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Premium cable TV comes to XBMC, GoodPlayer and more via InfiniTV 4 tuner

Ben Drawbaugh — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:47:00 EST

In the olden days of CableCARD circa 2004, only a select few devices and software could leverage the card's power to watch premium cable TV, but not today. Today just about any adventurous dev can take advantage of the fact that an OCUR is a network tuner and access premium cable TV -- as long as the content is marked Copy Freely, that is. The latest to unleash that power is XBMC which also helps extend the functionality to iOS via GoodPlayer and Buzz Player as well as any UPnP client with the help of a Serviio media server. Essentially this custom code is acting as a middleman, but fulfilling the dream that any software could directly control and stream from a CableCARD tuner like the InfiniTV 4 is within reach. The only drawback left is that even with the current sale price of the InfiniTV 4 at $199, it still isn't as low as the cost of entry of something like a ClearQAM tuner.

Premium cable TV comes to XBMC, GoodPlayer and more via InfiniTV 4 tuner originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaCie's LaPlug turns your USB HDD into a network storage device, for LaPrice of $75 (video)

Amar Toor — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:45:00 EST

LaCie has always taken an understated approach to its lineup of boxy network storage devices, and the LaPlug is no different. With this little guy sitting in your living room, you can wirelessly share and access data across your home network, while streaming USB drive-stored multimedia content to any UPnP/DLNA-certified devices, including the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or any compatible smartphones and tablets. With a quartet of USB 2.0 ports, along with gigabit ethernet and WiFi b/g/n capabilities, the LaPlug also allows you to back up your files in a centralized and remotely accessible location. You can grab one now for $75 at the source link below, or breeze past the break for more details in the full PR and accompanying video.

Continue reading LaCie's LaPlug turns your USB HDD into a network storage device, for LaPrice of $75 (video)

LaCie's LaPlug turns your USB HDD into a network storage device, for LaPrice of $75 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DirecTV is field testing RVU, will offer satellite TV without individual receivers in October

Richard Lawler — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:47:00 EST

We've been waiting since 2009 for the RVU Alliance to deliver on its promise of TV service controlled by a main server that streams content to any screen in the home without requiring any set-top boxes and it appears DirecTV is ready to make it so. A press release issued today indicates it has started field trials of the HR34 RVU server that will be the keystone in its Home Media Center, and plans to roll the service out nationwide in October. If you want to know when to start buying HDTVs like the Samsung D6000 series, it also mentions RVU certification for those and DirecTV's own C30 Home Media Clients (check out a video demo here) is expected to be finalized in June. There's been some delays but if you were also hoping that 2011 would be the year we can get rid of the cable box, the progress is looking very promising.

[Thanks, Tyler]

Continue reading DirecTV is field testing RVU, will offer satellite TV without individual receivers in October

DirecTV is field testing RVU, will offer satellite TV without individual receivers in October originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DoubleTwist upgrade features AirPlay support for more Apple / Android miscegenation

Richard Lawler — Sun, 08 May 2011 12:21:00 EST

Add another notch to DoubleTwist's Apple ecosystem integration belt, now that its Android app has added AirPlay streaming to the list of features. As of version 1.4 it will stream music, videos or pictures to the Apple TV or other compatible devices while also claiming beta support for Sonos hardware. The DoubleTwist player is free, but using AirPlay means purchasing the $4.99 AirSync add-on that also enables wireless sync with your media library (iTunes) and streaming to DLNA or uPnP compatible devices. Twonky Mobile is a free alternative that's also AirPlay-compatible but without the tight iTunes integration; you can check them both out in the market.

DoubleTwist upgrade features AirPlay support for more Apple / Android miscegenation originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 May 2011 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos Arnova is ready to exterminate your clock radio, your Squeezebox too

Tim Stevens — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 23:34:00 EST

The consumer electronics company with the phlegmatic name has just dropped its latest device on us, and for once it isn't a tablet or some form of PMP. It's the Archos Arnova, a fancy clock radio, with a 3.5-inch touchscreen in the middle plus the ability to connect to 12,000 streaming radio stations and 1,500 "web TV" channels too. If that's not enough you can play media directly from an SD card or pull it over your local network via uPNP. Why, you can even view pictures on there, if you don't mind squinting. What you can't do is know how much money to save or when you'll need to save it by if you're looking to buy one, as Archos hasn't seen fit to tell us that just yet.

