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EDITION: U.S.
WindowsVista
Microsoft adding internet TV to Windows Media Center
by Brad Linder, posted Sep 8th 2007 2:00PM
It's been a while since Microsoft added any content to the Online Media showcase for Windows Media Center. But it looks like the company is getting ready to make up for that with the launch of an internet TV platform for Windows Media Center.
Engadget managed to get a few details about the upcoming service, but it looks like we'll have more to tell you on September 27th when Microsoft launches the service at Digital Life.
Here's what we know so far. The platform will feature on-demand advertising supported content in categories including Sports, Entertainment, News, Top Picks, Music, and Movies. The video will not be HD quality, but it should be better than standard definition, which means it should look great on an old fashioned TV and hopefully passable on your HDTV.
With Microsoft building Media Center capabilities into Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate, ad-supported online video seems like a great way for the software company to make a few extra bucks. Depending on the content available, it might also be a way for consumers to save a few bucks on their cable bills.
But while we can hardly wait to see this feature for ourselves, we remain a bit skeptical. For example, just because one of the categories is titled "Movies" doesn't mean you'll be able to watch ad-supported new releases, or even hits from yesteryear. It could just be a library of movie trailers.
Engadget managed to get a few details about the upcoming service, but it looks like we'll have more to tell you on September 27th when Microsoft launches the service at Digital Life.
Here's what we know so far. The platform will feature on-demand advertising supported content in categories including Sports, Entertainment, News, Top Picks, Music, and Movies. The video will not be HD quality, but it should be better than standard definition, which means it should look great on an old fashioned TV and hopefully passable on your HDTV.
With Microsoft building Media Center capabilities into Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate, ad-supported online video seems like a great way for the software company to make a few extra bucks. Depending on the content available, it might also be a way for consumers to save a few bucks on their cable bills.
But while we can hardly wait to see this feature for ourselves, we remain a bit skeptical. For example, just because one of the categories is titled "Movies" doesn't mean you'll be able to watch ad-supported new releases, or even hits from yesteryear. It could just be a library of movie trailers.
Niveus media center extender makes an appearance
by Brad Linder, posted Sep 7th 2007 1:00PM
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.
Microsoft announces first v2 media extenders
by Brad Linder, posted Sep 6th 2007 11:01AM
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
[via Chris Lanier]
New beta of Big Screen Headlines 2 coming soon
by Brad Linder, posted Aug 22nd 2007 7:29PM
It looks like developer Nial Ginsbourg is putting the finishing touches on the next version of of Big Screen Headlines and expects to push out a new beta within the next week or so. Here are a few of the new features you can expect:
- New menu system with 4-way navigation
- Support for displaying thumbnails, comments, and other extensions
- More options for sorting/filtering/viewing feeds including forward/reverse ordering and the ability to change text size
- Support for dynamic OPML 2.0
[via Ian Dixon]
TV Toolbox for Windows Vista Beta2 released
by Brad Linder, posted Aug 20th 2007 9:30AM
MCEDev has released a new beta of TV Toolbox, a Windows Media Center application for editing recorded shows using your remote control.TV Toolbox lets you convert DVR-MS files to other video formats or perform basic video editing tasks without getting up from your couch. The latest beta includes a number of bug fixes and updates including:
- Fixed a problem that caused TV Toolbox to hang on startup
- Fixed a problem with file name generation
- TV Toolbox refreshes list of recordings when grouping changes or application restarts
- You can now create rules to convert any recordings created by Windows Media Center when the files include a certain keyword
[via Aaron Stebner]
TiVo Desktop 2.5 released with Vista and DivX support
by Brad Linder, posted Aug 8th 2007 4:50PM
As expected, TiVo Desktop 2.5 has been released. Make that 2.5.274381 to be exact.Here are a few of the updates in the latest version, some of which are long overdue:
- Compatible with Windows Vista
- Apple iPod has been added to the list of supported portable devices, and converted files are added to your iTunes library
- Supports transfer and playback of XviD and DivX (4.0 and up) files
- Adds the ability to convert previously transfered files
[via Zatz Not Funny]
Keyspan releases $50 RF remote for Vista Media Center
by Brad Linder, posted Aug 7th 2007 5:40PM
Keyspan's new RF remote for Windows Vista Media Center has all your usual play, pause, and fast-forward style features. It's even got the signature green button in the middle.But there's one thing that's missing. A huge price tag. It seems like every day a new company is releasing a remote control that's more powerful than your computer, and costs more to boot.
The Keyspan remote might not be as cheap as the universal remote you can pick up for your TV/VCR/DVD player at the local Radio Shack. But at $50, it's a pretty solid looking device. Since it's an RF remote, you can control your media center from up to 90 feet away without a direct line of sight.
Unlike Snapstream Media's similarly priced Firefly RF remote control, which is designed to work with BeyondTV, Keyspan's remote is made for Windows Media Center. That means you won't have to install any software to use it.
[via Business Portal 24]
TiVo Desktop 2.5 with Vista and DivX support coming Tuesday
by Brad Linder, posted Aug 6th 2007 10:33PM
A little birdie, (or pony, actually), who just happens to work for TiVo has left a note in the TiVo Community Forums announcing that the company will be launching TiVo Desktop 2.5 as soon as Tuesday.There are a couple of major upgrades in the new release, including:
- Support for Windows Vista
- Support for DivX and XviD video compression "for Web Video Conversions"
- Convert individual shows from TiVo Desktop's now playing list at any time to any profile by right-clicking
We're also not clear on what "for Web Video Conversions means." Is it possible that you won't be able to convert movies to DivX and XviD formats to save on your computer, but only to post online? We certainly hope not.
