Hauppauge MediaMVP
Encyclopedia
The Hauppauge
MediaMVP is a network media player. It consists of a hardware unit with remote control, along with software for a Windows
PC
. Out of the box, it is capable of playing video and audio, displaying pictures, and "tuning in" to Internet radio
stations. Alternative software is also available to extend its capabilities. It can be used as a front end for various PVR
projects.
The MediaMVP is popular with some PVR enthusiasts because it is inexpensive and relatively easy to modify.
PVR software for Windows or Linux.
The capabilities listed below refer to the official software and firmware supplied by Hauppauge.
With a hardware MPEG decoder as part of its PowerPC processor, it renders moving video images more smoothly than many software PVR implementations.
and WMA
. Playlist formats supported include M3U
, PLS
, ASX
and B4S.
See also Internet radio below.
.
Slideshows are supported. Listening to music (including streaming Internet radio) during slideshows is supported as well.
with the Hauppauge WinTV recording software.
. It can be oriented either horizontally or vertically (using a supplied base). It's normally operated via the supplied remote control. Behind the unit's red translucent front panel is a single red LED
. The LED is used as a power indicator, and also flashes when the unit's remote control is used. Typical (wired) units consume less than 5W. The power supply for the original MediaMVP consists of 6VDC, 1.66A Coaxial DC Power Connector. The outer sleeve is the negative terminal and the inner tip is the positive terminal.
power, an Ethernet
port, and in the US edition, S-Video
out, composite video
out, and stereo audio
out, while the European edition has instead a single "SCART
out" connector, offering additional RGB output possibilities, and bundles a SCART lead with 2 extra stereo audio cables with female RCA connector
s coming out of one of the plugs.
Model 1016, the "wMVP", has Wireless G connectivity. This connection method, however, can be inadequate for viewing digital television recordings depending on signal strength and reliability.
A modified version of the unit is re-braded as Helius Media Stream and is fitted with a standard channel 3/4 RF modulator. This box is a better choice for TVs that lack separate RCA audio/video inputs.
The unit has 16MB
of SDRAM
.
It runs on Linux
-based firmware. Hauppauge has delivered enhancements and new functionality to the MediaMVP from time to time by releasing updated firmware. Firmware updates are delivered to the device when it is powered up.
serial port
, and additional RAM. See the mvpmc hardware howto for more details on various modifications, as well as this thread at the SHSPVR forums.
Using the serial port hack and modifications to the unit's Linux-based firmware
, it is possible to add a small external display (e.g. a LCD or a VFD
display) to show status information (song title, for example).
Can play MMS
streams, e.g. mms://some.radio.station/path/to/stream/
Can play HTTP streams, e.g.http://some.radio.station/path/to/stream/
Hauppauge Computer Works
Hauppauge Computer Works , or just Hauppauge, is a US manufacturer and marketer of electronic video hardware for personal computers. Although it is most widely known for its WinTV line of TV tuner cards for PCs, Hauppauge also produces personal video recorders, digital video editors, digital media...
MediaMVP is a network media player. It consists of a hardware unit with remote control, along with software for a Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. Out of the box, it is capable of playing video and audio, displaying pictures, and "tuning in" to Internet radio
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
stations. Alternative software is also available to extend its capabilities. It can be used as a front end for various PVR
Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
projects.
The MediaMVP is popular with some PVR enthusiasts because it is inexpensive and relatively easy to modify.
Capabilities
The MediaMVP can stream audio and video content from a host PC running Windows. It can display photos stored on the host PC. It can stream Internet radio via the host PC as well. It can display live TV with full PVR features with SageTVSageTV
SageTV Media Center was a proprietary, commercial DVR and HTPC software for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. It requires that the host computer have a hardware based TV tuner card. The SageTV software has an integrated Electronic Programming Guide that is updated via the Internet...
PVR software for Windows or Linux.
The capabilities listed below refer to the official software and firmware supplied by Hauppauge.
