PonkTV

FAQ

1. What is PonkTV?

PonkTV is a TV server. It allows downloading of various media (music, videos, flash, web pages, games, and programs) from P2P networks and other types of internet servers for viewing on a TV controlled with a TV remote. It requires a dedicated computer with hard-drive, CD-ROM, sound card, IR infrared receiver, Graphics card with TV-OUT, and network connection. It is designed for buyer assurance (brand-named hardware) and for easy installation with little computer experience.

2. What are the goals of PonkTV?

To provide a dedicated low cost Internet TV system for non-technical people. PonkTV should:

• be low cost
• be easy to install and use
• provide buyer assurance by using brand-name hardware
• support various file sharing networks
• support web page standards for media viewing
• support playing media files from file sharing networks

3. What computer do I need?

PonkTV is currently based on a low-cost Wal-Mart PC. Other computer accessories needed for PonkTV are:

• a Nvidia video (graphics) card with TV-OUT
• a Evation IR-MAN infrared receiver
• a Audio/Video Switchbox With RF Modulator
• and cables to connect audio and video from the computer to the TV

Discontinued or used Nvidia PCI video cards with TV-OUT can be purchased at significantly lower prices.

View Hardware for more detail on PonkTV hardware required.

4. What software do I need?

You need to download the PonkTV Install CD and burn it to a CD. The PonkTV software is a customized version of Linux based on the Linux from scratch Book (www.linuxfromscratch.org).

PonkTV software includes:

• Lirc - Infrared remote driver
• Mplayer - video player
• Mozilla (customized for PonkTV) - web browser
• Apache - web server
• OpenBox - windows manager
  

5. How do I get PonkTV?

6. How do I install PonkTV?

PonkTV requires a dedicated computer. The installation will format and delete all files on the first hard-drive of the computer. Be sure there is nothing you want to keep on the computer. Here are some quick instructions. See the PonkTV User Guide for step-by-step installation under Docs.

• Install the nVidia video card
• Connect the computer to your network
• Connect the IR-receiver (IR-MAN) to the computer
• Connect the computer video and audio to the audio/video switchbox
• Connect the cable for cable-tv to the audio/video switchbox
• Connect the audio/video switchbox to the TV
• Turn on the TV and change to channel 3
  
• Turn power on
• Insert the PonkTV CD in the CD-ROM drive
• Restart the computer
  
• Follow the instructions on the TV for PonkTV software setup
  

To use PonkTV, switch the TV to channel 3, point your TV remote at the IR-receiver (IR-MAN) and press your assigned PonkTV OFF/ON key. The PonkTV menu should be displayed on your TV. Use the remote to control your PonkTV.

In most instances you will be connecting your PonkTV behind a firewall. This firewall needs to be configured to allow the PonkTV file sharing software to communicate with other computers. See your firewall manual on how to open specific ports. The ports you need to open are listed in the PonkTV detailed instructions under File Sharing Software - Firewall configuration.

7. Where can I get help?

Look under Docs or Support to find out more about PonkTV.

8. How can I help?

Help is always appreciated. You can help in several ways.

• You can donate some needed cash to get a proper web site and buy new hardware for development and testing.
  
• You can help by posting in the forums under Support. Post your feedback on PonkTV. If you see a question you know the answer to - answer it.
  
• You can download the latest development version of PonkTV and help test it. Test the install as well as the actual operation. Please post your test results on the forums.

9. Can I watch TV while PonkTV is on?

Yes, this is what the audio/video switchbox is for. The PonkTV computer should always be left on. What you control with the TV remote (PonkTV OFF/ON) is the PonkTV TV signal. When you press the OFF/ON PonkTV sends a TV signal to audio/video switchbox which the will pass the signal through to your TV blocking your cable TV signal. When you press the button again PonkTV will stop sending the signal and your TV will default back to your cable TV signal.

10. Can I view internet web pages using PonkTV?

Yes, however, most web pages are designed for viewing on a computer not on a TV. Computer web pages will usually be partially blocked because text has to be enlarged for TV viewing and difficult to navigate because of a large number of links. Most computer web pages are designed to provide a lot of information which is best viewed by a computer.

Web pages can be created for viewing on your TV. TV web pages need to limit text and links to make viewing and navigation easy. Web pages can provide detail info if properly formatted for TV viewing - TV schedules, newspaper like cartoons, sound-bite news, flash videos, rating type web pages, web page polls, and more. In the near future the PonkTV web site will provide a Yahoo type index of web pages for viewing on your TV. If you know of a compatible TV web site or create one post a link in the PonkTV forums.

11. Can I customize PonkTV?

Yes, but first you need to be able to access PonkTV with a second computer. You can access PonkTV with a secure shell communication program. You can use Putty from a MS Windows computer or ssh from a Linux computer. Logon as ponktv and use the eDonkey password you typed in at install. The logon prompt will allow you to customize any of the software that PonkTV uses.

PonkTV also is configure with the Samba client so you can directly copy files from other computers to PonkTV.