Thurman simulation. I'm sure you'll want to fix the behavioral bugs... like not wanting to hang out with a Slashdot geek.
Or trying to sleep with all his friends...
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
A computer can't make my toddler sit up and eat her dinner. In addition, it can't tell me the winning numbers for Saturday's Powerball drawing, and make women understandable to men.
*crossing fingers*
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2, Interesting)
Home televisions are outrageously over priced for their ability.
Re:sound and video on a PC (Score:2)
Wild Feed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wild Feed (Score:4, Interesting)
the embedded news crews are equipped with encryption hardware (software?), so as not to make the information available to the enemy. same is true for field reports from kuwait and qatar.
this may not be the case with the baghdad cams (where the iraqis may not have approved encryption equipment coming into the country), but those are not very interesting at the moment anyway.
paradox (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:paradox (Score:3, Funny)
Re:paradox (Score:5, Insightful)
what player? (Score:2)
j/k, I assume that the files are just unencrypted mpegs found after mounting the disc?
Re:what player? (Score:4, Informative)
There aren't many region free and CSS free discs in the US, but The Man Who Fell to Earth (VALIS) is one.
Revolution OS has been available from Netflix as a single disc since at least Christmas. My parents & sister watched it while visiting & learned more in 86 minutes about the open source movement than I could have told them in three hours.
My mother had to quit a job teaching Windows apps because they crashed so much she was embarrased. She consults on medical billing stuff running on MUMPS & VAXen (i.e. stable), so she was happy to learn that an alternative to Microsoft has some real momentum.
I quit a job (Score:2)
A big problem with Micro$oft's crap is that it makes those using it look bad, beyond mere embarrasement. I switched my father over to Linux several months ago, and he has never looked back.
Re:what player? (Score:2)
Patents (Score:2, Informative)
It's not encrypted or region coded so it's perfectly legal to watch.
Not entirely. As far as I know, AC3 audio and MPEG-2 video are patented in the United States.
Re:paradox (Score:5, Informative)
Re:paradox (Score:2)
Re:paradox (Score:2)
Re:paradox (Score:2)
Re:paradox (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:paradox (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:paradox (Score:2)
Well then, it sounds to me like their own carelessness all but assures that free software can safely ignore them.
In order to sucessfully sue a supposedly infringing group, MPEG-LA would need to figure out EXACTLY which patents the free software violated. Now, they take a big risk right there, since quite possibly, the answer would end up "none".
After that, they would need to prove that the software
Re:paradox (Score:2, Insightful)
If you want the DVD, just buy it. Show some support for one of the few people who did exactly what we're always asking for.
Re:paradox (Score:2)
If you want the DVD, just buy it. Show some support for one of the few people who did exactly what we're always asking for.
Bullshit! If he really did what we're always asking for, he'd have an Xvid encoded version all over the p2p networks already. Pay attention! ;)
Re:paradox (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:paradox (Score:2)
If you had read the linked article, you would've learned that the Revolution OS DVD is region-free and CSS-free.
Then again, this is Slashdot...what the hell was I thinking, that someone would read an article before posting about it?
About time (Score:5, Funny)
What's this, a free software music video? this is going to be one of dumbest, geekiest things ever created. I can't wait to watch it.
The most fascinating elements... (Score:2)
Re:About time (Score:2)
Oh my god no! Don't do it! The free software song is probably the biggest and best advert for Microsoft around. It's not only an incredibly bad song, but watching people actually sing it is fanatically embarassing and creepy. When RMS sang it at FOSDEM, it made the whole thing feel like some damn cult, as opposed to a bunch of geeks talking about cool stuff (like it was).
Ladies and Gentlemen (Score:3, Informative)
I now present, for your listening enjoyment, The Free Software Song [gnu.org]!!!
Digital Media Player (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Digital Media Player (Score:2)
Re:Digital Media Player (Score:2)
Not true... (Score:2)
HP Digital Media Receiver doesn't support ogg... (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm all for Open standards, and I have all of my music encoded as ogg on my machine, but I have to say that I'm disappointed with the sound quality of it.
You can debate it all you like, but I've found that Ogg produces some sound artifacts that MP3 doesn't, that are more irritating to my big ol' ears.