Video
The MediaMVP supports the MPEG (MPEG-1 and MPEG-2) video format (and only that format). However, depending on the MediaMVP host software running on the host computer, the host software may be able to seamlessly transcode other video file formats before sending them to the MediaMVP in the MPEG format. The maximum un-transcoded playable video size is SDTV (480i). HDTV mpeg streams (e.g. 720p) need to be transcoded in real-time on the computer to SD format. Note: transcoding video can tax some slower computers.With a hardware MPEG decoder as part of its PowerPC processor, it renders moving video images more smoothly than many software PVR implementations.
Audio
Supported audio file formats include MP3MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
and WMA
Windows Media Audio
Windows Media Audio is an audio data compression technology developed by Microsoft. The name can be used to refer to its audio file format or its audio codecs. It is a proprietary technology that forms part of the Windows Media framework. WMA consists of four distinct codecs...
. Playlist formats supported include M3U
M3U
M3U is a computer file format that stores multimedia playlists. It is supported by many applications.An M3U file is a plain text file that specifies the locations of one or more media files. Each line carries one specification...
, PLS
PLS (file format)
PLS is a computer file format that stores multimedia playlists. It is a more expressive format than basic M3U, as it can store information on the song title and length...
, ASX
ASX
ASX may refer to:* Australian Securities Exchange, the primary stock exchange of Australia* Advanced Stream Redirector, a computer file format listing Windows Media files * Armstrong Siddeley ASX, a British experimental turbojet* John F...
and B4S.
See also Internet radio below.
Photos
Supported image file formats include JPG and GIFGIF
The Graphics Interchange Format is a bitmap image format that was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and has since come into widespread usage on the World Wide Web due to its wide support and portability....
.
Slideshows are supported. Listening to music (including streaming Internet radio) during slideshows is supported as well.
Other capabilities
Can schedule recording of television broadcasts when using a Hauppauge WinTV TV tuner cardTV tuner card
A TV tuner card is a kind of television tuner that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard disk much like the Tivo digital video recorder does.-Variants: The interfaces for...
with the Hauppauge WinTV recording software.
Hardware
The MediaMVP hardware consists of a small set-top box and an infrared remote controlRemote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
. It can be oriented either horizontally or vertically (using a supplied base). It's normally operated via the supplied remote control. Behind the unit's red translucent front panel is a single red LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
. The LED is used as a power indicator, and also flashes when the unit's remote control is used. Typical (wired) units consume less than 5W. The power supply for the original MediaMVP consists of 6VDC, 1.66A Coaxial DC Power Connector. The outer sleeve is the negative terminal and the inner tip is the positive terminal.
Connectivity
The rear of the MediaMVP unit has a plug for 6 VDCVDC
VDC is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings:In technology:* Virtual Design and Construction, modeling software and techniques to design and evaluate possible construction processes* Volts of Direct Current...
power, an Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
port, and in the US edition, S-Video
S-Video
Separate Video, more commonly known as S-Video and Y/C, is often referred to by JVC as both an S-VHS connector and as Super Video. It is an analog video transmission scheme, in which video information is encoded on two channels: luma and chroma...
out, composite video
Composite video
Composite video is the format of an analog television signal before it is combined with a sound signal and modulated onto an RF carrier. In contrast to component video it contains all required video information, including colors in a single line-level signal...
out, and stereo audio
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
out, while the European edition has instead a single "SCART
SCART
SCART is a French-originated standard and associated 21-pin connector for connecting audio-visual equipment together...
out" connector, offering additional RGB output possibilities, and bundles a SCART lead with 2 extra stereo audio cables with female RCA connector
RCA connector
An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, is a type of electrical connector commonly used to carry audio and video signals...
s coming out of one of the plugs.
Model 1016, the "wMVP", has Wireless G connectivity. This connection method, however, can be inadequate for viewing digital television recordings depending on signal strength and reliability.
A modified version of the unit is re-braded as Helius Media Stream and is fitted with a standard channel 3/4 RF modulator. This box is a better choice for TVs that lack separate RCA audio/video inputs.
Processor, RAM and firmware
The MediaMVP uses the IBM STB02500, a PowerPC 405 CPU integrated with functionality especially suited for use in set-top boxes, like MPEG2 decoder.The unit has 16MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
of SDRAM
SDRAM
Synchronous dynamic random access memory is dynamic random access memory that is synchronized with the system bus. Classic DRAM has an asynchronous interface, which means that it responds as quickly as possible to changes in control inputs...
