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DBSTalk goes hands-on with DirecTV's new 24 series receivers
Eagerly awaiting DirecTV's new multiroom tandem of set-top boxes? A group of DBSTalk posters got an early preview of the H24, and now have also posted their impressions of the HR24 DVR unit. Somewhat cheesy YouTube trailers aside, there's a lot of info here if you're considering a new DVR setup. Just like the recent NFL combine, we know that speed kills -- and has been killing DirecTV recently -- but they reveal the HR24 is much improved in that area. There's also detailed descriptions of the new scheme for programming the remote to control other devices, and the units overall slimmer and quieter stature, all awaiting just beyond the read link. [Thanks, Barry]
Elan g! home automation system is heavy on hype, light on details
Home automation and multiroom A/V remote controls might still be a relatively niche and nascent segment of the electronics market, but that hasn't stopped Elan from proclaiming its new g! series to be groundbreaking. Then again, its software includes irrigation controls, so what do we know -- maybe the company's talking literally. Building on the software legacy of HomeLogic, the interface is said to be consistent across all platforms, which include an OLED display as part of the hardware package, as well as iPhone, PC and TV integration for a truly flexible control scheme. In terms of pricing, this is aimed at competing with Control4 setups, and we're told that a "decent" multiroom system could be had for $5,000. Full details are set to be unveiled on January 1, which should give you enough time to decide if you can continue living with an un-automated pool.
RVU Alliance gets Motorola, Pace, Thomson and others to dream the multiroom dream
Chalk up a few more for the multiroom crowd, as the RVU Alliance (get familiar) has added some power names from the set-top box market to its roster as "Promoter" members. The new additions appear to set things up for compatible solutions from your cable or satellite provider arriving sooner rather than later, capable of streaming video and interfaces from set-tops to any screen in the house. Names like Motorola, Pace and Thomson have probably already graced your entertainment rack, while lesser known additions include Entropic Communications, maker of hardware for home entertainment networking, JetHead, focused on creating RVU client software, and set-top manufacturer NXP. Is hoping for a big splash at CES too much? We think not.
Bryston goes Class D for its Hybrid Zone amps
After you're done pulling all the wires for whole-home audio, you probably want some peace of mind that the system will just work with no fuss, like, forever. If your setups are of the high-end variety, Bryston's new Hybrid Zone amplifiers might be just the way to complete the job -- the marque has legendary performance and reliability. Bryston has built its own linear power supply to go along with the Class D amps, so you can be sure the D-130Z and D-250Z aren't just knock-off reference designs, and the per-channel power (90-Watts for the D-130Z, 150-Watts in the D-250Z) can be divvied up a number of ways to suit your needs. Sounds great, but sadly this is some more Bryston gear that's out of our tax bracket -- $4,395 for the D-130Z, $5,695 for the D-250Z -- and these only get a five-year warranty to boot, a far cry from Bryston's standard 20-year promise. Press release after the break.
Ask Engadget HD: Best way to feed HD to two TVs?
Multiroom video setups are hardly an easy task, but what if you just want to pipe the A/V in whole from one spot to another? That's the conundrum facing our friend Ed, we'll let him break down the situation first. "I have a question that I think has several answers, but I would like to know the best solution. I have a DirecTV HD-DVR - HR20-700 hooked up to my TV via HDMI and optical audio to my receiver. I have my receiver's sound also hooked up to outside speakers by the pool so I can listen to XM or any other program from DirecTV or radio. I would like to add the video outside as well. I already have an RG6 coax cable outside, and I have an open CAT-5 connection near the back door, but not outside where the TV would go. Both cable runs are approximately 100' or less. My question is, what is the best way to get the video from the HR20 outside? " There's a bevy of splitters, extenders, slingers and media box solutions that could help our friend out, but it's hard to say what would be best for this situation. We're still waiting for the SlingMonitor to make a retail experience and give us the WiFi TV wherever we've always wanted, but how would you do it? Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Poll: Do you / will you use Windows Media Center in your home theater?
