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News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies (and TGB News!)
March 2008 - Posts
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PALO
ALTO, Calif., March 31, 2008 - HP today unveiled new customizable desktop
PCs that offer a wide range of personalized features and options to fit the
needs of every consumer.
The company also announced the availability of a digital storage device, the HP
Media Vault mv2120, which is designed to store, protect and share digital
media, as well as advanced monitors and accessories to enhance the digital
lifestyle.
Whether desiring a faster processor for casual gaming or more hard drive space
for storing photos, consumers can mix and match the options that appeal to
their individual interests to create a dream PC with HP's new customizable
desktops.
For the ultimate entertainment experience, HP offers the HP Pavilion Elite
m9200t customizable PC. The m9200t features the HP Easy Backup button to
quickly back up files as well as a variety of options including up to a 1
terabyte (TB)(1) hard drive and a Blu-ray DVD writer.(2)
Extra storage options include two built-in drive bays for backing up photos,
music and videos. This PC is ideal for anyone who wants power for the most
demanding PC tasks and high-end home entertainment.
The new HP Pavilion a6460t customizable PC is ENERGY STAR® qualified and
features an 80 PLUS power supply to help consumers save money and lessen their
impact on the environment. In addition, the a6460t offers powerful computing
and captivating entertainment options, with an available Intel® Core(tm)
2 Quad Processor,(3,4) wireless LAN card(5) and a TV
tuner(6) to watch, record and pause live TV.
For those seeking a high-productivity PC at a superb value, HP offers the
enhanced HP Pavilion a6400z customizable PC. The a6400z can be configured for
as low as $299(7) with a 1.8 GHz AMD Dual-Core Processor,(3)
NVIDIA GeForce 6150 graphics cards, 1 gigabyte (GB) of memory and a 250 GB(8)
hard drive. Additionally, every HP Pavilion PC includes tools to make it more
fun and convenient to work with digital photos and video clips.
The Compaq Presario line of retail desktop PCs also has been updated to include
the Compaq Presario SR5450F, which offers a front-panel 15-in-1 memory card
reader,(9) 2 GB of memory and Intel Pentium® Dual-Core Processor(3)
for under $500.(7)
Read Full
Press Release
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Okoro Media Systems, manufacturer of
Digital Entertainment Systems for the high end audio video market, is pleased
to announce the availability of the ZX series of media center PCs. The ZX
series represent Okoro Media’s new “Extreme” line of Digital Entertainment
Systems. Each ZX model utilizes Intel® Quad Core processors, high speed solid
state hard drives, and an exceptional visual experience using the latest in
NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology. The ZX series will also be the first Digital
Entertainment System available that allows OMS customers to choose any
automotive color they desire as a standard feature.
“We now have a stylish Digital Entertainment System for our customers in any
automotive color they want. This will allow them to customize the unit to fit
their décor or color match it with their favorite car. We strive to give our
customers what they want and ultimate customization is a popular request. ”
says Christopher Curry VP of Sales and Marketing.
The ZX series uses Solid State Drive (SSD) technology which is a major leap
from the standard hard disc drives used in other media centers. The OMS SSD
have no mechanical parts increasing overall reliability, performance and are
more “Green” because they consume very little power. The ZX series is also
Okoro Media Systems’ first line to be available in any color using a high
quality automotive finish usually only associated with exotic cars.