Gallery: Archos Arnova

[Thanks, Joshua]

Archos Arnova is ready to exterminate your clock radio, your Squeezebox too originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 23:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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QNAP's new Turbo NAS line features iOS streaming via WiFi, 3G

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:51:00 EST

If you're really serious about flooding your home and / or workspace with your legally obtained digital movies and music -- and we mean, really serious -- QNAP's Turbo NAS is clearly worth a good look. The company's latest addition to the family (known as the TS-x12 line) sports a Marvell 1.2GHz CPU, 256MB of RAM, gigabit Ethernet ports, and the RAID and iSCSI support of its predecessors. Additionally, the TS-112 (single drive), TS-212 (dual drive) and TS-412 (you guessed it, four drives) include iOS WiFi and 3G streaming for your various Apple devices -- and it plays nicely with your PS3 and Xbox 360 via UPnP. Look for these bad boys this month, for a price to be announced. PR after the break.

Continue reading QNAP's new Turbo NAS line features iOS streaming via WiFi, 3G

QNAP's new Turbo NAS line features iOS streaming via WiFi, 3G originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mi Casa Verde Vera review: Home automation, simplified

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:49:00 EST

Home automation and jetpacks are surprisingly similar in that both of these space-age technologies have, for decades, been over promised and under delivered. Who here wouldn't love to tap a single button when exiting the house to activate the alarm, shut off the lights in the kids' rooms, lower the thermostat, and lock all the doors? That's the convenience, the promise left unfilled as we say goodbye to 2010. We live on a planet that still requires humans to manually close the blinds at the end of the day and flip on a light switch some 90 years since the commercial introduction of the incandescent light bulb. How primitive. And it's downright criminal in ecological and financial terms that we still can't easily monitor and control the power usage in our homes let alone the trickle of wattage vampired off the individual electrical sockets feeding our greedy horde of household electronics.

How is this possible given all the advances we've seen? Wireless and sensor technology has advanced far beyond what's required to automate a home. Just look at smartphones, for example, that now ship standard with 3G (and even 4G) data, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS radios in addition to sensors for motion, temperature, moisture, proximity, and even direction. We don't have the answer to home automation's dilemma -- to dig into that topic we'd require a few thousand more words, at least. All we know for sure is that the biggie consumer electronics companies are reluctant to sort it out. As such, dozens of small companies are left to deal with a mess created by an industry incapable of coalescing around a set of interoperable home automation standards.

One such company is Mi Casa Verde. A tiny startup that launched its linux-based Vera home automation server back in 2008 with a renewed promise to make home automation setup and control as easy for novices as it is robust for techies and enthusiasts. We've been using a recently launched second generation Vera 2 for a few weeks now. Sure, we haven't quite reached one-button nirvana, but as home automation newbies we're proud to say that we've automated a few helpful in-home lighting situations while skirting the clutches of the Dark Angel sequestered within our fuse box. Better yet, we can control it all from an iPhone -- including the Christmas tree. Click through to see how we did it.

Gallery: Mi Casa Verde Vera Review

Continue reading Mi Casa Verde Vera review: Home automation, simplified

Mi Casa Verde Vera review: Home automation, simplified originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Western Digital stuffs 1TB HDD into Live Hub networked media streamer

Darren Murph — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:54:00 EST

WD's no stranger to the media streaming game, but things apparently just got serious. Gone is the My Book-esque design that has been used on all of the units prior, and in is a sleeker, sexier box that's quite clearly designed to slip right on top of your existing cable set-top. The WD TV Live Hub is easily Western Digital's most feature-packed streamer yet, with a 1TB HDD within for storing who knows what locally. There's also an Ethernet socket for pulling down content via the web or your local network, and a pair of USB ports allow for storage expansion or transfers. Naturally, it'll handle Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Blockbuster on Demand and UPnP / DLNA streaming to your favorite game console, but the lack of inbuilt WiFi (it's available via an optional adapter) puts a mild damper on an otherwise fantastic sounding product. It's available immediately around the globe, with Americans able to snag one for $199.99 directly from WD or at Best Buy.

Update: Looks as if Desktop Review has a lengthy review on this guy, along with a slew of user interface shots. The botto line? It's the best player yet from the company, though the price tag did present a bit of sadness. Hit it up for the full skinny.

