MAXIMUMPC OCTOBER 2006MYTHTV
The open-source community has created dozens of great prod-
ucts, including Firefox , OpenOffi ce , Apache , and the many fl avors
of Linux. MythTV could be in that category but for one thing—it’s
insanely diffi cult to confi gure.
After almost a full day of installing, tweaking, and
patching, we finally got MythTV working on our Ubuntu
6.06 test rig, but without tuner support. We dug up some
more documentation, and set to work getting the IVTV driv-
ers in order, so that Myth could actually record a signal.
Surprisingly getting the IVTV drivers working was more dif-
ficult than the software installation, and it took another full
day to get the system running.
Once everything’s working, and you’ve confi gured the TV
schedule downloading process and rebooted the machine to
get the tuner card drivers going, Myth is a fairly standard PVR,
with a tasty 10-foot interface. To keep things simple, we used
a keyboard to test the interface, and recorded a few episodes
of the Simpsons. Image quality was comparable to similar
Windows software.
We like MythTV because it records to an open format, lets
you archive your shows to DVD, and includes all the functionality
that the networks don’t want end users to have on their PVRs.
You can even install plugins that allow MythTV to access your
music and photo libraries. We weren’t able to get our Myth box
to communicate with our satellite box, but we’re relatively certain
that that was a problem with our test rig, and that the functionality
is offered by Myth— somewhere. A Google search of the proper
sequence of keywords could likely fi nd the document—buried on
some guy’s blog—that explains how to set it up.
When someone builds a bootable CD that contains an easy-
to-maintain version of Linux—Ubuntu, Mepis, or the like—the
IVTV drivers for Hauppauge cards, and MythTV preconfi gured,
it stands a good
chance of becom-
ing a popular
choice for PVR
software. But
we’ve spent a lot of
time running Linux
over the last two
years, and Myth is
just too damn hard
to confi gure for us
to recommend it.The wrong software will render your home-theater PC useless; to find out
what’s best, we tested the three leading contenders for HTPC software.WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER EDITION 2005
The Media Center version of Windows XP has come a long way
in the last three years, but it’s still got a ways to go. It handles
the basics with aplomb—scheduling recordings, viewing live TV,
and even accessing your music and photo collections within the
couch-friendly 10-foot interface. Unfortunately, most of the prob-
lems with MCE2005 have more to do with Microsoft caving to the
content providers than with problems with the software.
MCE2005 includes one of the slickest 10-foot interfaces we’ve
tested. It’s fast, responsive, and gives you access to every bit of
content on your hard drive—if you store your content in the proper
folders. In addition to your TV content, you’ll be able to browse your
music, photos, and even connect to your buddy list using Windows
Messenger. It’s also
easy to use your
Media Center rig as
a server, stream-
ing your recorded
content to Media
Center Extenders
and Xbox 360s
throughout your
home.
The actual
PVR functionality
is greatly improved
as well, with sup-
port for up to four
TV tuners—two
standard defi nition
and two high-def.
You can even
download DRM-
encumbered music
and movies from Microsoft’s partner sites. It’s highly convenient,
but we’re not fans of the DRM schemes Microsoft is using.
Draconian content-protection methods range from the famed
“MCE automatically deletes Sopranos episodes after two weeks”
problem to the lack of the automatic commercial skip. And
the software occasionally forgot our tuner confi guration for no
apparent reason, which forced us to go back through the con-
fi guration process.
Further compounding the problems is the fact that MCE
is only available in an OEM package, and you can only buy the OS
when you purchase other hardware. As the more expensive Vista
SKUs will include Media Center functionality out of the box, this
won’t be a problem for long, however.
Even if MCE2005 were more readily available, it’s tough to rec-
ommend the OS when Microsoft seems willing to please content
producers at the expense of consumers.Media Center 2005’s fancy 10-foot
interface is beautiful and easy to navi-
gate, but the Microsoft solution favors
content providers over end users.Linux experts only! MythTV is powerful PVR software,
but it’s extremely difficult to set up and configure—
especially if you’re not versed in Linux.HOME THEATER PC HOME HOME THEATER PC HOME HOME THEATER PC HOME HOME THEATER PC
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