NextGen PCH wish list.

[mikael1984]

LCD screen sounds good but to cut production costs, maybe it could be sold as an addon, like the wireless unit?
Other than that I think we all wants the same things...

[senortank]

well my two cents.

I mainly use the PCH to watch movies, dvd or near dvd quality is just enough for me (I've got a lot of things to do outside watching TV). What would be a good point :

1. stronger CPU
2. more ram/possibility to add more ram
3. external e-sata
4. builtin telnet (enabling this feature after was a pain)
5. a builtin webserver for the configuration
6. builitin VPN server

Seriously the whole thing looks like a clever hack sometimes, it's nice, I love it but sometimes you are really realizing that there's something fishy. Note that I bought the PCH because I could do all those nice mods/hacks on it...so well I suppose that I have to feel it like so.

The vpn server well...you know the PCH (and the router) are the only things connected during daytime around here (ok let's go for the fridge too) anyhow it would be nice to be ecologically responsible and be able to extend the usage of the unit a little bit more.

[dh2005]

"Seriously the whole thing looks like a clever hack sometimes, it's nice, I love it but sometimes you are really realizing that there's something fishy."


Umm... sorry, dude. You've lost me completely. What do you mean?

[neuzoiets]

- A web browser with flash support
- Better network speed
- Faster CPU for faster rarring and parring (usenet)
- BR iso support


with these futures, who the hell needs a HTPC

[senortank]

(05-28-2009 01:30 PM)dh2005 Wrote:  "Seriously the whole thing looks like a clever hack sometimes, it's nice, I love it but sometimes you are really realizing that there's something fishy."


Umm... sorry, dude. You've lost me completely. What do you mean?

Well english is not my mothertongue, if I don't pay attention I do use strange working, anyhow for example if you go there :

http://[IP of the unit]:8883/network.html

you see that you can access the unit's settings but it isn't really made up to be accessible (It' was somehow possible before) anyhow this is the "sometimes you feel being served a factory prototype".

[pmcd]

(04-25-2009 04:51 PM)chris57 Wrote:  And if playing a large variety of files and formats is a big selling point then AppleTV will have to come off your list.

Hmm...unless you are talking 1080p, which is really not a pressing need for most people at this point, the ATV does just fine with just about any file type. We are talking a 20 minute process to install nitoTV and Perian and then the sky is the limit (except 1080p). Apple no doubt has constraints on it imposed by the studios which WD, PCH, etc...don't have. It may only be a matter of time before those constraints affect everyone. I just don't know. In any case, I have an ATV and a new Mini and am about to spring for a PCH-??? as I find it neat. The Mac Mini with Plex is by far the best system I have used with the HDTV, but for some odd reason I really like my ATV which as I said streams virtually any kind of file and it's just a lot of fun. I recently hooked up a USB drive to it to see if my viewing habits would change but they haven't. I prefer streaming off a DNS-323.

I'm not saying the AppleTV is the end of the world. It's different than the Mac Min, PCH-A110, PS3, XBox, etc...So many things to choose from. The immediate question is how important is 1080p to you. The longer term question is who is going to remain in the game and it seems to me that Sony, Apple and Microsoft are and they will eventually get it right. The divx players and other open devices may find themselves in a tricky situation if DRM becomes the universal nightmare that it seems to be.

Now, do I click on buy the A110 or wait a week

philip

[dh2005]

senortank;

Thanks, I understand now.

Yeah, the NMT does sometimes look a bit amateurish... but that's part of its charm, in a way.

[nickel]

■ faster processor
■ software updates

.. to allow ..

