I have messed with ecery single HTPC application out there over the last 2 years. All seem to hit one good area or another, but NONE hit the mark in the bullseye. Here is what a REAL ULTIMATE HTPC should have:

Live TV on backend as well as frontend client
Diskless client FE
Recorded videos(available via uPNP)
uPNP Client/Server
PVR Capabilities
Picture show
Music player(jukebox)
Weather
MAME Support
SCSI array support
Network streaming(both live TV and videos)

Why is it all of these apps don't get it? Search any HTPC forum and look at the issues and requests. These are the overwhelming ones people want. Yet it seems developers could care less. Is it any wonder MS and others are making a killing with their software? Let's face it, they look at your software, read what users want and then develop it and sell it. Seems to me that if there was a TRUE open source HTPC system that answered all of these items, it would be the hottest thing out there.

The future of home entertainment is just around the corner. Users will have a main media server(hence scsi array support...doh!) and each TV will have a Set Top Box which connects either wirelessly or via network. Users want this. I only wish I were a programmer. I can see the need, I know what is wanted, but don't know how to do it. Ticks me off actually that no one cares to take this type of system in the true direction it needs to go. The only sytem close is Pluto Home. But there again they rely on MythTV which is apparently flawed when it comes to clients.

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Backend - netfinity 5000 w/10drive external array, dual CPU, 2GB Ram.

Frontend - AMD 2800+, 1GB ram, nVidia FX 5200(256mb).

With the exception of uPnP MythTV supports all you've asked (and if you browse the dev list, this is in the works). KnoppMyth actually includes a uPnP server that server the recorded files. I've put a lot of thought into putting KnoppMyth together. While the end user may still have some manual configuration, I believe one can do more with KnoppMyth than with MCE.

The average user cannot buy MCE, anyone can download KnoppMyth. Thanks Mirror Masters. KnoppMyth offers more hardware support (think tuners and it doesn't matter if you have the latest wiz-bang motherboard if you cannot support a number of tuners) than MCE. MythTV as a PVR has greater flexibility than MCE.

You are kidding if you think MS listens does what you've stated. If MCE was so great, MS would sell it retail. So, why doesn't it?

Now...

Why does it sound like you are gripping? Now, I don't mind folks coming to the forum and grip but if you aren't going to be intelligent then don't come at all.

As far as being a programming, no doesn't have to be a programmer to help. I've no formal programming training and I started KnoppMyth. If you are so determined to help, you can do something.

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cesman

When the source is open, the possibilities are endless!

I want to add to cesman statements and say that scsi is so yesterday. I understand that SCSI is a great technology and I beleive is does have a place in the market, just not with a HTPC. The alternatives are cheaper and quieter and give you almost equivilent speed.

I too am not a programmer, but I have learnt to write scripts, written documentation and also in the process of making a video. By saying you can't helps means, you won't help and you are too close minded to come with a way to help with your skill set. If you have a particular skill there are ways and means to apply it to the project just ask, " I can do this, how can I help?"

As to M$ listening, I agree they do listen and why do they listen?

Because when enough people say I want this and atleast 50% are willing to pay for it of course they are going to develop it, this is basic ecomics, supply and demand sort of stuff.

I agree that SCSI support is a non-starter. I could see the need for RAID support, but noone is going to want to pay for SCSI in an htpc when it is not needed. The bandwith requirements for htpc are just not high enough to require SCSI, and any benefits are easily offset by the cost savings of using SATA instead.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

Well, I will grant you the features are listed but they do not work in a diskless FE environment. So in reality it does not meet the criteria. MS MCE IS available retail. Check TigerDirect.

So answer me this...why is my post about not being able to get to my recorded videos on my backend repeatedly being deleted? That's what started this thread. Now I'll grant you the first time it was not really posted in the best of manners, but the second one was. You claim all the features are there, so in the words of Jerry Maguire "Show me the money".

Now I understand that you did not write mythtv, but your forum suggests that you support it. Maybe the reason mythtv deosn't have a forum is due to it being flawed when it comes to diskless FE's.

As for programming, yes you do need to be a programmer to do something like mythtv. Bundling an existing PVR solution with a distro is easily done. Having a solution that works in all aspects requires a whole new solution from the ground up.

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Backend - netfinity 5000 w/10drive external array, dual CPU, 2GB Ram.

