Google Fiber Moving To Android?

SageTV is dead; long live SageTV. As the story goes, Google acquired the DVR software company SageTV back in 2011 … with the engineers and software getting to work on Google Fiber. Fast forward a few years, and the beloved-though-abandoned consumer software may be getting a new lease on life. From the amazingly-still-operational SageTV forums: Google has agreed … Read more

Streaming Cable TV via HDHomeRun DLNA

Fellow tech enthusiast and DC neighbor Joel Ward continues his role as a Features contributor here at Zatz Not Funny. Beyond ZNF, Joel can be found at Joel Explains It All and @joelsef on Twitter.

In our crowd, just a few years back watching OTA and cable on your computer was all the rage. Platforms like Windows Media Center, SageTV, and SnapStream BeyondTV allowed you to attach a tuner to your PC, watch and pause live TV and record shows. I was all about Windows Media Center, and with the advent of Windows 7 it was available in every edition of the OS (well, except Home Basic). Instead of needing to buy a “Digital Cable Ready PC” like with Windows Vista, Windows 7 allowed WMC to view encrypted cable via a CableCard with the right tuner attached to any PC. Who needed a cable box anymore?

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Google Acquires SageTV DVR Software Company

GoogleTV‘s biggest drawback, and an initial source of confusion, given the desire to capture “Input 1” has been its lack of DVR capabilities. And it appears Google is prepared to address that shortcoming via their just announced acquisition of SageTV, the makers of HTPC DVR software and CE extenders. As announced on the updated SageTV … Read more

Apple Dropping Front Row HTPC Experience?

9to5 Mac reports that Apple’s Lion operating system preview seems to be missing Front Row, the fullscreen multimedia software experience. Now there could be a very simple explanation. Perhaps Front Row is being reworked (sporting the new Apple TV look?) and isn’t quite ready for inclusion. Or, like the new for-fee Facetime software, Apple may intend … Read more

AllVid Alliance Formed; TiVo & Google On Board

The AllVid battle lines between the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) are being drawn. AllVid is a possible replacement for and enhancement of CableCARD technology being discussed by the FCC and now a group of companies from the electronics industry that have formed the “AllVid Tech Company Alliance.” … Read more

XBMC Turns Jailbroken Apple TV or iPad Into 1080P Media Center

XBMC is a highly customizable and powerful media center application that can run on computers and a number of other devices. In fact, the project started its life as Xbox Media Center, thus the acronym. But my how XBMC has grown in recent years. Last night the developers announced that the app has been ported to … Read more

Wall Mount an iPad with Vidabox Frame

The iPad makes an ideal touch-screen interface for a high-end custom home theater room, home automation setup, or home security system. Yet for many of these applications there’s a need for a wall mount solution so it fits in aesthetically and with a good way to power the device. Vidabox, LLC, a well-known media server … Read more

Ceton Reveals Tiny External CableCARD Tuner

Looks like the HDHomeRun Prime may see a little competition later this year via Ceton’s newly revealed USB CableCARD tuner. The InfiniTV 4 USB is surely the most handsome and compact external CableCARD device to date. And given my penchant for small form factor PCs, this is a more practical solution than Ceton’s PCI CableCARD tuner … Read more