Disney’s MovieBeam Goes HD

MovieBeam, who just received a large cash infusion, is relaunching in 29 markets this year. In fact, my neighborhood already appears to be online. Basically you buy the Linksys MovieBeam set-top box, every week a few movies are downloaded via a digital over-the-air (OTA) signal, and then you choose which you want to rent. The … Read more

TiVo Galleon Developer Calls It Quits

I woke up to some depressing news this AM… Leon Nicholls, the sole developer of Galleon, has decided to move on to “other interesting technologies.” TiVo subscribers are losing a great resource, and TiVo, Inc. is losing a great advocate. I’m hopeful that TiVo enthusiasts with some coding chops will pick up where he’s left … Read more

Reader-Submitted TiVo Hack

A mysterious reader graciously wrote in with a clever hack that allows you to essentially re-record and edit your TiVo’d shows with no additional hardware or software. I haven’t tried it yet, as I do my editing and conversion on PC, but it looks interesting. Tivo can playback and record a TV signal at the … Read more

Logitech Harmony 890 Reviewed

The Harmony 890 has finally hit the shelves and the reviews are trickling in. On top of the features his younger brother the 880 offers, the new model adds RF (to make it through those pesky cabinets and walls) and is fully backlit. But is that really worth the $150-$200 premium? With a list price … Read more

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