Okay, I just won an eBay auction for a Riot. Hopefully, this time next week, I'll be geeking-out with the new toy!

First, does anyone else here have one?

Second, has anyone started trying to hack it? I'm especially interested in improving the client-side stuff (it currently requires a customized RealJukebox, and I really don't like Real software). At the very least, I'd love to be able to simply transfer files directly from disk to disk. I'm also curious about simply getting in -- like if I hook up a USB keyboard, can I get a shell? (can't you do that on the Central?)

Finally, should we get a Rio Riot forum going, too?

The Rio Riot's software is not made by the Cambridge team. It's a completely different department. So discussions about hacking it would be off topic for this BBS.

At some point in the future, the Rio Central HSX-109 (which does have software written by the Cambridge team) will be able to squirt tunes into the Riot. But that's about the extent of it.

The Rio Riot's software is not made by the Cambridge team. It's a completely different department.

So this forum (in total, obviously not just the Central or Receiver section) is only for the Cambridge products? I suppose I can understand that, from the point of view that none of the engineers who've been so friendly here can help us with the Riot, but would it be too big a stretch to simply cover all the Rio products (at least, the major MP3 ones) here? Or do you know of a forum somewhere that'd be good for Riot discussions?

I don't mean to whine, it just seems to me that the target market for the Riot is very similar to the Central and Receiver (and even the Replay boxes), and that this seems a logical place to centralize discussions (especially as people start trying to merge Riots into their existing Receiver/Central systems).

So this forum (in total, obviously not just the Central or Receiver section) is only for the Cambridge products?

This forum is just for the Central and the Receiver. The reason I mentioned Cambridge was to imply that the engineers and support personnel who are responsible for the Riot cannot be found here, and that any queries regarding the product would probably not get much attention.

Turning this BBS into a general "all-Rio-products" BBS would be counterproductive, I think. We specifically limited the scope of this BBS at the time of its creation. We did this on purpose so that the traffic would be low and the S/N ratio would be acceptable.

This isn't to say that the Riot shouldn't be discussed here at all. Since it will eventually integrate with the Central, it does have relevance. And discussion of other MP3 products from any manufacturer is also relevant. So it's fine to talk about the Riot here. I just wanted to point out that you probably won't see a lot of replies to detailed Riot-hacking questions since the Riot engineers aren't here.

Try posting in the empeg BBS in "OffTopic". We talk about everything there from cell phones to Tivos to what to have for lunch. I'm sure that many people help you out.

I agree with you that there needs to be a Riot forum and it would be nice to have one here so that Riot owners could find out about other great products. But Tony's point is valid becuase the great benefit to these forums is that the developers post their comments - and that wouldn't apply to something like the Riot.

But Tony's point is valid becuase the great benefit to these forums is that the developers post their comments

Since I've benefited greatly from the developers' wisdom as posted here, I've no choice but to agree with that statement.

Thanks!