1. Blu-ray playback support
    • external drives
    • iso files
    • img files

2. streaming support from PCH
    • upnp/dlna updates to work with xbox360
    • transcoding from PCH to xbox360

[emeric42]

Hello,

Here is the modest contribution to this thread of a casual lambda user. I mean casual because I don't use half of the possibilities of the PCH (NAS, torrent, internet, ...). I use the PCH only to... watch a movie! It means I switched it on to watch my movie, and switch it off when it ends. For Internet browsing, torrent, ... I already have big desktop or laptop so no need of the PCH.
As far as today I am more than pleased with the quality of viewing of the PCH therefore instead of advising what to put inside the next PCH I would rather explain what I would expect it to do better (if it needs a new chip or something else I don't care, I am functionnally oriented rather that hardwared oriented ):

- faster, nicer and better user friendly UI: the actual one is pain the a.., slow, not easy to use, I would call it a selector interface more than a user interface, because the only thing you can do is browse into the menu, you cannot even search with key words something in the hard drive or create short cut, favorite or customisation of anykind. Moreover the design is not very enthusiastic, as I imagined that most of the PCH are placed close to the LCD in the living room, I would expect a more luxury interface using the 1080P.

- I tried to use the wifi once, it was a disaster (mainly due to G spec). May be it is better now with the N but I am not happy to have to buy a specific wifi usb key. The next PCH should accept wifi usb key from any brand.

- Speaking about wifi, because I cannot use it for reading, and ethernet connection is not possible (too ugly in my flat sorry), I just move my PCH to my desktop and use USB connection. I would like that the boot, the recognition in Windows and the transfer rate of the PCH to be faster. It would be very nice because it takes a pretty long time since the moment you decided to watch the movie not yet copied, and the moment you come back with the movie...

- BD iso support would make me very happy (as the dvd iso support when I was hesitating between different NMT)

- I would appreciate a second optical port to be able to pass through another signal from another source (digital cable or console) to the single optical in of my home cinema. The PCH could act like a switch. It could be soooo useful!

- The sleep mode is consuming too much energy, even in sleep mode the PCH remain kind of hot, that's why I prefer to switch it off. If it could remain cold in sleep mode I would let it in sleep and will not have anymore to do acrobacy between my LCD and my wall to switch it off.

- As I read previously, I confirm that the remote control is too much sensitive, it must be pointed right into the direction of my PCH which is slightly behind the TV, to work. To put a little LCD screen on the PCH will not be very useful for me. I would prefer to have the little lcd screen directly on the remote, with basic information time elapsed / total time (how many time during a boring movie you need to pick up the remote and press the "info" button 2 or 3 times in order to finally display the requested data and break a litlle bit more the atmosphere...), chapter, scrolling name, ...

- last but not the least: the price argument was decisive to me. I paid the A110 around 230 EUR (with freight). It was 200 EUR cheaper that the TVix 6500. I went for the PCH despite the look because what I wanted was a device to enjoy my HD tv and I was not rich enough to pay an extra 200 EUR only for a better look. I think that whatever the upgrades, the new PCH should never reach 300 EUR.

After 1year of utilisation I am more than satisfied about the A110. I never had any bug. It played 99% of format but manufacturer may be careful about new competition bringing standard produce at less than 100 EUR (WD HD). I mean that the PCH remains a NMT and should not try to add extra function with extra cost that will please only 10% of user.

That's all. I hope it can give some ideas.
Thanks for reading

[indiraider]

I am also readily awaiting the announcement. I want to buy a popcorn hour but when the new model comes out it will be better or the old model will be cheaper. As a CS/Business major I understand the realism in feature requests so I will try to keep mine as realistic as possible.

