Sony Unwraps Linux-Based Video Recorder

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,104642,tk,dn090402X,00.asp">http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,104642,tk,dn090402X,00.asp</a><br /><br />Sony is really opening a can o' "Innovation Whup-Ass" this week! They've just announced a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) that runs on Linux and has a massive 160 GB hard drive. The device also offers the unique ability to be programmed via the Web - very cool! I've long been interested in a PVR, but sadly up here in Canada we have few options. Tivo and Ultimate TV don't seem to offer service up here, and while Bell ExpressVue sells a PVR, it's "dumb" - it has no ability to learn what shows you like to watch (Tivo does). This new Sony PVR looks like it has a lot of potential - I wonder how sophisticated the software is? It's unfortunate that they haven't enabled it to transfer programs to a PC or other devices - DRM is coming our way whether we like it or not.<br /><br />"Sony has unveiled a video recorder based on a hard drive and running the Linux operating system, the first in what the company says will be a new range of audio-visual products that take advantage of the always-on feature of broadband networks. The Channel Server CSV-E77 will be launched on November 1 and comes equipped with a 160GB hard drive that provides enough space for up to 100 hours of recording in the lowest of the device's three quality modes. The other modes, standard and high quality, allow for 50 hours and 30 hours respectively of MPEG2 video. Sony says the hard drives used in the device are regular PC models and not the audio-visual hard drives that are being touted as better suited to video recording.<br /><br />Other features include two TV tuners so you can watch one channel while recording another, although recording of two programs simultaneously is not possible. The E77 includes a VHF/UHF/cable tuner and can also hook up to an external satellite tuner, cable set-top box, or other video source."

[st63z]

Check out the ReplayTV forum at www.AVSForum.com (though admittedly much smaller than the TiVo forums also there). The Sony PVR info I saw from there suggests it handles HDTV (makes sense given the bitrate sizes). And the extra-cost imode cell phone programming that's been mentioned previously, well, might be nice too, I guess, I dunno. In any case it's Japan only for now at ~$1100 if I recall?

SciAtl also released a DVR/digital CATV combo box this summer for some limited TW Cable markets (the Explorer 8000), with dual CATV tuners and dual MPEG-2 codecs. They also have another model based on the Moxi platform. There are also talks of Replay integrating with digital cable TV (in which case they'd also get dual tuners like the "DirecTiVo" combo units).

Anyways, I don't think Replay has Canadian program guide service either (though some have been mostly successful in getting their RTV to pull their own customized guide data). Otherwise though, the RTV is currently at the leading edge of giving pro-consumer features while fighting the studios in court (they're so aggresive that it's a double-edged sword in that we're concerned Sonic Blue is gonna be out of business). They recently fired their CEO, laid off 25% staff (mostly from Rio audio division), stock is in the crapper...

But the RTV already supports many of the features you want. Commercial Advance(TM) (as in some VCRs) for *automatic* skipping; out-of-the-box: 30sec manual skips, broadband + modem support, in-home LAN streaming (you can have an RTV play a show recorded on it or from any other RTV on the LAN seamlessly), Internet sharing/sending (though it's far from practical given today's speeds, so I wouldn't mind it being sacrificed to appease studios), web remote control of programming (MyReplay), progressive scan VGA output, photo slideshow TV viewing (transferred from your PC), etc. And with the superb DVArchive (Java/SourceForge) application, your PC becomes just like another RTV networked with the others -- you can seamlessly offload recordings from the RTV to archive on your PC (basically just MPEG-2 files you can play on any PC or transcode to MPEG-4/Divx, or stream back to any RTV to play). Basically they're only missing TiVo's learning-your-taste function (and the conflict resolution mode isn't as refined for some), but I think that may be on purpose since some people seem to hate it?

