D-Link adds 200 channels of online video to MediaLounge devices

Looking for a way to view online video on your TV without dropping $350 on a newfangled "version 2" Windows media center extender? D-Link's DSM-520 media streamer costs more than a hundred bucks less than its newer sibling, and all you have to sacrifice is Windows Vista Media Center support.

What that means is you can plug the DSM-520 into your TV and stream video from your networked PC or from the internet. You just can't peruse your Windows Media Center menus.

But starting next Thursday, you'll be able to watch more than 200 "channels" of online video. D-Link is planning on releasing a firmware upgrade on October 4th that will enable "active-TV technology" on DSM-520 boxes. The service will include 200 channels with content from popular TV networks and online video sites like Comedy Central, MovieLink, VH1, Reuters, and the BBC. You can also add your own online video sources, which you can then navigate using a remote control and 10-foot interface.

Microsoft is expected to launch an internet TV section for Windows Vista Media Center users today. But D-Link's free internet video service might be a good alternative if you're not planning on buying a new home theater PC anytime soon.