Gallery: WD TV Live Hub media center

Continue reading Western Digital stuffs 1TB HDD into Live Hub networked media streamer

Western Digital stuffs 1TB HDD into Live Hub networked media streamer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola's mysterious Olympus MB860 gets certified for Bluetooth, UPnP and dual-band WiFi

Sean Hollister — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:27:00 EST

What is the Motorola MB860? It's hard to say for sure, but it could be one of the infamous Tegra 2 tablets that Motorola's been allegedly working on. Ameblo recently discovered that the MB860 had been certified for Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, and then noticed that the UPnP Forum had attached a curious codename -- Olympus -- to the device. This is where things get fairly fuzzy, but Android and Me recently reported that the Olympus was one of two Motorola tablets in testing -- though it may not be the Stingray, as that supposed 10-inch device has an alphanumeric designation of its own: MZ600. For those of you inspired to go sluthing on your own, we've got a couple final notes. First, the Bluetooth SIG has already changed its MB860 filing to read BT0001, according to Google's cache. Second, though the WiFi interoperability certificate above reads "smartphone," that's not necessarily true -- according to the Wi-Fi Alliance, Samsung's Galaxy Tab is a "phone" as well.

Motorola's mysterious Olympus MB860 gets certified for Bluetooth, UPnP and dual-band WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CiragoTV platinum CMC3000 network multimedia center announced to join set top box masses

Ben Bowers — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:50:00 EST

Not satisfied with the current rat pack of set top media players flooding the market like the Popbox, Boxee Box, AppleTV, or WD Elements Play? Then perhaps the CiragoTV platinum CMC3000 might tickle your fancy. Yes it lacks brand name recognition, but it's no slouch in the specs department and supports all manner of codecs, 1080p playback, UPnP networking, timeshift recording, and even includes a built-in NAS with a BitTorrent client. Connectivity wise, the box features an HDMi output, two USB ports for tacking on additional storage, and a media card reader that also takes MemorySticks for you die-hard Sony fans. Though it's sold in 500GB for $229, considering the 1TB sizes is only $249, we're not sure who'd balk at coughing up an additional $20 for double the storage. Remember that's twice the space for Voltron folks. For more details watch the PR video after the break.

Continue reading CiragoTV platinum CMC3000 network multimedia center announced to join set top box masses

CiragoTV platinum CMC3000 network multimedia center announced to join set top box masses originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netgear announces NeoTV 550 & 350 HD Media Players plus other networking goodies

Ben Bowers — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:39:00 EST

This week Netgear made a battery of new product announcements related to home entertainment and Powerline networking. On the media side, the NeoTV 550 & 350 HD players look a lot like last year's Digital Entertainer Elite, minus the 500GB of internal storage and access to VOD services like CinemaNow. Both are however capable of playing a robust list of codecs in full HD from a variety of attached sources like USB, eSATA (in the case of the 550) or SD storage, as well as streaming content from UPnP, DLNA or WMP11 networks. The 550 adds in support for external Blu-ray drives and BD-Live too, all for $219, which should appeal any of the poor souls with an unused standalone drive.

Three new Powerline kits -- AV 200, AV 500, and AV+ 500 -- were also announced to help consumers avoid the pain of stringing Ethernet in every direction. The entry level AV 200 appears to improve on the previous HDXB101 kit by offering the same theoretical 200mbps in addition to push button security enhancements and greener power consumption. The AV 500 kit provides the same and ramps the networking speeds to up to -- you guessed it -- 500mbps, while the "+" version throws in a pass-through filtered AC socket to avoid sacrificing precious outlets. Priced all below $200, every kit will available be by mid November for all the fall home networking your heart could desire. Peep the galleries and PR below for further details.

Gallery: Netgear NeoTV 550 & 350 HD

Gallery: Netgear Powerline AV 200, AV 500, and AV +500

Continue reading Netgear announces NeoTV 550 & 350 HD Media Players plus other networking goodies

Netgear announces NeoTV 550 & 350 HD Media Players plus other networking goodies originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer launches clear.fi on Revo family of multimedia devices

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 27 May 2010 07:33:00 EST

Content is king. That's a given in a world now dominated by me-too devices. That's why Acer is launching clear.fi, software meant to ease the process of sharing and playing your media -- be it pictures, recorded TV, eBooks and music -- over a variety of devices including Acer notebooks, desktops and smartphones connected to your home network. Content can be stored centrally and then easily distributed to any compatible device via the clear.fi console. Acer's Revo family sits at the heart of the clear.fi network, a suite of devices that includes the Revo multimedia center, RevoView media player, and RevoCenter home storage appliance.

The Revo all-in-one media center (pictured) comes packing a funky RevoPad wireless controller with touch-sensitive backlit QWERTY keyboard that turns into a multi-gesture touchpad with a click. Sorry, no specs yet on that. The RevoView is a set-top media player that plugs into the TV and home theater sound system. It can play content from USB, hard disk, flash cards, optical disk, or UPnP compatible devices. It also features a hard drive that can be swapped with Aspire M Series desktop PCs and the Acer RevoCenter -- a compact NAS supporting UPnP streaming and up to four hot-swappable SATA disks. Check the press release and pics of the RevoPad and RevoView after the break.

