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News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies (and TGB News!)
June 2007 - Posts
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ATI Radeon HD 2600 and
ATI Radeon HD 2400 graphics processors available at knockout price points
SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- June 28, 2007 --AMD today
announced the arrival of the ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400
series, the mid-range and entry-level graphics processors in the ATI Radeon HD
2000 series. These next-generation graphics processing units (GPU) bring
premium support for Windows Vista with feature-rich DirectX 10 graphics, and
built-in multimedia functions for an immersive HD video experience on the PC.
Ranging from USD $89-$149 (SEP) for the ATI Radeon HD 2600 series and USD
$50-$85 (SEP) for the ATI Radeon HD 2400 series2, the new graphics solutions
deliver compelling performance and image quality at an unbelievable price
point. The ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon 2400 series have enjoyed broad
customer adoption and are designed into a significant number of major OEM
mainstream and value DirectX 10 PCs to be shipped in 2007.
“The ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series drive
high definition innovation to the mainstream with an incredible price and
performance proposition,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president, AMD
Graphics Products Group. “With the launch of these new products, AMD is
broadening the reach of The Ultimate Visual Experience™ by putting
next-generation, DirectX 10 discrete graphics technology within reach for more
users than ever before.”
The ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series deliver
remarkable gaming performance and maximize the HD visual effects within Windows
Vista and DirectX 10. The powerful second-generation unified shader
architecture introduces the era of immersive HD gaming, delivering an ideal
balance of high performance, advanced visual effects and breathtaking realism
for both the casual and avid gamer. Gamers wanting more horsepower will
discover that both series feature native ATI CrossFire technology, allowing
for a wider variety of multi-GPU configurations.
The ATI Radeon HD 2600 series and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series
provide powerful graphics performance for quick multitasking between
applications with the Windows AeroTM 3D user interface. ATI Catalyst graphics
management software is certified for Windows Vista and is designed for quick
and easy setup of graphics, video, and multiple displays.
Both series feature the Unified Video Decoder (UVD) for
advanced hardware HD video processing and HDMI with built-in HD audio
controller for stunning big-screen entertainment. Home theater aficionados will
be captivated by ATI Avivo HD technology that delivers sharp images and
vibrant color fidelity for Blu-ray and HD DVD content.
With support for Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs, CyberLink’s
PowerDVD Ultra, now offers support for UVD technology from AMD, ensuring
enhanced video quality with low CPU utilization.
“Through a joint effort, CyberLink and AMD are bringing high-quality
video playback for the latest ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series
graphics cards,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink Corp. “It is quite an
achievement for both AMD and CyberLink to satisfy the growing demand for
high-definition video performance within the mainstream PC market.
Using an energy-efficient 65 nm process technology to reduce
power consumption, certain ATI Radeon HD 2600 series and ATI Radeon HD 2400
series models are designed to be passively cooled for a quieter home theatre
experience. Availability for both products is expected in early July.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Microsoft has released the June 2007 Cumulative Update
for Media Center for Windows Vista. This update rollup is intended for
computers that are running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate.
Hotfix replacement
information
This is a cumulative update. This update replaces the
following updates:
929011 - Windows Media Center does not correctly configure a combo
TV tuner that supports both ATSC and NTSC signals on a Windows Vista-based
computer
932753 - When you resize the Windows Media Center window in
Windows Vista, video playback may stop
932818 - April 2007 Cumulative Update for Media Center for Windows
Vista
931967 - You cannot hear the audio in Live TV or on a DVD in
Windows Media Center after you wake a computer that is running Windows Vista
Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate
Issues that are resolved by this update
In addition to the fixes that are
contained in the updates that are listed in the "Hotfix replacement
information" section, the June 2007 Cumulative Update for Media Center for
Windows Vista includes the following updates:
- Several fixes for the Media Center
Extensibility Platform
- An update to the Digital Cable Card
component to provide better support for interaction between the digital cable
tuner, the CableCARD, and Media Center
Information for Windows Media Center
Extenders
Windows Media Center Extenders, such as
the Microsoft Xbox 360, use network ports to communicate over the network with
computers that are running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista
Ultimate. This update rollup contains updates to Windows Media Center programs
that may have been configured as "approved" or "allowed" by
a third-party firewall. If you use a third-party firewall, you may have to
manually update the firewall to let the new versions of these programs access
the ports. If you do not perform these firewall updates, any attempts to
connect the Windows Media Center Extender to the Media Center computer may be
unsuccessful.