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver doesn't support ogg.. (Score:5, Informative)
Are you sure the problem isn't just that you don't like hearing the high-frequencies, or maybe you're just so accustomed to MP3 that you don't like hearing music without the artifacts?
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver doesn't support ogg.. (Score:2)
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver doesn't support ogg.. (Score:2)
When I first started using Ogg, I kept thinking I was hearing artifacts. But everytime I went back to the original CD I couldn't tell the difference; what I thought was artifacts was actually part of the original uncompressed track.
I think Ogg is almost *too* good.
Revolution OS from HP (Score:4, Interesting)
I got several calls from various marketing/survey types (must have clicked on a box on their website one day expressing interest in Linux) and after asking a few questions said they'd be sending me information. Imagine my surprise when the package contained a DVD of Revolution OS.
Sorry to say I haven't watched it yet (kids thought it over-the-top geeky and refused access to the DVD player).
Re:Revolution OS from HP (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Revolution OS from HP (Score:2)
Karma whoring (Score:2, Informative)
Ogg? (Score:3, Funny)
Revolution OS on DVD? (Score:2)
I can only assume that this DVD has more stuff? *shrug*
Re:Revolution OS on DVD? (Score:2)
I was there, but donated $20 to OCLUG and they gave me a copy... it wasn't a prize so much as an incentive to donate $15 or more (anything less than $15 (IIRC) and you didn't get the DVD).
And I think the version that
HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:4, Interesting)
Yeah, I know, I DO plan to build a HTPC, but I'd like to have a box available in the $200-300 range that the wife and children can use as simply as a DVD player. I can take care of the media server behind the sceens myself. I'm not going to build a $1000 HTPC for each TV in the house...
Ideally, the box would do 100bT (the HP box says it's 10), and I'd like it to run an OS that I get source for, so I can customize it. Oh, and a pony, I'd like a pony.
Seriously though, I'd love to have the proverbial Linux set-top box, with maybe a 5 1/4 bay to accept a DVD drive (that could cost extra, I don't care that much.) The important bits are that it be AV-style casing, be in the $200-300 range, and have flawless, standard NTSC output. Doesn't need to be HDTV yet. Just composite and s-video, maybe component would be nice. Needs an IR input for remote as well. I'm actually willing to put up with the endless software upgrade cycle and small glitches that represent an immature or beta software base. I can upgrade/try other progs as needed.
Anyone know of such a boxen that meets my criteria?
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
What DO these people do with their HTPCs? How the heck do you effectively control windows/linux with a remote (other than moving the mouse around with a joystick)?
We simply need a tivo-like application to organize all our videos, etc. Even the Digital Media Center edition of windows doesn't come close, handles music horribly, requires hardware mpeg compression, and STILL stresses a P4 (and yet the
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm kinda seeing the opposite, at least for the hardware I'm looking for (as descibed in my original post). Specifically, I'm not seeing a lot of hardware that is in a small VCR-size case, perhaps solid-state, built-in IR receiver, video chipset specifically designed for TV output. I've seen a few set-top box announcements, but I'm not seeing them make it to market. Maybe software is the reason, I don't know.
On the other hand, I see many Linux video-related software projects for general-purpose x86 PCs, if you don't mind spending the $1000 for decent hardware and having the noisy, large PC by the TV.
What DO these people do with their HTPCs? How the heck do you effectively control windows/linux with a remote (other than moving the mouse around with a joystick)?
You don't control the OS in general from a remote. (well, if you want to use your TV as a monitor, you can get wireless mice and keyboards.) For my application, you set the machine to boot with your AV application full-screen, and your remote talks to that. Think running Windows Media Player from a remote. All the functions you'd want to do could be done from a stardard universal remote, except for the naming & categorization tasks. For what I'm after, that's done on the server though, not the set-top boxes.
We simply need a tivo-like application to organize all our videos, etc. Even the Digital Media Center edition of windows doesn't come close, handles music horribly, requires hardware mpeg compression, and STILL stresses a P4 (and yet the tivo can work easily with a 50mhz PPC chip). Sure, I know about mythTV and freevo - the two projects certainly look promising, but aren't even close to ideal yet (although linux is certainly winning this race, I'd like to see something from apple).
