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UK copyright body throws idle threats at Kodi box owners
Audio-visual enthusiasts know and recognise that Kodi is the swiss-army knife of media centres. But for lots of people around the world, the software is synonymous with movie and TV show piracy. "Fully-loaded" Kodi boxes have made the open-source platform a huge target for copyright authorities and rights holders, who are now using the courts to punish people who sell ready-made illegal streaming solutions. The end user has typically escaped punishment, but the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) is now warning UK owners that they too could see the long arm of the law tap them on the shoulder.
Plex's new Kodi plugin lets you enjoy the best of both worlds
If you've dabbled with building your own media center, it's likely that you will have encountered Plex or Kodi. Both started life as offshoots of the famed XBMC software, but over time their propositions have diverged, with Plex embracing subscriptions and Kodi remaining open-source. In the past, that meant you'd pick the project that would best organize your media collection or utilize a third-party service that combined the two, but Plex has decided to embrace its streaming counterpart by launching an official Kodi plugin.
Chupacabra update makes the OUYA game console a better media center
Go ahead and dust off your OUYAs, friends -- it's updatin' time. The little Android game console that could wasn't exactly the runaway hit its creators were hoping for, but some fresh features found in the new Chupacabra update help this thing stand a bit taller. As far as the team is concerned, the biggest draw is the addition of AC3, DTS and AAS audio passthrough support for the exceedingly popular XBMC media center app. The OUYA itself doesn't have the proper licenses to play certain bits of audio (say, a movie's surround sound audio track), but now it can pass them over to a user's home theater receiver that does have the licenses. In short, those of you using your tiny Android consoles as media centers can finally play some of the trickier videos in your collection. Also tucked away in the update: a cleaner view at game information, a download manager and the ability to set certain games as favorites for easy access. Alas, it's not all sunshine and rainbows here -- OUYA said it would remove its free-to-try requirement, and that change has finally taken hold. Granted, the move basically neuters one of the most gamer-friendly parts about owning an OUYA (who doesn't love free game demos?), but we suppose the company's gotta do what it has to in order to keep those game developers happy.
XBMC looks to improve Android video playback with 'Gotham' beta
Version 13 of XBMC's media center software, codenamed Gotham, is now ready for your official beta-testing pleasure. The foundation -- which started the project for the Xbox and spawned apps like Plex and platforms like Boxee -- kicked off work on the update nearly a year ago. It said that many of the qualms from version 12 (Frodo) users have been addressed. Most notably, it now supports native hardware decoding on Android for x86 and ARM platforms, which should bring smoother playback for formats like Blu-ray. Other improvements include support for more 3D formats (with the notable exception of 3D Blu-ray), better touchscreen support, enhanced UPnP capability, "dramatic" audio engine improvements and easier setup. Though nightly versions have been available for a while, the company provided the usual caveats about beta software and the importance of backing up. If you're unperturbed by that, hit the source.
Latest Raspbmc update brings speed boost, bug fixes and more (video)
Two months have passed since we last saw an update to the Raspberry Pi port of XBMC, but the tail end of September finally delivered some fresh code. Chief among the changes is a speed boost that makes browsing media libraries on Raspbmc much smoother and snappier. With the new software onboard, boxes now have a bevy of bugs fixed, boast support for Windows Media Center PVR and have a Wake On LAN feature for flipping on remote hardware before XBMC starts. Creator Sam Nazarko notes that folks who rely on AirPlay shouldn't upgrade to iOS 7, as it could introduce some hiccups. Visit the source for the full changelog, or restart your machine to snatch the latest release. If you're wondering just how much pep your Raspberry Pi will get, hit the break for a demo video.
GameStick strikes up XBMC partnership, will add the full Media Center experience
Playjam, the team behind GameStick, has announced that a new deal with tech company Pivos will ensure that the previously-mentioned XBMC will arrive fully-formed on its Kickstarter console. All those Media Center features will sidle up alongside your games selection and while the company maintains that gaming is still the focus of its device, given the competition, we'd say this announcement makes a whole lot of sense.
Ceton reveals Android, Windows Media Center integration details for its Echo
Just after launch, Ceton announced it would bring Android to the Echo Windows Media Center Extender by the end of last year. Owners of the device have been left wondering ever since then: what's the holdup? Now the Ceton Blog has spelled out what's taking so long. Essentially the story goes that Android is optimized for touch screens, rather than the big screen, and the company decided to hold off until some changes could be made. Most interestingly, one of those changes is integrating Windows Media Center into Android, allowing users to access all the content that both platforms have to offer in a single user interface. A hefty goal indeed and one worth waiting for, but the question of when remains. While the post does include some interesting screen shots and other details -- like Windows 8 support -- it stops just short of making another promise to deliver the update in any particular amount time.
How-to: Setting up a Plex Environment
Since the storage sizes on smartphones haven't quite caught up with that Drobo NAS in your home office, packing all of your media onto a 32GB iPhone is an impossible task. Worry not; we're going to show you how to set up a streaming environment so you can have all your jams at your fingertips on the go. The good news is there are tons of solutions out there to choose from: XBMC, MythTV and Windows Media Center just to name a few. We decided on Plex Media Server due to the broad range of devices and services it supports. On top of that, Plex allows you to share your server with friends and access your media from anywhere via the myPLEX platform. Catch us after the break to learn how to get started.
Ceton releases Windows 8 drivers, Echo set-top box is getting Android inside for the holidays
Ceton will have something unexpected under the tree for early adopters of its $179 Echo Windows Media Center Extender -- Android. Updates are on the way that will bring not only finalized Extender software, but also beta support for the Android platform and apps. Detailed in a message sent to testers this evening, there's also an update rolling out in the next 24 hours that upgrades video output to 1080p and exposes settings for the Echo like optical audio out, bitstreaming over HDMI or optical and diagnostics. Even if you're not in that beta test but just like running the latest software, Ceton has also pushed out beta InfiniTV drivers for Windows 8 users (note: tuner bridging is not supported if the card is installed in a Windows 8 PC.) There's even a beta version of the Ceton Companion services that connect Media Center PCs to its mobile Companion apps -- which coincidentally are on sale for $2.99 at the moment -- for Windows 8 users to try out as well. Hit the source links for all of the details and expect more info on how the Echo puts Android on your HDTV soon. Update: The Echo is also now available and shipping from Amazon, as well as the previously announced NewEgg.
Ceton Echo Windows Media Center Extender pre-orders are live, ship November 30th for $179
The newest option for Windows Media Center users is nearly here, as Ceton's Echo extender has been listed for pre-order at Newegg. Available for $179 with a $10 gift card and free shipping, the diminutive accessory enables WMC streams of your live and recorded TV in up to 5 other rooms. That's been possible with other extenders -- especially Microsoft's own Xbox 360 console -- but the Echo claims its advantage is being purpose built to do the job with less noise and power consumption, plus support for features like DTS surround sound*. We'll be reviewing it as soon as the software is final, early adopters that are ready to jump but missed the beta offer can snag one at the link below -- the first shipments are scheduled to go out November 30th. Update: DTS support was announced at NAB but that was before the hardware change to the smaller boxes. As a result, it will not support DTS at launch.
