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Microsoft Media Center CEDIA predictions wrap-up
Now before you ask, the reason this post is so late has nothing to do with how off the mark we were with our predictions. It's just that we've been sick with the Flu around here and just now started to feel better -- guess all those long days on the show floor and late nights with the GT ACM are bad for the immune system. At any rate here is the wrap up of our Windows Media Center predictions as well as our overall impressions about Windows Media Center now that CEDIA is over. %Gallery-73742%
Curious about SDV and Copy Freely support in Windows 7 Media Center?
Look here, bub. Do you own an ATI Digital Cable Tuner? Has your Windows Media Center PC been waiting for a firmware update, since like, forever ago? If so, you should already know that SDV and Copy Freely support has been added to Windows 7 Media Center, which is the software coding equivalent of all of your dreams coming true. Of course, getting used to all this new functionality is a daunting task, but that's why Engadget HD is breaking things down to make it fit for digestion. Ready to get schooled? Well, head on over!
A first hand look at SDV and Copy Freely support in Windows 7 Media Center
If you have a ATI Digital Cable Tuner connected to your Windows Media Center then you've been waiting a long time for a firmware update. In fact, although updates were released fairly steadily during the first year of the product's life, the last update (1.17.1) was dated April 30th 2008. But this long delay has been particularly painful because this is the first update since CableLabs relaxed the DRM requirements last Summer -- it's also the very same update Microsoft has been touting since CEDIA 2008. So what took so long? We'd like to know, but one thing is for sure, CableLabs sure took its time in the approval process as the date on the firmware is May 1st 2009! Better late then never, so while you wait for the public release click through to find out what all the fuss is about.
Zune Marketplace HD videos will play on Extenders for Media Center
It is actually very sad that this is even news. What we mean is that normally we'd expect that two products from the same manufacture would work together, but not when it comes to Microsoft. Either way, Media Center fans with Extenders like the Xbox 360 and the deceased Linksys DMA2100 will be happy to know that HD content from the Zune Marketplace looks great in Media Center. You can see from the screen shot that although it works, it is less than ideal. What we're saying is, would it be so hard to add a little metadata or even an episode number? The other thing is that the content doesn't show up automatically, we had to actually add the location of the content to the video library, which means the TV show we downloaded don't show up with the rest of our recorded TV shows. The good news though is it that playback works as expected, meaning that fast forward, rewind and resume are all there -- but there is that annoying "buffering" message when you skip forward or back. Who knows, maybe sometime between now and the official launch of Windows 7 further interoperability will be added -- doubtful.
Engadget HD Podcast 155 - 09.15.2009
CEDIA is over so there no better time to wrap up the news than with the Engadget HD Podcast. If you love Media Center, you'll love this episode as we dedicate more than half the show to the topic. We talk new tuners, cost of admission, as well as what might still be announced between now and the official launch of Windows 7. Next up we hit our second favorite topic with Blu-ray's Managed Copy and other Blu-ray player hardware like thee 400 disc Blu-ray changer. We round out the show with a quick chat about HDMI over IP (not just CAT5), the Panasonic 3D demo, the NFL Redzone channel and finally we talk up our reader meetup plus a few reader questions.Get the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). p[RSS - AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.[RSS - MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator[Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace[MP3] Download the show (MP3).Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Steven Kim, Richard LawlerProducer: Trent WolbeProgram00:01:15 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 15400:03:25 - Video: Dish Network Media Center tuner in action00:08:36 - Ceton is set to take over the CableCARD PC tuner market00:33:32 - Poll: What's the most you'd pay for a quad HDTV tuner with CableCARD?00:35:00 - Windows 7 to get a better version of Netflix than Vista00:38:55 - Hauppauge to expand its offerings to include a CableCARD tuner00:41:44 - DirecTV's CEDIA booth was all about multi-room viewing00:51:14 - Video: First working Blu-ray Managed Copy demo00:55:45 - Video: Sony 400 disc Blu-ray changer with Gracenote in action00:58:45 - Video: Vudu on the LG BD390 Blu-ray player01:01:08 - Panasonic including DivX Plus HD (MKV) support into next gen Blu-ray players, TVs01:02:10 - Apple TV junkies left out of new iTunes Extra special features01:05:45 - Panasonic Full HD 3D experience eyes-on01:13:07 - Just Add Power introduces Projector Connector HDMI-over-IP solution01:16:23 - It's game day, who's got the NFL RedZone Channel?01:19:14 - Thanks to Atlanta for the great reader meetup LISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)
Poll: What's the most you'd pay for a quad HDTV tuner with CableCARD?