New features:
1. Faster version of the sigma cpu - full BD ISO support
2. Flash, java support and possibly a scripting language -- This will provide a much nicer customizable interface for the user. The GUI will be able to change with relevant information (the unwatched titles show up in green and when you change a page the movie covers fly by, for instance).This would make the popcorn hour a very powerful platform. The scripting language would be nice to for an average user to do advanced custom tasks. Like deleting all the Shia Labeouf movies on the popcorn hour (is anyone with me on this one?). Also a version of Java will be needed for the BD menu. However, if this cannot be done proper css, html, and javascript would suffice.
3. Integrated wireless n and bluetooth. This is an expensive feature, but it would really differentiate this media tank from the others. Also there would be no need to put an ir port on the machine since a bluetooth controller could be given out.
4. If a bluetooth controller couldn't be given out. Make the popcornhour compatible with the wiimote and ps3 bluetooth controller. With the tech oriented market of the popcorn hour, who doesn't either own a wii or ps3? Also it would be fairly simple since there are already linux drivers written for the controllers (however I don't know if they could compile for the sigma chip you are using).
5. on/off at the controller
6. easy zip and rar support. -- you already let us dl from usenet or torrents so why can't you make it a one step process? Is it because since the sigma chip is not designed for intensive computational tasks it would be too slow?
7. Since you already have usenet and torrent support, how about listing popular nzbs and torrents so the user can download them directly from the couch and then watch them once they are loaded.
8. The torrent and usenet clients should be more user friendly. the user should be able to do everything from the couch with an easy and clear GUI. Selecting where to download the file (ext. hd, network, or int. hd), and having the ability to create and name a folder for the files.

I second a lcd on the controller... but I see it as totally unrealistic.
What does anyone else think about this (especially about the ps3 and wiimote support)?

[Smurfin]

Flawless 1080p/24 and reliability of MKV playback are the top two for me....along with BD ISO support

[daniel_owen_uk]

(05-31-2009 08:47 AM)indiraider Wrote:  I am also readily awaiting the announcement. I want to buy a popcorn hour but when the new model comes out it will be better or the old model will be cheaper. As a CS/Business major I understand the realism in feature requests so I will try to keep mine as realistic as possible.

New features:
1. Faster version of the sigma cpu - full BD ISO support
2. Flash, java support and possibly a scripting language -- This will provide a much nicer customizable interface for the user. The GUI will be able to change with relevant information (the unwatched titles show up in green and when you change a page the movie covers fly by, for instance).This would make the popcorn hour a very powerful platform. The scripting language would be nice to for an average user to do advanced custom tasks. Like deleting all the Shia Labeouf movies on the popcorn hour (is anyone with me on this one?). Also a version of Java will be needed for the BD menu. However, if this cannot be done proper css, html, and javascript would suffice.
3. Integrated wireless n and bluetooth. This is an expensive feature, but it would really differentiate this media tank from the others. Also there would be no need to put an ir port on the machine since a bluetooth controller could be given out.
4. If a bluetooth controller couldn't be given out. Make the popcornhour compatible with the wiimote and ps3 bluetooth controller. With the tech oriented market of the popcorn hour, who doesn't either own a wii or ps3? Also it would be fairly simple since there are already linux drivers written for the controllers (however I don't know if they could compile for the sigma chip you are using).
5. on/off at the controller
6. easy zip and rar support. -- you already let us dl from usenet or torrents so why can't you make it a one step process? Is it because since the sigma chip is not designed for intensive computational tasks it would be too slow?
7. Since you already have usenet and torrent support, how about listing popular nzbs and torrents so the user can download them directly from the couch and then watch them once they are loaded.
8. The torrent and usenet clients should be more user friendly. the user should be able to do everything from the couch with an easy and clear GUI. Selecting where to download the file (ext. hd, network, or int. hd), and having the ability to create and name a folder for the files.

I second a lcd on the controller... but I see it as totally unrealistic.
What does anyone else think about this (especially about the ps3 and wiimote support)?

7 won't happen, and even 8 is not clear cut legally.

Why LCD? It's old technology now, OLED is the way forward, picking up my omnia HD later in the week, now that's got a nice screen

[indiraider]

(06-02-2009 08:56 AM)daniel_owen_uk Wrote:  7 won't happen, and even 8 is not clear cut legally.

Why LCD? It's old technology now, OLED is the way forward, picking up my omnia HD later in the week, now that's got a nice screen

Well you can add sources just like the cydia on the iphone instead. With the default source going to a legal torrent site. Obviously it won't go to warez by default.