Ceton Echo
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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.
Ceton Echo WMC extender beta units set to ship in October, on target for November release
Now that Ceton has pushed its Companion mobile apps for Windows Media Center out the door, our attention returns to the hardware we got a look at during CES. A blog post from the company indicates the Echo extender has passed FCC and CE certifications, with alpha tests under way. If you're not in position to borrow a unit from the home of an employee, your next opportunity to obtain one will come when the beta starts. The 1,000 applicants accepted should receive ordering information around the end of this month before hardware ships on October, which, if there are no delays, could mean general availability as soon as November. Still waiting for word on that slick six tuner Q DVR? So are we, but an update, along with final specs for the Echo version 1, are promised at the end of the month.
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.
Ceton's Media Center mobile apps are for all, app and Echo extender beta signups open now
If you're a Windows Media Center fan and have been drooling over the treats Ceton showed off at CES like its mobile companion apps (whether on WP7 or other platforms like iPhone and Android) and Echo extender we've got good news and better news. The good news is that the apps have been rebranded simply as Ceton Companion Apps and they will be available for all Windows Media Center 7 users when they launch, spreading their guides, file browsing and remote DVR management options throughout the land. The better news is that you'll be able to get your hands on the apps and / or Echo extender relatively soon, since there are beta tests coming soon for both. While the app beta is planned to start May 25th on all of the previously listed platforms, the Echo extender will be a paid beta where users can keep the hardware once its over. More details on the latter should be available soon, for now interested users should hit the link below to get on the list or check out an... interesting promo video embedded after the break.
Ceton previews DVR companion apps on Android and iOS, teases Echo beta 'soon'
A quick stop by the Intel pavilion here at NAB 2012 revealed our friends from Ceton hiding within, and even though we just saw the Q DVR and Echo companion extender on our last trip to Vegas a few months ago, there's a few new items to show already. As shown above, the mobile companion app that we had only seen so far on Windows Phone 7 is also up and running on Android and iOS. While the apps are still very early in their development they're already running smoothly with metadata provided by Rovi and the usual set of features for DVR scheduling and management. Each one is designed specifically for the platform it's running on, rather than pulling the same UI from one device to all. This seems like a good approach to us, but Ceton's looking for feedback from potential users about what they might prefer. Speaking of potential users -- all those interested in this hardware should keep an eye out as we're told that the plan is to have a beta for the DTS-compatible Echo extender "soon", likely within a few weeks.
Ceton's Echo Extender for Media Center will be the first to support DTS surround sound
What's the Echo Extender for Media Center got that no other Extender for Media Center has? Support for DTS surround sound, that's what. The catch of course is that the Echo is still just on track for "later in 2012," but the press release after the break is a welcome reminder that the first new Extender for Media Center since 2008 is actually going to happen. Unfortunately, there's still no new updates on price, availability or really anything other than the fact that you'll be able to enjoy your favorite content in surround sound that is encoded with DTS -- hopefully that's enough for now.
Ceton previews multi-room DVR and Echo extender (hands-on)
The company that has almost single handedly spurred the golden age of CableCARD has found a new way to deliver its technology to consumers with a 6 tuner multi-room DVR with a 2TB hard drive, codenamed Q, and its companion extender, codenamed Echo. No word on the price of either but both are expected to ship in 2012. While the Q and Echo might look like Microsoft Media Center, they aren't. Based on the Windows 7 Embedded platform, the Q picks up where Microsoft left off but still leverages the great DVR functionality and free guide data. In addition to being used as an extender for the Q, the Echo is also a fully compliant Extender for Windows Media Center. The Echo will support both ethernet and MoCA for communication to the source and has HDMI-CEC for control as well as an included remote. When used with the Q, it will extend the entire Q experience, including streaming sources and enhanced search that facilitates content discovery. Speaking of the Q, that slot up front is a Blu-ray drive and in addition to being able to play Blu-ray Discs, the plan is to integrate as many streaming sources as possible (no partners to announce yet, though). The Q will also work with other Extenders for Windows Media Center, like the Xbox 360, but while the custom themes are there, the other streaming options aren't. Ceton has even developed a Windows 8 Metro and Windows Phone 7 app to extend the Q experience to the handhelds -- iOS apps are on the road map. These apps are primarily designed to be companions to the Q's search and discovery features, but will provide access to content via WiFi.