If you want to buy though, I'd suggest you wait for the new RTV 5000 series coming later this fall (rumors has it October?). I know I probably shouldn't be saying this, but heck, it's all the rage on the RTV AVS forum since Amazon leaked it. Apparently it's built on a much cheaper platform but hopefully with the same capabilities (plus USB 2.0 connectivity, I guess to match TiVo Series 2's USB 1.1). It's hard to believe they can make a profit, but I hope they take market share. 40GB/$299, 80GB/$399, and especially 160GB/$499 (plus $250 or $10/mo guide fee), man that's amazing. There are also rumors of a "5000T" series early next year with "higher-quality video," whatever that means.

[Xaximus]

MPEG-2?? Man, they could save a ton of space and/or money by using DivX :roll:

[Pony99CA]

Sony is really opening a can o' "Innovation Whup-Ass" this week! They've just announced a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) that runs on Linux and has a massive 160 GB hard drive. The device also offers the unique ability to be programmed via the Web - very cool!

As st63z alluded to, programming via the Web is not unique. ReplayTV has had this for many months. It's not very good though, as it won't update your Replay immediately; the changes you make won't take effect until the Replay's 2 AM update call. This means that you can't change the programming in the afternoon to catch a must-see show that night.

I don't have the Replay 4000 series, which has LAN connectivity, so I don't know if the 4000 allows immediate updates. If it doesn't, it really should, as it's not tying up your phone lines anymore.


"Sony has unveiled a video recorder based on a hard drive and running the Linux operating system, the first in what the company says will be a new range of audio-visual products that take advantage of the always-on feature of broadband networks. The Channel Server CSV-E77 will be launched on November 1 and comes equipped with a 160GB hard drive that provides enough space for up to 100 hours of recording in the lowest of the device's three quality modes. The other modes, standard and high quality, allow for 50 hours and 30 hours respectively of MPEG2 video. Sony says the hard drives used in the device are regular PC models and not the audio-visual hard drives that are being touted as better suited to video recording.

Other features include two TV tuners so you can watch one channel while recording another, although recording of two programs simultaneously is not possible. The E77 includes a VHF/UHF/cable tuner and can also hook up to an external satellite tuner, cable set-top box, or other video source."
The Sony box sounds very similar to Tivo. Tivo is Linux-based, has two tuners, etc., and Sony's previous PVRs were basically re-branded Tivos.

Is this basically a new Tivo, or has Sony produced their own hardware and software? If they're making their own PVR, have they abandoned their partnership with Tivo?

Steve

[st63z]

AFAIK, TiVo has licensed their technologies piecemeal/component level, and Sony has been their biggest customer in this new regard (Toshiba is the second). So Sony is incorporating TiVo learn-your-taste technology (and maybe some other stuff) into this thing, their own design. There was a financial announcement about it awhile back.

SBlue has promised to upgrade MyReplay.com to support immediate updates but it's not here yet. I'm actually concerned that SB won't continue R&D development of RTV or that they will capitulate to the studios (as I said, they fired CEO and now Chief Technology Officer, and new CEO isn't as aggressive). I have 2 brand new 4500 series, debating whether to return and wait or what (the 40GB 4500 was $450, the 160GB was $1000+ back then before the price drop)...

Oh, and I agree ISO MPEG-4 (or Divx or WM9, whatever) is the future, but so far I haven't seen a fully capable hardware MPEG-4 codec chipset from C-Cube or anyone else (simultaneous encode/decode streams, full framerates, broad bitrate range, that sort of thing), I guess that level of dedicated chipset/DSP processing power is still not here yet? Or maybe the silicon manufacturers are aiming for HDTV resolutions for when they jump to MPEG-4? I do like the features that people have talked about (interactivity, and something about encoding once and versatile playback from cellphone/PDA res to HDTV res -- can someone explain further?).

Anyways, analysts keep saying the PVR/DVR needs to be integrated with other functions to survive (like Panasonic's DVR/DVD recorder decks), but who knows...

[Rirath]

Sounds wonderful. I wouldn't give up my TiVo even for an Ipaq H3970... but if something better comes along then I'm all for it.

[nishka]

These PVR's are fantastic. I'm the proud owner of two ReplayTV 4040's. I have one in the bedroom, one in the living room, and a network in between. Each machine can stream content off the other, and with third party software, I can dump the mpeg2 streams straight to my PC. I can then burn a VCD,SVCD, or DVD for long term storage. Great stuff.