Continue reading Acer launches clear.fi on Revo family of multimedia devices

Acer launches clear.fi on Revo family of multimedia devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer's Android-powered Stream gets official, gets handled, lives up to its name with DLNA support (video)

Tim Stevens — Thu, 27 May 2010 07:02:00 EST

If for some reason none of the current Android slates have tickled your fancy, not the Nexus One nor the Droid Incredible nor even the Evo, maybe Acer's Stream is for you. It sports Nexus One-like specs, with a 3.7-inch AMOLED screen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and 512MB of RAM. Its five megapixel camera can record 720p video and it can also play back content at the same resolution with support for Xvid, WMV HD, and others. There's an HDMI port on-board in case you want to bring that content to the big(ger) screen, and it'll even act as a DLNA and UPnP streamer on WiFi, with dedicated play/pause, fast-forward, and rewind buttons. This could be the most media-friendly Android smartphone we've yet seen, and that it's already made its way into the hands of a previewer (as shown in the favoloso video after the break) and has passed FCC scrutineering is a very, very good sign that this could be serving up your home media collection soon.

[Thanks, Valero]

Continue reading Acer's Android-powered Stream gets official, gets handled, lives up to its name with DLNA support (video)

Acer's Android-powered Stream gets official, gets handled, lives up to its name with DLNA support (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaCie plays media server, NAS cards with Network Space MAX

Darren Murph — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:16:00 EST

No monkeys here, but LaCie's latest is still worth toying around with -- particularly if you've been yearning for a way to better serve media around your home and / or backup those all-important Match.com email confirmations. The Network Space MAX (which can also be used as a USB 2.0 drive when away from the CAT5) is predictably designed by Neil Poulton, and while it'll likely attract an unhealthy amount of dust and fingerprints, the internals are what really matters. LaCie's shipping these with at least 2TB of space, but with two 3.5-inch SATA HDD slots, you can easily go the 4TB route with a couple of these. RAID 1 and RAID 0 setups are supported, giving the whimsical among us a pair of opportunities to get our lives backed up in case of disaster. Oh, and there's also inbuilt UPnP / DLNA support, which makes it easy for your PS3, Xbox 360 or Popcorn Hour box to tap into whatever media collection you happen to store here. Check it sooner than you can whisk yourself around and belt out a Lady Gaga lyric for $279.99 and up.

Gallery: LaCie Network Space MAX

Continue reading LaCie plays media server, NAS cards with Network Space MAX

LaCie plays media server, NAS cards with Network Space MAX originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grace Digital Allegro review

Sean Hollister — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:05:00 EST

Dedicated internet radios have always been niche products; when you can get all the same content on your desktop, laptop or even smartphone, it's hard to see the point of relying on WiFi. Without a traditional FM antenna, ~~they're~~ many are chained to your network -- if not your wall -- and the lack of keyboard input for setup and channel search furthers their plight. Even so, there must be something to it, as this gadget category refuses to die, so we thought we'd give one promising newcomer a good, thorough try. The Grace Digital Allegro caught our attention with a packed feature list (including Pandora) and a clean, mobile design. Did it enthrall or disappoint? Find out after the break.

Gallery: Grace Digital Allegro WiFi Radio hands-on

Continue reading Grace Digital Allegro review

Grace Digital Allegro review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayOn wants you to PayOn, jumping into Premium price class on May 15

Vlad Savov — Thu, 06 May 2010 05:51:00 EST

This world needs a better class of network streamer, and PlayOn wants to give it to you. In exchange for more greenbacks, of course. The media server software -- known for bringing Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, and a bunch of other online video repositories to networked devices within the home -- is making the move up in price class from its current one-off $20 fee to a $39.99 upfront charge followed by annual recurring payments of $19.99. How does MediaMall justify such a splurge? It'll be offering a new Comedy Central channel, along with NHL, TV.com and PBS content in an ongoing effort to expand its library of media sources. If the extra choice doesn't sound like the kind of thing you'd want to pony up two Hamiltons for every year, you've got until the 15th to grab the Basic version, which will continue to be supported without further fees, but won't be available to new subscribers after that cutoff date. So, better get decidin' soon.

