pvr
Latest
XBMC 'Atlantis' landing in around two months
No sooner did we ask the audience which PVR application was best than the XBMC team reveals the next major installment of XBMC Media Center. A post over at the official website informs us that Team-XBMC "has hit a feature freeze in anticipation of an upcoming stable release of XBMC, codenamed Atlantis." The software is set to be released for Windows, Linux, Mac and Xbox simultaneously in around two months, and the crew is asking for your help in discovering bugs early in order to get a stable release out the door in short order. So, you planning to pitch in?[Thanks, Michael]
Ask Engadget HD: What's the best PVR software?
Here lately, we've seen a number of questions flow in regarding TV tuners, so it makes sense that folks taking the plunge and building their own HTPC would want to know what flavor of software to mix in with it. "I recently pieced together a pretty simple HTPC with an OTA TV tuner and I'm looking for the best PVR software to pair up with it. I'm currently running Windows XP MCE, but I could make the swap to Vista or Linux if the applications are good enough for either of those two. What would readers recommend for each operating system? Which one gives the least amount of hassle and works smoothly the majority of the time? Thanks!" A pretty open-ended request, you see, but a valid one nonetheless. What's your favorite PVR software? Does Beyond TV have your heart? MythTV / SageTV the one(s) for you? Feel free to list the pros and cons of applications you've tried -- wouldn't want anyone to miss anything![Image courtesy of Parker1]Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Pinnacle points out the obvious: DVR is an Olympics must-have
First off, Pinnacle's latest PCTV HD Pro Stick came out months ago, and as a matter of fact, the original actually surfaced years ago. However, it's latest ploy for press does make a valid point: USB TV tuners and / or HD DVRs are a must-have item for surviving the Olympics. Oh sure, you can do what most Americans will do and simply tune into the highlights, but this is your one shot in four years to catch planet Earth's greatest summer athletes doing their respective thangs in high-definition! Still, you've only got two eyes and one pair of ears, so now would be a very opportune time to pick up some form of recording device to make sure you don't miss a, er, too many moments.
Beyonwiz ups the ante with 300GB DP-P2 HD DVR
The Beyonwiz DP-S1 dual-tuner HD DVR was a pretty hot piece for those in Australia last year, but we'd agree that it's about time a suitable replacement hit the market. Enter the DP-P2, a 300GB twin-tuner HD DVR created to capture both pay-TV and free-to-air signals on its internal hard drive. The unit supports IceTV Remote, which enables users to "choose from multiple remote recording options using any web browser, web-enabled mobile phone or while using the all new IceTV Widget." Furthermore, the unit can connect to a home network in order to stream local media (music, images, videos, etc.) on the living room TV, and those with another Beyonwiz in the house can have this newcomer stream content from the old one onto the primary set. A bit steep at AU$999 (that's 969 of those Greenbacks), but it's available now for those with deep wallets and an incurable infatuation with high-def.
Conceptronic now shipping Media Giant HD media server / DVR
Conceptronic's beastly Media Giant HD media server / DVR that made headlines a few months back is officially on sale across the pond, with a number of tipsters chiming to say that it is being offered for €379 ($603) from Metro Group. Better still, those who order are being treating to tracking numbers on the double, meaning that those who take the dive should have it in their hands in no time. Expensive? Sure. But that's the price you pay for built-in PowerLine networking (Pro version), a slew of ports, a 500GB hard drive and lots more features listed in the read link.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Elgato says no to voluntary DRM broadcast flags
Yesterday, I was reading through our sister site TV Squad and saw this post about Broadcast Flags that prevent PCs from recording shows. Broadcast flags, which are signals sent in a digital TV data stream, indicate whether shows should or should not be recorded by third party equipment such as PVRs. Curious, I shot off an email to Nick Freeman of Elgato to see whether my Mac-based EyeTV would block flagged recordings. Turns out that my Macintosh is a libertarian. I can continue recording any shows I receive. Phew. Not only did Nick get right back to me, he put up this handy info page about Elgato's position on broadcast flags: EyeTV doesn't restrict recording. EyeTV (and Elgato's software in general) ignores voluntary DRM, the kind that asks you to shoot yourself in your own foot if you don't mind thankyouverymuch. I was blissfully ignorant of these flags until yesterday. In a world of product placement and in-screen logos, does it really make sense to keep people away from watching your shows? It's not as though I don't get the concept -- a return to appointment television where people go to the bathroom during commercial breaks instead of fast forwarding -- but it just struck me as so incredibly brain-dead in its execution. What a pity that Microsoft chose to support this silliness with Media Center. And bravo to Elgato for deciding not to. What kinds of voluntary DRM can you think up? Let us know in the comments. Mine is broadcast-approved earplugs. Stick them in whenever you encounter sounds that might be copyright.
Foxtel gets official with quad-tuner iQ2 HD DVR
Foxtel's HD+ services may have launched a few days back in Australia, but that's not stopping OpenTV from pushing out a release trumpeting the arrival of the iQ2. As you could likely guess, the set-top-box is powered by OpenTV's Core2 middleware, but frankly, that's not the part we're interested in. Merely hearing the words "quad-tuner" just gets our juices flowing, and with nearly "double the recordable capacity" of the current Foxtel iQ, we'd say it's a surefire winner for Aussies looking to delve into the beautiful world of high-definition.
