Comcast Killing Microsoft DVR

Comcast is killing their Microsoft TV Foundation deployment in Washington State. Really it’s no surprise when you consider Motorola has partnered with Gemstar to produce and deliver GuideWorks DVR interface, plus Comcast has obviously invested a lot of time and money in bringing a TiVo solution to market. The only realistic place we’d next see … Read more

Big Ten Network Launching… In HD

Oh how I love college football. Growing up in Florida, football is a way a life and choosing an affiliation comes early (Go ‘Canes). Prior to cohabitation, I actually only subscribed to cable during football season to maximize coverage. Yes, I’ll even watch those random teams like New Mexico State or Boise on ESPN2 Thursday … Read more

TiVo Unveils Swivel Search

As part of the broadband strategy announced last last fall, TiVo has introduced unified search functionality. “Swivel Search” offers enhanced on-box querying, but also reaches beyond broadcast television and into TiVoCast and Amazon Unbox programming. Additionally, show information will include representative thumbnail images pulled across the Internet, with actor headshots to follow. The press release … Read more

Dembot on Why Video Platforms Fail

There is a great post over on dembot on why video platforms fail. You should read the whole thing, but here is the top ten list: 1. Insubstantial library of content 2. Poor bit rates 3. Lack of innovation (clone platform) 4. No share in content ownership rights 5. No exclusivity of content distribution 6. … Read more

Digital Media Bytes: VoIP Edition

A periodic roundup of relevant news… Get Your Skype at WalMart: Dvorak Vonage May Have Solved Patent Dispute With A Workaround: UNEASYsilence Microsoft’s (Beta!) VoIP Device Blitz: GigaOM Skype 3.2 PC Goes Gold: SkypeJournal

Cisco Prepping Super-DVR?

Since CES in January I’ve heard rumblings that Cisco (comprised of Scientific Atlanta, Linksys, and KiSS Technology) has some sort of über home media network hub DVR product line in the works. Granted, I hear tons of rumors… However I’ve received inquiries regarding this mysterious product by several well connected industry folks who seem to … Read more

Fed Up with eStarling; A Win for Westinghouse

I do not bash products lightly, and I feel I have been extraordinarily patient with the eStarling digital photo frame. However, there is a limit. It is now mid-May, five months after the eStarling debacle started, and my parents’ main Christmas present is still not working as promised. Actually, it’s not working at all.

After running the netconfig utility at least half a dozen times, the newly shipped version of the eStarling frame still will not connect to the Internet and therefore will not operate. The folks over at Gizmodo apparently got their unit to work (though they still didn’t like it), but we tried connecting ours to two different wireless networks (in two different states!) with no luck at all. That’s it. I’m done.

While I’m still yearning for the advertised eStarling feature set, I have in the meantime taken a Westinghouse digital photo frame for a spin and found it very satisfying. My mom was on hand when I took the Westinghouse frame out of the box and her first reaction was that she couldn’t imagine hanging such a thing in her house. Then she saw the photo resolution.

westinghouse1.JPG

I have the 14.1″ Westinghouse model for review and the picture quality is beautiful. (My lame photography doesn’t do it justice.) If you have a half-way decent digital camera, the photos fill the frame in slideshow mode. You can also choose mosaic mode for four photos at once, set photo transitions, save favorite photos and watch MPEG videos.

Best of all, the product is dead simple to use. There are three steps on the box: Plug in frame. Insert memory card. Turn on frame. And it’s literally that easy. The frame comes with 128MB of internal Flash memory and has ports for several card types (specs after the jump) as well as USB connections. I successfully tested file transfers from a PC and connection with a Flash drive. For general use, I’d suggest stocking a large Flash drive with gazillions of photos and keeping it plugged in. It’s easy enough to update a Flash drive with new photos when needed.

I’m definitely planning on writing in for a refund on the eStarling frame, and I just may put the proceeds towards a purchase of the Westinghouse 14.1″ digital frame model. The only thing possibly holding me back is the Westinghouse price: $349. Ouch. If you’re interested, Westinghouse does offer frames in different sizes. And the Live Digitally blog likes the 8″ version. But I have to admit, the large screen is delicious.

Want specs and more photos? Keep reading.

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