Snapstream releases BeyondTV 4.7 beta

Snapstream Media has released a new beta of their PC-based personal video recorder. BeyondTV 4.7.1 includes a number of useful updates:

• A new plugin allows you to automatically convert recordings to H.264 for viewing on an iPod or other portable device (earlier versions of BeyondTV featured automatic conversion to DivX or WMV only).
• You can generated an RSS feed that allows you to automatically import those files to iTunes.
• A new "drive pooling" feature lets you treat multiple hard drives as one recording source, effectively increasing your potential storage space.
• Use your internet connected PDA or mobile phone as a remote control with the new Firefly Nano/Remote Library feature.
• Automatically record the top shows based on BeyondTV Buzz community feedback.
• Burn DVDs using a BeyondTV Link machine.
• There's a new calendar view for upcoming recordings using the web interface.

Overall, this is a pretty exciting update. H.264 support is something that probably should have been included in BeyondTV for years. And drive pooling will prevent me from having to go out and buy a larger hard drive now that I'm recording HDTV programs.

The automatic BeyondTV Buzz recordings might not be quite as useful as TiVo suggestions or Guru guides, but they do offer a step in that direction.