PlayOn wants you to PayOn, jumping into Premium price class on May 15 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 05:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC requests comments about the future of CableCARD and AllVid

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:31:00 EST

Who knew that our love for all things technology would lead to us learning about the executive branch of the Federal Government? We sure didn't. We did learn that in order to change the rules, the FCC has to issue a Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making in order to give everyone involved a chance to have their opinions heard. Well the cable industry and others are officially on the clock as they now have 30 days from yesterday to let the FCC know how they feel about the new rules that are supposed to help fix CableCARD (and another 15 for responses). On the same day the FCC issues a Notice of Inquiry about CableCARD's eventual replacement to which comments will be accepted for 60 days (responses have another 30 after that). The replacement has a new nickname too, AllVid, but other than that it seems everything is up for discussion. In fact the FCC is trying to determine just about everything, but it does believe that industry standards already in place should be required like DLNA and UPnP. Other questions remain though, like how long after the AllVid devices are deployed should the CableCARD mandates stay in effect? One other interesting note in the 28 page PDF is that the FCC thinks that either a dual tuner set-back box would work, or a 6 tuner version for the whole house -- or some combination. At this point it is all speculation but if you want to take an active role in the process download the PDFs yourself and get your comments in before its too late.

FCC requests comments about the future of CableCARD and AllVid originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo, Sony and others to FCC: 'gateways' should replace CableCARD

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:56:00 EST

All the comments to the FCC in response to the call for ideas to replace the failed CableCARD idea were due this week so we spent a little time reading a few of them and found some overwhelming trends. Everyone seems to applaud the death of CableCARD and is pushing for an end to the associated mandates as well as those related to 1394. Neither of these two ideas worked out as planned as is evident by the fact that most consumers don't use them. What's more interesting though is the recommendations and none were as detailed and thought out as TiVo's -- although we admit we didn't read them all. The idea TiVo and others are getting behind is what might be known as a gateway, which we envision would look a lot like a cable modem. The key here is that while various gateways would be available depending on the medium your preferred provider used (coax, satellite, fiber), they'd all share a common interface on the consumer side and as you might expect this common interface would be of the IP variety with standard internet protocols like HTTP and SSL on top of it.

Continue reading TiVo, Sony and others to FCC: 'gateways' should replace CableCARD

TiVo, Sony and others to FCC: 'gateways' should replace CableCARD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaCie's Network Space 2 will assimilate your data, resistance is futile

Tim Stevens — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:04:00 EST

It's not as compellingly styled as the Starck Mobile Hard Drive, nor as ostentatious as the Golden Disk; in fact the Network Space 2 is visually identical to the earlier Network Space, featuring improvements where it counts: on the inside. The Network Space 2 can act as either an external drive over USB or as a NAS, with UPnP, DLNA, and iTunes compliance for media streaming -- but that's old hat. New is integrated torrent support for all of your non-copyrighted download needs and some enhanced eco-friendly tweaks, like the ability to power itself down at certain times of the day then wake-on-LAN when needed. Storage is still capped at 1TB and there's no RAID in here to protect your infos, but we're not expecting this one to stray too far from its predecessor's $160 mark when released before the end of the year.

Gallery: LaCie Network Space 2

Continue reading LaCie's Network Space 2 will assimilate your data, resistance is futile

Filed under: Software

LaCie's Network Space 2 will assimilate your data, resistance is futile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Macrovision re-invents itself as Rovi, kicks off with new guide "Liquid"

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:17:00 EST

Hold on to your hats folks because the company that we love to hate is turning over a new leaf by kicking off its old DRM shoes and leveraging its acquisition of Gemstar in a big way. What we mean is that this is the first time in the history of Macrovision that we can remember being excited about an announcement; and boy does it make perfect sense that it comes with a new company name. Rovi's first consumer product should be available in various HDTVs next year, and among the new jazzed up looking guide you can expect a full DLNA client that is designed to be a single access point for all of your content. This includes internet sourced content like Slacker radio, YouTube XL, BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand, and CinemaNow; as well as anything you might have on your PC like pictures, music and even videos. Add in a little social networking from sites such as Flixster and we might have ourselves a new way to watch TV. No word yet on what new TVs will feature Liquid, but we'd expect to hear more at CES '10. The full release is after the jump.

Gallery: Rovi's Liquid guide

Continue reading Macrovision re-invents itself as Rovi, kicks off with new guide "Liquid"

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Macrovision re-invents itself as Rovi, kicks off with new guide "Liquid" originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Macrovision re-invents itself as Rovi, kicks off with new guide "Liquid"

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:17:00 EST

Gallery: Rovi's Liquid guide

Continue reading Macrovision re-invents itself as Rovi, kicks off with new guide "Liquid"

Filed under: Industry, DVRs, Set-top boxes, Tuners

Macrovision re-invents itself as Rovi, kicks off with new guide "Liquid" originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mvix Ultio "It Plays All" HD media streamer debuts in the U.S. July 6 for $179

