Has the "Q" totally given up the ghost?

[makryger]

Maybe it was just me, but i could see this coming for months.

How's the fully functioning version of My Channel Logos for Windows 8 users coming along? Maybe if you'd seen that coming months ago, it'd be ready by now?

Lol, w8 functionality is ready to go! It's all the other new features that are causing the delay...

[lucidrenegade]

Direct from the Embedded Program Manager - no Media Center in Windows 8 Embedded.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums ... ae15a6a7b5

See the green box marked "Answers".

[slowbiscuit]

I still don't see why the status of windows 8 should have affected their decision to release an embedded system for windows 7. No one would have complained about that, and they could have sold a lot of units.

+1

+2. Made no sense to me before, still doesn't now. It's not like WMC7 Embedded won't be supported for years, I can only suspect MS might have stopped sales of licenses maybe, or there was some question how long they would sell them? Otherwise I don't get it either.

But the future is probably Android assuming Ceton can work out the DRM issues for protected content storage. Or maybe they just gave up when MS shafted them with Win8.

[TheOsburnFamil]

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/Pre ... ed8PR.aspx

Okay, so now that Win8 Embedded has been made avail, does this mean we may soon finally see the Q back on the table?

[Moderator note: topic merged]

[holidayboy]

Looking at post 62, I'd say no..........

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 920#p46920

[STC]

Don't forget the added 'knock-off' TV6 sales.
For those that wouldn't want a Q just yet but would want a 6 in 1 CC tuner.- Moi


[Continual Ceton Pestertron v6]

[TheOsburnFamil]

I still don't understand why people keep saying that the lack of Win8 Embedded MCX would result in lost "Q" like functionality. MCX is and always has been MCX. They were never going to have all those apps available INSIDE the MCX experience, even with the original Q/Echo combo. From all the original YouTube videos of the Q/E demo, it was pretty clear that all those extras were OUTSIDE the MCX. Just like the Linksys DVD player, and just like the XBOX "Apps" were all outside the MCX experience.

The drop of the Q, from my own understanding, had more to do with Win8 Embedded not including MCX so they didn't want to put out a long-term support device that relied on Win7Embedded.

If I'm wrong here-- someone PLEASE shed light on this? It may change some of my other plans if this isn't the case so I'm happy to learn if I'm wrong about this.

[slowbiscuit]

I still don't understand why people keep saying that the lack of Win8 Embedded MCX would result in lost "Q" like functionality. MCX is and always has been MCX. They were never going to have all those apps available INSIDE the MCX experience, even with the original Q/Echo combo. From all the original YouTube videos of the Q/E demo, it was pretty clear that all those extras were OUTSIDE the MCX. Just like the Linksys DVD player, and just like the XBOX "Apps" were all outside the MCX experience.

The drop of the Q, from my own understanding, had more to do with Win8 Embedded not including MCX so they didn't want to put out a long-term support device that relied on Win7Embedded.

If I'm wrong here-- someone PLEASE shed light on this? It may change some of my other plans if this isn't the case so I'm happy to learn if I'm wrong about this.

This has been hashed out repeatedly in other threads - there is no technical reason why they couldn't have released the Q with Win7 Embedded (and WMC) because it is a fully supported and licensable product and will be for many years. My guess is that they took a look at the cost of the product and potential market and just couldn't make the numbers work, not because Win8 Embedded dropped WMC. But it does make you wonder why and if they are moving away from WMC with Android (maybe), what is the backend DVR alternative? It better not be some cloud-based crap.

[grinchy]

This has been hashed out repeatedly in other threads - there is no technical reason why they couldn't have released the Q with Win7 Embedded (and WMC) because it is a fully supported and licensable product and will be for many years. My guess is that they took a look at the cost of the product and potential market and just couldn't make the numbers work, not because Win8 Embedded dropped WMC. But it does make you wonder why and if they are moving away from WMC with Android (maybe), what is the backend DVR alternative? It better not be some cloud-based crap.

On the whole Q/embedded discussion - do ya'll remember that "Whiteman Technology" DVR that was supposed to surface? I thought it's plan was also to run W7 embedded and (obviously) that product is dead. Now I give Ceton much more credibility than "Whiteman Technology" considering Ceton actually has products to market, but it makes me wonder if that product was dropped for similar reasons Ceton dropped the Q (seemed to be about the same time) - reasons (outside of cost) that are probably more contract/service limitations that would defeat their original intent of what they wanted to do with the product.

I would serioulsy doubt they'd attempt a cloud based solution if they implement their own backend considering their hardware is localized to the installation - and all the other issues (like bandwidth) that would ensue. But I guess you never know.

