Multimedia Instant Boot-Up PC Uses Linux

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994567' target='_blank'>http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994567</a><br /><br /></div>" 'Why can't a PC simply turn on like a TV?' It is the question that has been bugging people who use multimedia PCs as the heart of their home entertainment systems. When they want to watch TV, play a DVD, listen to internet radio or play CDs and MP3s, they have to spend fruitless minutes watching the Windows egg timer while the PC boots up.<br /><br />Not any more. In a direct challenge to PCs running Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center, InterVideo of California last week launched the InstantOn PC. Instead of having to wait for Windows to boot, the technology allows all a PC's entertainment functions - TV, DVD, CD, MP3, radio - to be run on a pared-down version of the open-source Linux operating system, called LinDVD. Rather than sitting on a hard drive, LinDVD is small enough to be held in a read-only memory chip and boots in 10 seconds flat."<br /><br />I'm not a big fan of Linux on the desktop (it just doesn't work for me), but when it comes to consumer appliances, as long as it works, I'm happy - I don't really care what OS it uses.

[James Fee]

One of the "problems" with my TiVo is after a power outage, it can take 3-5 minutes to boot up. While the OS is so stable, I've never had to reboot it myself, the fact that it can't come up quicker is a limitation that needs to be overcome. I'd sure like to see TiVo add this to their units.

[Tim Williamson]

This attitude will not please greener consumers. In 2002, a Cornell University study calculated that the US could switch off seven power stations if TVs, videos and computers were not left on standby.

Whatever...a PC in standby take WAY less electricity than a light bulb? :roll:

In fact according to this article multiple devices in standby mode in this household still use less wattage than most light bulbs...

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci841386,00.html

Whoops...I think I went a little off-topic... :wink:

[Jason Dunn]

One of the "problems" with my TiVo is after a power outage, it can take 3-5 minutes to boot up. While the OS is so stable, I've never had to reboot it myself, the fact that it can't come up quicker is a limitation that needs to be overcome. I'd sure like to see TiVo add this to their units.

Yeah, my ReplayTV is the same way - when I unplugged it and moved it to a new location, it took FOREVER to boot up. :?

[Suhit Gupta]

Same with the Time Warner DVR. Takes about 4-5 minutes to do a reboot. And it needs a reboot at least once a week otherwise it gets even slower than its already ridiculously slow response :(

Suhit

[Janak Parekh]

One of the "problems" with my TiVo is after a power outage, it can take 3-5 minutes to boot up.
Chances are, that has nothing to do with its Linux kernel -- the kernel itself usually boots on my PCs in about 10 seconds. It's all the "add-on" services that take time. :(

--janak

[James Fee]

Chances are, that has nothing to do with its Linux kernel -- the kernel itself usually boots on my PCs in about 10 seconds. It's all the "add-on" services that take time. :(

--janak
Still, instant on is what people expect. Their old Motorola TV's used to do that?!?!?!?! :wink: