Tvheadend Future
#1
All,

I've just posted a news article on the Tvheadend website that all Tvheadend users should read.

Adam
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#2
I saw the tweet come through... a difficult couple of posts, I'm sure... but whatever happens next, I'd like to say a huge 'thank you' for all the work you've done on this, Adam. I know it's been a significant commitment (as opposed to a significant commit, of course...).

I can't help with the code - I've done my best with the support, but even that's beyond me sometimes! - so let's hope that the call to arms gets some other volunteers to help you out. Of all the backends I've tried (and I should know, I've followed a few) tvheadend is the one I preferred, so long may it live in whatever form.
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#3
@Prof, yeah, thanks for all the input you've put in on the forums over the last year or so. You've certainly been the most active person on there (and yes I get an alert on EVERY update!).

I did send out an email to a few people that had been involved in the project and I realised the second I sent it that I'd missed your address off, so apologies for that. But I knew you'd see the other announcements.

Adam
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#4
Thanks for your work Adam you are doing a great job and yes I had noticed you were a little quite lately lol. As for supporting/ helping with TVH, unfortunately I would be even less help since I am so new the linux so my support skills will be severly lacking and any coding skills I have are in Pascal!! But If there is something I think I can help with I will do so.
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#5
We'll definitely help spread the word that help is needed. I posted a couple of reddit posts (I'm not much of a reddit guy, but meh) and the XBMC facebook page has a scheduled (so that it pops up when more US/EU people are awake) post with your news link. A call to arms, a call to arms!
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#6
Can I suggest that you please consider re-licensing or dual-license the Tvheadend PVR backend server to LGPLv2 or GPLv2?

Doing so might convince some people and companies who are put of from contributing to Tvheadend because of its current GPLv3 license.


If Tvheadend is re-licensed or dual-licensed as LGPLv2 or GPLv2 then its license would allow it to be used on more commercial platforms.

I could then for example see Tvheadend being used as the default PVR backend server on PrismCube and similar DVR set-top boxes
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#7
Hedda,

Thanks for the input. Generally speaking, it's not a bad idea. We've considered it and discussed it (mainly Andreas and myself, as the main contributors, but I've sounded out a few people in the past). I don't think either of us are against the idea. The main issue has simply been a driver to doing it. And then there is getting the agreement of, or factoring out, all those people that have contributed.

And yes, that sort of integration would be really interesting. I know we've lost out of the opportunity to be used in such projects because of the licensing, and I don't believe Andreas chose the license specifically because he wanted to restrict such activity (neither of us are in this for the money). I think it was just a random decision at a time when he didn't really see the potential.

But I think you're right, now is probably the time, to re-address the issue. Certainly 99% of the codebase is already covered with a verbal agreement to move to v2, but I'll start the ball rolling on changing things.

Thanks
Adam
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#8
I'm also sure that Tvheadend PVR backend will get a lot more attention if and when it gets ported to run natively on Android OS

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=182218

I feel very strongly that having both XBMC and Tvheadend PVR backend running natively on the same Android box would be a huge hit and reach a much broader end-user market!

http://tvheadend.org/boards/5/topics/10286
http://tvheadend.org/issues/1921

There are currently no other open source TV tuning PVR backend server applications that runs natively on Android, so right now there is no competition.

More end-users = more developers! First build up a larger user-base with Android support, and with those new users more community developers will come, just as it did for XBMC.



Regardless, thank you so much for all the great work you and everyone else have been / are putting into Tvheadend!
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#9
Tying them together, we have Lars' comment on that first thread as well:

Quote:working on a pvr backend that will run on android (and not just android), but it's not tvheadend because of the gpl3 license

As one of the main 'secondary' contributors to tvheadend (particulary the XBMC side as I understand it), maybe there's an opportunity to merge the projects if we can change the licensing on tvh - or, at least, get it underway.
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#10
Also recommend that you try to reach out to the Raspberry Pi Foundation and community about this news since many people use Tvheadend on it.

Perhaps they could sponsor a development contest for optimizing Tvheadend for the Raspberry Pi, which if done right should also allow it to run more optimized on all embedded platforms.

As well suggest that you post this same message on OpenELEC and GeeXboX forums, and to any other Linux distros that ships with Tvheadend.
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#11
Just thinking about the embedded system angle... I wonder where TBS and Pulse8 are going...
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#12
We can use the methods VLC used to relicense. Create various lists, like who we have contact info for, who we can't contact at all, commits that can be rewritten if needed, etc. Boilerplate messages asking people to dual license their past work, ask all contributors starting now to dual license their current changes, etc.
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#13
adam,

i have been hacking on a c++ htsp/tvheadend client in my spare time the last couple of months...

i can't state how valuable your work is for me. if you wonder why so few people contribute code, the reason is so simple it might not even be obvious: tvheadend is done. it is - by far - one of the most advanced open source projects i've worked with. the precise and simple mission to abridge the gap network<->legacy networks works like a charm. and i did work on quite a few open source projects. so far there was not a single patch i could have sent you!

it is very rare software is ever "finished" - yet, in combination with xbmc, tvheadend already implemented all the required features years ago, and yet you added to it beyond everyone's expectations ;-)

not sure what i'm trying to say here, maybe: your work was amazing, if you are ever looking for a job, let me know!

all the best,

thomas
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#14
Thank you adam for your awesome work you've done for tvheadend and your fast support on some of my damn questions Wink
I wish all the best for you and your family and i hope tvheadend will have a good prospects.
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#15
Thank you for all your time and effort Adam. Wish you all the best! Smile

I'll stick on TVHeadend no matter what. It's by far the best PVR solution available for integration with XBMC and it runs great on my Synology NAS.
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