Let's be clear right up front, we're not asking you how much you want to pay because we already know the answer; as little as possible. We want to know, what is the most you would pay. Now before you answer, lets put this into perspective. A dual tuner TiVo HD costs $300 at retail (plus subscription), a Moxi is $800 and the old ATI single CableCARD tuners were $300 -- so unlike the Ceton tuner, you'd have to rent four CableCARDs instead of just one. So keeping all that in mind, what is the most you'd pay for a single PCI-E card that could turn your Windows 7 PC and Xbox 360 into the best premium content HD DVR today? %Poll-34362%
Hauppauge to expand its offerings to include a CableCARD tuner
The tuner company that we never seem to be able to pronounce correctly is planning on adding a digital cable tuner with CableCARD to its lineup. No word on price or availability but the initial seemly over ambitions timeframe was this year. Our friends at Geek Tonic were able to confirm the the company's plans for the new tuner, but also learned that there is little hope that the new device will make it to market before the Ceton tuner, and in fact the actual release is still undeterminable. The good news is that there will be some competition in the PC digital cable tuner market which is always a good thing, in fact at this point we wouldn't be surprised if Avermedia was the next to throw its hat into the mix. [Via GeekTonic]
Ceton is set to take over the CableCARD PC tuner market
We can't say we saw this coming, but a little technology company we never heard of until CES '09 is going to not only be the first to market with a multi-stream quad tuner CableCARD device, but will probably be the only one for some time. It is for good reason too, as Ceton (pronounced sē-tən or seaten) has been able to pick up where AMD left off with its ATI Digital Cable Tuner for Windows Media Center and improve it in the best way we can think of. This startup seems to have some special sauce that no one else has, we can't even start to think of how hard it would be to decrypt four HD streams at the same time and re-encrypt them at the same time -- and apparently that is just the beginning. We say this because we sat down with Gary Hammer, the president and CEO, and to say he is on the same page with the Media Center market, is an understatement.
Video: Dish Network Media Center tuner in action
We told you we were able to get a video of the Dish Network tuner for Windows Media Center in action and here it is. You can see that for the most part, the Dish content plays back just like any other HD source. We did seem to think that the channel changes were slower than we were used to, but not bad enough to be a deal breaker. The short clip is after the jump.
Windows 7 to get a better version of Netflix than Vista
No the Windows 7 version of the Netflix Watch Instantly still isn't going to work on Extenders for Media Center, but it will include a more seamless experience than the Vista version does, like the movie info image above. Microsoft really wasn't ready to share any more details with us, but we suspect the search is improved. The fact that they were so tight lipped leads us to believe that Microsoft is still holding back on some Windows 7 details -- at least in regards to internet content and Windows 7. At this point it appears we might have to wait until the official release of Windows 7 to truly figure out if all that work to bring internet content to Windows 7 pays off. %Gallery-72477%
Dish Network Media Center tuner hands-on
We have good and bad news after visiting the Dish Network booth first thing in the morning. We're happy to say that Dish was proudly displaying a Dish Tuner for Media Center 7 at its booth. The bad news however is that it was just a "proof of concept." Which means no matter how hard we tried, no one would tell us anything about price or availability. The other thing up in the air was if the actual implementation would be based on VIP211K HD STBs like the demo, or if instead there would be a dedicated tuner. The last unknown was around VOD or PPV, which we know was recently being tested, but still no word if it'll make the final version. The other bad, but not unexpected news, is the fact that like the first generation CableCARD tuner for Media Center, all the content is copy protected. As for how it works, looks good, but the channel changing was slower than our CableCARD tuner enabled Media Center. We did grab a video, but you'll have to wait until we can get it uploaded. %Gallery-72434%
Ceton CableCARD PC tuner details emerge
There's no press release or anything, but an eagle eyed blogger noticed that the FAQ for highly anticipated multi-stream CableCARD tuner for Windows Media Center on Ceton's site has been updated. Among the new details is the fact that there will be multiple offerings -- as apposed to just the one version announced at CES -- which will include 2, 4 and 6 tuner versions. The card has also been adapted to work in a low-profile PCI-E form factor, but no word if all three iterations will be available in the shorty version. The bad news is that the new release date has been pushed back from 2009, until the first quarter of 2010. Of course the new tuners also won't be restricted to the OEM requirement and will of course work with Tuning Adapters to add SDV support. The quad steam version is currently geting its stamp of approval from CableLabs so it'll be out first, but we're very saddened to tell you that there is still no word on the price. While we wait for price and availability though, you can look forward to our hands-on just as soon as we work our way to the Microsoft booth at CEDIA.[Via GeekTonic]
Niveus steps up Media Centers with SSD, RAID and white gloves
Today is officially the first day of CEDIA Expo 2009 and now that Microsoft has announced its Media Center news, it's the partner's turn. Up first is Niveus which is of course releasing new Media Center PCs with Windows 7, so of course the new looser DRM and other features are included. Niveus is stepping up the hardware though too by adding RAID and SSD drives to the Pro Series, and also a new Windows Home Server requirement for its full system restoration capabilities. The other new offering is the aptly named White Glove service, which basically means the services to integrators is getting an upgrade. Prices are promised before the official launch on October 22nd, but based on the existing offering, we'd bet we still won't be able to afford it.
