sort of a review - more ranting. I need to stop.
well as a myth user (still for now) and a home automation geek, I was excited to try this one out. After my troubles with myth stability I have been looking for some alternatives. There website made this very promising. I downloaded and installed using their KickStart CD image. They do have an interesting way of facilitating setup by combining a web based configuration on their servers, then near the end of the computer setup it asks you for the id numbers from the web wizard. It then access their website to retrieve the final conifg info. Great idea for a product like this.
I have spent some time with MisterHouse OSS home automation system. And many other alternatives. A unified system was promising. I believe they are on the right track, but setup of devices, is not complete, and confusing at the moment. I love the idea of their bluetooth based tracking. I have been using some os x tools to do something like this, but their implementation seems very promising. Their Myth is slimmed down, and some configuration setting were either disabled, or broken with their implementation.
My biggest disappointment at this point would have to be esthetics. it is ugly. Their system wide front end seems simple to use and will be funtional, but who would spend the thousands of dollars needed to set up a home wide system like this and want such a "low tech" looking interface. Their current Myth implementation is equally odd, when you select tv you are taken to the GNAT theme which in itself is so different than their other interface, that the contrast between them is startling bad.
Myth, when stable is awesome, but time needs to be spent stabilizing it, and making a drop dead gorgeous user interface. Anyone seen Meedio and it's default or HD themes. I want that. If it supported multiple tuners I would actually switch my HTPC to Windows and buy Meedio in a second. I was hoping Pluto's setup would be my holy grail. Alas, Knoppmyth (or myth on Gentoo) will remain my PVR and OS X with Indigo will be the home automation. Now I need to find some time to make the UI that I am not embarrassed to show off to people. Or at least fix the themes we do have so text lines up properly in the osd and video module.
Pluto is promising, and as long as they keep the OSS version available, then I am looking forward to watching their progress.