Ceton's $179 Echo Windows Media Center Extender is ready to go on sale 'around Thanksgiving'
Windows Media Center users still in shock over the indefinite hold placed on Ceton's Q DVR / Blu-ray player finally have some good news, as the company has officially revealed the details of the Echo extender. Now ready to go on sale around Thanksgiving, the Echo Windows Media Center Extender is looking much more polished than the demo unit we saw at CES, and Ceton says the final unit is actually 72 percent smaller, or 1/4 the size of the Xbox 360's power brick. The smaller size is not the only benefit to those looking for an alternative to the gaming console as an extender, as it claims to be 90 percent more power efficient, rated at less than 5 watts and should be much quieter to boot. In the beta period it's lacking some features that should be ready upon release like 1080p video, web browsing, and support for MPEG-1 / WMV9 codes, with more features promised in future updates. Like any Media Center Extender, you'll need a properly equipped Windows 7 (or 8, once it's released officially with the Pro Upgrade) PC to run the show and an Ethernet cable drop since there's no WiFi, but this tiny box promises multiroom access to live and recorded TV, plus your personal media library. We'll have to wait for some hands-on time with a beta unit to find out if it lives up to the hype, but if you're looking to squeeze some more life out of the WMC platform this may be just the boost you're looking for. Check out the gallery for more pics or the source links for detailed specs, while confirmed beta testers should select the third link for relevant information like a $20 price drop.
Ceton announces slight delay for Echo WMC extender, Q DVR shelved indefinitely
Ceton has, as promised, provided more information on upcoming hardware, however there's not a lot of good news to go around. The bad news is that the Windows Embedded-based Q DVR we were looking forward to will not launch this year. There's a possibility it may launch in 2013, however questions about whether Microsoft will continue to support Windows Media Center in future versions of its Embedded platform are keeping any potential launch plans in doubt. On a slightly brighter note, while the Echo Media Center extender is delayed slightly and the beta units have not yet gone out, Ceton still anticipates a release in time for the holiday season. Finally, there's a positive update on the suite of Media Center companion apps, which are now available on the B&N Nook and Kindle Fire HD as well as optimized for the iPhone 5. Relive our CES 2011 hands-on in video form after the break, we'll get started organizing a march on Redmond to make this happen.
MediawavePC's MW6110 is a multipurpose Intel Core i7-supporting media player
Nettops and media-center PCs in many ways hang on opposite sides of the same saddle. MediawavePC's new MW6110 "Ultra Small Media Player" tightens the straps between these two types of machines, and adds an extra satchel with it. The 7.87 x 7.28 x 1.57-inch form gives it a discreet footprint, and supports Intel's Core i3- i5- and i7 chips. You can also add-in up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, along with 1TB of storage. Connection-wise, you're well looked after with 6 USB ports, HDMI, LAN, plus Audio in / out and WiFi. So, plenty of scope to configure to suit your needs -- you'll just need the $499 base price to get started.
XBMC for Android available in nightly builds for that risky media fix
We only just learned in earnest that XBMC was coming to Android last month, and yet we're already looking at workable builds. Kermonine96 at the XDA-Developers forum has started offering his own, unofficial nightly versions of the media center front end, both for regularly supported devices with Neon processor code (most often HTC and Samsung devices) as well as Neon-free hardware, like phones and tablets carrying Tegra 2 chips. Needless to say, the alpha-grade code shouldn't be used as the heart of a mobile media center: hardware decoding isn't functional, battery life is low and even a stable picture isn't guaranteed. That said, anyone who's willing to risk a skip-heavy movie or miss out on plugins now doesn't have to receive the XBMC crew's blessing to get a preview of its Android efforts.
Plex brings extra hustle to Android, remote control to Google TV, Ouya support, ponies for everyone
Media server all-rounder Plex has just rolled out a raft of goodies for Android and Google TV in its latest release, version 2.2.1.2. If you notice more pep in its step, the maker said on its blog that "yep, this is a performance and stability release," adding that image and page load times in particular have been boosted. The other major upgrade is the addition of Plex iOS or Android remote control support for Plex on Google TV, letting you couch surf with smartphone in hand. It was also revealed recently by Ouya that Plex would be supported on its Android gaming console as soon as it's released. Feel free to hit the source to find the new version, then the sofa -- but forget about the pony, you can't have everything.
