We first saw D-Link's DSM-750 MediaLounge Wireless Media Player at CES way back in 2007, and the company "officially" launched the 802.11n unit in September of that year -- but the scheduled November 2007 retail date came and went, and the four of you queuing up to drop $349 on an unheralded Media Center extender were left to sadly contemplate the crushing banality of your existence. Well, buck up, boy-o, because it looks like D-Link's realized that it's actually supposed to sell the DSM-750, and it's also gone and dropped the price down a whole $20, to $329. Sure, you can operate the thing in either MCE or MediaLounge mode, but you're still limited to 1080i output (even over HDMI), and at that price, it's pretty hard to see why you wouldn't just nab an Xbox 360 Arcade to do the same thing -- you're getting far more functionality for the money, even if you have to spring for wireless and the remote. Still, we're glad this thing is finally here -- those four dudes were getting awfully weepy.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

We're still a bit unsure if we're looking at a couple of TVs that actually sport built-in Extenders for Windows Media Center or just a couple of pretenders, but whatever the case, the newest duo from Zepto certainly has our attention. The 32-inch Helios A32 sports a 1,366 x 768 resolution panel, an optional "integrated wireless media center," a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, eight-millisecond response time, a single DVB-T tuner plus twin analog tuners, PIP support, the firm's own ambient lighting system and an internal amplifier for speakers. As for the 40-inch Helios A40, it steps things up with a 1,920 x 1,080 panel, but otherwise remains identical to its aforementioned sibling. Price wise, you'll be looking at 15,995 Danish Kroner ($3,085) for the little guy (which is available now), or 19,995 Danish Kroner ($3,857) for the A40 (shipping next month).

[Thanks, Jakob H.]

Windows Media Center fans have been dreaming of having access to DirecTV's programming for at least two years, and just when we think both companies have let the idea fade away, we get new clues that it might actually happen. According to a recent job posting, Microsoft is looking for a qualified individual to help it develop "premium TV experiences from world class satellite TV network operators" with experience in pay-per-view, H.264 and in-band programming data. Currently, Media Center uses the internet to obtain its programming data, but just like the DirecTiVo before it, Media Center looks to get the information via satellite from DirecTV. Mostly, we're just happy that both companies are (apparently) still working to make this happen, but having access to PPV is just icing on the cake and a new experience for Media Center fans.

[Via Chris Lanier's Blog]

Technically, Niveus was the first of the major partners to spill the proverbial beans on its Extender for Windows Media Center, and while it was sitting around for all to see at CEDIA, details were admittedly slim. Now, however, the firm has come clean and doled out the specs for its Media Center Extender - EDGE, following the moves made by Linksys and D-Link earlier. The EDGE boasts a "Glacier Passive Cooling for near silent operation," RS-232 / IP / IR for third-party control support, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet jack, HDMI / component outputs and two-channel analog / digital optical audio outs. Unfortunately, Niveus' box doesn't include integrated WiFi, so its wired or nothin' here, and while we'd love to know how much this thing will actually cost, we do know it'll land sometime in November. Click on for a few more looks.

Just as we expected, Microsoft is getting official with its Windows Media Center Internet TV feature, which is set to go live in beta fashion tomorrow morning. According to Microsoft, US-based users of Vista Home Premium and Vista Ultimate will soon be able to download a simple update that will enable them to "enjoy a range of television and video content on their PCs and TV sets [with a Media Center Extender of some sort] without a TV tuner in their PC." The streaming content will all be ad-supported "by an advertising platform provided by YuMe," which means that you'll be getting it gratis. The programming reportedly "comes from MSN Video," and just over 100 hours of it will be available when the beta begins. To whet your appetite, a few notables that will be available are "full episodes of TV shows such as 'Arrested Development,' full-length music concerts by artists such as Chris Cornell, Snoop Dogg, Elton John, Pink, John Mayer and the Pussycat Dolls, movie trailers, news segments from MSNBC, and sports clips from FOX Sports."