Richard Lawler — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:31:00 EST

We'd heard rumors Mvix USA would be rolling out an upgraded 1080p capable media box to rival the earlier MvixPVR and here it is. Dubbed the Ultio, it has a list of supported codecs and containers that rivals the new Popcorn Hour C-200 in its thoroughness -- DivX(R) (3/4/5/6), Xvid, AVC-HD, MPEG 1/2/4, WMV-9, ASF(WMV9), MKV, DVD(IFO, VOB), ISO, MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG, FLAC, AC3 -- it's all here, with a slightly awkward Swiss Army knife-themed tagline to boot. The $169 price tag is sans-3.5-inch SATA HDD, though you can add one for $79 (500GB) $90 (1TB) or $139 (1.5TB). Of course network streaming is a part of the package, with Mvix's usual suite of Samba / UPnP / BitTorrent (mentioning compatibility with PlayOn and Tversity specifically to get all your Netflix, YouTube and other streaming sources to TV) via Ethernet or optional Wireless-N dongle. It's up for pre-orders now, take a close look at the specs and pics then get in line before they start shipping July 6.

Gallery: Mvix Ultio

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Mvix Ultio "It Plays All" HD media streamer debuts in the U.S. July 6 for $179 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mvix Ultio "It Plays All" HD media streamer debuts in the U.S. July 6 for $179

Richard Lawler — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:31:00 EST

Gallery: Mvix Ultio

Filed under: Media streamers, Set-top boxes

Mvix Ultio "It Plays All" HD media streamer debuts in the U.S. July 6 for $179 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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mCubed's RipNAS Statement now available in Europe

Darren Murph — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:21:00 EST

mCubed's RipNAS Statement may be unique, but it isn't apt to be widely adopted -- at least not with price points like this. Hailed as the first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device, the product is also available in a traditional HDD form, though both handle automatic ripping, NAS duties and media streaming. Within, you'll find a dual-core Atom CPU, gigabit Ethernet, a TEAC DVD drive, four USB 2.0 sockets and a fanless design. The pain? €1,795 ($2,500) for the 3TB HDD version, or €3,295 ($4,590) for the 500GB SSD model. If you're unfazed by sticker shock, you can pick yours up right now over in Europe.

Gallery: mCubed's RipNAS Statement now available in Europe

Filed under: Media streamers, Others

mCubed's RipNAS Statement now available in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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mCubed's RipNAS Statement now available in Europe

Darren Murph — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:21:00 EST

Gallery: mCubed's RipNAS Statement now available in Europe

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage

mCubed's RipNAS Statement now available in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 May 2009 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is the future of Windows Media Center with Windows Home Server?

Ben Drawbaugh — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:00:00 EST

With all the bad news around Windows Media Center this week, many enthusiasts are wondering about the future of Media Center. To say that the past few years have had a few disappointments is an understatement, especially when you think back to the way CableCARD support was implemented and how poorly the Extenders have been supported. Although things look pretty grim for our preferred DVR platform, we're optimistic that things are actually about to get really good in the next year thanks to Windows 7 and some unannounced features and products. Part of the reason we think this is because over the years we've been watching Microsoft develop products that have taken years to catch on and gain dominance. But lets be honest, we're not on the inside and most of what we think will happen is based on rumors and conjecture. With that being said, we've convinced ourselves that the future of Media Center, and the key to wider adoption that we think it deserves, is with Windows Home Server.

Continue reading Is the future of Windows Media Center with Windows Home Server?

Filed under: Features, Media PCs, Media streamers

Is the future of Windows Media Center with Windows Home Server? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RipNAS Statement: world's first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device

Darren Murph — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:29:00 EST

We'll be perfectly honest with you -- the Atom-powered RipNAS definitely caught our interest when it launched with practically no major competitors back in February. Now, the RipNAS family has grown by two with the introduction of the Statement SSD and Statement HDD. We're told that the former is the world's first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device, and we've absolutely no reason to believe otherwise. The totally silent, all-silver box is based on the Windows Home Server OS and handles a cornucopia of tasks: CD ripping, media streaming and networked file storage. Internal specifications include a dual-core Atom CPU, 2GB of RAM and four USB 2.0 ports. The Statement SSD arrives in a 500GB configuration (2 x 250GB SSDs), while the Statement HDD holds 3TB by way of two 1.5TB drives; mum's the word on pricing, but don't bank on 'em being cheap.

