Keith Edmunds wrote:
>
> The MythTV mailing list and website are very helpful in this respect.
>
I don't run myth so didn't think of posting there, the linux-dvb mailing
list wasn't very helpful.
>
>> For me I own:
>>
>> http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=226218&category_oid=
>>
>
> That's just plain irritating. Why do you make your reader(s) click on a
> link to find out what you are talking about? Why not just say, "I have a
> Blogmeister TelliVee WonderCard"?
>
I was trying to be explicit as to which card I own (especially has
hauppauge have several models with similar names) and after pasting the
link I obviously forgot to add the name and model to the email. Thanks
for cutting me some slack. Sometime I do wonder why I bother with this
mailing list as so often I seem to run into people who are more
interested in posting a hostile response than fostering a sense of
community. Not exactly friendly, thanks.
>> TV cards are still not as good as the support that Windows provides
>>
>
> I'm not sure that makes sense. Maybe you mean that the support for TV
> cards under Linux is inferior to that which Windows provides. I couldn't
> comment: I don't run Windows, but I suspect that is the case. If Google is
> not working you might want to look at
> http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Video_capture_card
>
>
I'm trying to point out what an up hill struggle a new Linux user has
trying to get a working system with a working TV card of some
description.Your only choice is to run the gauntlet of unhelpful,
sarcastic and in many cases down right rude "experienced" Linux users
while you tear your hair out wondering why things don't work.
That link on the MythTV wiki illustrates this point perfectly. If as a
Windows user I go into PC world I can look at some shiny boxes on the
shelf, read the worlds on the small selection they have, and take home a
card / USB stick that will work with my Windows machine all nice and
easy. They even have a nice sticker saying things like "Media Centre
Compatible" so I know I can have a card that will work.
For Linux I have to search Google and find the MythTV page you linked.
If I can get past the jargon of DVB-something and ATSC and other bits
and follow the link to "Terrestrial viewing" I'm present with a list of
45 cards with meaningless names with no clue as to where I might go to
buy one of the cards or even if the card is still sold. If I then decide
that I thought the Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T 500 PCI looked interesting,
and I thought that PC World sold it, I click on the link to the page
with details on the card and run a mile!
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Hauppauge_WinTV_Nova-T_500_PCI
Or if I thought that the HVR-1110 sounded good I think I would be more
put off by this page:
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Hauppage_WinTV-HVR-1110
And that is why I come back to my point that I would not recommend Linux
as a media centre solution for anyone who doesn't already know Linux and
isn't afraid to get their hands dirty, it's just too much hassle. Don't
get me wrong, Linux is great, my home laptop runs it, I run a media
centre / server at home and my day to day development machine at work
runs Linux. I've been using it on and off for over 12 years now. But it
just isn't user friendly especially when you start dealing with things
like TV and media. If all you want is to email, browse the web and type
simple documents I would recommend a netbook running Linux in a flash,
but for "power" uses it is too steep a learning curve and too difficult
for your average computer user.
I truly wish it wasn't that hard, I wish manufactures listed Linux
compatibility on their hardware boxes / websites, and I really wish
people on mailing lists were less rude to newbies asking questions. And
that the solution to problems wasn't the case of, oh simple just open a
console window and type "insert magic incantation here". Most windows
users have never even seen a command prompt and would run a mile at the
prospect of having to type something in or edit some arcane
configuration file to get what they see as a basic job done.
