Reader Questions: Round 1

chrisl — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:17:00 GMT

Have any questions for me? As a part of Media Center Week I’m trying to answer as many as I can. Post them here.

Q: I've heard that Cox is refusing new HD channels for CableCARD users even though they are not going to SDV until the end of the year. Do you know why and how they are able to do such a thing?

I haven’t heard about this specifically, and I’m not sure it would work. The channels either need to be on their existing network, or the SDV network. If they are not on either, you’re talking On Demand/VOD which is generally a separate subject and of course not used for traditional channel delivery. Semi-related, Bright House Cable pulled several HD channels from their lineup in preparation for their move to Switched Digital Video (SDV), but they have since caved and added them back until they rollout SDV. [Engadget HD]

Q: Any codec updates coming to Xbox 360 MCX?

The Xbox 360 Extender will have to support H.264 in order to playback recordings and live content from DIRECTV HD. Given the DIRECTV tuner is a part of the next Media Center release, I’d expect an MCX update for H.264 at the least around the same time. As for other codecs, I’m not sure.

Q: I need a recommendation for a small or slim form factor VMC. I'm not messing with CableCARD, just ATSC and analog cable DVR functionality plus random web video (Netflix, Hulu).

I’m a fan of HPs Pavilion Slimline series myself. Vista Home Premium, Core 2 Duo E4600, 2GB of RAM, GeForce 8500GT, and 500GB hard drive for under $650. The system should be just fine with ATSC and analog cable, just make sure you go with the 8500GT option for smooth HD and you should be golden.

Q: Along the Mac Mini line, is there a way to use the Sony Firewire DVD Jukeboxes on the Mini without booting up windows? Also, do you know if the Hauppauge HD PVR will be supported in OS X?

I haven’t seen any projects that tackled the DVD Changers on platforms other than Windows, and considering they are pretty much dead now I wouldn’t expect to see much action either. HD-PVR on OS X is another big question mark, but Elgato might just have it on their radar.

Short Bits: Worst Tech, Remotes, Ed's Extender

chrisl — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:05:00 GMT

Apple TV scored the #1 position on Yahoo’s 10 Worst Tech Products for 2007. I’m no fan of it, but as it appears Apple might finally be launching movie rentals in iTunes it could get a second coming. Renting movies from the Apple TV would defiantly add significant value, but then again so would iTunes purchases in general from Apple TV.

Microsoft Surface and Windows Vista also were included in the list. I can see Windows Vista as the public perception of it is horrible, but not Surface. The author of the article seemed to be taking Surface as a consumer product, complaining about the requirements and price. At some point, when technology prices drop that will be true, but Surface was introduced as a business and public display product.

There have been a few new Media Center remotes released into the wild that I don’t think have got any coverage. MediaGate has a silver remote that looks like all standard Media Center remotes, but they also have a black one that has an interesting design.

Philips has a nice Media Center remote with a display (Via The Green Button) for browsing your music library. It might not be SideShow, but if music is your main goal you might want to look into it. Of course, they also have this one which was one of the first Vista remotes seen. I’m not sure that I’ve seen them officially for sale in the US however.

Ed Bott got his Linksys DMA2100 and seems pretty happy with it. “It takes about 10-12 seconds to go from a cold start to the Media Center interface” says Bott. Is it bad when the remote is nearly as big as the actually product?

Chris Lanier : Extenders, Apple

Reader Questions: Round 1

Short Bits: Worst Tech, Remotes, Ed's Extender