Download from
Windows Update | Download
Individual Package Here
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Eric
Anderson has a v2 Extender (Pika) prototype that supports native DivX
decode. Good thing that know that
someone is currently taking advantage of some of those formats I said
that Pika could support. Extenders
seem to be officially coming along. Last
thing we really need to know, price points!
Microsoft
just bought a stake in a Sichuan Changhong Electric Co, a Chinese TV
manufacturer. Sounds to me like this
might be used for that Extender
TV I’ve also been talking about for a while.
Be sure to add your system to the Media Center Components Database. It growing nicely, and should provide help to
all those wanting to build a working Media Center PC.
Sling Media released SlingPlayer Mobile
for Windows Mobile 6. Sling Media
also announced Two
New SlingLink Powerline Ethernet Adapters.
Be sure to check out my Vista
Media Center CableCARD FAQ if you are in the market for a CableCARD PC.
Ian might have gone out on his own, but Michael Wolf of ABI
Research is picking back up the show for The Podcast Network. In
his first show he interviews eHome VP Joe Belfiore.
Back to Ian’s side of things, he has HiPe
PC- In Car PC Systems and everyone’s favorite question answering machine, Jessica
Zahn of Microsoft. Wow, that’s a lot
of podcasts to catch up on!
Microsoft has renamed their IPTV Platform, now dubbed MediaRoom.
I don’t think will have an impact for a
few years still. Bandwidth, bandwidth,
bandwidth.
Looking for some more reading? Let’s see, I’d suggest….
Aaron Stebner, Addicted to Digital Media (Sean
Alexander), CE Pro Weblog,
David Fleischman, Peter Near, Matt Goyer, Mavromatic, Ed Bott’s Media Central,
Furrygoat (Steve Makofsky), Ian Dixon, Marc Policani, The F-Stop Blues (Tim Coyle), RetroSight (Charlie Owen), Peter Rosser, Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection, Media Center Sandbox, Jason Tsang's Blog, Media Center Pro (Magazine),
The Media Center Expert, mceworld, Amplioaudio (Gregg Plummer), BlogCaster (Caster Communications),
The HD DVD Insiders (Ben Waggoner), Big Screen Blog (Niall Ginsbourg),
FloppyHead, brains-N-brawn (Casey Chesnut), Babgvant's Tools & Blog, Mike's Digital Home,
Dennis Morgan MCX, Peoples Republic Of, Zatz Not Funny, The MCE
Developer Blog
Broke something? Got
a Media Center question? Check out The Green Button. And of course, thanks to everyone who has kept me up on the latest news via e-mail!
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Fiji, the
suspected codename for the next version/upgrade of Media Center might be
held up by a lack of frequent flyer miles.
The beta program, which many of
you may have registered for isn’t exactly moving along. The invites that were supposed to be sent
out on May 31th have gone no where fast.
This leads me to think that the target ship date for Fiji is no where
close.
Typically, a beta program for a product as large as Media
Center is going to last for at least eight months to a year, and depending on
the features included even longer. As my
main feature predictions revolve around DIRECTV/Dish
support, and HD DVD playback/Managed Copy I expect the beta to be a long
one. Getting something like DIRECTV
tuners working isn’t going to be easy, just look at the current problems with
CableCARD.
Don’t expect Fiji this year.
Don’t expect Fiji early next year.
Based on water-cooler talk I‘ve heard, I wouldn’t expect to see it
released until around Q3-Q4 2008 which would bring the platform back to Sep/Oct
releases as has been customary since 2002. .
Date is highly subject to change if things like DIRECTV support are to
be included.
Speaking of vacations, I’m has not been held up and I’m
leaving tomorrow for part of it.
Blogging will be lite as Internet access will be too, but in the mean
time check out all the great Media Center blogs listed in my sidebar. Don’t run to far though, more interesting
Media Center news and notes are never far away.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Only problem? The ad is
horrible..
Where to start with this one. First of all, congrats to Microsoft for
finally starting to market Media Center. My first advice, don’t give up.
I’m just going to ramble here, because there is a lot to
say. The ad is attempting to appeal to
women. You can’t do this right now
though. Women are not on Xbox.com
looking at the various pages. I think
the marketing team got notes about the Wife Approval Factor (WAF) are ran with
the idea. Appeal to men or just try to
appeal to the masses. This ad reminded
me of the various sitcoms on TBS now-a-days that try their best to appeal to
the Friends crowd. Men could care less
about planning for a party. We get some
beer and food and that’s really all you need.
I get the concept, women hold the purchasing power. If women like it, they will allow the men to
buy it. I get it, but don’t market Media
Center by trying to appeal to women if your ad is going to be on Xbox.com. If it’s going to show after a rerun of
Friends, different story. Start by
either appealing to men, or just do basic product demo ads. iPod ads show nothing about the iPod. Zune ads have the right idea for a new
product but pairing catchy music with bright colors and thus showing off the
features. Don’t try and reinvent things
here, stick to what works.
Next problem is that it’s too long. I lost interest in the ad within ten
seconds. Maybe that’s because I already
know what Media Center does, but you know what?
I still pay attention to every iPod ad.
I look at the screen every time I see an iPhone ad. I’ve seen the ads over and over, yet I still
watch. They are 30-seconds of
interesting content that leaves you with the urge to search Google for more
information. This ad didn’t do
that. Too long, too boring, and the
couple never said look what Media Center can do. They said Xbox 360, not Media Center. The ad is for Media Center, not Xbox
360. At least say the name of the
product if you are going to have a 3-minute ad about it. Other problems here include never saying you
need Windows Vista, or even saying that it’s included in Windows Vista. Just let people know what they already
have. It does note it at the very end of
the ad in text, along with the first and only mention that Media Center is
actually doing the work here.
Next is the fact that it’s a 3-minute ad and only 10 seconds
of it show Media Center. Despite that
some think Media Center’s UI is a downgrade in Vista, it still is beautiful to
look at from a far. Show the product, is
that really that hard of a concept?
In the whole 5+ minutes of ad time, It ever showed Media
Center being controlled with a remote!
There are a few other scenes on the website, and they fail
to impress also. The photo, music, and
video demos are good, but again too long.
TV demo was horrible.
They never even showed the Guide!
What is that? They showed the
manual recording section. Really, when
she said my new digital VCR she wasn’t kidding.
This section also never showed a remote control, but rather the Xbox 360
controller and even the mouse pointer on the screen.
They tried to show
off the multi-room aspect, but failed to really describe that he could go off
to the PC or another Extender and see the same thing that his new wife was
seeing.
I give Microsoft an A+ for effort, but a F on everything
else. I wait to see what else they can
do here as I have wanted Microsoft to market Media Center for years now. I would say this is a good first attempt, but
I fails to impression and drive me to want to know more about Media Center.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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So, I basically have my credit card ready early today
pressing F5 on Engadget
to refresh their WWDC coverage waiting for Steve Jobs to say something,
anything about the Mac mini or any other Mac hardware updates. Several sites have reported that they think
it will be scraped, and I’ve been praying for the past month that Jobs would
either confirm the death or announce an upgrade to at dump it up to a Core 2
Duo. And yet, Apple announced no new hardware or
hardware upgrades today!
The mini has been my ticket to get a Mac but because of it’s
weak specs I’ve yet to purchase one. If
they end up killing the Mac mini (or effectively failing to upgrade it) I don’t
get to finally try out a Mac. I have no
interest in a MacBook or MacBook Pro as my current Thinkpad X40 works just
great and my next upgrade is set to be a X61 Tablet (I hope). I also have no interest in having another
monitor on my desk, so the iMac is out.
And unless someone out there wants to donate some cash for me to get a
Mac (hint, hint) the Mac Pro at over $2,000 is a bit out of my price range.
So, should I start a donate for Chris to get a Mac campaign or
should Apple just upgrade the Mac mini?
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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I’ve been meaning to do a CableCARD FAQ for a while now, and
yesterday I finally got around to it. If you are interested in purchasing
a CableCARD PC or learning more about the ins and outs of the various issues
with CableCARD in Windows Vista I’d suggest taking a few minutes to read over
it. I’ve got over a dozen of the most frequently asked questions and it
should cover most of your concerns about CableCARD. S1Digital also has a small
CableCARD FAQ on their website, so between my Vista
Media Center CableCARD FAQ and S1Digital’s it
should be covered pretty well.
Quick Links:
Vista
Media Center CableCARD FAQ
S1Digital
CableCARD FAQ
Update: Microsoft actually has an FAQ that has
been up who knows how long. With their
great organization of their website I had no idea it existed.
Microsoft
CableCARD and Digital Cable FAQ
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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It’s been a long ride for CableCARD at HP in the last
month. First they introduced the cheapest
CableCARD PCs at $1500, then the
disappeared a week later, reappeared
a week later, and are now gone again.
Introduced May 9, disappeared May 19, reappeared May 26, and
disappeared June 9 again. If anyone out
there at HP is reading, please let me know if it’s just a stock issue with the
Digital Cable Tuners. Hard to suggest
anyone buying one if they keep going on the market on a weekly basis. Oh, also let me know when you will be selling
extra Digital Cable Tuners to go with the single tuner system (Part # GL282-69001).
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Microsoft has posted the various PowerPoint Presentations
from WinHEC 2007. Tons of stuff including
Media Center Extenders, Sideshow, and Windows TV. I looked through the Extenders presentations
and there isn’t too much interesting from an end-user standpoint. No release dates, strange feature announcements,
etc. Still they are an interesting read if
you are interested in the technical side of things.
It was verified that OEMs will be able to support third
party codec’s, and as I’ve said in the past the hardware
platform already supports them.
Other than that, I remember already seeing most of the
information in the WinHEC 2006 slides.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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WESTBURY, NY – June 8th – VidaBox, a manufacturer of premium
media center systems, is proud to announce that it is shipping CableCARD-ready
systems for customers looking to tune & record HD Cable directly on their
media centers
"We're absolutely excited to finally ship systems with
CableCARD, Blu-ray, and HD DVD support – everything in one box," said
Steven Cheung, a co-founder of VidaBox. “These systems answer the prayers of
many of our customers who’ve been clamoring for a total, turn-key solution with
the latest in HD technology. Now complete with life-like HD cable support, our
customers can finally realize their HDTV’s full potential beyond just Blu-ray
& HD DVD.”
The new CableCARD feature is available in the LUX &
MAGNUM systems, which are already packed with a silently cooled nVidia 8600GTS
video card to render back crystal clear video in full 1080p, support for up to
7.1 Dolby Digital HD and DTS HD surround sound, and options for 2 additional
OTA HD tuners (for a total of 4 tuners), 4GB of RAM, and up to 5TB & 9TB of
onboard VidaSafe™-protected storage on the LUX & MAGNUM, respectively.
“CableCARD-ready VidaBox systems can also act as a safe
& secure digital media repository,” Steven continues. “Recorded HD Cable
content can be streamed and played back on up to 5 connected XBox 360 systems,
while music, pictures, video, and DVDs stored on the system can be streamed to
10 VidaBox media extenders. This is perfect for users who want to access their
content anywhere at home – regardless of where they are.”
The new line of VidaBox media center systems with CableCARD
support is available through dealers.
About VidaBox LLC
VidaBox LLC is an innovative systems integration company focused on manufacturing
and engineering premium Media Center systems. VidaBox is on a mission to
create user-friendly, stable, compact, and quiet Media Centers that work right
out of the box. For more information, visit www.vidabox.com or call 1-516-730-7500.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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S1Digital was supposed
to ship CableCARD PCs in May, but that got pushed back likely for the same
reasons as everyone else (CableLabs and ATI).