Live from the Microsoft Windows Media Center event
If you can't wait to see what new announcements Microsoft will have surrounding Windows 7 Media Center, then you should head over to Engadget HD for our live coverage of the event. We made our predictions early, which means you can either look in awe of our genius or laugh as we miss every mark, either way click through to see what's new in Media Center.
S1Digital adds networked CableCARD tuners to its media server
While we knew that ATI Digital Cable Tuners were UPnP network tuners at heart, we've never heard of anyone actually using them across a network. But with the apparent imminent death of the 3rd party extender, OEMs are forced to find their own solution. For S1Digital that solution is a custom media server that fits into its Digital Entertainment Platform. The server starts at $3500, and in addition to all of the other media serving capabilities, it can have four or eight (license dependent) tuners connected to it and offer those tuner up to Windows Media Center PCs connected on the network. Each tuner has to be married to a specific PC, but this does give you the ability to watch live TV in the kitchen with only one cat5 drop running back to the server. So while this isn't exactly our the Windows Home Server and Media Center mashup we dream of, it certainly is a step in the right direction.
Microsoft's CEDIA event September 9th to reveal what's new in Media Center
We had a good feeling that Microsoft might have a thing or two to announce around Windows 7 Media Center at the upcoming CEDIA show in Atlanta this September, but now we can start the official countdown. The after-hours event at ESPN Zone will help kick off the show in Atlanta at 6:30pm -- the event is invite only, but don't worry, we'll be brining you the events live as they happen. Although the specific announcements are anyone's guess, the invite did let us know that all of the Windows Media Center news and updates will break there, as well as the winner of the Ultimate Install Contest. So that's just over two weeks until all your home media hopes will be fulfilled -- or destroyed -- depending on your perspective.
Media Center DISH Network tuner is on hold indefinitely
You read that right, there is no official announcement, but we've received a number of tipst letting us know that Microsoft and DISH have pulled the plug on the DISH Network Tuner for Windows 7 Media Center. We could care less about one of our predictions being wrong, but we are deflated about the fact that all the testers say they were shocked to get the news as we are because the beta seemed to have been going so well. No word on if the entire partnership is dead or just this iteration of the tuner, but the bottom line is everyone who contacted us doesn't believe we'll see a HD tuner for DISH Network for Media Center any time soon. Sorry to get your hopes up.
Windows 7 includes support for Dolby Digital Plus
In what is hopefully one of many new announcements about Windows 7 leading up to its launch, Microsoft has added support for Dolby Digital Plus in most versions of Windows 7. This is good news indeed, as the Plus version of Dolby Digital not only supports higher bit rates than the classic Dolby Digital, but it also offers better sound quality than its older brother at the same bit rate -- it is not lossless like Dolby TrueHD though. The other key reason why this is essential to Windows 7 from the Media Center perspective is because premium content providers around the world use it (like France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Dolby also confirmed that this support includes Extenders for Media Center which makes it all the more useful.
Windows Media Center is set to thrill at CEDIA 2009 next month
Everyone likes to try and predict the future and with the Custom Electronic Design & Installation (CEDIA) show only a month away, the crew at Engadget HD threw all of their crazy ideas out there for your reading pleasure. For the most part all of the predictions are around Windows Media Center and how it will integrate with other products like the Zune HD, Digital Cable and HD satellite services, but there are some other fun things throw in. We really believe that this is going to be the year that Redmond brings everything together, so if you're the type who doesn't think it'll ever happen, then click through to find out why we think you're wrong. Either way, you can expect we'll be on the scene in Atlanta to check out what's new first hand.
CEDIA 2009 Windows Media Center predictions
With the Custom Electronic Design & Installation show in Atlanta only a month away, we thought it'd be fun to try and predict the future by laying out our expectations for Windows Media Center. The way we see it, CEDIA is the perfect launching pad for Windows 7 Media Center. For starters it is just over a month before the official release of the OS, but more so because Microsoft has used the venue in the past to announce new Media Center features. We really believe that this is going to be the year that Redmond brings everything together, so if you're the type who doesn't think it'll ever happen, then click through to find out why we think you're wrong.