The OMS-ZX100 is the first model available in the ZX line and comes standard
with the following features:
ZX100 Digital Entertainment System
Intel Core™2 Extreme Quad Core Processor QX6850 3.0GHz
3 Gigabytes of Memory
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT HDMI output
32GB High Speed Solid State OS Drive with 1TB for Media Storage
Blu-ray and HDDVD Playback
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Edition
Availability in ANY automotive color
For more information about the ZX series please visit www.okoromedia.com
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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This came to one of my e-mail accounts the other day, looks very interesting considering the issues I know Canadian's are having.
ichannel
Documentary Special Tonight,
while Canadians settle down in front of their TVs, few will realize that a
fierce battle is being waged over who will control what they get to see in
their living-rooms in the future. It is a
battle that pits big cable, satellite and telephone companies against the
broadcasters, producers and Canadian talent. Oligopolies against small
independent broadcasters…Canada against the US…and private interests versus the
public good. It is a war
over Canada’s airwaves. Who really owns them? Who should be
policing the types of channels we can access? And just how independent,
diverse and Canadian should our television universe be? TV WARS:
Media, Money and the Battle for Canada’s Airwaves is an investigative
documentary special that delves into Canada’s most important cultural industry,
and how that industry will fare in the future. Will Canadian values,
opinions, ideas and stories survive if the Canadian broadcasting system is
controlled by the cable, satellite and telephone companies, who not only own
the means for television distribution, but also many of the channels available
to Canadians? In an era of media ownership concentration, will there be
any room for an independent voice in the brave new TV world? Find out
Wednesday, April 2 at 8pm and 11pm, and Sunday, April 6 at 9pm (ET). Only on
ichannel.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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AVerMedia has released beta QAM plug-in/driver that work
within Media Center for their Bravo Hybrid
PCIe tuner card. Much like the
existing beta QAM plug-in for the AVerTV
Combo PCIe x1 M780, this will enable your Bravo Hybird to tune unencrypted QAM from within Media Center.
You can download the beta drivers and plug-in from AVerMedia’s
FTP site at ftp.aver.com/Bravo. Username is beta, password is betatest. There are drivers for both 32 and 64-bit, but remember these are beta drivers so backup your system
before you try anything!
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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We
have been waiting for Microsoft to open the beta for Fiji, the suspected
codename for the next version of Media Center for well over a year now. I
first posted about it
in March of last year, with invites first
opening just a month after that, and now it appears we may finally have
taken a step forward.
Users
(who shall remain nameless, because I edited them out) at The Green Button are
reporting that they have received
e-mails from Microsoft Connect. If true, this would be the first step
to finally getting something in our hands to play with (under NDA of course).
This
release will bring DIRECTV support
among other unannounced features. I had expected it to include HD DVD
support, but I wouldn’t count
on that any more. Other features have been kept under tight wraps,
though I’ve got a few in mind that I’m rather sure will be there.
As
the beta has still not officially started, anyone have predictions for what
features will be added?
Update: Engadget
HD points to a user who leaked their invite for the DIRECTV beta (bad move,
considering Engadget published their first name!).
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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On10 has video interviews with Autonomic
Controls as well as Cannon PC that
were posted this week. Cannon PC has even
stepped up and now is a Microsoft OEM so they can offer CableCARD.
Ian Dixon has a new
Media Center Show with Charlie Owen and special guest Ted Singh of Embedded
Automation. Ted is on with a short interview
about their new
in-wall touchscreen, and Charlie as always is on with development news and platform
highlights.
I’m trying out some new things in regards to authoring HD
DVD and Blu-ray Discs that I hope to post on later. For instance, did you know that you don’t
need an HD DVD or Blu-ray Burner to burn HD content? You can actually use standard DVD+R or DVD-R and
get HD DVD or Blu-ray compliant video that will playback on standalone players.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Word
is that Vista SP1 is giving Linksys Extenders a bit of a speed boost,
especially in the transition and animation field. I wouldn’t expect it to match the Xbox 360
just yet, but paired with a relatively fast PC and SP1 the overall experience
might have just improved. I’ve got a DMA2200 and newly delivered $150
DMA2100 at home but I’ve yet to connect them to a PC running Vista SP1. I guess now I have added incentive to get
started!