OUYA, XBMC sitting in a tree, media s-h-a-r-i-n-g (update: TuneIn, new pics)
OUYA's slew of collaborations isn't letting up, even with less than two days to go before its fundraising round is over. The XBMC team has just pledged that its upcoming Android app will be tailored to work with the upcoming console. While the exact customizations aren't part of the initial details, the media center app developers will have early access to prototypes of the OUYA hardware. There's suggestions that there won't be much of a wait for the Android port of XBMC, whether or not you're buying the cuboid system -- XBMC's developers note that Android work should be merged into the master path once "final sign-offs" are underway. All told, though, the OUYA is quickly shaping up into as much of a go-to media hub as it is a game system. Update: OUYA itself has also posted word that TuneIn's radio streaming is also on its way. And just to top off its efforts, the company has posted rendered images that better show the scale of the console: our Joystiq compatriots note that it's really a "baby GameCube" in size, and its gamepad looks gigantic by comparison. %Gallery-161914%
Plex Android app updated with remote control from mobile devices, new transcoding
While it was exciting to hear that XBMC is making its way to Android, the Plex media center has been on the platform since last year and was recently updated with a few new features. Version 2.2.0.5 of the $5 app adds the ability to accept remote control commands from any of the company's other mobile clients, so if your phone or tablet is dangling from the TV, you can still control playback or browse media without getting up. Also new is the "QuickSilver" media transcoder from the latest Plex Media Server release which we're assured we will hear more about in the future, it's currently expected to provide improved video quality, particularly on the Kindle Fire. Since the feature is still experimental you'll have to specifically enable it in the settings menu, hit the official blog for more details on how to get it running, the full changelog and newly expanded list of devices that support HTTP Live Streaming.
Ceton Echo Extender for Media Center beta to start in September
If you're one of the lucky few -- 1000 actually -- who received an email today from Ceton you will have the ability to join its paid Extender beta this September. For $179 Ceton will ship testers an Echo Extender for Media Center before anyone else, but in return they need to help work out all the bugs in time for the release this holiday season. At that price the Echo isn't a budget alternative to using an Xbox 360 as an Extender, but between the additional functionality realized when paired with the upcoming Ceton Q multi-room DVR and other features like HDMI-CEC and MoCA, it will probably be the clear choice for some -- not to mention it didn't take long for the InfiniTV 4 to drop $100 to $199, so this too should be cheaper at some point. Other news from Kirkland includes the fact that there's additional info about the Q coming in September and that the Ceton Companion beta is going well enough that the mobile apps for Media Center will launch at the end of next month. We guess it's a good thing for Media Center fans Ceton missed the memo from their neighbors in Redmond that Media Center is dead.
XBMC for Android app revealed; source code available now, beta APKs soon (video)
Surprise surprise, after popping up on the iPad last year, XBMC developers revealed tonight that they've created a version of the media center that runs as an Android app. Currently the team has it stable on the Pivos XIOS DS set-top box, and posted a video (embedded after the break) showing it running on a phone and a tablet. Of course, the different varieties of Android hardware audio and video decoding is mostly a software only affair, but universal hardware decoding is in the plan. The truly dedicated can dig up the source code right now, but APKs for beta testers are promised "in the coming weeks." According to the blog post, it currently includes a community member created touch oriented skin and hopes to have more available before any version of this hits Google Play officially. [Thanks, Bharath]
Ask Engadget: Best sub-$310 power-efficient HTPC for a caravan?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Is from Martin, who is looking for a hyper-efficient media streamer for his retro caravan. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "My partner and I are renovating a small '70s caravan and would like a power-efficient media center/PC purely to watch our library of movies and TV shows. We're in Australia, so getting hold of kit like the Raspberry Pi would be difficult, we're looking for something that's equally power efficient, even up to $300 AUD (around $310 USD). Cheers!"" That's this week's challenge, Engadgeteers -- do you feel up for it? Can you help our southern hemisphere friends find a power-efficient HTPC for under $310 that won't drain a retro-caravan's batteries? Can we help these people turn the temporary home into a rockin' media-streamin' paradise? Hit us up in the comments if you've got some expertise to share.
