Dev Week -- Ubuntu TV - what's what -- Saviq & mhall119 -- Tue, Jan 31st, 2012
1 [18:01] <Saviq> hello all, mhall119, here?
2 [18:01] <mhall119> yes
3 [18:01] <mhall119> hello again everybody!
4 [18:02] <mhall119> this session we're going to be talking about getting involved in the Ubuntu TV development
5 [18:02] <mhall119> there's been a lot of interest and talk going around since our demo at CES earlier in the month
6 [18:03] <mhall119> all of the code from the demo is available on Launchpad, but it's just that: a demo
7 [18:04] <mhall119> the task now is converting it from demo code into real code, and you can be involved in that
8 [18:04] <ClassBot> fantasti1001 asked: What's ubuntu TV ?
9 [18:04] <Saviq> maybe I can chip in here for a second
10 [18:04] <mhall119> sure
11 [18:05] <Saviq> I prepared a FAQ from all the questions I could find in my history of #ubuntu-tv and ubuntu-tv@lists.launchpad.net
12 [18:05] <Saviq> it's available on the Ubuntu wiki: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuTV/Contributing#FAQ
13 [18:05] <Saviq> and we're here to answer anything not covered in there and help you guys with getting involved
14 [18:06] <Saviq> mhall119, back to you
15 [18:06] <mhall119> you can also learn about Ubuntu TV here: http://www.ubuntu.com/tv
16 [18:07] <mhall119> but the short answer is: It's the goal of making Ubuntu the best platform for TV manufacturers to use on the upcoming wave of Smart TVs
17 [18:07] <mhall119> it has a modified Unity interface that is designed to work when you're sitting 10 feet away, using a remote control
18 [18:08] <mhall119> but under the hood, it will be the same Ubuntu platform, with the same Unity APIs
19 [18:08] <mhall119> which means everything make for the desktop will be available to you
20 [18:09] <mhall119> it will also tie into moving streaming services and stores to let you rent or buy movies
21 [18:09] <mhall119> and work with PVR hardware and software to let you watch and record broadcast and cable television
22 [18:10] <ClassBot> fantasti1001 asked: How remote control works?
23 [18:10] <Saviq> that's my cue
24 [18:10] <Saviq> fantasti1001, we're not doing anything special for remotes
25 [18:10] <Saviq> we're supporting all the standard media keys some keyboards have
26 [18:11] <Saviq> but that also means you can easily use Bluetooth remotes
27 [18:11] <Saviq> or IR ones like MCE, by just plugging them in right now
28 [18:11] <Saviq> 'cause they generate standard key events now
29 [18:12] <mhall119> as a platform, we should support as many viable options as the hardware manufacturers may want to ship
30 [18:12] <Saviq> LIRC is the "old" or "advanced" way to handle remotes, and there's no plan to support that in Ubuntu TV right now
31 [18:12] <mhall119> ultimately the choice of specific hardware will be up to the OEMs
32 [18:12] <Saviq> but as mhall119 said - if that's what's going to be required - that's what we'll do
33 [18:13] <ClassBot> burli asked: so it will be posible to install any software?
34 [18:13] <Saviq> burli isn't here, but I'll answer anyway
35 [18:13] <Saviq> burli, oh yes he's here, xchat's playing games on me
36 [18:14] <Saviq> burli, that, again, depends on the way it's going to be deployed
37 [18:14] <Saviq> in theory any software can be installed as it's going to be standard Ubuntu
38 [18:14] <Saviq> but most GUI applications are not suitable for a 10-foot interface
39 [18:14] <ClassBot> ashickur-noor asked: What is difference between Ubuntu TV and Ubuntu Desktop?
40 [18:14] <Saviq> so it will only make sense to install those that are adapted to a TV interface
41 [18:15] <Saviq> ashickur-noor, the demo we showed at CES was straight Ubuntu 11.10 with a variant of Unity-2D adapted for TV
42 [18:15] <Saviq> ashickur-noor, but the target of Ubuntu TV is to be a platform, based on Ubuntu
43 [18:16] <mhall119> ideally there will be no difference other than the UI
44 [18:16] <Saviq> what will be the difference between a productized Ubuntu TV and Ubuntu Desktop, we'll have to wait and see
45 [18:16] <ClassBot> kichkasch asked: ​ what is the time line for development? When do you expect first devices ... ?