Dream Multimedia launches DM 800 PVR in Europe
We know, you've been waiting ages for Dream Multimedia to finally launch a product in the DM 8** series, and we're elated to see that your suffering has at long last come to an end. The European satellite receiver boasts a 300MHz MIPS processor, Linux operating system, OLED front-panel display, MPEG-2 / H.264 hardware encoding, DVB-S tuner (DVB-C and DVB-T are optional), a SmartCard reader, RS-232 port, Ethernet, DVI, two USB 2.0 sockets and an eSATA hookup for external storage. Sadly, we're not savvy on a price, but you can dig into the read link for a breakdown of the technical specifications should you be so inclined.[Thanks, Rob]
Elgato's EyeTV 3.0.2 update brings H.264 broadcast support
Merely months after Elgato launched EyeTV 3, along comes an update to make it even more attractive -- particularly outside of American borders. EyeTV 3.0.2 adds in full support for H.264 digital broadcasts in standard-def and HDTV resolutions, and considering that locales such as Norway and New Zealand are already beaming out material via this standard, we'd say it's a welcome inclusion. Beyond that, the new version also provides QuickTime exporting of ATSC / NTSC Closed Captions for use on iPhone, iPod and Apple TV devices (seen above), but obviously, that's for North America alone. You'll also find a few new deinterlacing options, improved on-screen menus and a handful of bug fixes to boot. Venture on down to the read link to read up on all the changes and get your download a-movin'.[Via ITWire]
Hauppauge HD PVR now available for order
We've seen it announced, delayed and pictured -- now the time to place your order has finally come. The highly-anticipated Hauppauge HD PVR -- which sports a hardware H.264 encoder, component video inputs, NTSC / PAL / SECAM support and loads more for HD junkies to love -- is finally available to order. You heard right, for $249 you can drop this puppy in your shopping cart and await its presence in your humble abode. Shipping times, however, could be another matter entirely.[Thanks, JAW IV]
Hauppauge HD-PVR shows itself, pre-order said to be coming soon
We'd already heard it was delayed, but that apparently hasn't stopped some pics of Hauppauge's much-anticipated HD-PVR from landing in the hands of a moderator of the SageTV forums, who has kindly posted them for all to see. As you can see, however, it isn't exactly much to look at, but the promised real-time H.264 compression of 1080i video from a component video source should be more enough to make up for any design quibbles. What's more, if that same SageTV moderator is to be believed, Hauppauge should be starting to take pre-orders for the device relatively soon, possibly as early as today (it's still expected to set you back about $250). [Via TV Squad]
Motorola's DH02 mobile TV with PVR gains GPS and HSDPA, loses R
Motorola just announced a new portable DVB-H TV to followup its DH01. The name? DH02, of course. The new mobile TV now features a GPS receiver and Tele Atlas maps, an HSDPA / GPRS back-channel for interactive media, and new "auto-flip" portrait to landscape (presumably via accelerometer) touch-screen display of unspecified dimensions. The UI takes advantage of the touch-screen with an "intuitive click, drag, and scroll" navigation. Moto does call the WQVGA display high-resolution -- which is anything but high if the DH02 carries the same 4.3-inch display of the DH01. Motorola also likes to call the DH02 a PVR since it includes a 5 minute buffer for timeshifting, live pause, and frame grabbing. Thing is, while the former DH01 could record video, that capability is not mentioned anywhere in the DH02 press release. Perhaps the microSD slot is dedicated to GPS maps now, instead of recording space. It does offer Bluetooth and, uh hem, "stunning" video playback. Really moto, stunning video from a sub 30fps play rate in a 480 x 272 resolution? Hyperbole of the press release aside, we're still looking forward to a hands-on at CTIA next week.
Momenta necklace captures life's best, worst moments
Oh sure, there's a multitude of head-mounted cameras out there for devout lifebloggers to snap up and wear, but we're guessing the world looks a bit different when you're scaring everyone off while waltzing down the street. Granted, the Momenta necklace isn't a whole lot more attractive, but at least it's a touch less noticeable. This concept would reportedly capture anything and everything that happened in front of the wearer, and when it detects a sudden jump in heart rate, it'll log everything that happened five minutes prior and continue rolling until you tell it to halt. Kind of freaky, sure, but capturing the faces of folks who see you wearing this thing for the first time would undoubtedly be worth the price of admission.[Via Tech Digest]
Show floor video: El Gato HD hardware and EyeTV 3
While we wait for Apple to cram a TV tuner or cable card into the Apple TV (don't hold your breath-- seriously), El Gato continues to pump out some nice hardware/software tools for watching the tube on your Mac. One thing that caught my eye: you can start distributing recorded live video around your house 30 seconds or so after the EyeTV starts recording a show. I remember when we had to rig some VLC nonsense together to get livestreaming on a remote machine with the old EyeTV. Oh, and they've apparently added something very similar to the Season Pass feature on Tivo, which is quite cool.Check out a nice demo after the jump.