Remember those Linksys Media Center Extenders that popped up yesterday? Well, today the duo has officially been priced, but there's no good news for folks hoping for these two to undercut the other guys. Up first is the DMA2200, which will of course sport an integrated "upscaling DVD player" along with the obligatory dual-band Wireless N functionality, while the DMA2100 arrives in a smaller package (see it up close after the break) but keeps to the basics by omitting the optical drive. Both boxes are set to land this November, and while the DVD playin' DMA2200 will run you $349.99, you can save $50 by opting for the lesser-spec'd sibling.

We were keeping it simple last week on Ask Engadget, helping in Perry's quest for a stripped-down GPS unit. This time Xtopher Robin is looking to do more with less, with big hopes for his aging laptop. If you'd like your own question answered by the best tech minds ever to click a comment submit button, be sure send it to ask at engadget dawt com for next week's round of fun. And here's Xtopher:

"I have a 3 year old laptop (1.89GHz Athlon XP, 1GB of RAM, 64MB Radeon) loaded with all kinds of music, pictures, movies, etc, and I'm looking for a good media center program. I have XP Pro, and want a "MCE-like" experience. I have tried MediaPortal, but I'm less than thrilled with the experience. I'm looking for something that can be controlled via a Bluetooth controller (ie: Salling Clicker through a cell phone, Wiimote, PDA, etc). Any ideas?"

Sounds like a tall order for those specs, but perhaps a bit of Linux will give the thing a new lease on life? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

You may be rather used to hearing from Moneual every few months or so, but the engineering department has apparently been on top of things lately. A mere three days after witnessing the firm's colorful lineup of Inovys, the company's 301 HTPC is being offered up as well, and we must say that the simple, sleek styling is quite attractive. Internally, you'll notice a water-cooled AMD 64 Athlon X2 4400 handling the processing duties, 2GB of RAM, 7.1-channel audio, dual FireWire ports, a 250GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD writer, HDMI / VGA outputs, five USB 2.0 connectors, Ethernet, and a wireless keyboard / remote to keep things tidy. Most impressive, however, is the price, as this decently-spec'd media PC will only run you $995 (sans any TV tuning abilities, of course).

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

Nearly a month after Warner Bros. axed advanced screenings in Canada while tagging priacy as the scapegoat, now Canucks are facing another bout with DRM right inside their homes. According to a lengthy list of complaints over at TheGreenButton, it appears that some Canadian cable providers (Rogers and Shaw, namely) are seemingly throwing the broadcast flag onto a questionable amount of content. Essentially, users who are trying to record said programming via their own Windows Vista Media Center setup are receiving all sorts of errors and messages informing them that the material (even on basic cable) they are trying to record is laced with "restrictions set by the broadcaster and / or originator of the content." Interestingly, it seems that the blame here lies more with the cable companies and not some glitch within Vista, as more than a few customers have received responses from their providers suggesting that they ditch the whole PVR idea and instead rely on the company-provided DVR (at a cost, of course). So, dear Canadians, are any of you fighting this same battle?

Exceptional Innovation's endeavor into the media center PC realm was apparently about more than just fitting in, as the Life|ware Life|media machines pack some seriously potent hardware with matching pricetags to go along. The high-end machines will be packing hardware such an Intel's 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo or 2.4GHz quad-core CPU, up to 4GB of RAM, 4.5TB of hard drive space in a RAID 5 array, CableCARD, NTSC / ATSC tuner options, forthcoming HD DVD and Blu-ray drive choices, optical audio out with Dolby Master Studio decoding, a 28-in-1 multicard reader, NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 GTS, and a host of ports including HDMI, DVI, S-Video, composite, serial, USB 2.0, FireWire, IR controller, and 12V trigger relays and contact closure devices "for screens, shades, contacts, relays, etc." Of course, all of the units (LMS-300, 400, 500, 600, and 700) will run Windows Vista, and while these Life|media servers start at around $4,500, there's honestly no telling what the top-end configuration will set you back when it lands this summer.

