High end home theater PC makers Niveus and VidaBox are treading into shady waters by adding features that either enable or compliment ripping HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs. Now, in theory there's nothing wrong with using software that can rip video from a disc, if it's a disc you own the rights to, like say your wedding video. But generally speaking, renting a movie from NetFlix and then ripping it is a no no.

But that hasn't stopped VidaBox from adding the option to rip high definition movies to its media center computers. The software won't play encrypted video streams, but if you've got third party software that can rip encrypted movies, VidaBox's software will let you watch your videos.

Niveus is taking a different approach, by developing a new media management program that will let users watch any video saved on their computer, whether that video is a recorded TV show or a ripped DVD or Blu-Ray disc. Because the Niveus Movie Gallery doesn't inlcude any ripping software, Niveus reps are confident they won't run into any legal troubles.

Niveus's software also has a nifty feature that displays ripped high definition movies when you're using your main computer but hides them from view when you're using a Media extender device. That makes a lot of sense, since ripped high definition videos will tend to be huge files that might not play very well over a network connection. The Movie Gallery application also has a recommendation engine that will show similar titles you might want to watch. Niveus plans to release a beta version of the application in a few weeks.

Niveus has publicly released its Media Center Companion software for Windows Vista Media Center, which lets you control Windows Vista Media Center using a second PC as a virtual remote control.

I first looked at the MCC software back in October when it was in beta. At the time, I was pretty certain Niveus was going to slap a price tag on the final version, but it turns out it's still free.

The Niveus Media Center Companion comes in two versions. The basic version is available for anyone with Windows Vista, while the full version requires a Niveus branded computer. The full version includes controls for media extenders and television features. But the basic version will let you control your picture and music libraries. Probably the coolest feature is the on-screen remote control that essentially lets you control your entire Windows Vista Media Center system without buying a separate remote. You know, if you happen to have a spare computer lying around.

The software comes in two parts: a server which you set up on your Windows Vista computer and the companion software which can run on any Windows XP or Vista machine. It's great for laptops or UMPCs.

[via Chris Lanier]

Want to scare the heck out of your kids? While they're watching TV in the living room go ahead and open up your laptop in the office and start changing the channels on them. While I'm pretty sure this isn't what Niveus had in mind when they created their Media Center Companion software, it's certainly what I'd do. If I had kids.

The Media Center Companion lets you control access data like cover art, TV recording details, and photo thumbnails on any PC in your house. You can also use your second computer as a remote control for your media center. For example, if you want to play music from your media center without turning your TV on, just fire up the companion software on your laptop and select your playlist.

Niveus Media Center Companion is sort of like the grown up version of the company's Pocket Remote software.

Up until now, Niveus only made the companion software available to customers who had purchases Niveus media center PCs. But now the company has released a public beta version of the software that should run on any machine running Windows Media Center. The program is free while in beta, although we suspect Niveus will slap a price on the software when it's officially launched.

[via Missing Remote]

Niveus has released more details about its new Media Center Extender for Windows Vista. The new device, with the catchy moniker, EDGE packs a bunch of features, but seems to be missing a few essentials as well.

The EDGE includes a passive cooling system for silent operation, 3 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI/component outputs, and an ethernet jack. But there's no Wi-Fi. That's right, not only does this device lack any 802.11n support, there's no 802.11anything in there.

Niveus plans to release the EDGE in November, but there's no word on pricing. Considering Niveus tends to make high end boxes, we would expect the EDGE to cost more than the $350 D-Link and Linksys are charging for their extenders. But the lack of Wi-Fi has us scratching our heads.

A few weeks after Niveus showed off its first "V2" media center extender, Linksys is following suit with its DMA 2100/2200 devices for Windows Vista Media Center users.

While Windows Vista has been around since the start of the year (and even earlier if you were in on the beta), so far the only media center extender released that works with Vista has been the Xbox 360. If you didn't want to buy an expensive video game console just so you could watch content from your office PC in your living room, you were out of luck.

But with Niveus, Linksys, and several other companies set to offer new extenders, things are looking up. We're expecting a few more product announcements during Microsoft's keynote tomorrow at the Digital Life Expo.

As for the Linksys boxes, the DMA 2200 includes an upscaling DVD player, which could make it a nice all-in-one box to stick in your TV cabinet. Both the DMA 2100 and 2200 will be available in November for an undisclosed price.

[via Engadget and Big Screen Blog]

Microsoft has finally announced that v2 media center extenders are on the way from D-Link, Linksys, and Niveus. But while Linksys and D-Link are keeping their product details secret for now (likely because they don't have finished products ready to show off yet), Engadget got a good look at the Niveus media extender at CEDIA.