[via TiVo Blog]
MCEDev TV Toolbox: 10 foot interface for editing videos
by Brad Linder, posted Aug 3rd 2007 3:30PM
Those industrious developers at MCEDev are at it again. A few months ago, we told you about a beta program that would allow you to edit DVR-MS files using your remote control with a Windows Media Center PC. Now it looks like that feature and several others have been bundled into TV Toolbox, which is now available for download.TV Toolbox lets you edit recordings, convert DVR-MS files to other video formats, and set rules to automatically convert new recordings. And it's designed to work with your remote control. No keyboard and mouse necessary.
The current version of TV Toolbox is a public beta that expires at the end of August. It will likely either be replaced by a new beta or by a commercial version of the application.
[via Ian Dixon]
Sony quietly releases funny looking HTPC
by Brad Linder, posted Jul 26th 2007 8:11PM
Sony's Vaio TP1 is sort of the opposite of pretty much every other fancy media center PC on the market right now. It doesn't include CableCard or high definition optical discs.The Vaio TP1 also doesn't look like anything else that sits by your television set. But that's okay, it doesn't really look like a computer either.
This little box was first unveiled by Sony at CES in January. Recently CNet noticed that it was shipping, even though there hadn't been any major announcement from the company.
Under the tiny hood lies a Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 300GB hard drive. There's also a DVD burner, an ATSC/NTSC tuner, and HDMI/DVI/VGA outputs. It runs Windows Vista Home Premium and runs about $1600.
Trust RC-2400 remote control for Vista Media Center
by Brad Linder, posted Jul 19th 2007 2:20PM
If you've never heard of Trust, you must live a very sad and lonely existence. Oh wait, no. We meant the consumer electronics manufacturer. If you've never heard of them, you're not alone.But the company's new RC-2400 remote control for Windows Vista Media Center looks sexy enough that we're willing to overlook the company's obscure name and drool at the pretty picture in all its retro style goodness.
The RC-2400 is a 49 button remote with the big ole "green button" we've come to know and love in the middle. The RF remote control comes with a little USB RF dongle. And the RC-2400 is Microsoft certified and should work with your Windows Vista machine, no drivers required.
The remote should be available this month, although there's no word on pricing.
[via FloppyHead]
Control your Media Center from a UMPC with Mirage
by Brad Linder, posted Jul 12th 2007 7:30AM
Autonomic Home's Mirage is a Flash-based program that works with Media Media Control Server to give you control over music, video, and photo playback. Mirage works with Windows Vista and Windows MCE 2005. It acts as more than a remote control. If you're using it to play music on your PC, Mirage will display metadata like album art and ID tags. If you're controlling TV playback, you'll get similar data. And so on.
Mirage is free while in beta, and includes a free trial of Media Control Server. But a full version of Media Control Server will set you back $500. It's obviously meant more for professional use, but Mirage looks like a great consumer level product. Hopefully a future version will include some of the same functionality without the high price tag.
[via Chris Lanier]
Are your Windows Media Center plugins up to date?
by Brad Linder, posted Jun 16th 2007 11:40AM
One of the coolest things about Windows Media Center is that you can plugin a ton of 3rd party applications to add the ability to do things like read RSS feeds, check your email, or even make video phone calls. OABsoftware has updates its line of Vista Media Center plugins that do just those things.All of the plugins have been updated to work with Windows Vista. You can also use Media Center RSS Reader and Media Center Mail on an media extender.
OABsoftware has also released a new Vista-compatible applications called Media Center Outlook. The plugin lets you access all your MS Outlook information including your calendar, contacts, tasks, notes, and emails.
[via Aaron Stebner]
Moneaul release media center PC for under $1000
by Brad Linder, posted Jun 14th 2007 8:00PM
Ever since I moved our tower PC from the office to the living room to serve as the home media center, I've been struck by just how loud the spinning fans are in your typical desktop. And that's one of the reasons the Moneaul 301B looks so attractive to me right now. While most home theater PCs that come in a stylish case with a a quite cooling system will set you back thousands of dollars, the 301B starts at just $995. It sports:
- An AMD Athlon 64x2 Dual Core 4400+ processor
- Windows Vista Home Premium
- 2GB RAM
- 250GB hard drive
- Dual layer DVD/CD Burner
- HDMI out
- A wireless keyboard and remote
- Liquid cooling
- Your usual USB 2.0/Ethernet/Firewire/audio/VGA and other inputs and outputs
EMUcenter brings classic video games to Windows Media Center
by Brad Linder, posted Jun 11th 2007 4:04PM
Steven Harding, the developer behind Yougle has issued a major updated to his MAMECenter plugin for Windows Media Center. In fact, it's a big enough update that Harding gave the program a new name, EMUCenter.EMUCenter provides a 10 foot interface for launching classic console games using emulators including MAME, ZSNES, KEGA Fusion, and CCS. In other words, if you've got Roms for Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis or Commodore 64 games lying around, EMUCenter helps make it easier to play them on your media center PC.
EMUCenter is Windows Vista only, and it's currently in beta, so don't be surprised if you find a glitch or two. Harding gave the MAMECenter interface an overhaul, and added the ability to launch Windows games.
You'll need to download and install the emulators separately, and of course you need to legally own any of the games that you want to play using EMUCenter. But we didn't have to tell you that, now did we?
[via Ian Dixon]
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