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Fall Xbox 360 Dashboard update brings WTV file support, but don’t get too excited

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:21:00 +0000

If you've actually heard of the WTV recorded TV file format, then you're probably a Windows 7 Media Center fan, and thus you're excited at any indication that Microsoft hasn't completely forgotten about you. That small gesture came this week with the new Xbox Dashboard update, but sadly it isn't much to get excited about. It's bad enough that it took Microsoft over three years to add support for WTV at all, but now it's here and it's one step above useless. Sure, you can play the files -- after waiting almost 30 seconds for them to load -- but you can't fast forward, rewind, skip around or even resume. The list of shows only displays the episode title and rather than the actual show name, and that's the only metadata you get. Speaking of the show title, that is also the only way to sort -- no folders or by date. So yeah, the new Dashboard supports WTV, but not in a way which actually makes it useful. Better than nothing, we guess.

Fall Xbox 360 Dashboard update brings WTV file support, but don't get too excited originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomerun Prime CableCARD tuner hands-on

admin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:26:00 +0000

Looking a little different than the prototype we got our hands-on at CES, the retail version of the CableCARD tuner from SiliconDust found its way in front of our camera today. Those who preordered this little guy for $249 should start receiving it shortly, as a series of frustrating delays finally come to an end. We can't wait to plug this network tuner in and toss up to three HD feeds at a time through our Ethernet cabling and expect most others feel the same way. Check out out our pics in the gallery below, we'll let you know if the InfiniTV 4 has competition worth worrying about -- seems like it, given the price drop -- shortly.

Gallery: Hands-on with the HDHomerun Prime CableCARD tuner

HDHomerun Prime CableCARD tuner hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner passes CableLabs tests – Update: Preorder pulled, 6-tuner ships first

admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 05:26:00 +0000

We've been waiting for SiliconDust's CableCARD-compatible HDHomeRun Prime for a little over a year and it seems finally ready to bring its triple tuner TV magic home, having gained CableLabs certification as of April 28th and subsequently showing up for preorder on Amazon. While this is mostly big news for Windows Media Center fans who need a new way to get premium channels on their box it also supports other DVR software like MythTV on Copy Freely-marked content. HTPC builders don't have to choose between this HDHR3-CC and the (suddenly in abundant supply and still $399) Ceton InfiniTV 4 just yet, since the listing has no shipping date and the last we'd heard from SiliconDust was that preorders would ship around 30 days after it completed certification. Check out our hands-on impressions from CES a few months ago if you're on the fence, but right now all that's standing between you and that grey box is a little bit of time... and $207.

Update: According to a post on its forum, SiliconDust confirmed the HDHomeRun Prime has been certified and an email announcement will follow shortly, however it expects to deliver a 6-tuner Theater version first with the three tuner box appearing afterwards. The post also notes sites are "incorrectly listing" the HDHomeRun Prime for preorder and "will not be first in line for delivering product" so you may want to wait for the official word on which "major retailer" has the go-ahead to make sure you're first in line. The option to preorder disappeared from Amazon this morning, we'll let you know when and where the option to purchase pops up next. [Thanks, robniep]

Gallery: Hands-on with the HDHomeRun Prime

[Thanks, Neil]

HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner passes CableLabs tests - Update: Preorder pulled, 6-tuner ships first originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 May 2011 01:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7 Media Center embedded TV hands-on

admin — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 22:59:00 +0000

We didn't think much of Haier's mention in Microsoft's Windows 7 Media Center embedded press release, but on the show floor today we ran across this HDTV which was actually a full-blown Media Center including tuners and a harddrive. The details were very skimpy beyond that, with no mention of specific specs, prices or if the product would really make it to market. But the idea of an all-in-one TV and DVR running our favorite software certainly is something to get us excited about. What we didn't like ws the motion remote used for the demo which was almost impossible to navigate and had us seriously longing for our favorite Green Button.

Windows 7 Media Center embedded TV hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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InfiniTV 4 USB CableCARD tuner hands-on

admin — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 21:32:00 +0000

We ran into the Hammers from Ceton Corp at CES and they revealed their latest products to us; the InfiniTV 4 USB and the internal InfiniTV 6. The InfiniTV 6 is basically the six tuner version of the InfiniTV 4 that we like so much, what we don't like is that there's no mention of price or availability -- we'd guess $500 or $600 and sometime during the middle of 2011. The more interesting revelation was that of the InfiniTV 4 USB, which you see pictured above. It also doesn't have a price yet, but it does record four HD shows at once like its internal brother, has a real nice feel to it, and looks really, really cool. We were curious to know how many of the InifniTV 4's have been sold to Windows Media Center users, and while exact figures weren't forthcoming, we were told "thousands and thousands." At this point Ceton is still focused on eliminating its four month order backlog and will turn its attention to brining new products to market after that.