Frontend - AMD 2800+, 1GB ram, nVidia FX 5200(256mb).

They only sell the OEM version becaus that is all that MS makes. There is no retail version of MCE.

Diskless frontend support is in knoppmyth. It will take effort on your part to set it up though. Advanced features like that are not plug and play. That doesn't mean it is flawed.

Yes if you started making a PVR program from scratch you would need to be a programer. But if you wanted to help the mythTV developers and the knoppmyth developers add the features you think are missing and improve their program you can do that without having a CS degree.

I havn't seen your other posts but your attitude in this thread is very rude. You seem to be demanding that other people fix your problems instread of asking for help.

That should be edited to read "it does not meet MY criteria." I am not sure why the criteria MUST include a diskless frontend. Or why the criteria must include "video" playback.

I have a diskless frontend. It's my Roku HD1000. Plays SD and HD recordings great. Plays music great. Connects to my back end's SMB shares just fine. It doesn't play all video formats. Must it? I don't know why.



Well, you know why it was deleted the first time. If in the second case you posted in "installation," a check of the description of that section makes it very clear that only messages dealing with problems DURING installation (i.e. while the KnoppMyth CD is in the machine) are to be posted there. Anything else is POST installation and needs to go elsewhere, or will be in danger of deletion. cesman specifically mentioned to you that normally the post would have been deleted, but he made an exception and moved it instead.

I'm not asking anyone to FIX anything. I simply stated the case for a system that works AS ADVERTISED. If you are going to include a diskless FE configuration, then perhaps it should work?



Isn't that the whole point of an HTPC?

I know the MCE is an OEM, what I meant was you could purchase it from a retail store. Used to be you couldn't even get it without buying a hardware system preleoaded.

I would love nothing more than to be able to contribute to a project. I have done several already. I built SBC systems for mesh networking as well as GPS tracking(military application). But if you don't understand how things flow, or why booting the same software only in a different situation doesn't work the same, you gotta wonder. I'm not asking for your system to meet MY criteria, just the criteria you say it has.

As for my other posts, since it didn't work when installation said it was done, then it would appear to me that it was an installation issue. It apparently did not install correctly, or there is some information that is not being included in the directions. Besides, you could have simply moved it to the area you thought it should be and noted this.

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Backend - netfinity 5000 w/10drive external array, dual CPU, 2GB Ram.

Frontend - AMD 2800+, 1GB ram, nVidia FX 5200(256mb).

I am referring to "video" as in the MythVideo plugin, and separate from "recordings." Your other posts have referred to your inability to get the diskless FE to be set up to mount shares so you can access /myth/videos. That is independent of a front end being able to play the recordings that MythTV handles.

And your second post was not deleted, although it could have been.

http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9871

Again, Installation is for the actual installation step, not post-installation. The problems you're having are post-installation.

We keep referring to MCE, but since when does MCE have a "diskless" frontend solution? Remember Xboxes have a disk in them.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

Uhhh...MediaMVP

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Backend - netfinity 5000 w/10drive external array, dual CPU, 2GB Ram.

Frontend - AMD 2800+, 1GB ram, nVidia FX 5200(256mb).

MediaMVP has nothing to do with MCE. it's a hauppage product, and requires you to install their software on a windows box, but is not part of MCE. You can use the MediaMVP with mythtv/knoppmyth as well, however no one said that mythtv will work as a diskless FE on them. They do not have enough memory. you have to use a scaled down frontend.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

My bad, you are correct. But it is diskless nonetheless.

So why not do an embedded frontend for a CF install?

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Backend - netfinity 5000 w/10drive external array, dual CPU, 2GB Ram.

Frontend - AMD 2800+, 1GB ram, nVidia FX 5200(256mb).

There is a nice Myth implementation that runs diskless on the Hauppauge MediaMVP box. I will connect to a backend that was created using the knoppmyth install. We used it in my household for quite some time, and only recently "decomissioned" it because we upgraded to an HDTV, and the MVP box won't play hidef recording.

Marc

here's the $1M question: Can this system be run on a regular PC or does it have a specific tool chain for the MVP hardware?

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Backend - netfinity 5000 w/10drive external array, dual CPU, 2GB Ram.

Frontend - AMD 2800+, 1GB ram, nVidia FX 5200(256mb).