Hauppauge has updated their support site to state the following:
Linux support for the WinTV-HVR-1600 is in process. When the WinTV-HVR-1600 is added to the growing list of over 30 supported Hauppauge products with Linux open source drivers, an entry will be made in the LinuxTV.ORG Wiki.
They state that it "is in process". Are they saying that they are making drivers? Or is this clever language to suggest that once again they will just wait until the open source community reverse engineers the product, at which time they will just add a link to the IVTV website as they did in the past. It's really the best case scenario for them -- they don't have to do any work whatsoever and yet they reap the benefits of increased sales to Linux users.
Unfortunately, it looks like the IVTV people have no intent to do the reverse engineering:
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/ivtv/devel/34608?do=post_view_flat#34608
Sent the following mail to Hauppauge Sales:
I am currently a very satisfied owner of five Hauppauge cards (two PVR-150's 2 PVR-250's and a PVR-350) and am considering the purchase of an HVR-1600. However, all of my currently owned cards are being used under Linux.
The Hauppauge support site indicates that work is in progress to support the HVR-1600 under Linux:
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/support/support_hvr1600.html
However, the open source ivtv project has stated that they have no plans to support the card (largely due to Hauppauge's lack of providing any supporting datasheets or specifications).
http://ivtvdriver.org/index.php/Supported_hardware
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/ivtv/devel/34608?do=post_view_flat#34608
Is there an ongoing effort inside of Hauppauge to provide the relevant drivers? If so then this is excellent news and should be made known to the ivtv project. Or are you basically saying that eventually the open source community will figure out how to reverse engineer our product without our help, at which time we will put a link on our website to the ivtv project?
I would love to purchase several of these cards. If you could please provide a summary of specifically what actions Hauppauge is taking to provide this support I would appreciate it.
Thank you,
Devin Heitmueller
Hopefully they might get the hint.
