Linux Powered "WebTV" 47
BonesBro writes "Netgem is releasing a new set-top internet appliance (remember WebTV?) with a twist...this baby runs on Linux. Among other things, it claims to support 640x480 resolution with no onscreen deformation. Shipdate is give as Q4, but no price was listed. Check out the press release. "
AOL also (Score:1)
its a pretty good article and it is available here
http://www.macopinion.com/fi.cgi?url=/columns/u
High-quality projectors (Score:1)
If you, or anyone else, knows where I can find one for under USD$1000, email me immediately, you will be rewarded well... :P
Posted by the Proteus
Community should be behind this (Score:1)
There is a decent market of people (the same group that might buy an iWhack) who would be interested in a TV-top web box. Especially if it is very inexpensive. Since this one runs Linux (or is it GNU/Linux? [sorry, couldn't resist]), cheap is a good bet.
My point? The Linux/OpenSource/FreeSoftware community should, at the very least, send praise the way of this company - this is one good route to getting The Penguin into the hands of the average home user. So, if this markets well, it could set a precedent - not only for more Linux-embedded products, but also for Linux in the hands of the general populace.
If I were MS, or some other large computer corp, I'd be watching this box carefully. Let's show 'em that something non-"standard" can fly...
Posted by the Proteus
What NTSC encoder would that be? (Score:1)
Distribution? (Score:1)
Sorry but it will fail in the marketplace (Score:1)
is a real idiot. The old building was great. I hear it is on the market.
Sorry but it will fail in the marketplace (Score:1)
you want. Yea the Friday drinking parties were great, Jose rules.
Sorry but it will fail in the marketplace (Score:1)
linux, writing the video and IR drivers on linux, then porting them to the settop when the boards were done. The devices shipped with pSos.
My 2 centimes (Score:1)
My 2 centimes (Score:1)
Oh well, at least My Yahoo remembered it was my birthday.
Distribution? - Hype and money. (Score:1)
WebTV is a major player, like it or not... (Score:1)
However, I'd still love to see a linux-based consumer net-appliance kick some butt. I'd gladly recommend that product to my parents.
-jason
AOL also (Score:1)
IR (Score:1)
That would be logical (Score:1)
Distribution? (Score:1)
Distribution? (Score:1)
Video Standards... (Score:1)
Hopefully they will use a multi-standard encoder, thus NTSC/PAL and maybe SECAM.
Anyways, I would like to know which one, to see if their clame's are rite.
Breace.
What PAL encoder would that be? (Score:1)
Breace.
What NTSC encoder would that be? (Score:1)
They have been trying for years but I've never seen anything decent.
Breace.
Depends what market you're targeting (Score:1)
WebTV settop boxes don't crash, they "fail".
They either don't connect to the WebTV Server
or they just don't work, period. My impression
is that a certain percentage of WebTV settop
boxes develop problems within a few months.
The WebTV Plus (Second Generation) boxes have
been particularly problematic with their WebTV
controlled hard drives (yes these can "crash").
The WebTV boxes do not have an operating system
in the PC sense. The first generation WebTV box
MUST be connected to the WebTV Server to do
anything. I'm not sure about the Plus Units since
they are equiped with TV Tuners that appear to be
able to work without the unit being connected to
the server. But the plus, too must be connected to
the WebTV Server in order to access the
internet.
There was some speculation that a Third Generation
WebTV box would have Windows CE, but no third
generation box has been introduced yet. It has
been over a year and a half since the WebTV Plus
was introduced which came out only a year after
the original WebTV settop box was first rolled
out. My own opinion is that Microsoft introduced
the WebTV Plus in order to counter the
introduction of the RCA Netchannel Box in late
1997 which died a merciful early death in 1998.
Since no serious competition has arisen since,
Microsoft has not upgraded the service.
Many of the promised updates to WebTV made
prior to Microsoft have yet to be
realized. Personal Java was promised in 1997
but later dropped. Real Audio was not updated
after 3.0. The WebTV service is essentially
unchanged since late 1997. A few video related
features have been added to the Plus box in 1998
like sending a video still through Email as well
as TV related features but enhancements to
WebTV's internet access have not been made since
1997.
The WebTV SYSTEM has crashed on at least two
occasions. In December, 1997, in what has been
referred to as the "Christmas crash" and again in
late June and/or early July 1998. More people
were attempting to sign up and get connected for
the first time than the registration server could
handle and caused the entire system to crash on
both occasions.
Oh yes, the WebTV servers run on Solaris according
to the best information I can get. Microsoft
evidently did want WebTV to switch to NT, but
it appears that has not happened yet. Sort of
like the situation with Hotmail.
WebTV is a major player, like it or not... (Score:1)
In early 1997, WebTV's claimed subcriber group
was MUCH higher than was indicated in their
filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission when Microsoft bought them out.
Is this 700,000 settop boxes sold or an actual
700,000 settop boxes connected and set up?
There is a difference.
What NTSC encoder would that be? (Score:2)
^D
This is good (Score:2)
Imagine having your home firewall connected to your TV.
I would love to have a wireless keyboard/mouse with my computer. In fact, I wouldn't mind coupling those with a high-quality projector (computer quality, not TV quality) and working on my wall.
How much is a good 1024x768 or higher projector? What about quality?