PVR Blog: SnapStream Personal Video Station 3.0 review
PVR Blog reviews the SnapStream Personal Video Station. I looked at this program a while back. I still don't have a spare PC to install it on to (well, plus I don't have cable, so it would be a little useless...). SnapStream is essentially a software-only TiVo replacement. You can buy it just as the software package, or bundled with a TV Tuner card that is guaranteed to work with the software.
As noted in the article, I'm up in the air about whether I would go the Linux route and attempt MythTV, or just get this simple, "just works" package on a generic Windows PC. The only downside seems to be some issues with browser control/streaming from non-Microsoft platforms:
If my reviews carried ratings, SnapStream's software would get nearly a 100% score for the low cost, loads of features, and easy video sharing, with the non-PC platform sharing being my only criticism.
You would have to do more work to secure the Windows platform if you also wanted to use it as a server platform, plus some server-type software (e.g. Apache, MySQL, PHP, etc.) tends to be a bit trickier to setup. All in all, probably worth a shot, especially if you have a supported TV Tuner card.
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I tried Snapstream fall/2002
...on XP and ATI card in screamer machine.
I lost patience and deleted it within a week. Ugly & buggy then, can't recall version #.
And I disagree re securing computers (if behind home router): unless you're using Active Directory, it is almost handsfree to secure XP/2K/2KS/IIS5 or 03S/IIS6 or with Apache: you install system, slip on the most recent service pack (if not slipstreamed) and do Windowsupdate. Then install Apache, Perl, PHP and MySQL. If Office then do Officeupdate. It takes as much skillz to setup a *nix server (more if a vintage contemporaneous with 2KS - ie.1999) to the same extent of securedness. It is moreover easier to let Autoupdate store up patches. Only thing is: one way is free and open, the other isn't and attracts attacks. Benchmarks are similar enuf to not matter for most usages unless you're on old hardware.
We've had this discussion before
It definitely looks like this new version (3.0 is brand new) is a lot better.
Then install Apache, Perl, PHP, and MySQL
Ha. Installing those four on a Windows system takes a whole bunch of time. Many dedicated *nix servers ship with all four enabled out-of-the-box, or have RPMs available that allow instant install.
Plus something like Pegasus Mail if you want to do email as well. And maybe DNS. Oh, and some sort of S/FTP program. I can probably think of a couple more features that would have to be added in after the fact...
And I personally don't consider any of the desktop systems to be "servers". All the MS server products are more complicated to setup and horribly expensive.
Skillz to setup a *nix server
Nope. Dedicated servers mean an ISO download, boot from CD install, and web-based config. Updates are delivered analagous to Windows Update (click-to-install RPMs, etc.)
Attracts attacks
Agreed. So it may or may not be just as easy (not easier) to setup/secure a Windows server, but it will definitely attract more attacks. Gee, which one would I pick?!
?
Dedicated servers as ISO? You must mean e-Smith. It's not optimised.
Old Mandrake server ISOs can also be DNLd. What else? RHAS is pricey.
I kinda like Knoppix hdinstall, but that's no server. It could be APT-get'd into one, but no optimized kernels - as you'd want for servers.
I've never had an Windowsupdate fail to install. Have had many Ximian and Redhat updates break. Windowsupdate notification also more reliable in my exp.
MS Servers horribly expensive, yes. Complicated? Not unless you use active directory. I've used my two NT4S licenses for 6 years, they still kick ass, run on latest HW, and can deal with XP just fine. I think that's pretty great value.
Installing Win32 Apache/Perl/PHP/MySQL are all just click-throughs.
Pegasus!? At v.2.44 it was SoTA. Now v4 just feels quaint. Still better than Eudora 5 I guess.
It was Snapstream v2.2 I tried.
v3 uses Dx9, so I guess it should run better. Screens look just as hokey as b4 tho.
Lots more distros
Dedicated servers: for home use -- a home server.
Pegasus: sorry, not client -- server, which is more properly called Mercury (I was trying to point out a free email solution).
Snapstream: so what inexpensive alternatives are there on Windows? I don't really care how hokey the screens are if it works.
Alternate to SnapStream...
I haven't used either, but for the network capture and multiple card capture capabilites alone, I'd tend to lean toward trying SageTV at http://www.freytechnologies.com/ before SnapStream, although SnapStream is what I found online first when searching for PVRs the other night.
~David S.
"if it works"
was kind'a what stopped me with v2.2, cause it may be the only software I tried that ever BSoD'd XP. Mind you, that cudda been its mixture with ATI or Nvidia drivers too.
I hope this v3.2 isn't just a re-write to DX9.
Pegasus/Mercury is truly amazing sofware to have sprung from an individual. The code quality is peerless. David Harris is a brilliant programmer, but dunno wat's kept him plugging at pmail for this long.
I've tried lots of home server configs, but always wind up back at NT4 Server.
note: new MS Media Center ver.