46 [18:16] <Saviq> kichkasch, no such decisions have been made yet
47 [18:17] <mhall119> so the purpose of the CES demo was to get hardware manufacturers interested
48 [18:17] <mhall119> now we are working on partnering with them to build actual products
49 [18:18] <mhall119> as with most business-to-business dealings, we won't really know until they're announced
50 [18:18] <ClassBot> popey asked: What spec machine do I need to try out Ubuntu TV?
51 [18:19] <Saviq> while developing we were using an Acer Revo
52 [18:19] <Saviq> which is an Atom + ION box
53 [18:19] <Saviq> but we were running happily on a Pandaboard, too
54 [18:19] <Saviq> as ARM is a definite target, that's very important for us
55 [18:19] <Saviq> hardware video acceleration is a must
56 [18:19] <ClassBot> hszu00 asked: ​ Will Ubuntu Tv use an onscreen keyboard or one that comes with the remote?
57 [18:20] <mhall119> trying to get through as many of these questions as we can before our time isup
58 [18:20] <Saviq> hszu00, with the UI we demo'ed search was a central feature
59 [18:20] <Saviq> so hardware keyboard on the remote is desirable
60 [18:20] <ClassBot> There are 10 minutes remaining in the current session.
61 [18:20] <Saviq> but OSK is a possible alternative
62 [18:21] <ClassBot> Cantide asked: So it would be possible to use your TV as a computer, essentially?
63 [18:21] <mhall119> possible, but probably not desirable
64 [18:22] <Saviq> Cantide, using a Ubuntu Desktop on your TV would not be easy
65 [18:22] <Saviq> the target is to provide a proper TV, 10-foot experience
66 [18:22] <mhall119> remember that even a large-screen TV isn't very big when viewed from across the room
67 [18:22] <ClassBot> TwoD asked: I feel the Dash is awkward to use as is, having to switch back and forth between keyboard and mouse, how will that improve if I only have a TV remote?
68 [18:23] <Saviq> TwoD, the whole Ubuntu TV is navigable with just 9 buttons
69 [18:23] <Saviq> usual directional ones, ok, back and three edge ones
70 [18:23] <Saviq> for quickly accessing the sidebar, top bar and launcher
71 [18:23] <ClassBot> calmpitbull asked: What is minimun requirement for Ubuntu TV to run smoothly
72 [18:24] <Saviq> calmpitbull, as replied earlier - any OpenGL-enabled GPU, preferably with hardware video acceleration
73 [18:24] <Saviq> and something like an Atom CPU will be enough
74 [18:24] <Saviq> on ARM a Pandaboard seems to cope quite nicely
75 [18:24] <ClassBot> s9iper1 asked: can you tell me the merging process when the bug got fixed and than we have to merge the branches is there any guide in ubuntu or anything?
76 [18:25] <Saviq> s9iper1, it's the same as with unity-2d, add a merge request agains lp:ubuntutv
77 [18:25] <ClassBot> There are 5 minutes remaining in the current session.
78 [18:25] <mhall119> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuTV/Contributing has information about how to make contributions of code
79 [18:26] <ClassBot> pawel_st asked: ​ rather than a new release that adds new features every 6 months, like regular unity does. How does it match the development model of normal unity? Is unity for tv going to have a separate development model and provide stripped down version of unity?
80 [18:26] <Saviq> pawel_st, that depends on the productized version, nothing I can say right now about that
81 [18:27] <ClassBot> BlueCase asked: What's with DRM and HD content? Any discussion on that?
82 [18:27] <Saviq> BlueCase, HD content with hardware acceleration is fine, DRM will have to be discussed with content providers that come on board
83 [18:28] <ClassBot> sankaranarayanan asked: So are you guys considering support for gesture based control too, for the TV?
84 [18:29] <Saviq> sankaranarayanan, there's definitely room for thought there, again - depends on what we will actually be delivering
85 [18:29] <ClassBot> pawel_st asked: ​ since smart TVs are network-capable, are you going to automatically install security updates on TVs (with all the associated risks)?
86 [18:29] <Saviq> pawel_st, that is a possibility, but will have to be carefully thought out
87 [18:29] <Saviq> and will depend on the requirements we need to fill
88 [18:30] <ClassBot> sirvinniei asked: How much customabily is possible with ubuntu tv?
89 [18:30] <Saviq> sirvinniei, it's open source, that's all the answer I can give you now
90 [18:30] <Saviq> wow it looks like half an hour is a very short period of time
91 [18:30] <mhall119> it sure is
92 [18:30] <Saviq> thanks you all for attending