Their website has now been updated with the following…
1. We now have are now have a FX
Edition with CableCARD on display in our showroom if you'd like to see a
demo of how cool CableCARD is. 2. OK, so we underestimated how long it
would take to get everything in order to start shipping CableCARD systems.
So we're now expecting to ship this month (June). If you had ordered a system,
but were waiting for CableCARD, please accept our apologies but we'll get them
out to you as soon as possible.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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[Post has been reorganized into two sections; System Updates
and Alienware’s Media Center Strategy. System Updates include CableCARD
and Blu-ray as options in the next month or so along with Alienware admitting
their current Hanger18 has some issues. Alienware’s Media Center Strategy
includes what Alienware is trying to do to push Media Center and pick up where
other large OEMs have failed]
I talked with the guys at Alienware today discussing some of
my
disappointments with their new Hanger18 system. I’m happy to say that
not only is Alienware aware of the current issues with the Hanger 18, but they
already have plans to improve it in the very near future and take their systems
somewhere very few PC companies have succeed.
System Updates
First of all, the lack of HD in this HD Entertainment Center
is on the list to be fixed and should be very soon. The system was
originally supposed to ship with CableCARD support, but like everyone else it
was slowed by CableLabs and issues with the Digital Cable Tuners
themselves. The next revision of the system, due within the next month or
two should include CableCARD as an option. In addition, Blu-ray support
will also be there in the next revision. These fix the lack of HD options
in the system and also gets it up to speed with other OEMs.
The 720p option runs off NVIDIA integrated graphics and the
1080p option uses a standard NVIDIA graphics card. This explains why you
can only give two tuners when the option for 1080p is selected. They are
also working to load the system with software to control the lighting on the
Alien head logo, a feature that their desktops already include. On the
topic of the front of the case, there is a VFD front panel display on the
system that is not exactly visible on all the photos.
These points pretty much clear up the advice I offered to
Alienware in my first which read “Include
HD DVD, Blu-ray, and dual CableCARD as options. Don’t advertise as a
complete HD solution until you catch up with everyone else has been
doing. Put a 8500/8600 or 2400/2600 low profile passively cooled GPU in
there and allow for four tuners to be configured in all systems.” Graphics solutions will be based what is
need for playback of included features (CableCARD and/or Blu-ray). Please read below for more information on why
720p and 1080p are advertised in the manor they are and what Alienware is
trying to do in the market.
Alienware’s Media Center Strategy
That’s not all that I learned from my call with Alienware,
the next part gets very interesting in terms of the future of Media Center
itself. Alienware noted that they have been doing Media Center PC’s for a
few years now, and like other large OEMs have not had the success that they
would like to see. Because of this, Alienware is picking up a new
strategy in order to try and succeed where so many others have failed.
Instead of marketing the Hanger18 as Media Center PC, HTPC,
or other type of PC they are going for a more traditional CE device
approach. This is why when you look at the configuration page you are not
necessarily presented with graphics card options or extra memory choices.
Instead “720p and 1080p HD Viewing” are used in placed. Instead of just
laying out that the system includes 250GBs of hard drive space, you are presented
with “Store 60 movies or 250 TV shows or 120 hours.” Instead of upgrading
to 2GB of RAM you can pick the “20%, 40%, or 60% Faster then Standard” options.
It’s not a Media Center PC, it’s not an HTPC. It’s
sold as a CE device or typical appliance. This may seem subtle to many
out there, but it’s a step closer to being what some consider a true TiVo
replacement.
Along the same track of it not being a PC, the systems are
better configured for an out-of-box experience that’s not just an install of
Windows Vista. While you can get the same thing with other Media Center
specific OEMs, larger OEMs like HP and Dell are just traditionally selling you
a desktop that happens to include Media Center as part of Windows. The
Hanger18 is configured to launch Media Center out-of-the-box and they even have
configured the correct time zone for you for correct EPG downloads.
Lastly, in typical Alienware fashion they are planning a
gaming solution around the Hanger18 and future systems. They plan to
create a Media Center based frontend for gaming so you can launch the latest
games from your couch. This can both appeal to the casual gamer and the
more hardcore Alienware customer.