[ajhieb]

On the whole Q/embedded discussion - do ya'll remember that "Whiteman Technology" DVR that was supposed to surface? I thought it's plan was also to run W7 embedded and (obviously) that product is dead. Now I give Ceton much more credibility than "Whiteman Technology" considering Ceton actually has products to market, but it makes me wonder if that product was dropped for similar reasons Ceton dropped the Q (seemed to be about the same time) - reasons (outside of cost) that are probably more contract/service limitations that would defeat their original intent of what they wanted to do with the product.

I would serioulsy doubt they'd attempt a cloud based solution if they implement their own backend considering their hardware is localized to the installation - and all the other issues (like bandwidth) that would ensue. But I guess you never know.

I still contend the biggest issue is guide data. A DVR is pretty much useless without it, and they (Ceton or Whitemen) probably couldn't get Microsoft to guarantee Guide data availability, at least not to a point that would make the Q viable. I don't think Ceton would have much trouble from a technology standpoint getting 3rd party data and integrating into WMC, but the problem is where do you get the data? Regardless of the Source (Zap2It, TVGuide, etc) it wouldn't be free, which would almost certainly turn into another subscription fee.

What I'm wondering is how the guide data shows up on the CableCo equipment. I seem to recall reading about it once, many moons ago, but I haven't been able to find anything on it in recent days. If there is an industry standard for it and its not encrypted, I wonder if it is something that the InfiniTV could access. That would be ideal.

[richard1980]

do ya'll remember that "Whiteman Technology" DVR that was supposed to surface? I thought it's plan was also to run W7 embedded and (obviously) that product is dead.

That product isn't dead...it's still being developed. They only announced it in April 2012, and in October 2012, Whiteman Technology reached an agreement to acquire Touch TV Inc. in order to integrate touch capability into the Delta DVR.

[adam1991]

do ya'll remember that "Whiteman Technology" DVR that was supposed to surface? I thought it's plan was also to run W7 embedded and (obviously) that product is dead.

That product isn't dead...it's still being developed. They only announced it in April 2012, and in October 2012, Whiteman Technology reached an agreement to acquire Touch TV Inc. in order to integrate touch capability into the Delta DVR.

<snort> http://whitemantechnology.com/about/

yeah. After just *reading* that baloney I have to go wash my hands, to get the snake oil off.

My favorite part is "development began in 2008". It's now the middle of 2013, according to my calendar...

[slowbiscuit]

Have to concur with adam, pretty much vaporware at this point from what I can see. Whiteman started a thread over at AVS about his DVR and then disappeared last year.

[staknhalo]

Have to concur with adam, pretty much vaporware at this point from what I can see. Whiteman started a thread over at AVS about his DVR and then disappeared last year.

Ditto.

[erkotz]

do ya'll remember that "Whiteman Technology" DVR that was supposed to surface? I thought it's plan was also to run W7 embedded and (obviously) that product is dead.

That product isn't dead...it's still being developed. They only announced it in April 2012, and in October 2012, Whiteman Technology reached an agreement to acquire Touch TV Inc. in order to integrate touch capability into the Delta DVR.

<snort> http://whitemantechnology.com/about/

yeah. After just *reading* that baloney I have to go wash my hands, to get the snake oil off.

My favorite part is "development began in 2008". It's now the middle of 2013, according to my calendar...

<disclaimer>
Obviously my employer would be a competitor on Whiteman, at least on some level, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I also am speaking just for myself and not my employer
</disclaimer>

IMHO the Whiteman Delta DVR was a joke from the beginning, at least as far as what was demoed. It was a few off the shelf technologies thrown together - I could have built the exact same thing in an afternoon. It was basically Win7 Embedded + My Channel Logos + Tuner Salad + 2 HD Homerun Primes + an Amulet remote. I believe even the case was off the shelf.

[staknhalo]

Yeah, but being able to buy a pre-built/configured WMC HTPC that comes with support has appeal and isn't something to scoff at. AssasinHTPC has made a business out of it.

[erkotz]

Yeah, but being able to buy a pre-built/configured WMC HTPC that comes with support has appeal and isn't something to scoff at. AssasinHTPC has made a business out of it.

I'm not saying that a pre-built HTPC is a bad thing, but my understanding was that Whiteman was claiming the Delta had all sorts of new technology in it, but it was literally all off the shelf products that were already out there.

[staknhalo]

Gotcha.

[richard1980]

My previous post was about the difference between what Whiteman is doing and what Ceton is doing. At least Whiteman is still working on the Delta DVR (albeit extremely slowly), which is more than what Ceton is doing with the Q.

[staknhalo]

He's a complete ghost at this point though. We have no clue if he's still working on it, or he just didn't bother to tell anyone "it's dead". His noticeable absence makes a majority think the latter.