That's what I'm talking about... In fact, the TIVO is just about exactly what I'm after, right down to running Linux. Problem is that it's not aimed at being a remote DVD player, but rather it's PVR function (duh). Plus the subscription fees and their attempts to keep it as closed as possible are really counter-productive to the kinds of projects I'd like to try. Still, the hardware base is about right, and the price would be about right without the large hard drives.
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2, Informative)
LIRC [lirc.org] for Linux. It can control lots of software [lirc.org], including at least one HTPC software project.
It has a windows port [sourceforge.net] too.
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
That's not exactly an endorsement. I got an ATI All-in-Wonder only to later find out the that TV-out is completely useless with the Linux (gatos) drivers... Yes, I'm quite pissed-off with ATI.
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
Does/can one of these cards boot the machine on the tv-out port? (I.e. it POSTs on the TV)
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
I would REALLY suggest you stick to Linux. Freevo works great. With Windows, you are going to be severely limited in what you can do.
I wouldn't know. As I said, I went for an All-In-Wonder, and now regret the purchase... The NVidia cards are the only ones with fully-functional drivers for Linux.
I have NEVER come across any card w
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
Make up your mind
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
Well...no. First off, I haven't seen much on a $300 DVD player that interests me more than the $80 ones... and second, I'm under the impression that DVD players do a poor job of streaming ripped DVDs and MP3s from the local Ethernet. If you know of a DVD player that does the latter bit, then that's what I'm after...
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
First off, my DVDs are contstantly getting trashed by my small children, and yes that's the main reason for wanting a system that doesn't require physical media. However, if all I wanted to do was copy them, then why do I want the DVD-rom drive in it? The drives in my PCs will rip the movies just fine. It's because I want to play physical media that I own on them, on occasion. If all my video were just downloaded, then I'd be f
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
I own over 200 cds. You really expect me to dig through them once and hour and decide what I want to hear next? Or listen to the same 5 or 6 CD in rotation? Or perhaps you expect me to shell out a wad of cash for some monstrosity that will hold all 200? Don't I atleast own right to listen to the music on the CDs I bought? I have a 5 Gig Ogg collection. I only had to dig all my CDs out of the hall closet once to rip them. It was a long painfull process and I have no urge to ev
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
I have a 5 Gig Ogg collection.
Do you have a winmx username? ;) I'd like to have a 5 gig ogg collection. I've only got a 5 gig mp3 collection, and that's less than 200 CDs worth of music, that's for sure...
Re:Which player? (Score:2)
I realize there are legitimate reasons for timeshifting. Certainly archiving your old VHS tapes is one, as is archiving old home movies. Fine. Rip them into your PC, and then onto VCD or DVD. However, that doesn't change the fact that many people do pirate movies. It just gives
Re:HP Digital Media Receiver (Score:2)
The XBox will actually do all the video output options, including HDTV, no? I remember reading some Viewsonic scan converter review that mentioned a couple of games doing 1080i. I have no moral issues with modding one so I can run my choice of software. I don't even have any use for XBox games, that's what my Windows machine is for.
So what OS are you using when streaming video? The one that c
Lacking Rendevous :( (Score:4, Interesting)
*sigh*... maybe in a firmware rev?
Re:Lacking Rendevous :( (Score:3, Funny)
I'd really love to have Turtle Beach's Audiotron supporting Rendevous/ZeroConf. Of course, I'd like to be able to control the Audiotron from iTunes.
I suppose we can all wait until Windows 2003 implements Rendezvous. Then all hardware will support it, and Mac owners will have one more thing they can kvetch about Microsoft stealing, while the anti-Mac crowd will respond with taunts about market share and CPU speed. The natural balance of the universe will thus be restored.
OK then (Score:4, Insightful)
I would like more information about this. States have tons of custom and commercial software packages they use for everything from tracking DUI offenders to registering kids in school districts. And those products more likely than not use things like databases and middleware things that are mostly OS-specific.
Forget about Windows and Office for a sec and think about the costs related to moving all that to an "open" platform. Especially today, when most states are flat broke and pulling money away from programs like education and welfare.
Does anyone have any real, specific information as to how Oregon plans to deal with this, outside of the all too familiar "oh, another blow to m$" static I keep hearing?