Related: Linksys
DMA2200 Review | Part 1,
Part 2,
Part 3
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Can anyone tell me why Microsoft’s video for the Digital
Home Makeover contest is done in Flash and not Sliverlight? Kind of ironic
how a video advertising a contest about connecting your life uses technologies
that are completely disconnected from Microsoft’s web vision. Anyway, be sure to check out the Digital Home
Makeover contest, a $10,000 makeover would sure be nice!
New application from babgvant, DVRMStoWMVHD
which converts DVR-MS files to WMV files via command line. By default it will convert DVR-MS files to
WMV (VC-1) and WMA Pro 5.1 audio.
Put this in the category that I don’t believe, but ABI Research
says “both AV form factor home theater PCs and more traditional home
theater PCs will grow to an installed base worldwide of 25 million by 2013.” 25
million HTPCs in 2013, I don’t think so.
25 million is a mainstream number, and considering almost all large OEMs
have ditched HTPCs years ago the units are set to grow that much?
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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To celebrate the consumer availability of new Extenders for
Windows Media Center, the Windows Media Center team is today unveiling a
Digital Home Makeover Contest. For one lucky winner, the makeover team
will transform their disconnected digital lifestyle into a home entertainment
dream with a prize package totaling up to $10,000. The Digital Home Makeover Contest is designed to address the
real challenges people face when adopting today’s digital lifestyle. Today’s
consumers have a wide variety of digital content in their homes—thousands of
digital pictures, MP3’s, TV shows and movies— and homes may have dozens of
devices which allow people to interact with and enjoy this content. But
wouldn’t it be nice if digital media could be seamlessly viewed and accessible
across all these devices?
With a prize package that will include a new PC with Windows Media Center,
Extenders for Windows Media Center, flat screen television and video-capable
wireless home networking, the winner of the Digital Home Makeover Contest will
receive what they need to take control of connecting their entertainment
options and start enjoying content from room to room, anywhere in the house.
Microsoft is accepting entries in the form of two minute videos that illustrate
a contestant’s disconnected digital lifestyle and why they need a digital home
makeover. Entries will be accepted through April 18 at http://www.windowsmediacenter.com/contest
and the winner of the Digital Home Makeover will be announced by April 30,
2008.
“Connected entertainment is all about enjoying high quality digital content
both on your PC and on TV sets around the home," said Ron Pessner, general
manager for Windows Media Center. “We are excited to bring that vision to life
today with the technology behind Windows Media Center and Media Center
Extenders.”
More information about the contest and new Extenders for
Windows Media Center is available at http://www.windowsmediacenter.com
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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If MyNetflix
and NetflixMC
didn’t do it for you, then you might want to check out the latest addition to
the Netflix plug-in battleground, vmcNetflix. It does all the basics including viewing your
queue, add/remove movies from your queue, and stream in a fullscreen window
within Media Center.
Among the not tested features are 64-bit and Media Center
Extender support, so if you want to give it a test let the developer
know if it works.
Note: New builds include streaming to Extenders.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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QuiiQ Movies
appears to be a new Vista Media Center plug-in for movie cataloging and management
from within Media Center (Via Missing
Remote). Based on the User Manual it
looks like this has it all, including support for Extenders and more. I’m not around any Vista machines to give it a try, but
QuiiQ might be one to watch. It’s not a
free application, far from it actually. The
Base package is € 67 ($105USD) and then the Network & Client package is an
additional € 99 ($156USD). The Base package allows for the database to be stored and
accessed just on the single machine, while the Network package allows you to
connect one or more clients (I assume this means PCs, but not sure if it means
Extenders), and then the Client package is for access on other PCs (or
Extenders?). Much like My Movies, the application includes a 10-foot
application (“Projector”), 10-foot media/DVD import (“Collector”), 2-foot
collection manager (“Collection Manager”), and service control (“Control Center”). It appears to be MCML, and apparently it can
also use you’re my Movies database! There is a 15
day free trial of the Base package and more information on QuiiQ homepage. They also have a product called QuiiQ Home Automation that does X10,
C-Bus and more. Anyone care to give it a try and report back?
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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