We have to say, it looks a bit on the large side for a device that's primarily meant to connect the TV in your living room to the media center PC in your office. Up until now, the only media center extender that worked with Windows Vista was the Xbox 360. And although it's hard to gauge from the pictures, Niveus's new offering looks to be about the same size as an Xbox. In fact, if you squint just the right way, it appears there's even an X pattern on top of the box.

As Ian Dixon points out, if you take a look at Engadget's photos, you'll also notice that the interface does not look like a Windows Media Center interface. It's not clear if that means Niveus has designed custom software for the box, or if Microsoft might have a few other details about the v2 extender platform that they forgot to mention.

Update: And as Chris Lanier points out, it looks like Engadget got confused and showed screenshots of the Niveus Companion software.

Windows Vista has been available to the public since January. And while there are some nice upgrades including visual candy in the Windows Media Center Application, media center extenders that worked with your old machine won't work with Vista.

A media center extender is basically a box running software the lets you access content from your Windows Media Center in another room. So far, the only v2 media center extender has been the Xbox 360. If you're not a video game fan, you've been out of luck.

But Microsoft has finally announced that three companies plan to release new v2 media extenders. Linksys, D-Link, and Niveus all plan to launch devices that will act as media center extenders. The new platform allows increased functionality including:

• HD video
• Wireless networking
• Expanded support for audio and video codecs including DivX and Xvid

It's not clear yet whether all three companies plan to release devices with all three new features. There's also no word on pricing, or even what the new devices will look like. They'll "be unveiled later this month in a variety of innovative form factors and price points."

[via Chris Lanier]

The latest trend in media center PCs has been support for high definition video. But what about audio? Most of the music you can download from iTunes and other online music stores is at 128kbps or 256kbps. That might be good enough for a portable player you can stick in your pocket, but some people sink thousands of dollars into home stereo equipment and they'd rather have some high quality audio, thank you very much.

High-end media center maker Niveus has taken pity on this underserved population, and is partnering with MusicGiants to create a Niveus HD Media store. The store will be integrated into all of Niveus's Vista media center PCs.

Audio is available in WMA lossless formats, with bitrates up to 11,000kbps. The HD Media Store includes music from EMI, Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner.

[via Electronic House]

While CableCard equipped PCs are finally starting to ship, they're still veiled in a shroud of mystery for most consumers. Gizmodo got a close-up look at the new Niveus systems, complete with a video demonstration.

The video's a little grainy, but you get to see a Niveus rep demonstrate recording 3 HD shows at the same time while watching a previously recorded show at the same time.

You'll need a high end Niveus Rainier or Denali edition media center PC running Windows Vista in order to get CableCard support. And that's not counting the $1500 you'll have to shell out for the separate digital cable receiver box. Makes that TiVo Series3 start to look cheap, doesn't it?

The new Niveus systems should be available later this month or in early May.

Let the early adopter wars begin. First, Velocity Micro announced that they're ready to ship the company's first CableCard ready home theater PC. Now Niveus says their CableCard PCs are ready to move.

That means consumers can now choose between high end media center PCs capable of recording high definition digital cable signals. Niveus is adding CableCard to several models, including the Rainier and Denali editions, as well as the Pro Series n9 and n7.

But lest you think Niveus just threw a couple of CableCard slots into its existing computers, the company actually requires you to purchase a separate set-top-box. The Niveus Digital Cable Receiver supports two CableCards and basically replaces your cable company box with a new box that's probably just as big and clunky looking. You can then pair it with a Niveus HTPC to record that sweet overpriced HD content.

One of the biggest reasons to use Windows Vista Media Center rather than Windows Media Center 2005 has always been the CableCard support. There's just been one problem. Nobody's shipped a machine that can actually handle CableCards yet.

It looks like Velocity Micro's about to do just that. Velocity Micro's Chris Morley posted in the AVS Forum that the company could ship their CableCard capable Grand Theater line of home theater PCs starting this week. You can expect that PC to set you back at least $2200. Systems can be configured to support up to 4GB of RAM, and up to 2.25TB of hard drive space, but a fully decked out system will cost you considerably more.

Velocity Micro's hardly the only kid on the block working on a CableCard ready system. We can expect to see similar announcements soon from the likes of Niveus, Okoro, and others.

Exceptional Innovation is demonstrating CableCard support in Windows Vista at the Electronic Home Expo. CE Pro reports that Exceptional Innovation has a demo unit consisting of a Sony XL3 Media Center PC and 1080p Sony Bravia TV.

Up until now, the only way to get high definition programming on a PC running Windows Media Center was with a HDTV card that can pick up over-the-air broadcasts.

Niveus will also be showing off the ability to stream CableCard content to multiple Xbox 360s serving as Media Center Extenders at the Electronic Home Expo. Of course, all the demos in the world aren't going to help your local cable guy better understand how to install CableCards in your PC. TiVo Series3 owners are full of stories of cable installers trying to put CableCards in the TV rather than the TiVo.