It seems to me that these are mostly empty gestures. What they should be doing is introducing alternative operating systems and applications selectively, where it makes sense and they represent the best tool for the job at hand. In this scenario, the "you must use [insert software]" is nothing more than an imposition made by the very people who know absolutely nothing about these things (the legislators) to the detriment of the people who will actually burden this (the MIS staffs at the state agencies). And ultimately, to the detriment of the taxpayers as well.
It's a bad Dilbert cartoon - at a massive scale.
Re:OK then (Score:5, Insightful)
Look, I'm as game as anyone for ridiculing the kiddies who think because they get by with only Linux for their computer use (email, IM web browsing) it should be shoved down the throats of every highway department and armed forces branch, but that has nothing to do with this.
Re:OK then (Score:2)
Re:OK then (Score:3, Insightful)
Once again I have to ask why we need a law to have OSS considered. Is there something in the law saying only closed source software can be considered?
Before OSS became a serious thing (or rather, before it was mature enough to become a worthy alternative), people only used closed source software because that's all there was. However, even in those days, many people wouldn't consider all of the options when making a purchase. Realistically, many people still don't, on anything. However, there are laws
Re:OK then (Score:2)
I talked to Rep. Barnhart (a regular /. reader, BTW!) a bit ago, and it's actually stronger than that. Under the current Oregon rules for competitive bidding of software projects (and I believe this to be true in most states) there is no straightforward mechanism to make it possible to consider open source even if the contracting agency knows they want it. One of the primary purposes of the "must consider" clause is to give contracting agencies that want OSS the ability to reject commercial bids.
The oth
Re:OK then (Score:2)
It seems the root of what you are worried about is that there should be a fair process for determining the purchases, but this bill doesn't really do that
Revolution OS (Score:2)
Revolution OS (Score:2)
Re:Your sig (Score:2)
I need sleep (Score:2, Funny)
Man, I need sleep. I read that as Rogaine-free.
What a deal! (Score:4, Funny)
Wow, two free hours of RMS insisting that "it's correctly termed GNU/Linux -- here, read this 85 point manifesto."
It's a nice chunk of change they've picked up, though. Looking at their rates [fsf.org], that's $10,000 each from IBM and HP, and probably $500 each from the others. I wonder if they really got that much out of them or if they offered a discount to get the ball rolling.
As a former state worker (Score:4, Insightful)
Star office
X3279 or something like that
Mozilla for a web browser.
although i would set the managers up with Apples. the less they have to thing the better off you are, as a former it person for them i should know.
Re:As a former state worker (Score:3, Informative)
Wild feeds? (Score:2)
Drunk grils showing their breasts for 10 cent beads... Now that's a good deal.
Revolution OS DVD (Score:2)
That HP Media Center Box... (Score:2)
I think the DEC had the potential to be a really great product. Seems like it got lost somewhere in the merger... plus, when it was released a couple of years ago it was priced way out of the market. Damn shame.
Self-evident (Score:2, Funny)
Why in the world would anyone want to reboot it if it runs Linux ;) ?
Alternative media sources (Score:2, Insightful)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
If you want to get another perspective on the news, Al-Jazeera is the thing for you. It's just as biased as CNN, but it provides a different angle on the news:
http://www.aljazeera.net/
Not mainstream:
http://dearraed.blogspot.com/
Re:Disturbing (Score:4, Informative)
This is a good bill.
Oregon also has some Bad Bills [google.com] like SB742 which would create terrorists of peace protestors, give them life in prison, and require local law enforcement to monitor "questionable" organizations. Hmm. A nice Google search [google.com] can net you more opinions on SB742. It is disturbing!
Re:Disturbing (Score:3, Informative)
May it rot in Hell.
Re:Disturbing (Score:2)
To further prove the point, I propose the following experiment.
Record some "protestors". Create two copies of thi
Re:WildFeed what WildFeed (Score:3, Interesting)
I saw tons of interesting stuff on my dish in 1991. Iraqis getting blown in half and crispy citters. A lot of footage was coming on the in dish, being censored and then put out on cable.
Now I have to make due with Fox News
Saddam (Score:2)
Re:Revolution OS on P2P networks? (Score:2)
If he wants to get paid, he should have more than one retailer for it, one that perhaps doesn't charge 60% of the cost of the actual product just to ship it across one land shared border (of which it really only costs about $5 to do).
-- iCEBaLM
So? (Score:2)
US left behind in this respect I guess...