Overall, I went from being disappointed with Alienware’s
re-entry into the market into being excited about it. I applaud Alienware
for what they are trying to do. I think many of us forget that as soon as
the larger OEMs get out of really selling Media Center type PCs then Microsoft
has very limited hardware partners to work with. Even with Media Center
Extenders, there is a place for PCs done right in the living room. I’ve
said before that people don’t want them in their living room, and while I
haven’t changed my mind entirely on that yet I do see Alienware’s strategy as a
step in the right direction. Microsoft doesn’t seem to know where to take
the platform, but in the end the hardware determines where it goes.
HP, Gateway, Toshiba and others have all failed here.
Alienware, now a subsidiary of Dell is really one of the last hopes in terms of
large OEMs. Talking with them today, I can tell you that they have really
thought about this and want to succeed as well as help drive the platform into
more homes. I await to see the new revisions of the Hanger18, but wish
they would have waited a month or two to release the system with full CableCARD
and Blu-ray support. Despite that, I’m now excited to see Alienware in
the game, ready to work hard to provide a great Media Center based solution and
thank them for taking the time to contact me to discuss the issues I previously
posted.
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 introduce the 2007 BX100 & BX300
digital entertainment systems. The new 2007 BX series now support HD-DVD and
Blu-ray play back from a single drive allowing customers more freedom in
choosing their high definition disc format. Okoro Media will be one of the few
dedicated media center manufacturers to sell and support systems based on both
high definition disc standards.
“We are very excited about the integration of both the Blu-ray and HDDVD Disc
formats into our new digital entertainment systems. This will allow our
customers greater options and choice when it comes to viewing high definition
content. The functionality that the BX series provides is exactly what our
customers and dealers have been requesting.” says Christopher Curry VP of Sales
and Operations.
The Blu-Ray and HD-DVD Disc format provides up to five times larger capacity
than today’s DVD’s with unprecedented storage capacity of 15-25GB
(Single-Layer) and 30-50GB (dual layer). Both disc formats give you access to
full 1080p HD resolution and up to 7.1 channels of surround sound. The OMS BX series
will be fully backward compatible with current CD/DVD formats, delivering
entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality, under a secure
environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection
technology.
The OMS-BX100 and OMS-BX300 are currently available for purchase at www.okoromedia.com. Pricing for these
units start at $2995.00 for the low profile OMS-BX100 and $3595.00 for the
higher capacity OMS-BX300.
The models include the following specifications:
OMS-BX100
2GB of DDR2 memory: at 667 GHz
Window Vista Ultimate operating system
500 Gigabytes of SATA storage
Blu-ray/HDDVD Combo Drive
HDCP output via Nvidia 8500GT graphics board
Analog and ATSC High Definition Tuner
OMS-BX300
2GB of DDR2 memory: at 667 GHz
Window Vista Ultimate operating system
1 Terabyte of SATA storage
Blu-ray/HDDVD Combo Drive
HDCP output via Nvidia 8600GTS graphics board
Dual Analog and Dual ATSC High Definition Tuners
Please visit www.okoromedia.com to
learn more about the new 2007 BX series.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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I guess it’s about time for my monthly look into Microsoft
ignoring their own platforms.
Microsoft’s new “Ignition
Program” will be help new and upcoming recording artists to reach tens of
millions of consumers on Zune Marketplace, Zune.net, MSN entertainment
properties and the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
But don’t expect Media Center to get first rate access to this great new
program. They include every platform
outside of Media Center, but not even a single mention of content within Media
Center. That’s "Deeper
Integration” at work right there!
Mary Jo says Microsoft is about to enter the
Kitchen. Her sources say it might
include things like a “family calendar, recipe center, entertainment features
and a shared bulletin board”. I wouldn’t
expect those “entertainment features” to include Media Center, because that
would good for the Media Center platform that is already in Windows Vista. Clearly, Microsoft wouldn’t want to do
something like push their own platforms in new products. That wouldn’t benefit them at all, right?
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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