DirecTV Buys ReplayTV (Huh?)

I’ve lost track of how many times ReplayTV has switched hands. And today they’ve ended up under DirecTV’s wing for who knows what purpose. Replay had abandoned the hardware DVR market, though they still have subscribers, and they’ve been making a play for the PC software DVR market. A small fish in a small pond.

So far, this is all we know:

Japan’s D&M Holdings Inc said on Thursday it had sold its ReplayTV business, which develops software for digital video recorders, to DirecTV of the United States for an undisclosed sum.

Perhaps DTV will put out a release and clue us in to their intentions. Until then, we’ll just have to speculate… I suppose it’s possible they could (think about) using the ReplayTV interface on their satellite DVRs, re-enter the stand-alone hardware business, or (most likely) just hang onto Replay’s patent portfolio for a rainy day (when/if their do-not-sue deal with TiVo expires in 2010). Or to prevent that rainy day.

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PSP Getting Internet Radio (Maybe Direct Downloads)

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Sony has announced that Japanese PSP owners will be getting an update (3.80) next week that includes Internet radio streaming. Interestingly, the screenshot (below) says “Powered by SHOUTcast”… which is produced by an AOL subsidiary. The software also includes enhanced RSS support for OPML and images. I assume these features will make it to the US in the near future, though we obviously won’t be receiving (or utilizing) the ability to schedule video recordings via digital tuner.

Additionally, rumors have surfaced that the PSP may be getting directing downloads. Though, as Gizmodo points out: downloadable content isn’t worth a damn unless there is something good to download. Given the limited selection of games (and no movies) in the recently launched PSP online store, I can’t say that I’m feeling too hopeful. But I haven’t dumped my (second) PSP yet..

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The SageTV HD Media Extender Giveaway

Not that we need an excuse to give things away, but it is the holiday season… Our second raffle this week is for the SageTV HD Media Extender and SageTV software license (MSRP $249), courtesy our friends at SageTV. Check out Brent’s review for the product details. If you want in, please leave one comment … Read more

More Hulu Voodoo and News from NBC

More news came out today on both Hulu and NBC. First, Last100 picked up on a new site called OPENhulu which allows anyone to access Hulu content. No beta invite required. Read all the details on the Last100 post, or just go straight to the site and start watching shows. Only some of the Hulu … Read more

Hulu Adds HD (and Burn Notice)

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Hulu (still in beta) has introduced select HD streaming:

Today we’re excited to launch an HD Gallery featuring a selection of High Definition video clips at 1280 x 720 resolution. Those of you with a fast internet connection of 2,400 Kbps or higher, the latest build of Adobe Flash Player 9, and a fast computer can stream these High Definition clips and preview the future.

Right now, the content is pretty weak – just movie trailers. The Hulu blog indicates this is due to technical reasons as they ramp up:

We’ve limited the bitrates on these HD streams to allow as many users as possible to sample high definition streaming.

While that’s probably partially true, I’m also betting they haven’t yet determined if this H.264 content can be grabbed in whole (“buffer the stream by clicking pause”) – so they’re restricting it to advertising (aka movie previews) that can be freely swiped and shared.

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Slacker’s Hardware Tease

Two weeks after ramping up hardware pre-orders for their Portable Radio Player, internet radio provider Slacker has delayed product delivery from this week until late January. While delays are pretty common, it’s a bit unusual to pull back so close to shipment. (I’d call this manuveur a ‘Foleo‘, but I was actually looking forward to … Read more

The OPPO 3×1 HDMI Switch Giveaway

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OPPO has kindly provided the HM-31 Advanced 3×1 HDMI Switch (MSRP $99) for a ZNF giveaway. While I haven’t tested it, the OPPO has a small and sleek form factor – plus the IR remote means you’ll be able to add switching to your Harmony activities. Switch details:

  • HDMI 1.3 specification with DDC and HPD switching
  • Supports 1080p and all HDTV resolutions
  • EIA/CEA-861D, DVI 1.0, HDCP 1.1 compliant
  • Remote control
  • Custom installation options – external IR input and RS-232C port

If you want in, please leave one comment. The catch is that you must provide a link to another comment you’ve left on ZNF, excluding contest posts. (The comment date stamp is your permalink.) And if you’ve never left a comment, now you have some incentive.

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Stream Xvid & Divx From Mac to Xbox

Speaking of media extenders, I’m digging the Xbox 360 Dashboard refresh in conjunction with the updated Connect360. By utilizing UPnP on Mac OS X, Connect360 mimics PC Windows Media Player functionality in streaming content to the Xbox. I’ve played with it before to send pics and music to my 360, but this is the first … Read more