Brent Evans

Beyond TV Beta, Get New Features Now

Snapstream, makers of the excellent Beyond TV PC-based software PVR application have been busier than ever with their latest public beta. Join the fun with this release of Beyond TV, version 4.8.2, if you’re on the cutting edge and if the new features and improvements interest you: Much faster library and scheduler Ajax-style, scrollable Couchville-style … Read more

Netflix Watch Now On 4+ PCs

If you’re a heavy user of Netflix’s streaming movie service “Watch Now,” you may have run into the Netflix-imposed restriction of registering a maximum of three computers. Attempting to install and use Netflix Watch-Now on a fourth computer will most likely result in an error having you to contact customer service for another “key.” This … Read more

Windows Media Center Fiji Beta Testing Underway

Mary Jo at ZDNet is reporting that Microsoft has begun testing Fiji, the next iteration of Vista Media Center. You may remember rumblings last year about this time that the Windows Media Center Fiji Update would be delayed until 2008. Well it sure was – matter of fact it could be the end of 2008 … Read more

Napster Offering Over 6M DRM Free MP3s

In what can only be described as an amazing irony, AP is reporting that Napster will begin offering its complete catalog of over 6 million music tracks in DRM-free (aka unprotected) MP3 format. All four major music labels, along with countless indie labels, are represented in the store. Add to this that every track will … Read more

SDV Tuning Resolver for Vista Media Center?

Ben Drawbaugh at EngadgetHD has some potentially good news for those with CableCARD tuners on Vista Media Center HTPCs. Ben inquired with AMD and CableLabs to see if there was any hope for a “tuning resolver” for VMC. The response was not a emphatic yes, but it was in the words of Drawbaugh a “definite … Read more

Hauppauge HD-PVR Delayed Until Mid-May

Are you one of the many anxiously awaiting Hauppauge’s new HD-PVR? Hauppauge’s website still indicates the HD-PVR will begin shipping on May 1st, 2008. But, there is new information that says that isn’t the case. Unfortunately, I have confirmed with Hauppauge that the first shipments didn’t begin on May 1st. Instead, the earliest, expected shipment … Read more

Not Just Movie Rentals for Blockbuster & Circuit City Deal

In Feburary, Blockbuster offered to acquire Circuit City but in essence has been ignored as CC failed to provide the due diligence necessary to make a definitive proposal. To force the issue, Blockbuster has made the $1B proposal public. Blockbuster seems to have been diversifying beyond “just a movie rental company” to transform themselves into … Read more

Flickr Video Arrives

Flickr‘s long rumored video feature has arrived. I’ve gathered the details that Webware, Techcrunch and Wired have outlined:

  • 90 second clips maximum – nothing longer initially at least.
  • 150MB size maximum
  • Uploads for Pro users only for the time being at least ($25/year for pro membership)
  • Anyone can view the videos although you can still control the privacy of the videos like you do with photos.
  • Videos show up alongside photos
  • Videos can be shared, embedded individually or as part of sets.
  • Video includes tagging, geotagging
  • Search videos by tags, and descriptions
  • Uploads directly from camera phones.
  • Upload from web, uploadr, e-mail or API
  • Option to view videos full screen.
  • API for third party developers – yeah!
  • Licensing options including creative commons.
  • Support for English, French, German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese.
  • 700 kbps
  • 12 FPS, keyframe every 12 (fixed)
  • Scaled within a 500×500 box with aspect maintained
  • Audio is 44.1 kHz, steroe, 44kbps
  • 2pass VBR, 700 kbps
  • Photostreams are now coined MediaStreams to better describe the collection of photos and video.

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