Mailing List Archive: MythTV: Users

Roku as myth frontend?

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drew.einhorn at gmail

Sep 7, 2009, 12:30 PM

Post #1 of 9 (2061 views)
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Roku as myth frontend?

A year or so ago there were some articles about how Roku's open source
code release,
would enable us to build a $99 HD myth frontend. For example:

http://mythtvnews.com/2008/07/04/roku-netflix-player-potential-99-mythfrontend/

Has anybody actually tried doing this?

--
Drew Einhorn
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jarpublic at gmail

Sep 7, 2009, 12:44 PM

Post #2 of 9 (2014 views)
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Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

> A year or so ago there were some articles about how Roku's open source
> code release,
> would enable us to build a $99 HD myth frontend. For example:
>
> http://mythtvnews.com/2008/07/04/roku-netflix-player-potential-99-mythfrontend/
>
> Has anybody actually tried doing this?

Roku didn't open source all of the code. They only open sourced some
stuff as required by the GPL or whatever license they were dealing
with. Much of the important stuff like the video hardware is still
closed and proprietary. I don't think this has or is going anywhere.
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beww at beww

Sep 7, 2009, 1:18 PM

Post #3 of 9 (2005 views)
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Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

On Monday 07 September 2009 13:44:29 Johnny wrote:
> > A year or so ago there were some articles about how Roku's open source
> > code release,
> > would enable us to build a $99 HD myth frontend. For example:
> >
> >
> > http://mythtvnews.com/2008/07/04/roku-netflix-player-potential-99-mythfr
> >ontend/
> >
> > Has anybody actually tried doing this?
>
> Roku didn't open source all of the code. They only open sourced some
> stuff as required by the GPL or whatever license they were dealing
> with. Much of the important stuff like the video hardware is still
> closed and proprietary. I don't think this has or is going anywhere.

Although it's twice the price, I think the best bet for something like that
would be a Myka:

http://www.myka.tv/

This runs Linux, and is described as "open source hardware". They do make an
SDK available and seem to encourage third-party development.

It's somewhat similar to the Popcorn Hour, another device that has been
mentioned as a possible Myth frontend,

That's not to say I'm certain it's possible to get a Myth frontend running on
this hardware, but I think there's a better chance than with the Roku box.

If anyone who knows more than I do would have a look at this I'd be interested
in other opinions.

--
Brian Wood
beww [at] beww
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tingox at gmail

Sep 8, 2009, 8:56 AM

Post #4 of 9 (1978 views)
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Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

Hi,

On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM, Brian Wood <beww [at] beww> wrote:

>
> Although it's twice the price, I think the best bet for something like that
> would be a Myka:
>
> http://www.myka.tv/
>
> This runs Linux, and is described as "open source hardware". They do make
> an
> SDK available and seem to encourage third-party development.
>

Well, I had a little look around the Myka web site. I couldn't find any
open source drivers for the hardware.
Until Myka publishes all specs on the hardware, and / or full open source
drivers, I fil to see why this is any different from the Roku box and
service.

--
Regards,
Torfinn Ingolfsen

beww at beww

Sep 8, 2009, 9:32 AM

Post #5 of 9 (1984 views)
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Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

On Tuesday 08 September 2009 09:56:20 Torfinn Ingolfsen wrote:
> Hi,
>
> On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM, Brian Wood <beww [at] beww> wrote:
> > Although it's twice the price, I think the best bet for something like
> > that would be a Myka:
> >
> > http://www.myka.tv/
> >
> > This runs Linux, and is described as "open source hardware". They do make
> > an
> > SDK available and seem to encourage third-party development.
>
> Well, I had a little look around the Myka web site. I couldn't find any
> open source drivers for the hardware.
> Until Myka publishes all specs on the hardware, and / or full open source
> drivers, I fil to see why this is any different from the Roku box and
> service.

I would suspect Sigma is keeping some material to themselves, that seems to be
what they have done in other cases, and if you want to use their tecnology
you play by their rules.

Looks like some modules used by Myka are probably binary blobs:

Module Size Used by Tainted: PF
em8xxx 878848 4
arusb_lnx 393168 0
ide_generic 1248 0
ide_cd 48384 0
ide_disk 20784 4
tangox_bmide 13024 0
ide_core 127120 4 ide_generic,ide_cd,ide_disk,tangox_bmide
llad 116128 5 em8xxx

It's definitely a Sigma SOC:
# cat /proc/cpuinfo
system type : Sigma Designs TangoX
processor : 0
cpu model : MIPS 4KEc V6.9
Initial BogoMIPS : 291.84
wait instruction : yes
microsecond timers : yes
tlb_entries : 32
extra interrupt vector : yes
hardware watchpoint : yes
ASEs implemented : mips16
VCED exceptions : not available
VCEI exceptions : not available
System bus frequency : 198000000 Hz
CPU frequency : 297000000 Hz
DSP frequency : 297000000 Hz

Hardware decoding seems to me to be the way to go, VDPAU is at best a halfway
measure towards this.

You really can't blame a manufacturer if Sigma puts idiotic restrictions on
the use of their products.

Perhaps some other manufacturer will see the light, and this may point Sigma
and others in the right direction.

We can always hope.

--
Brian Wood
beww [at] beww
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http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

wpoland at gmail

Sep 8, 2009, 2:02 PM

Post #6 of 9 (1962 views)
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Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 12:32 PM, Brian Wood<beww [at] beww> wrote:
> On Tuesday 08 September 2009 09:56:20 Torfinn Ingolfsen wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM, Brian Wood <beww [at] beww> wrote:
>> > Although it's twice the price, I think the best bet for something like
>> > that would be a Myka:
>> >
>> > http://www.myka.tv/
>> >
>> > This runs Linux, and is described as "open source hardware". They do make
>> > an
>> > SDK available and seem to encourage third-party development.
>>
>> Well, I had a little look around the Myka web site. I couldn't find any
>> open source drivers for the hardware.
>> Until Myka publishes all specs on the hardware, and / or full open source
>> drivers, I fil to see why this is any different from the Roku box and
>> service.
>
> I would suspect Sigma is keeping some material to themselves, that seems to be
> what they have done in other cases, and if you want to use their tecnology
> you play by their rules.
>
> Looks like some modules used by Myka are probably binary blobs:
>
> Module Size Used by Tainted: PF
> em8xxx 878848 4
> arusb_lnx 393168 0
> ide_generic 1248 0
> ide_cd 48384 0
> ide_disk 20784 4
> tangox_bmide 13024 0
> ide_core 127120 4 ide_generic,ide_cd,ide_disk,tangox_bmide
> llad 116128 5 em8xxx
>
> It's definitely a Sigma SOC:
> # cat /proc/cpuinfo
> system type : Sigma Designs TangoX
> processor : 0
> cpu model : MIPS 4KEc V6.9
> Initial BogoMIPS : 291.84
> wait instruction : yes
> microsecond timers : yes
> tlb_entries : 32
> extra interrupt vector : yes
> hardware watchpoint : yes
> ASEs implemented : mips16
> VCED exceptions : not available
> VCEI exceptions : not available
> System bus frequency : 198000000 Hz
> CPU frequency : 297000000 Hz
> DSP frequency : 297000000 Hz
>
> Hardware decoding seems to me to be the way to go, VDPAU is at best a halfway
> measure towards this.
>
> You really can't blame a manufacturer if Sigma puts idiotic restrictions on
> the use of their products.
>
> Perhaps some other manufacturer will see the light, and this may point Sigma
> and others in the right direction.
>
> We can always hope.
>
> --
> Brian Wood
> beww [at] beww

I think there are whispers of support for the broadcom crystal hd
chip/card coming to linux (or a similar device), and then it can be
stuck into an appletv (swapping out the network card) or something for
full hardware decode. That's just from posts I've seen here and on
the atv-bootloader list.
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
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beww at beww