The same software can even trick the Replays into thinking the PC is another unit, and video can be streamed from there as well.

[Pony99CA]

These PVR's are fantastic. I'm the proud owner of two ReplayTV 4040's. I have one in the bedroom, one in the living room, and a network in between. Each machine can stream content off the other, and with third party software, I can dump the mpeg2 streams straight to my PC. I can then burn a VCD,SVCD, or DVD for long term storage. Great stuff.

The same software can even trick the Replays into thinking the PC is another unit, and video can be streamed from there as well.
I really want one of these (well, OK, 2), but can you hook them into a WiFi network? Would putting a LAN Access Point in the Replay's network jack allow me to do this? (I really wish they just included a PC Card slot so the user could put any LAN card in.)

In my bedroom, I can run a cable easily to my router, but I have no intention of running cable to my living room.

Steve

[bblock]

Hey Nishka - where do you get this software? It sounds like the only missing feature (on purpose) to the Replay!

[Jason Dunn]

These PVR's are fantastic. I'm the proud owner of two ReplayTV 4040's. I have one in the bedroom, one in the living room, and a network in between. Each machine can stream content off the other, and with third party software, I can dump the mpeg2 streams straight to my PC. I can then burn a VCD,SVCD, or DVD for long term storage. Great stuff.

I can only dream of such a thing. &lt;sigh> :D

[st63z]

Heh, I guess people tend not to have time to read/digest the longer posts ;)

The app in question again is gduprey's DVArchive (was SwapDV). Check the ReplayTV FAQ from AVSForum.com (or just link dvarchive.sourceforge.net). Needs Sun's JRM/JDK 1.4.

In regards to WiFi (.b or .a), yes, just plug in a WAP that supports bridging mode with another WAP, or get one of the newer bridge-only (client) devices that plug into the Ethernet jack. And the new 5000 series' USB2 port is specifically advertised for plug-in WiFi support.

[Take1]

The great thing about the Sony video recorder is that it will have a Memory Stick slot so you can put a half-second clip of any TV show on their largest capacity (128 MB) Magic Gate MS!!!! Way cool.

[Pony99CA]

The great thing about the Sony video recorder is that it will have a Memory Stick slot so you can put a half-second clip of any TV show on their largest capacity (128 MB) Magic Gate MS!!!! Way cool.
:lol: (I'm assuming this is a joke.)

Steve

[jfreiman]

The Sonic Blue, ReplayTV 4xxx models already offer EVERY FEATURE mentioned except dual NTSC tuners. Other than that they had it first.

Send programming over the Internet
Program your unit, add/delete shows from any browser
Create picture slide shows from your networked PC
Up to 320 hours - on the highest capacity unit
Ethernet/broadband enabled
Stream programs from one Replay to another within a network (home)

It's all been done and works GREAT! Don't hold out, order one today!!!

www.replaytv.com

-John

[njb42]

The reason TiVo isn't advertised in Canada is because it needs a dial-up ISP to get program guides and service updates. I'm not sure which ISP it uses or whether they have Canadian dial-in numbers.

In any case, TiVo can use a direct Internet connection instead of PPP dial-up through a phone line. The new Series2 TiVo units can use USB ethernet dongles to do this. The older, original TiVo units (like mine) need an add-on Ethernet board from www.9thtee.com.

Once TiVo is on the LAN, it can use your broadband connection instead of dial-up. Just set your dialing prefix to ",#401". See the TiVo Underground forums at http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/index.php or the TiVo FAQ at http://www.tivofaq.com/.

[st63z]

http://msnbc-cnet.com.com/2100-1040-957228.html

http://www.forbes.com/2002/09/09/0909video.html

I think this is an implementation of the Intel handheld video player reference design that made the news round a month or two ago? The ReplayTV connection is nice... Good to see SBlue still actively developing new things.

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Another food for thought:
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2002/09/09/sonicblue/index.html

Company under new CEO may kowtow to studios.