Month: November 2007

Ricavision has finally come out to play with new SideShow remotes.  First off they have a brand new design in their VAVE100.  Not only does it have SideShow built-in, but it is now a universal learning remote too.  Everyone’s dream of Media Center control is about to happen when this thing ships. The VAVE100 Universal Remote Control with Windows Vista SideShow Technology is the new top of the line SideShow-based remote.  Features include… Control 20 different entertainment devices from a distance of over 50 feet via IR 2.4 Inch QVGA LCD Display with a resolution of 240×320 IR+Class 1 Bluetooth … Continue reading Ricavision Debuts New SideShow Remotes!

The new Xbox 360 Dashboard gets MPEG-4 ASP support (DviX/Xvid), but yet again the Extender portion of the Xbox 360 gets nothing.  People don’t seem to be too happy about this, yet again.  Microsoft didn’t take any hint from my advice, but that’s really nothing new. Other Dashboard additions are playback of AC3 audio and support for AVI files (so DivX with 5.1 Dolby Digital should work).  There are also tons of fixed for video playback of various other formats. DWAnderson also talked about the lack of support.

Following the delay of v2 Media Center Extenders, SageTV has released some information and photos of their upcoming Media Extender and the reaction has been superb (here, here, here, and here for just a few examples). Let’s get right to it, their SageTV HD Media Extender (STX-HD100) will be $199.  Hey, they listened to customer feedback and choose a good price point.  Sure, I’ve said in the past that $150 is the perfect price but considering this is coming from a small company, they sure nailed the price.  Linksys and D-Link, who have both delayed their release of v2 Extenders, … Continue reading SageTV Excels As Microsoft Fails

Word from a poster on The Green Button is that the D-Link DSM-750 Extender has been delayed.  From a D-Link CSR, “Hello ,and thank you for your inquiry.  The DSM-750 has been delayed, it is now expected to be released at the end of Dec/early Jan.” Update: PCalchemy now reports December 7th as the expected date for their inventory for the Linksys Extenders.  Thanks gstone! Update: Ed Bott confirms Linksys delayed too. Also, I’ve been considering buying a Mac for a while now.  I’ve used OS X on several occupations and enjoy it, I hear about how great it is … Continue reading Short Bits: D-Link Extender Delay, Not Getting a Mac

Hanover MA, November 20, 2007, Inteset, LLC has announced that its Denzel DTCD30-Si media server now supports four (4) internal CableCARD tuners. In addition, units sold with this configuration contain an Intel® Quad-Core processor needed to support simultaneous usage of the tuners. The server can now record up to four high-definition premium cable broadcasts at once. In addition, the new unit responds to the needs of Inteset dealers that have requested interoperability with the HDMI, 1080p capable XBox 360 as well as the new 2nd generation Media Center Extender units (MCX) coming on the market this holiday season which include … Continue reading Inteset Serves Quad CableCARD Quad-Core Systems for the MCX Platform

Study this image for about two seconds, and you should see something interesting.  This image was possibly made for (or by) John Eldridge, a LIVE Evangelist at Microsoft and shown as a part of a presentation titled “Creating Innovative Business Applications Using Microsoft Emerging Technologies” (late 2006, early 2007). So, at least one person sees the “Media Center Vision” including Softsled.  Wonder what the hold up is with eHome understanding and addressing it?  LIVE doesn’t seem to have a huge problem with it, it is just too bad they don’t make Media Center.

Missing Remote has some good posts, Top Ten Things You Can Do With A Media Center PC and a preview of the case giveaway from Omaura.  Very nice. Ian Dixon also has some good stuff, Video Show – Zune and Media Center Recorded TV and Russound on the Media Center Show. This is probably the best Get a Mac ad yet. [YouTube:oXcimfzLLoY]

I was just reading one of the Zune threads over at The Green Button and a user commented that licensing might be the reason why the Zune doesn’t syncing HD recordings.  The idea being if they didn’t license a Dolby Digital decoder, then they couldn’t convert the audio.  My train of thought went…. Damn, probably right.  Another feature lost to licensing Wait, doesn’t Vista Home Premium and Ultimate include Dolby Digital decoders? Yeah, but then you would have to limit syncing of HD content to Home Premium and Ultimate.  Stupid footnotes no one ever reads. Oh, but Media Center is … Continue reading Why Doesn’t Zune Support HD Recordings?

If you didn’t hear, the new Zunes were released yesterday along with updated firmware and software for v1 Zunes.  Ian Dixon posted his thoughts on the new Zune Software, along with his results on syncing recorded TV to the Zune. Long Zheng posted the best advertisement that I have ever seen for the Zune.  If Microsoft is smart, this style of ad is what will help make the Zune.  The print ads also excite me and are very well done.  No doubt, these ads and concepts are much better then the first new one, which sucks at best. If Microsoft … Continue reading Short Bits: Zune Roundup