Sep 8, 2009, 2:17 PM

Post #7 of 9 (1962 views)
Permalink

Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

On Tuesday 08 September 2009 15:02:02 Byron Poland wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 12:32 PM, Brian Wood<beww [at] beww> wrote:
> > On Tuesday 08 September 2009 09:56:20 Torfinn Ingolfsen wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 10:18 PM, Brian Wood <beww [at] beww> wrote:
> >> > Although it's twice the price, I think the best bet for something like
> >> > that would be a Myka:
> >> >
> >> > http://www.myka.tv/
> >> >
> >> > This runs Linux, and is described as "open source hardware". They do
> >> > make an
> >> > SDK available and seem to encourage third-party development.
> >>
> >> Well, I had a little look around the Myka web site. I couldn't find any
> >> open source drivers for the hardware.
> >> Until Myka publishes all specs on the hardware, and / or full open
> >> source drivers, I fil to see why this is any different from the Roku box
> >> and service.
> >
> > I would suspect Sigma is keeping some material to themselves, that seems
> > to be what they have done in other cases, and if you want to use their
> > tecnology you play by their rules.
> >
> > Looks like some modules used by Myka are probably binary blobs:
> >
> > Module Size Used by Tainted: PF
> > em8xxx 878848 4
> > arusb_lnx 393168 0
> > ide_generic 1248 0
> > ide_cd 48384 0
> > ide_disk 20784 4
> > tangox_bmide 13024 0
> > ide_core 127120 4 ide_generic,ide_cd,ide_disk,tangox_bmide
> > llad 116128 5 em8xxx
> >
> > It's definitely a Sigma SOC:
> > # cat /proc/cpuinfo
> > system type : Sigma Designs TangoX
> > processor : 0
> > cpu model : MIPS 4KEc V6.9
> > Initial BogoMIPS : 291.84
> > wait instruction : yes
> > microsecond timers : yes
> > tlb_entries : 32
> > extra interrupt vector : yes
> > hardware watchpoint : yes
> > ASEs implemented : mips16
> > VCED exceptions : not available
> > VCEI exceptions : not available
> > System bus frequency : 198000000 Hz
> > CPU frequency : 297000000 Hz
> > DSP frequency : 297000000 Hz
> >
> > Hardware decoding seems to me to be the way to go, VDPAU is at best a
> > halfway measure towards this.
> >
> > You really can't blame a manufacturer if Sigma puts idiotic restrictions
> > on the use of their products.
> >
> > Perhaps some other manufacturer will see the light, and this may point
> > Sigma and others in the right direction.
> >
> > We can always hope.
> >
> > --
> > Brian Wood
> > beww [at] beww
>
> I think there are whispers of support for the broadcom crystal hd
> chip/card coming to linux (or a similar device), and then it can be
> stuck into an appletv (swapping out the network card) or something for
> full hardware decode. That's just from posts I've seen here and on
> the atv-bootloader list.

As John Banner said:

I know nothing.

Certainly will ^H^H^H^H would be nice though.

--
Brian Wood
beww [at] beww
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

memmott at gmail

Sep 8, 2009, 3:06 PM

Post #8 of 9 (1958 views)
Permalink

Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 5:17 PM, Brian Wood <beww [at] beww> wrote:

>
> As John Banner said:
>
> I know nothing.
>
> Certainly will ^H^H^H^H would be nice though.
>
>
> -

A) That Myka looks really neat, but I don't see them releasing all the specs
of their SOC anytime soon.

B) Interesting stuff about the AppleTV and that card. Some googling reveals
more interesting info, including a member of this mailing list :-)

beww at beww

Sep 8, 2009, 3:31 PM

Post #9 of 9 (1956 views)
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Re: Roku as myth frontend? [In reply to]

On Tuesday 08 September 2009 16:06:47 Matt Emmott wrote:

> A) That Myka looks really neat, but I don't see them releasing all the
> specs of their SOC anytime soon.

If it was "their" SOC I'm sure they would, I've spoken with them and they are
definitely open source types.

The problem is it's Sigma's SOC, not Mykas.

The Myka is working well for me, but I'd sure like to have it run a full
frontend, which I am sure it is capable of, given the needed information.

>
> B) Interesting stuff about the AppleTV and that card. Some googling
> reveals more interesting info, including a member of this mailing list :-)

Yeah, but let's not get anyone into trouble, let's just wait, I don't think it
will be too long.

--
Brian Wood
beww [at] beww
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