Showtime Introduces Middle East To DVRs

It’s easy to forget that technology I find commonplace doesn’t exist yet in many regions. That’s why the announcement of Showtime being first to offer DVRs in the Middle East caught my eye this morning. No word yet on what’s powering their box, but I’ll keep my eyes open. AME Info says: Showtime, a leading … Read more

Sony Preps Wireless AV System

What’s a bored, snowed-in geek to do on a Sunday AM? Troll the FCC website for new products, of course!

Sony’s got a home wireless AV transmission system (HWS-AV10) in the works. It uses the 2.4 GHz frequency to relay audio, video, and IR remote signals from a component in one room to a TV in another… while likely interfering with your cordless phones and WiFi. The base station includes an IR blaster allowing you to change channels or choose TiVo recordings at a distance. The receiver smartly bundles an external antenna to fine-tune reception.

In the past, I’ve used a few variations of this device with mediocre results. I’ve had better luck using media extenders/servers over WiFi… though they require a larger investment of both time and money. If cash is no object, go whole-hog with Sony’s LocationFree TV and take your screen with you around the house. For basic video, I’d advise just fishing the coax.

Sorry, HD Beat… this puppy’s standard def only.

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Echostar X Rescheduled

Echostar’s DISH satellite launch has been rescheduled for tomorrow. As I posted earlier, the ocean launch will be webcast live. Supposedly this new satellite will provide DISH with additional bandwidth to expand their HD offerings… but I’m just interested in seeing the rocket take off. Sea Launch says: After a halt in the countdown for … Read more

Sling Media Responds To Story

Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media, wrote a response to yesterday’s Marketwatch summary. As with my prior interactions with the father of Slingbox, I get the sense Blake is a stand-up guy in touch with both his customers and the market. Kudos for conversing directly with us in forums (AVS, TCF) and the … Read more

TiVo’s Online Scheduling Gets Refresh

As reported last month, TiVo’s been busy updating their online scheduling tools. The refreshed TiVo Central Online is available now and features an enhanced, customizable AJAX-animated grid guide with improved search functionality.

Cable Company Partners With BitTorrent

As you may recall, BitTorrent began their uphill battle towards legitimacy by partnering with the MPAA last fall to crack down on movie piracy. Now they’re taking it a step further by introducing a video download service with UK cable provider NTL. Once they add a custom storefront, will the service really be much different … Read more

Sling Media Anticipates Commoditization

Blake Krikorian, the co-founder and CEO of Sling Media, had an interesting and frank conversation with MarketWatch. Bottom line: Krikorian asserts he has a several year lead until other services add Slingbox features, during which time Sling hopes to innovate and partner before their technology becomes a commodity. Of course, having a healthy awareness of … Read more

GM’s Car-based Multimedia Infrastructure

GM wants to build you a car-based multimedia infrastructure. They envision a system for moving content from various home and portable devices into your car for storage, organization, and presentation. Oh yeah, they want to enforce DRM by tying content to your vehicle identification number (VIN) — surely thatÂ’s a first! GM’s Patent Application says: … Read more