Gallery: InfiniTV 4 USB hands-on

Gallery: InfiniTV 6 hands-on

InfiniTV 4 USB CableCARD tuner hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 17:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hauppauge is taking its HD component capture card internal

admin — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 04:06:00 +0000

It wasn't that long ago that recording HD from just about any source on a PC was cost prohibitive. Then along came Hauppauge's HD PVR and while it isn't without its issues and limitations, it gets the job done at an affordable price. One of those limitations is the rather large external enclosure and the wall-wart that powers it. Now Hauppauge has addressed those nit picks with the release of an internal PCI-E capture card for $159. The single card can record up to 1080i from either component or unencrypted HDMI and will start shipping later this month. The support is very similar it its external brother, in fact other than the form factor, the two are very similar in most every other way. Another pictures and technical details after the jump.

Continue reading Hauppauge is taking its HD component capture card internal

Hauppauge is taking its HD component capture card internal originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reycom Windows Media Center coming for $499

admin — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:23:00 +0000

We love us some Windows 7 Media Center, but we recognize that using a HTPC for a DVR isn't for everyone. For some there is no replacement for a dedicated set-top box, which is why we were so excited to hear that Windows Media Center was coming to embedded devices. The problem of course is that is-coming and is-here, are completely different. A little known European company (state side anyways) hopes to change that by brining one to the US in the first quarter of this year for about $499. The bad news is that there's no CableCARD support like the Gateway one we saw earlier. There are plans to follow it up with dedicated versions for cable and telecom operators later this year, but for some reason we don't feel like they'll be too interested in it.

Continue reading Reycom Windows Media Center coming for $499

Reycom Windows Media Center coming for $499 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with the HDHomeRun Prime CableCARD tuner

admin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:16:00 +0000

Now look what we have here, the long awaited HDHomeRun Prime triple CableCARD tuner for Windows 7 Media Center. Originally announced at CES last year, the little black perforated box is already in production and will soon be selling for $250 after it makes it ways through the final stages of CableLabs certification. The sad fact is there is no way to know when that cert will be sealed, but when it is you'll be able to pre-order and then you can expect to receive it 30 days later. The other little tidbits we picked up from the booth is that SiliconDust is working on a six tuner rack mountable version that should ship later this year and that the ATSC and QAM version we've loved for years has a new case a new price of $129 and will be shipping in February.

Gallery: Hands-on with the HDHomeRun Prime

Gallery: Hands-on with the new HDHomeRun

Hands-on with the HDHomeRun Prime CableCARD tuner originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hauppauge officially announces HD PVR support in Windows Media Center

admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:39:00 +0000

If you're thinking about going the Media Center DVR route but can't or won't get hooked up with a CableCARD don't forget there's another option available to pull in those premium channels now that the $199 Hauppauge HD PVR is supported as a TV recorder in Windows 7. There's been a few updates since the feature was added in beta back in June, which lets users select programs via the Media Center guide to be captured and encoded in MPEG-4 over the device's component video inputs (HDTV resolutions up to 1080i and 5.1 surround sound are supported) while the PC controls connected satellite or cable TV set-top boxes with an included IR blaster. There's still a limit of one tuner per PC and a thread over on TheGreenButton reveals the experience can still be a bit glitchy, but if you've just got to have Windows Media Center and NFL Sunday Ticket then some compromises will be necessary.

Continue reading Hauppauge officially announces HD PVR support in Windows Media Center

Hauppauge officially announces HD PVR support in Windows Media Center originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiVo Premiere vs Windows 7 Media Center

admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:02:00 +0000

Although TiVo and ReplayTV were the first DVRs on the market, Microsoft's software actually powered the DISHPlayer Satellite DVR in late 1999. So here we are over 10 years later and while TiVo and Microsoft took different approaches to the same space, of the three original DVR software companies, they're the only two left. Which is the bigger success depends on your perspective, because while TiVo has the mind share (and sold more consumer branded products) Microsoft's technology is present in many other brand DVRs, like Verizon's FiOS DVR, and AT&T's U-Verse (which is built on Microsoft's Mediaroom platform). But our perspective of success is based on the user interface experience, so while we previously reviewed both the TiVo Premiere and Windows 7 Media Center, we wanted to also tackled the task of directly comparing the two. Of course there are some obvious differences that might sway someone in one way or another, like TiVo's simpler out of the box setup or Media Center's 3rd party plug-in architecture, there are many other points of distinction to discover if you click on through and read about the less obvious user interface differences as well as a few other baked-in non-DVR features.

Gallery: TiVo Premier vs Windows 7 Media Center

Continue reading TiVo Premiere vs Windows 7 Media Center

TiVo Premiere vs Windows 7 Media Center originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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