Ajoka makes belt buckle, crams a video camera in it
It's not often that we see a pair of new wearable PVRs within the span of 24 hours, but sure enough, Ajoka is launching its Belt Buckle DVR just after we peeked the VIEVU PVR-PRO. 'Course, we're fairly certain this one's arriving a little late to be an official member of the "multifaceted belt buckle" fad, but with all the utility crammed into this one, it's got a fair shot at gaining traction, regardless. As for specs, this hidden camera can record video at a paltry 176 x 144 resolution, and considering that no built-in memory is included, you better bring your own SD card. Also, you can transfer captures and recharge the battery via the USB port, but sadly, no price is disclosed.
Gefen's CES lineup: switchers, PVRs, scalers, cables and more
We've seen Gefen get all riled up and unleash a barrage of new kit all at once, and sure enough, the outfit is doing just that once more. For starters, we've got the TV Switcher, which enables consumers to connect and access four HDMI sources from a single HDTV. Next up is the TV Splitter, which allows users to channel a single HDMI source to four displays -- and yeah, both of the aforementioned units play nice with HDMI v1.3a. Moving right along, we've got a pair of updates to the PVR lineup; the HD PVR records in MPEG4 and can store material on the 80GB HDD or an SD card, while the SD PVR records content onto USB storage devices. Over on the sound side, the Gefen TV Audio Processor takes a single HDMI source and delivers it to a display and an external audio receiver; furthermore, it reportedly "decodes the HDMI signal to provide an audio signal along with six discrete RCA connectors." Lastly, the firm is doling out v1.3 / Simplay HD-certified HDMI cables in 6-, 10- and 15-foot lengths, but unfortunately, it didn't bother handing out price tags for any of the goods here.
Player vs Radio: the volume is fading
DJ Krelo is one of the owners of Player vs Radio, and she handles both the administrative end and personnel support. Even though NCsoft's CoX Meet & Greet was fairly high-energy, she was kind enough to take some time out of her event coverage to give us an interview about PvR, its history, and what it's looking forward to in the future.PvR is a cross-MMO station -- meaning that they don't limit themselves to the City of Heroes and City of Villains properties, but broadcast within a wide range of MMO titles such as Vanguard, World of Warcraft, and Second Life -- and their music rotation is based on player requests. DJ Krelo herself is focused on Gothic, Industrial, Trance, Techno, and Synth-Pop, but every DJ has their own range of music they play. DJ Krelo has been broadcasting for almost two years -- starting with a former station, and moving to PvR after they opened a little over a year ago -- while PvR itself has been broadcasting continuously since they started, save for a brief hiatus during the RIAA royalties debacle.
TiVo coming to PC via Nero software
TiVo has just announced an agreement with multimedia software provider Nero AG that will bring its familiar interface and feature set to the PC. According to the joint announcement made today, Nero will embed the TiVo experience in its next generation of software, allowing the millions of us who rely on USB dongles for our TV to finally join the exclusive realm of Series1, 2, and 3 owners. Plus, as Zatz Not Funny! points out, Nero's international presence should help spread TiVo to the far corners of the Earth like some digital Happy Meal. Hopefully this new PC timeshifting solution -- release window: unknown -- will also convince other purveyors of home theater-only hardware-based services to finally bring their wares to the desktop. Yes, we're looking at you, Sling.[Thanks, Dennis C.]
Babel TV set-top-box weds Freeview, PVR, and internet
We've never been much for using one's television as their primary web surfing display -- after all, how do you expect to get any work done with last week's episode of The Office drawing your attention away from that oh-so-critical PowerPoint -- but for those who'd enjoy access every now and then without having to attach a dedicated computer, Babel TV could be just the thing. Available solely in the UK, this multifaceted set-top-box enables users to tune into and record Freeview broadcasts, stream video clips / programming from the web and even make VoIP calls. Furthermore, the box is "managed remotely by Babel TV's technical team," and copies of all your files can be automatically stored at a secure location (for a price, we presume). Reportedly, the unit should be available early next month for £295 ($602), and yes, that does include a wireless keyboard and pointer to keep you firmly planted on the sofa.[Via TechDigest]
Next firmware update to improve music playback -- but how?
Brier Dudley from The Seattle Times is loving the PS3. Not as a games machine, but as an affordable media center. At $399, the upcoming 40GB PS3 will be one of the most affordable and most advanced Blu-ray players around. With its ability to play music, showcase photos, display movies, and more, the PS3 has a great chance of targeting the media savvy with its newer, cheaper model.Sony will continue to expand upon the media functions of the PS3. According to the report, "within a month, a software upgrade will improve the PS3's interface for music stored and played through the system." However, we don't have any further specifics. Patrick Seybold from SCEA emphasizes that "we haven't made any specific announcements on upcoming firmware." Could enhanced music be a part of the now-mystical 2.0 firmware update? It will be interesting to see what Sony plans to offer the media hungry in America. While Europe gets PVR capabilities, America has been left out. But, it appears that something will be in the works soon. "Some of that same functionality are things that we're working on here," Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America, told the newspaper. [Via Joystiq]