Now that we've gone in depth with Windows 7 Media Center, with enough pictures, videos and explanations to make your head spin, if you haven't already made the jump are you considering making it a part of your home theater? Talking about it on the podcast this week, cost was a big reason why not, but moving beyond that the benefits of customization, integration, multiroom and everything else it can do are very compelling. Let us know if you've tried it out and how you're feeling about the latest iteration of Media Center.%Poll-32664%
New Total Home DVR, remote scheduling & guide features coming to U-verse
C'mon now, you knew as well as we did that AT&T couldn't just...stop after rolling out Total Home DVR to its entire U-verse service area, today it's announced a few new tweaks that it plans to roll out over the next few weeks and months. Look forward to the ability to schedule and manage recordings from any U-verse receiver, not just the DVR itself, a newly enhanced remote scheduling website and an On Demand top picks app to find movies viewers might like based on their past recommendations. If that's not enough, Starz is free for July, plus a speed bump to 12 Mbps for Internet Max subs and a slightly streamlined program guide that should make the Enter button a bit more useful while browsing or watching TV. Check out the PR for the full details as most of these will be rolling out in different markets over the next few weeks, or check out the video embedded after the break.
Cutting Edge update brings multiroom, dual live buffers to DirecTV HR2x / R22 HD DVRs
DirecTV HD DVR owners keeping an eye on Cutting Edge releases got a special treat this weekend with a new update that enabled multiroom viewing and dual live buffers on HR2x and R22 receivers. Allowing users to pause one tuner for up to 90 minutes while they watch the other, DBSTalk notes this test release is a "Very High Risk" so don't bother calling customer service if it doesn't work properly, and if you missed the downloading window Friday then you'll have to wait for the next test period -- or whenever DirecTV is confident it has worked out all the kinks -- to give the new (or old, if you're a DirecTivo owner) features a try.[Thanks, Kevin]
Multi-room audio owners are all smiles with their purchase
The growing number of "zone 2" speaker taps on the latest generation of receivers is all the evidence you need that multi-room audio systems are big with consumers. Cynics might argue that 7.1 channels of sound pretty much saturated the living room, but a study from the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) says that people with multi-room audio covering more than two rooms are happy with their setups. A whopping 85-percent of those folks would take the plunge all over again, and with more than half of them using their systems daily, it's easy to understand why. With prices on multi-room audio moving down -- especially with after-market solutions -- we're hoping lots more people jump into this product sector and join that happy 85-percent.
Cox prepping a multi-room DVR for sometime this year
Cox Communications will be bringing its own multiroom option to its DVR lineup, but it's keeping quiet about some significant details -- namely, the debut market and timing. Aside from our inability to get excited about a feature that may not be coming to our service area for an undetermined price, Cox is at least hitting some key points for the new multiroom option, including support for HD, larger hard drive capacity and sharing content around your home using MoCA technology. Tru2way was not mentioned specifically for the "next generation guide" software also promised for the DVR, but we wouldn't be surprised to see that make the cut. So yeah, Cox is ticking off some checkboxes, and we'll keep hoping for a really good cable company DVR; but as most folks who have compared a TiVo with the cable co DVR will tell you, usability isn't necessarily spelled out in the feature list.
Motorola, Time Warner mixing up multiroom, tru2way cable setups due later this year
Ok, we've seen multiroom setups, mostly from IPTV providers, and tru2way has had a limited rollout so far, but Time Warner Cable and Motorola are teaming up to be the first to bring the two together in customers homes. Follow Me TV is already available on FiOS, but the Dolby Digital Plus-supporting DCX3400-M DVR we saw at CES in '08 and DXC-3200M set-top box will make it happen on cable, shifting high definition video around the house via Multimedia over Coaxial Alliance (MoCA) connections. Hopefully tru2way's interoperability lets customers choose what equipment makes up their home video network, not just the cable company, but we should find out more after launch later this year.
Cisco nearing 8600 multiroom tru2way box tests
Still waiting for multiroom HD streaming from your cable company? Cisco's contender, the Explorer 8600 is apparently expected to start trials in Q2, giving customers a taste of the MoCa 1.1, 500GB storing, tru2way enabled experience they've been wanting. Multichannel News says DLNA and DTCP support is in the package powered by a new more powerful 6th gen processor, and should be ready for a real rollout in the third quarter. Cisco, please don't disappoint us.
