I think there is a future for the home media center. It is just not out there yet. I have an idea and I want the community's opinion on it.
First, some background and such:
While I cannot say I have ever been a huge fan of MS, Windows Media Center has certainly impressed me. I guess I am a little late to the party, as I built my media center in December. Now, with Win 8 (and to a larger degree, only a year or two after the release of Win 7), MS has more or less thrown in the towel on it. Sure, it is not perfect, but it is pretty damn good.
I know I will be able to use my 7MC for several years to come, but I think we all see the writing on the wall. There will need to be something new. The only options (that truely support premium TV) out there that I see right now are Ceton's Q/Echo, DirecTV's H34/H25/RVU, Dish's Hopper/Joey and Tivo.
DirecTV and Dish are locked to their sat services and, unless I ever move to an area where there is no cable, I will not sign up for sat again. (Well, when and if AllVid ever comes to fruition and the FCC forces them to support it.) So those two are out.
As for Tivo, the cost for the guide, and some of their recent legal actions, really put me off of them. No thank you.
Centon's not yet released Q looks great, but it is based on the same dying WMC. I think they are a great company, but they are basically just putting together the hardware to wrap up WMC in a very nice and customized package. Eventually MS will cease supporting the software and then what?
Now, my idea/thoughts/vision:
A new media center, a true media hub, built from the ground up. A single unified interface (al la 7MC’s Netflix.) Hybrid open source/proprietary (more on that below.) Mobile device integration. Smart TV integration. Etc.
Starting off with the big one, hybrid open source/proprietary: Love it or hate it, and we most all hate it, CableLabs forces DVR systems to respsect the CCI flags. As I understand it, and please correct me if I am wrong, there is no way to use a CableCard tuner, in a HTPC, and view anything other than CopyFreely content without compliance certification from CableLabs. That is where the proprietary aspect comes in. There are NDA’s, test, etc that is required. Because of the NDA’s the code to support it cannot be given away. You comply, and support the DRM requirement, or you do not get certified to view the content. The open source would be everything else that is not bound by the previous, either by CableLabs or other companies.
Secondly, there is the single interface aspect. Yes, it would take working with the various content suppliers and negotiating with them, but I am sure it can be done. One single interface, under the control of one single remote that functions the same would be huge. I currently use Netflix a lot because it has the same WMC interface. I rarely use HBO GO, Hulu Plus or Amazon because they do not. I think that would open up a lot more market that way.
Extenders should go without saying. My vision of an extender is nothing more than a dumb display device. Very similar to say a Citrix terminal. EVERYTHING that is available on the main media center is available on the extender. Period. I would like to see SmartTV apps built that act as extenders. No separate box needed. I see that as the future.
For the mobile device. The apps would need to conform to the limitations put forth by CableLabs and the contect providers. At one end of the scale you could view ALL of your content. At the other end you can only view non-encumbered contect and use the mobile device for admin and remote.
Then there is the question of funding. I believe the CableLabs certification process is around $10,000. As with anything, money is always part of the equation. Not only that, but I see this as becoming an actual company, putting out, and supporting, DVR appliances as a revenue stream and/or the software being distributed as donorware. Yes, the core of it would be opensource and free, as in beer, available but there would need to be some form of income to continue with the certification, hosting, etc. To get it started, I think this could be a viable Kickstarter project.
That is most of the high level stuff. Yes, I know there is a lot more to consider. A WHOLE lot more.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to read though. I welcome, and solicit, feedback, thoughts, etc.
Thank you,
Jason