HTPC Archives - Page 24 of 30

Vista Media Center Update (Good Luck)

I downloaded the April Vista Media Center update, though I don’t have very high hopes at this point. While it reportedly corrects at least one problem I was experiencing (with a dual tuner card), it doesn’t overcome the resource hog that is Vista or replace the ironic PS3/PSP interface with the superior Xbox 360 blade … Read more

Apple TV In The Blogosphere

Prior to the ~~iTV~~ Apple TV launch, I mentioned looking forward to reviews from two of my favorite bloggers. And now that they’ve spent some time with the devices (me too) their posts are live…

Ben Drawbaugh of Engadget:

The Apple TV is great at everything it was built to do — serve as a plug and play solution to interact with your iTunes media. But it isn’t called the Apple HDTV for a reason. Sure, it technically supports 720p, but not in any meaningful way. Anyone who cares about high quality video will not be happy — the 5Mbps limit is just too low. The other big misses here (like no photocasting, photo streaming, inadequate enhanced podcast support, and not being able to sync with multiple machines) are all hopefully things that can and will be fixed with future software updates. But the simple fact is, this is a mass market device intended to have mass market appeal, and while some will balk at the limited codec support and walled-garden approach, people who live in iTunes will enjoy the simplicity of just plugging it in and never having to fuss with anything. It’s hard to deny the fact that the interface is slick and simple enough that anyone — and we do mean anyone — should be able to use it with ease.

Matt Haughey of PVRBlog:

A little over a week ago mine arrived and after 20 minutes or so of setup I was enjoying my entire iTunes library on my TV. Let me just say upfront that despite a few drawbacks, I really like AppleTV and I suspect anyone with a decent home theater system and a decent sized media collection in iTunes would also find it handy. If you’re an iPod owner and you use iTunes for music and video and always wanted an easy way to move that content into your living room, I’d say AppleTV is a great buy. For others, it’s probably a bit too costly to consider.

Digital Media Bytes

A periodic roundup of relevant news… from our other blogs. Wireless carriers like convergence: Connected Home 2 Go BeyondTV 4.6.1 with QAM support shipping: SnapStream Blog Fiber as recruiting tool: Connected Home 2 Go The DIBA debate: Connected Home 2 Go

Digital Media Bytes

A periodic roundup of relevant news… from our other blogs. Web Video and The Speed of Change: Connected Home 2 Go Networks in the CE Spotlight: Connected Home 2 Go Did MediaPortal steal WebGuide MCE code: Rakesh Agrawal Vyyo, How Cable Will Compete with Fiber: Connected Home 2 Go

CableCARD PCs Cometh

Looks like we’re getting close now… PC Mag got their hands on a pre-release Dell coupled with two of those ATI CableCARD decoders I spotted at CES (and a Blu-ray drive). Though the article is extensive (we’re talking screens and screens), I didn’t see much on how CableCARD content is protected. The author was able … Read more

Dave Gets Vista

My copy of Vista finally arrived. Not as late as mid-April, but still later than I would have liked. The HP “Express Upgrade” kit came with two discs: an HP prep/config CD and the Vista DVD.

Prior to upgrading last night, HP had me disconnect a variety of peripherals (I declined), update my BIOS (was already current), and then their CD removed incompatible software that had been preloaded with my machine (most of which I had already blown away). The actual Vista upgrade took several hours, followed by running that HP CD again… to reinstall Vista-compatible software I don’t need (blown away a second time). I did have some trouble finding a NVIDIA driver that supported my LCD’s native resolution (1400×900) — Neither the default Vista driver nor HP’s driver update would go that high, but a direct NVIDIA download took care of it.

SnapStream, maker of PC DVR software BeyondTV, has pushed out a “simple” web television guide. Unlike other guides floating around the net, Couchville is not plastered in ads, doesn’t require registration, and doesn’t require numerous clicks before hitting the listings. The guide is easily manipulated, AJAX style, by dragging the screen or using the arrow keys. As with most Web 2.0 apps, Couchville is in beta. I don’t know how many features we’ll end up seeing in this minimalist app, but I’d appreciate the option of a different color scheme.

In my household I’m often asked, “When’s ‘Dancing With Skating Celebrity American Idols Next Door’ on?” I always answer, “No idea” and one of us (or both) ends up surfing the network’s web page for (hopefully) the answer. So I’m looking forward to sharing this URL and pointing out the search box.

Hollywood Killed Replay But Can They Take On Microsoft?

Shortly after I purchased my first TiVo, a friend of mine wanted to know my thoughts on whether or not he should get a DVR. Like any rabid obsessed TiVotee, I immedietely started gushing over, all of TiVoâs innovative features and about how much of a transformative effect, time shifting has played on my life.

After trying to hard sell him on a TiVo unit for over three weeks, I finally succeeded in convincing my friend to buy a DVR, but instead of going with the TiVo unit I recommended, he went with the ReplayTV 5000. I tried to talk him out of it, but no matter what I said he wouldnât budge. I showed him the superior interface, I let him test drive my own unit, I tried pointing out that suggestions and wishlists were exclusive to TiVo, I even tried to scare him into believing that Replay would possible stop working, if the company went bankrupt. No matter how hard I tried though, I couldnât convince him to choose TiVo over that ReplayTV 5000 unit because it had a feature no one could touch. Automatic commercial skipping.

When TiVo first launched, the movie studios completely freaked out over DVR technology. They understood early on, the impact time shifting would play on their revenues and went to great lengths to put a stop to it. Initially, TiVo wanted to partner with the studios, but instead the studios threatened to sue the company, if they even launched their product. Hollywoodâs huffing and puffing turned out to be little more than hot air when it came to TiVo, but when ReplayTV had the nerve to introduce automatic commercial skipping, the studios knew they had to draw a line in the sand.