Filed under: Media streamers, Others

RipNAS Statement: world's first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 May 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RipNAS Statement: world's first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device

Darren Murph — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage

RipNAS Statement: world's first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 May 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DivX fills in the gaps and adds MKV support to Windows 7

Ben Drawbaugh — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:47:00 EST

Windows 7 comes with many new under the hood enhancements that address some sore spots for Media Center fans, but we don't think any hurt as much as the lack of native codec support. The most popular file format online today is without a doubt MKV, but many don't understand that it isn't a codec at all, but instead a container. In fact it's a container that can hold just about any combination of video and audio, but most notably H.264 video and AC3 audio. Now the kicker in Windows 7 is that although it natively supports H.264 and AC3, it still can't play MKV files. Up until now enthusiasts have been installing the Haali splitter on the Windows 7 Beta, which has kinda worked. We say kinda, because for whatever reason the Haali Media Splitter exposes the H.264 stream in an MKV file as AVC1 and not H.264. What this means is that Windows doesn't realize it can decode the content natively and when you try to play one of these files on an Extender -- for example -- the video is unnecessarily transcoded. So now that you understand the problem, it appears DivX has the solution. The latest DivX Tech Preview features a Media Foundation -- the replacement for DirectShow in 7 -- component that will demux MKV files and allow the video and audio streams to be decoded with native Windows 7 codecs. Well, that's the theory anyways, we'll be following the comments closely to see how this turns out in practice.

Filed under: Industry, Media PCs, Media streamers

DivX fills in the gaps and adds MKV support to Windows 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 May 2009 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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mCubed's Atom-powered RipNAS combines CD ripper with NAS drive

Darren Murph — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:39:00 EST

Not that we haven't seen Atom-based NAS devices before, but we've yet to see one with an integrated optical drive. Looking to serve a unique niche that still hasn't transferred that CD collection to HDD, the RipNAS combines an audio CD ripper with oodles of network-accessible storage space, and as if that wasn't enough, there's also media streaming abilities baked in. The whole unit is fanless in nature and requires no external keyboard / PC in order to rip files to your favorite lossless format, retrieve all associated metadata and automatically re-rip tracks if errors are detected. Initially, the box is being served with 640GB of internal storage space along with a number of USB ports for external expansion. Sadly, such a specialized box won't run you cheap, with the sticker hovering around €1,095 ($1,415) right now in Europe.

Filed under: Storage

mCubed's Atom-powered RipNAS combines CD ripper with NAS drive originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Linksys announces Media Hub NAS

Nilay Patel — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:01:00 EST

We knew Cisco would be throwing down in the home media space, and it's coming out in force, supplementing that sexy Wireless Home Audio system with the web-enabled Media Hub NAS. Both the $400 500GB NMH405 and $430 NMH410 (1TB) feature a front-panel LCD and card reader, while the $350 NMH305 (500GB) does away with such frills. All three models come with a single drive, but can be expanded with a second unit later. The web interface actually looks super-slick, with file system and media playback functionality available to any web browser. Of course, you can also stream to any UPnP AV / DLNA device, and there's also iTunes streaming if you roll like that. Not a bad little package, if you're in the market -- we'll see how that interface runs in person later this week.

Filed under: Storage, Networking

Linksys announces Media Hub NAS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corel WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray Update Pack ready for download

Darren Murph — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:36:00 EST

Ooh, goodie! A full five months after Corel released its WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray application, the first major update pack has arrived. The unimaginatively named WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray Update Pack checks in at just under 50MB and size and promises to resolve the "Enable S/PDIF Out" / "HDMI output to speaker" issues while expanding the list of compatible commercial titles and enhancing compatibility for a slew of VGA chipsets within Windows Vista / XP. There's no direct mention of BD-Live support, but for those who purchased the original, why not give the update a go and report back?

[Thanks, Tyler]

Filed under: Misc, Blu-ray

Corel WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray Update Pack ready for download originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sans Digital offers up AccuNAS AN2L 2-bay NAS enclosure

Darren Murph — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:51:00 EST

Sans Digital caught our eyes earlier this month with a simple, albeit remarkably nifty CF to SATA adapter, and now it's doing so again with a 2-bay NAS enclosure. The AccuNAS AN2L is a RAID 0/1 chassis that supports file sharing in Windows, OS X and Linux, and it also enables playback of files via a PS3 / Xbox 360 or any other UPnP / DLNA-certified device. You'll also find that this thing ~~doubles~~ triples as an iTunes music server and BitTorrent client, which makes it all the more tempting, does it not? No word on pricing at the moment, but if you're strangely uncomfortable with loading in your own HDDs, the outfit will be selling these with 500GB to 2TB pre-installed for an undisclosed premium.

Filed under: Storage

Sans Digital offers up AccuNAS AN2L 2-bay NAS enclosure originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Media Server brings PC-based content to your TV

Darren Murph — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:34:00 EST

As Google continues to dabble in more and more areas, we suppose it's not too shocking to see it dipping its toes in the blossoming media streaming realm. Available now for Windows-based PCs (sorry, Mac / Linux users), Google Media Server "uses Google Desktop technology such as Desktop gadgets for the administration tool and Google Desktop Search to locate media files," after which it broadcasts said content onto your television via any UPnP-enabled device (you know, like a PlayStation 3). Once connected, users can easily access multimedia files stored on their PC, view Picasa web albums and play back YouTube videos. Give it a go and see how it stacks up.

[Via Yahoo / InformationWeek]

Filed under: Media streamers, Others

Google Media Server brings PC-based content to your TV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conceptronic ships Grab 'n GO Full HD media streamer

Darren Murph — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:14:00 EST

In the quickly-growing realm of media streamers, there's at least a modicum of a chance that Conceptronic's oddly titled Grab 'n GO Full HD media player has slipped from the forefront of your mind. If so, the outfit is gunning to jar your memory by announcing that it is now shipping said piece to eager consumers. The release also noted that SAMBA and NFS clients have been added, and it's pretty much ready to "stream all digital media files to a TV in Full HD 1080p resolution." Furthermore, you'll find a gigabit Ethernet jack to handle all that data, and the built-in USB port enables external storage to be added locally. Sorry, still no price.

[Thanks, KJ]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Conceptronic ships Grab 'n GO Full HD media streamer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conceptronic ships Grab 'n GO Full HD media streamer

Darren Murph — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:10:00 EST

Filed under: Media streamers, Others

Conceptronic ships Grab 'n GO Full HD media streamer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray finally supports TrueHD and DTS-HD

Ben Drawbaugh — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:30:00 EST

The format that some say isn't done, just got one step closer for those with media PCs, as the latest version of WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray -- despite the new name, HD DVD is still supported -- finally includes support for the latest audio codecs Blu-ray has to offer. But improved audio support isn't all it has to offer, as BonusView is now supported, as well as support for the latest HD video camera codec, AVCHD. We had a chance to play around with it early, but unfortunately we weren't able to unlock TrueHD or DTS-HD -- still waiting to hear back from support. We also had a few HDCP errors despite the fact that PowerDVD plays just fine with our Radeon 2600HD video card. Either way, maybe you'll have better luck, and it'll only cost you $99 to find out -- or $69 if you are upgrading.

**Update** Thanks to support we got TrueHD and DTS-HD working by messing with the sound card settings, but the HDCP issue is still bugging us.

Filed under: Blu-ray, HD DVD, Media PCs

WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray finally supports TrueHD and DTS-HD originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Niveus unveils 2TB and 4TB Storage Server devices

Darren Murph — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:03:00 EST

It's been a blisteringly hot minute since Niveus saw fit to really revamp its aging Storage Server, but for whatever reason, today's the day all that changes. Yep, starting on Valentine's Day, users can grab hold of a 2TB Storage Server or 4TB Storage Server Pro, both of which include the firm's own Reflection technology for keeping data synced across multiple storage units. The duo also sports a rack-mountable design and includes automatic backup software, uPnP Media Server support, remote access via secure login, RAID 0 / 5 capabilities and a wicked high price tag. How high, you ask? Try $2,999 for the 2TB edition or $5,999 for the 4TB model. Yeah, that high.

Gallery: Niveus unveils 2TB and 4TB Storage Server devices

Niveus unveils 2TB and 4TB Storage Server devices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Niveus unveils 2TB and 4TB Storage Server devices

Darren Murph — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:03:00 EST

Gallery: Niveus unveils 2TB and 4TB Storage Server devices

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage

Niveus unveils 2TB and 4TB Storage Server devices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NewerTech intros Mac mini-lovin' miniStack NAS

Darren Murph — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:24:00 EST

As if there weren't enough options to cram underneath your Mac mini, here's yet another. NewerTech is introducing its miniStack NAS enclosure, which can be pre-configured with as much as 750GB of storage, and should fit quite well above or below your mini. The box sports Ethernet / USB 2.0 ports, PC and Mac support, Ximeta's NDAS 2011 network chipset, LED status lights, auto power on / off, and "intelligent thermal monitoring for minimal fan power consumption." For those interested in adding their own HDD, the device itself can be snagged for $79.99, while ordering with a hard drive already included will run you up to $329.99 depending on capacity.

Filed under: Storage

NewerTech intros Mac mini-lovin' miniStack NAS originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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