DVR reference design runs Linux, open source MythTV

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Jan. 11, 2005

Embedded Software Group (ESG) is collaborating with Transmeta on a fanless digital entertainment center reference design based on Linux and open source DVR (digital video recorder) software. The Royal Linux Media Center runs ESG's Royal Linux OS, and MythTV software, on a Transmeta development board based on its Efficeon chip.

The Royal Linux Media Center was among a handful of digital entertainment center prototypes shown by Transmeta at the Consumer Electronics Show last week.

According to ESG CTO Sahel Binesh, the jointly developed reference design is a "first prototype" that is still undergoing quality assurance testing. "We have the software up and running on one board, Transmeta's development and design board that they just announced," Binesh said, adding that he expects the design to become commercially available this quarter.

The design is based on ESG's Royal Linux, a venerable Linux distribution that was ported to ARM and MIPS almost five years ago. At that time, ESG was known as ISDCorp. Binesh notes that ESG is currently making sure it can trademark the name "Royal Linux" -- the company could face competition from consumer electronics giant Royal, which was nearing production of the Linux-based Linea LX PDA in March of 2004.

The joint ESG/Transmeta design is based in part on MythTV 0.18, an open source DVR software stack used by many embedded Linux hobbyists as the foundation of devices that can record, timeshift, and play back streaming media such as live television. Transmeta competitor Via has also used MythTV to demonstrate the capabilities of its products, including mini-ITX boards popular with embedded hobbyists.

The ESG/Transmeta reference design runs on a Transmeta board based on an Efficeon processor, a low-power chip with a VLIW (very long instruction word) architecture that uses "code-morphing" technology to emulate the x86 instruction set. The newest Efficeon chip models began shipping last fall, at clock speeds up to 1.6GHz. Long-term availability of Efficeon chips may be in question, however, as it was widely reported earlier this month that Transmeta may exit the chip business in favor of an IP (intellectual property) licensing-only business model.

Arthur L. Swift, Sr. VP of marketing at Transmeta, said, "Our long-standing relationship with ESG has [lead us to value] ESG's expertise in open source technology, and its outstanding customer support."

Binesh said, "We hope that we will be one of the first to offer a commercial product based on MythTV."

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