Talk about one-upping. No sooner than the cutesy soccer ball cooling station graced our eyes, MCE Integrations is upping the ante quite substantially with its latest cooler / jukebox hybrid. Partnering with Icehouse, this brew-lover's dream come true sports the tried and true jukebox allure, a built-in cooler for keeping the stash on ice, a flipout touchscreen HDTV, and an Aopen Mini PC to run the show. Current models are still running Windows MCE 2005, but the company promises that we'll see Vista Home Premium loaded on them later this year. Although we don't expect the Rock Box to be hitting any mainstream retailers in the near future, those looking to add yet another novelty to their game room or recently opened pub can snag the baseline unit for around $6,500, and for those abstaining from alcoholic intake, the cooler can be replaced by a subwoofer for some serious (and sober) room-rattling action.

We figured they'd come around, and sure enough, it looks like Dish Network is now the one in talks with Microsoft to bring satellite programming to the media PC. After DirecTV began this same journey, finally inked a deal with Gates and Co., and actually started playing nice with Viiv-enabled PCs, Dish Network couldn't just stand around hoping that its fabulous deals on the ViP622 HD DVR would be good enough. According to a brief, albeit informative, interview that DBSTalk had with Dish, the company is reportedly "working with Microsoft" to bust out HTPC TV cards, which could steal the thunder from the uber-pricey CableCARD and give DirecTV's rendition a run for its money. Of course, there's "no set timeline" just yet, and if you already had a hunch what the holdup was, you'd likely be correct -- apparently, "DRM issues" are still lingering, and until both companies come up with a solution that "satisfy the copyright holders," we'll all be parking it on the bench waiting for this to move forward.

Just in case you're looking for something similar to OriginAE's latest LCD-equipped HTPC enclosure, but would rather the unit come fully stocked and ready to rock, the Trinion L7 should fit the bill. This Korean-based unit packs a sexy, silver chassis, seven-inch 800 x 480 resolution touchscreen LCD monitor, 1.66GHz Intel T5500 processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 250GB hard drive, 8-channel onboard audio, gigabit Ethernet, combo drive, and Windows XP Media Center Edition pre-installed. Additionally, the company offers up an IR remote to control the action from afar, front-panel flash card readers, USB / FireWire connectors, and audio in / out ports, and the built-in UI provides easy access to DVD playback, games, office applications, photos, TV episodes, etc. While we're not sure when South Koreans can expect this to land on local shelves, be sure to click on through for a more shots of the machine in action.

Japan's Logitec may have been the first to lay claim to a Mac-compatible Blu-ray burner, but it looks like MCE Technologies gets the bragging rights for the first Mac-friendly internal burner, which also has the added benefit of actually being available 'round these parts. As with the Logitec, MCE's Mac Pro and Power Mac G5-compatible drive will give you 2x reading and writing speeds on Blu-ray discs, as well as the usual less-than-speedy burning times for CDs and DVDs. The key to the Mac compatibility is, of course, Roxio's Toast 8 Titanium software, which first declared its Mac Blu-ray support last summer but so far hasn't been able to put it to much use. While you'll have to crack open your case, you will be somewhat rewarded for your effort, with drive setting you back considerably less than Logitec's external offering, available now direct from MCE for $699.

[Thanks, Dave]

While there's been a plethora of new kit flowing from CES, media center extenders has certainly not stolen the limelight. Oddly enough, one of the first to announce such a device comes from the cabling company we all love to hate, as it introduces its forthcoming lineup of media center PCs and extenders. Additionally, Monster has partnered with Exceptional Innovation to bring Lifeware automation software onto their HTPCs, dubbing the customized package "Experience Lifeware." While details are all but nil on each, Monster said that the new lineup would fall in its newly-unveiled "Monster Life" brand, which seeks to create media-centric PCs for "distributing media around the home." Notably, the extenders could actually be integrated into PowerCenters, which are those unsightly devices that reportedly protect anything connected from a small nuclear disaster (or similar), potentially meaning that you'll be forced to purchase 18 additional AC outlets that you have absolutely no use for to take advantage of Monster's media center extender. Per usual, no word on pricing or availability just yet aside from knowing that the "package will be available through select (read: Best Buy) retailers," but history tells us that those who admire a good dollar-to-utility ratio will probably pass on this one.