.
It runs on Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
-based firmware. Hauppauge has delivered enhancements and new functionality to the MediaMVP from time to time by releasing updated firmware. Firmware updates are delivered to the device when it is powered up.
Hacks
There are several hardware hacks of the MediaMVP box. Among others, there are hacks for adding S/PDIF optical output, a RS-232RS-232
In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports...
serial port
Serial port
In computing, a serial port is a serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one bit at a time...
, and additional RAM. See the mvpmc hardware howto for more details on various modifications, as well as this thread at the SHSPVR forums.
Serial port
The serial port hack allows a serial console to be attached to the MediaMVP. This is useful for debugging modifications to the Linux-based firmware.Using the serial port hack and modifications to the unit's Linux-based firmware
Firmware
In electronic systems and computing, firmware is a term often used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs and/or data structures that internally control various electronic devices...
, it is possible to add a small external display (e.g. a LCD or a VFD
Vacuum fluorescent display
A vacuum fluorescent display is a display device used commonly on consumer-electronics equipment such as video cassette recorders, car radios, and microwave ovens. Invented in Japan in 1967, the displays became common on calculators and other consumer electronics devices...
display) to show status information (song title, for example).
Alternative software and firmware
- MediaMVP Media Center (mvpmc) - includes clients for MythTVMythTVMythTV is a free and open source home entertainment application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or home theater...
, ReplayTVReplayTVReplayTV is a brand of digital video recorder , a term synonymous with personal video recorder . It is a consumer video device which allows users to capture television programming to internal hard disk storage for later viewing...
, Hauppauge, VLCVLC media playerVLC media player is a free and open source media player and multimedia framework written by the VideoLAN project.VLC is a portable multimedia player, encoder, and streamer supporting many audio and video codecs and file formats as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It is able to...
, SqueezeCenter (aka SlimServer), VNC, UPnP, NFS and CIFS. Open Source. - SageTV Media Center - Connect other TVs to SageTV PVR, enables live TV viewing
- MVPServer - MediaMVP server software - Screenshots
- SHSPVR MediaMVP & WinTV PVR forums - Discussions about the MediaMVP and WinTV PVR products
- GB-PVR - PVR software that can use a MediaMVP as a front end
- VDR on MVP (vomp) - a front end to VDRVideo Disk RecorderVDR is an open source application for Linux designed to allow any computer to function as a digital video recorder, in order to record and replay TV programming using the computer's hard drive. The computer needs to be equipped with a digital TV tuner card. VDR can also operate as an mp3 player...
for the MediaMVP - MediaMVP BTV Interface - Full featured PVR/Media center using Beyond TV Software and MediaMVP - Screenshots
Internet radio
See list of Internet radio stations.Can play MMS
Microsoft Media Services
Microsoft Media Server is the name of Microsoft's proprietary network streaming protocol used to transfer unicast data in Windows Media Services . MMS can be transported via UDP or TCP...
streams, e.g. mms://some.radio.station/path/to/stream/
Can play HTTP streams, e.g.
See also
- Home theater PCHome theater PCA Home Theater PC or Media Center appliance is a convergence device that combines some or all the capabilities of a personal computer with a software application that supports video, photo, music playback, and sometimes video recording functionality...
- Media center (disambiguation)
- DreamboxDreamboxThe Dreambox is a series of Linux-powered DVB satellite, terrestrial and cable digital television receivers , produced by German multimedia vendor Dream Multimedia.- History and Description :...
- MoxiMoxiMoxi is a line of high definition Digital Video Recorders produced by ARRIS Group, Inc. Moxi was originally released only to cable operators but in December 2008 was released as a retail product to the general public. The current retail product, the Moxi HD DVR, provides a high definition user...
- Telly (home entertainment server)Telly (home entertainment server)The Telly home entertainment server is range of computer systems designed to store, manage, and access all forms of digital media in the home. Based on Interact-TV's Linux Media Center software, it provides user managed libraries for music, photos, and all forms of video from recorded television...