VUDU / NetStreams link up for whole home video distribution
Back at EHX in Orlando, VUDU's partnership extravaganza announcement was curiously light on details. Now, however, we're beginning to see how VUDU's positioning its movie set-top-box as a mainstay in the connected home. Reportedly, the deal with NetStreams will soon allow VUDU XL (vanilla VUDU left out?) owners to stream video around their domiciles using the VUDU XL as the video server. Reportedly, the box would have to be connected to the DigiLinX IP-Based Distributed Audio, Video and Control system, after which content could be accessed from other rooms. Unfortunately, that's all the details that have surfaced thus far, but we can't help but realize that the VUDU just got a whole lot more attractive for those with deep pockets.
ADA reveals eight-zone Suite 8200 receiver
Got a whole lot of rooms? Does each one need its fill of audio? If so, you should give Audio Design Associates Suite 8200 multi-room receiver a gander. Upping the ante on its own Suite 8100, this device is an 8-source, 8-zone (16-channel) single chassis pre-amp / amplifier that utilizes a class A/B amp outputting some 25-watts per channel. Additionally, you can get it customized with two tuners of your choice, including XM, Sirius or HD Radio. The 2U design should make those with racks quite happy, and you'll also find line-level audio outputs for each zone alongside line-level subwoofer outs for zones 1 and 2. Sure, the Suite 8200 will run you a cool $4,999, but if you're really looking to pipe music to eight separate zones, coming up with five large shouldn't be a problem.[Via Widescreen Review]
Sirius teams up with Sonos for wireless multi-room audio
Satellite radio provider Sirius really is busy today, announcing a bunch of products, and also a collaboration with Sonos to deliver wireless multi-room streaming Sirius content via broadband. By updating to version 2.3 software, the Sonos hardware can directly connect to Sirius Internet Radio and stream throughout any of the 32 supported zones. Current Sonos owners can also get a 30-day trial to Sirius to try out the system, and decide whether compressed audio sounds better in the bathroom than it does from their computer speakers.
Dish Network intros ViP222 multiroom HD receiver
We know, the bulk of you eying this have no use for an HD set-top-box sans a hard drive, but for those that are interested in a simple multiroom receiver that supports HD, the ViP222 has finally arrived. While this item has been in the backroom for some time now, Dish Network has just now gone official with it. The device is an MPEG4 dual-tuner receiver "capable of delivering programming to two separate rooms, one in HD and the second in standard definition." Put simply, it's supposed to be the ViP622 minus the hard drive, or said another way, an upgrade to the ViP211. As expected, this box won't have any troubles tuning into any of Dish's HD channels or your local HD offerings, and it also includes on-screen caller ID and the ability to function with DishHOME services. Unfortunately, we've no idea how much this new box will run current or new subscribers, but it shouldn't be too tough to snag for next to nothing if you're just signing up.[Via Multichannel News]
Sony constructs two sets of whole-house HD video distribution products
If you're inclined to go big and multi-room with audio and video, Sony has unveiled some distribution products for you at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference, with two sets of high-definition video distribution products -- one for new construction, and one using existing Cat5 cabling. The NHS-3040 rack system is for new homes, and combines various Sony products for a whole-house distribution network: a home theater, XM Radio tuner, Blu-ray player, 400-disc DVD changer, and 80GB music storage and management server, along with support for 13 different audio/video zones. The NHS-2040 model drops you down to six zones, while the NHS-1040 removes the changer as well. For existing wiring, Sony offers up the CAV-CVS12ES HD switching system, which uses a single Cat5e per zone to route your video into up to 12 zones, and supports eight 1080p-capable component inputs. The system supports IR and RS-232 control, and pairs up with Sony's CAV-M1000 line of audio distro systems. As long as you're wiring up your house anyway, why not throw in Sony's WS-ADP4 doorbell intercom adapter with electronic door release, so you don't have to bother the butler to open the door for you while you're both in the third-floor bedroom watching Desperate Housewives in HD.Read - Sony NHS series distro systemRead - Sony CAV-CVS12ES Cat5e systemRead - WS-ADP4 doorbell intercom
