HP MediaSmart HDTV with Vista Media Center Extender
HP may have discontinued their DLPs, but they have certainly not abandoned HDTV. The new HP MediaSmart HDTVs, including a 42" and 47" 1080p LCD. The most interesting feature of course is the Vista Media Center extender and even without Media Center it can connect to HP Media Portal for access to services including Snapfish, Real Rhapsody and Live365 Radio. Not only that, but it supports many formats including DivX. It has a 1200:1 Contrast Ratio, 8 ms response time for the 42" and the 47" is 6 ms. Since you will no doubt want to connect this to your network it includes integrated Ethernet and 802.11 a/b/g/n. Like many other new sets this year it has 3 HDMI ports and of course an integrated ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner, but no CableCARD. [Warning: PDF link]
The new set in Action!
The non-media center features in action, with a closeup.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mike @ Jan 8th 2007 1:34AM
Very nice Front Row integration guys... looks sexy
Matt @ Jan 8th 2007 1:59AM
Wow, that software shown offers nice access to your media... You might say it puts you in the FRONT ROW of your own private theater.
Conjecture McSpeculate @ Jan 8th 2007 6:45AM
I'd like to be in the FRONT ROW at CES to see this interface.
matt @ Jan 8th 2007 10:49AM
Read the pdf and it seems it's just a Upnp device not an actual media center extender. Did I miss something?
Donjo @ Jan 8th 2007 2:07PM
There are only so many ways you can do a media center, would it make you happy if they had the icons scroll diagonally?
dude @ Jan 8th 2007 8:22PM
Me like. I think that a lot more TVs will start coming out with Vista Extenders as well...I am hoping for somebody to show off a vista extender box so to speak with hdmi that can hook up to any tv. makes it a lot easier then having to buy another computer or tv for a room that u want to watch ur recorded tv on..
Intrepid @ Jan 9th 2007 4:08AM
I hate Apple, but this time the fanboys are gonna have a reason to attack HP. Why not use the existing MCE interface? People like it and know it - and you won't have to steal.
Yeti @ Jan 11th 2007 4:13AM
Hello Engadget,
This TV is NOT Media Center Extender compatible! It's just DLNA compatible as the older 37" was. The only new thing is 802.11n wireless LAN and 1080p video processing.