I sat down for a nice chat with the Hauppauge folks earlier this afternoon. Where I learned they’ll be launching the MediaMVP-HD next month for $149. This device resides in the same space as Western Digital’s HD WD TV, in allowing you to playback a variety of local media via USB storage or the network (UPnP, Windows share). The MediaMVP-HD is also an Internet-connected device with several services, such as YouTube (displayed below), in development. Speaking of Internet-connected, while the initial rev of this device requires a hardline, Hauppauge intends to bring support for 802.11 to the line. And, obviously, unlike the MediaMVP this replaces, high def is supported (including 1080p).
Also, very interesting, Hauppauge has confirmed they’re working on a CableCARD device…! As someone who’s followed CableCARD technology for a some time, I salute these guys. (And other smaller companies, like Ceton and Silicon Dust, going down this path.) The tech and integration are non-trivial and certification runs a cool $250k. Stay tuned.
Click to enlarge: