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News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies (and TGB News!)
Extenders
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Charlie Owen, a former Media Center team member wrote a post this
week about Media Center expanding its marketplace, specifically going from
the current enthusiast market to a more mainstream market. Charlie analysis comes to the pretty simple
answer of “It's
possible, but highly unlikely at this point.”
I had previously come to this conclusion, but to me
the real question is “will Microsoft attempt to develop for the
enthusiast market?” Lucky for me,
Charlie replied to my comment with exactly what I was expecting
Charlie: “No. That's because they have never done so. The enthusiast market is
always a subset of the overall market any product targets. Put another way:
Where the goal is making a profit you wouldn't sacrifice a broad market
opportunity of 100 for the narrow enthusiast market of 10. Making a
Microsoft-sized profit is different than making a profit if you were a much
smaller company.”
In other words the future for Media Center is one or two
options. Option 1: Microsoft stops
development of Media Center (very unlikely). Option 2:
Microsoft transitions Media Center to a market which has the possibility to
create a “Microsoft-sized profit.” (Hint: TV on your PC) Re-quoting
myself from early this year, the days of Media Center being billed as the
do-it-all center of your home are over.
My opinion continues to be that Microsoft will focus more
and more on the Xbox
360 as the center of the home. The
benefits of the Xbox 360 over Media Center are almost endless from a business
perspective. The massive amount of end
users (an unquestionable 30 million, with 20 million of them being Xbox Live
subscribers) means content providers are going to flock to the platform. Microsoft can sit back and rake in yearly
recurring revenue from these 20 million Xbox Live subscribers along with the
massive amounts of licensing accessories and the Xbox 360 brand. Media Center on the other hard makes
Microsoft absolutely no money as it is a part of the standard Windows SKU (eg.
No one except members of The Green Button ever purchased a Windows license just
to get Media Center).
There are still people holding out hope for Media Center to
become a platform for the home. The
recent announcement that Dish
Network will not be shipping their tuner anytime soon didn’t
surprise me one bit. Why would Dish
bother to continue with Media Center when it is pretty clear Microsoft is
moving away from the consumer they thought they were buying into? This same concept is at play with Media
Center Extender’s. There is still some
hope that Toshiba will be releasing an Extender, but I think the concept
that most people miss is that whether it gets released or not means little in
the grand scheme of things. If
Microsoft’s heart is not in providing a platform for the home, you can really
know going into your purchase that you’re going to end up disappointed at some
point.
The biggest question mark might be Windows Home Server. For years I have said the concept of
including Media Center in Windows Home Server is pointless
and does nothing to expand the current market. If HP ditched Extender’s and CableCARD due to
poor sales, why exactly would they have the least bit of interest in shipping a
Media Center+Home Server box? If OEMs
are not interested, why is Microsoft going to develop it?
Most people underestimate the OEMs when talking about Media
Center. OEMs are really responsible for
Media Center from start to finish from a customer’s perspective. HP and Dell have shown they have little
interest in Media Center by either discounting CableCARD PCs, killing off
Extender’s, and even in HPs case killing off their HT-styled z-series Media
Centers. Dish
Network and DIRECTV
are just as important and have shown that they are increasing less interested.
Microsoft’s latest attempt to make a market for Media Center
has been the custom integrator channel, and some have big
expectations for what Microsoft might have in store. Sadly most of the possibilities have already
been proven false, and based on what I’ve been told from those in the industry
interest in Media Center in the custom channel is dropping fast. I’m interest to see how much longer Microsoft
attempts to push into the market. With
their partner OEMs such as HP, Linksys, Dish Network pulling out these leaves
the custom OEMs like Niveus Media and Life|ware to pick up the slack. Unfortunately there is only such much they
can do. If Microsoft’s commitment in the
channel falls it might be the end of the custom market experiment.
So once again the question is what’s next. Recently there have been some great new
bloggers show up in the Media Center community with some great
suggestions. I’m done with
suggestions. Microsoft knows exactly
what we want, let’s not pretend they don’t.
The issue is it is no longer in their best interest to pursue most of
it. What’s next? Who knows.
All I want at this point is for Microsoft to publicly provide a roadmap
for what Media Center is to become.
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Preface: Before you read
this please try and get in the right mindset.
Microsoft doesn’t care about what anyone reading this blog wants. They don’t care what I want either. It is a hard truth to take, but that’s a
fact. They will say that they listen to
all requests, and that’s true, they do.
What they don’t do is make any sort of business decision (translation,
features) based on my ramblings, The Green Button, Engadget, or anyone else. They don’t make Media Center for “us”,
and before anyone can start to understand the points I try and make about
Windows Home Server you have to realize this.
You also have to understand that Media Center has not taken the market
by storm, and that six years into it the vision simply isn’t working to achieve
the goal Microsoft originally set out achieve (hints shift in marketing). Knowing this, please continue.
Note: I don’t work for
Microsoft, this post reflects my personal opinion.
Ben
Drawbaugh has an excellent post on what he perceives to be the future of
Windows Media Center, and that’s its integration with Windows Home
Server. Ben’s post is excellent, running
down a logical path of what Microsoft should do with the assets they currently
have. You take Windows Media Center and
integrate it with Windows Home Server, sell it for $500 and users can add
tuners later. Add in Live Mesh, Zune HD
syncing, and really connect the dots for a truly logical integrated product.
Now, maybe it is because I’ve been following Media Center a
bit longer than Ben, but why all the sudden is Microsoft going to “get it” and
integrate everything in the logical manor it should be? Why does the introduction of Windows Home
Server mean everything will “just work?”
Here’s the deal. It
is clear to me that Microsoft’s shift in customer marketing means the concept
of a whole home connected device with Media Center as its core isn’t
working. Why else would Microsoft shift
to pushing “TV
on your PC?” It just doesn’t make
sense to me that Microsoft would shift the culture and marketing of Media
Center, and then turn around and integrate everything the way it should be. You can see the shift in their marketing as well.
- 2007/early 2008: "Windows Media Center turns the home PC into the ultimate connected entertainment hub and is available in every copy of Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate."
- Today: "...builds on Microsoft’s goal to create a consistent experience on the PC for consumers to easily enjoy the entertainment of greatest interest to them."
I’ve said for years that I
don’t see the market value in Home Server mixed with Media Center. I consistently get crap for this, but that’s
because everyone reading this wants exactly what I say doesn’t make sense to
produce, or rather what will not help Media Center in the marketplace. How many
people here are not using Media Center strictly because it requires them to run
two separate PCs in their home? How many
sales are lost because of the current infrastructure? How many sales do you gain by integrating the
two? Have you opened up a significantly
new market by doing so? I can’t come up
with any answers that benefit Media Center from these questions.
If Microsoft is having trouble pushing Media Center in homes
for whole home connected entertainment, the solution is not to integrate it
with a product that even fewer people understand (a “Home Server”). The solution is actually to change paths and
try something completely different. Sometimes
redefining a product is needed to keep it alive.
So does this mean I don’t think Microsoft will integrate
Media Center with Home Server? No, I
think the opposite. Last year I got a
tip that something
is coming as a “headless” device, and I haven’t heard anything to say that
has gone away. It would be perfectly
fine to suggest anything “headless” that comes out of Microsoft would be based
on Home Server.
So I’ve established that I think a Home Server with Media
Center integration will happen, and at the same time that the product will not
have a significant amount of mass market value over that of the current model. Microsoft’s future for connected platforms
does include exactly what they say it will.
The “3 screens,” which spans the PC, the phone, and the TV. The way I see it PC = Windows 7, Phone =
Windows Phone (aka Windows Mobile), TV = Xbox 360. I don’t see any need for Media Center as a
whole home device in their grand vision, which is why I’m questioning the concept of Microsoft getting things right just by the
inclusion of Media Center into Home Server.
Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong. I’m hoping I’m wrong, but given the way
things have been going, especially with Extenders (which in the case of a
headless device are key), I don’t see such a product making any impact in the
marketplace. More so, I don’t see
Microsoft investing the time to use Media Center as the core for the home. Media Center isn’t dying, it isn’t coming out
of Windows, but I continue to think the focus will shift. Microsoft will still work with partners on
Extenders (I’ve been assured of this), but they will still release products and
features that forget these Extender’s even existed. They will connect your life, but they will
not connect your life using Media Center.
What is your opinion?
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New TV, LCD TV/DVD Combo and Standalone Player Utilize
Widget Channel, Developed by Intel® and Yahoo!®, and Microsoft’s Windows
Extender for Media Center Platform to Deliver an Exciting Content Solution for
the Home
CES, LAS VEGAS – January 7, 2009 – Toshiba America
Consumer Products, L.L.C. (“Toshiba”), announced its new audio/video (A/V)
devices with Network Player capabilities, which deliver on the promise of
digital convergence in the home. Toshiba is launching this initiative across
three product categories – REGZA® LCD TVs, LCD TV/DVD Combos and standalone
players – in an effort to meet individual consumer needs.
Toshiba’s new A/V devices offer consumers access to a
diverse range of rich content over the Internet. With an extensive library of TV
shows and movies, music, sports, and information services such as stock prices
and weather forecasts at their fingertips, consumers will be provided with
greater flexibility to easily customize and enhance their entertainment
experience.
“Toshiba took the initiative to bridge the ways consumers
normally access Internet content and entertainment media with the introduction
of network devices that will bring the Internet experience to consumer
electronic products in the home,” said Yoshi Uchiyama, Senior Vice President,
Corporate Planning. “According to a recent study conducted by NPD for Toshiba,
a large majority of consumers cite simplicity as the essential issue for
adoption of Internet content. Therefore, key to Toshiba’s home network strategy
is a focus on simplicity – making it simple to connect, simple to operate and
simple to access content. The new line of Toshiba AV devices with Network
Players will open up an entire new world of content delivery in a way that
consumers will like.”
Getting Connected
Toshiba’s A/V devices with network player capabilities use a combination of two
core components, including the Widget Channel, developed by Intel and Yahoo!
and Microsoft’s Extender for Windows Media Center.
While consumers may be familiar with widgets from the PC
world, TV Widgets, enabled by the Widget Channel framework, now take that
simple to use “dashboard” experience and place it
into the TV allowing consumers direct access to numerous sources of content
simply via their remote control. While some TV Widgets may be pre-installed,
consumers now also have the
flexibility to customize their experience by adding widgets of their own
selection based on their interests or needs. TV Widgets will feature a rich
array of content and as more TV Widgets become available, consumers can add
them to the Network Players to enhance their assortment.
By integrating Extenders for Windows Media Center in
Toshiba’s new A/V products with Network Player capabilities, the devices will
act as “hubs” for delivery of content anywhere in the home. Using a home
network, Extender for Windows Media Center technology allows users to access a
wide range of digital content from Windows Media Center on the PC to their big screen
TV. Windows Media Center also delivers an extensive amount of Internet TV and
movie content, live and recorded TV with the addition of a TV tuner, plus
photos, music, home videos and more.
The combination of the two software platforms in one
hardware device will deliver on the promise of the new digital lifestyle.
Toshiba will approach the market by offering several choices
from which consumers can select the product that best fits their particular
needs.
The Network Player capabilities described above are
scheduled to be built into certain models of Toshiba’s REGZA LCD TVs. This will
provide consumers with easy access to the rich media experience without the
need for an external set top box or device.
As the market leader in the LCD TV/DVD Combo category,
Toshiba will also integrate the Network Player capability to offer flexibility
and simplicity for consumers whether they choose to use it as a primary TV in
the home or in the bedroom, kitchen or children’s room.
Toshiba will also develop a standalone player, which acts as
a hub for content delivery into the entertainment space. The new player can
deliver content directly from the Internet, content from
the PC with Extenders for Windows Media Center or from its built in DVD player
with 1080p upconversion. With an SD card slot and USB port for added flexibility,
the device allows consumers to access their entertainment content in any room
of the house and all at a value that consumers have come to expect.
Toshiba’s A/V devices with Network Player capabilities will
feature picture quality enhancement technologies, allowing viewers to enjoy a
wide range of content upconverted to near HD quality.
The new models are planned to ship in the second half of 2009, and product
pricing and availability will be announced later this year.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Silly me, I figured the fire sale on Linksys
DMA2100 and DMA2200 Extenders over the past two months might indicate them
getting ready to drop a new hardware revision on us, but sadly that doesn’t
appear to be the case. Consumer Electronics
Daily is reporting that Cisco (eg. Linksys) “has no immediate plans” to replace
the two Extender SKUs. Cisco did note
that a firmware update would likely be the next step. When that update drops or what is included
remains to be seen.
The DMA2100 has sold for a low of $59 at
Dell.com a few week ago. The average
price now is about $125, which is nothing to turn up your nose at (unless they
drop to $59 again). Isn’t it amazing how
the drop to a reasonable price seems to get more people on board with Extenders (hint,
hint)? How many of you purcahsed an
Extender because of the recent sales?
What issues does Linksys need to focus
on for their (hopefully) upcoming firmware update?
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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CED is reporting that HP is ending their run in the LCD TV
business and killing off their MediaSmart HDTV lineup. I can’t confirm the report myself, but if
true this puts another dent in Microsoft’s vision to have Extender technology
built into HDTVs. Their focus is now
said to be their MediaSmart Receiver which
I reviewed earlier this year. Watch for deals, word is the current displays
will be getting a price cut at Costco stores.
In related news, Samsung has shipped their MediaLive
Extender which only works with Samsung Series 4 and up displays and you can
still get Linksys Extenders for cheap at Newegg
and Amazon
(thanks Harry!).
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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From distributed
HD entertainment to automation and control, Windows Media Center is at the
center of an ever-expanding ecosystem within the custom installation channel.
DENVER — Sept. 4, 2008 — At CEDIA EXPO 2008,
Microsoft Corp. announced expansive growth of the Windows Media Center
ecosystem, the formation of an exciting new industry alliance composed of some
of the custom channel’s top brands, the winner of the 2008 Windows Media Center
Ultimate Install Contest, and numerous partner innovations supporting the
Windows Media Center in the custom installation channel. CEDIA EXPO 2008 is an
annual show for the residential electronic systems industry put on by the
Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association.
“In the wake of Microsoft’s increased engagement with the
custom installation channel, a broader ecosystem has developed based on Windows
Media Center,” said Kevin Collins, director of the Custom Installer Channel in
the Connected TV Business, Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “We
are thrilled with the level of innovation on the Windows Media Center platform
that hardware and software companies are showcasing at CEDIA EXPO.”
Hardware Expansion
The merit of Windows Media Center as a custom installation
solution is stronger than ever, as illustrated through announcements from
multiple channel partners highlighting support for up to eight CableCARD tuners
and up to 10 Extender for Windows Media Center devices. This increased capacity
allows Windows Media Center technologies to address the demands of more
sophisticated projects. With the wide range of
products and custom configurations that use standard interfaces, integrators
can delight their customers with unique installations while using familiar
components and subsystems. Adding to the growing demand for centralized home
storage, multiple OEMs are previewing new hardware based on Windows Home Server
that provides integrators with a solid whole-house solution to store and access
their clients’ music, photos and videos from either an entertainment server
running Windows Media Center or Extender for Windows Media Center devices.
“Our channel partners are driving compelling new
entertainment and control solutions to maximize the success of custom
integrators,” Collins said. “The collaboration of some of the most
forward-thinking companies in the consumer electronics category and their
implementations of media center technologies are fulfilling the long-standing vision
of the connected home.”
Among this week’s significant partner announcements are
the following:
- Autonomic Controls Inc. will introduce new control modules
enabling two-way integration of Windows Media Center and iTunes into Remote
Technologies Inc. T4 and K4 remote controls.
- Fluid
Digital will promote the integration of Microsoft’s Windows Media Center TV
Pack to enable an enhanced TV viewing experience, native support for four
digital cable tuners, an enhanced electronic program guide, and the ability to
share nonprotected digital cable content across Microsoft PlayReady
technology-enabled PCs and portable media devices.
- Exceptional
Innovation will preview its new High Density TV initiative that introduces
exciting new ways to distribute entertainment and control around the home. The
new Life|media 810 digital entertainment server features eight TV tuners and
supports 10 extenders while providing 12 terabytes of hard disk storage to
deliver consumers a robust solution for storing, managing and viewing
high-definition (HD) content throughout their home. Exceptional Innovation will
preview the new Life|ware Digital Media Manager for simple, seamless content
sharing from one media center device to another. Exceptional Innovation will
also announce support for the Windows Media Center TV Pack in several
Life|media media servers; on-board digital amplification through Advanced Micro
Devices Inc. (AMD) in the new LMS-170 series; and Blu-ray support on multiple
LMS units.
- NiveusMedia
will unveil the Niveus Storage Server – Cargo Edition. Based on the Windows
Home Server platform, it offers up to 16 terabytes of scalable storage. In
addition, Niveus will announce support for up to 10 Extender for Windows Media
Center devices and eight CableCARDs when using the most powerful Niveus media
server, the Pro Series n9. Niveus will also introduce upgrades to both the
Niveus media server line and the Niveus Movie Library movie management tool.
- S1Digital
LLC plans to launch its new P500 Media Centers, which include advanced features
such as up to four digital cable tuners (for use with CableCARD) and a QAM/ATSC
tuner to give customers the capability of watching and recording up to five
simultaneous cable TV channels including HDTV and premium content, Blu-ray
playback with Profile 2 capabilities, and up to 3 terabytes of internal
storage. All S1Digital media center solutions include the Windows Media Center
TV Pack to provide customers with an enhanced entertainment experience.
S1Digital also plans to launch the WHS500, a one-rack Windows Home Server,
designed specifically for the custom installation channel. The WHS500 is a
powerful network storage device with 4-terabyte capacity for storing movies,
music, photos, home videos and other media, providing centralized access of
content.
- Inteset
LLC will unveil its new TeraRAID XV-NAS, which will offer 15 terabytes of
enterprise-level, A/V-style storage and automatically replicate the Inteset
Media Library across multiple homes with access from the Web. Inteset will also
be demonstrating the addition of full Blu-ray to its popular, proprietary Movie
Collection, which has the ability to store, search and play back movies
seamlessly within the Windows Media Center interface. The system will scan the
inserted DVD or Blu-ray disc to identify and retrieve full profile information
from Inteset’s all-new movie database.
- Samsung
Electronics America Inc. will showcase the new Samsung MediaLive Extender for
Windows Media Center, which delivers digital entertainment including HD
content, photos, music, feature films, home movies, and live and recorded TV,
from any hardware running Windows Media Center to the big screen of a Samsung
HDTV via a wireless or wired home network. With distribution that includes the
custom installation channel, MediaLive is a powerful solution in the offerings
for Extender for Windows Media Center devices.
- Cannon PC
announced that it will begin shipping the Windows Media Center TV Pack, which
adds native support for up to four TV tuners (including digital cable tuners),
ClearQAM (unencrypted digital cable) tuners, sharing of unprotected digital
content via Microsoft PlayReady technology-enabled PCs and more, with its line
of Media Center PCs beginning in early September. Cannon PC also announced that
it will offer integrators two form factors of the popular Windows Home Server
to provide homeowners with a new solution for centralized storage, remote
access and much more.
2008 Windows
Media Center Ultimate Install Contest
Microsoft will announce the 2008 Windows Media Center
Ultimate Install Contest winner at a special event on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008,
at 5:30 p.m. MDT. This year’s contest saw a significant increase in the number
of submissions as well as the design quality and level of integration delivered
through the Windows Media Center platform. Now in its second year, the Windows
Media Center Ultimate Install Contest encourages integrators to show off their
talents by presenting their most unique and creative installations that
leverage Windows Media Center technologies. More information on the winning
install will be available at http://www.microsoft.com/ultimateinstall.
Media Center Integrator
Alliance
Announced yesterday, Microsoft has joined Intel
Corporation, HP, Life|ware, NiveusMedia, AMD and Crestron Electronics Inc. in
the foundation of the Media Center Integrator Alliance (MCIA), a nonprofit
organization dedicated to driving the adoption and awareness of the media
center ecosystem in the custom installation channel. MCIA
members will share best practices, establish standards, and develop education
and certification tools for technologies using Windows Media Center. The new alliance hopes to attract the interest,
acceptance and participation of many more companies to contribute to a
unified industry-based voice within the ecosystem.
“We’re excited to see how channel awareness has grown and
the implementation of Windows Media Center technologies in product offerings
has expanded over the past 12 months,” Collins said. “We expect the momentum to
continue to drive adoption of the ecosystem and build a network of enthused,
satisfied consumers.”
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the
worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and
businesses realize their full potential.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Microsoft has officially dropped the price of all Xbox 360
SKUs. The Arcade is now officially $200,
or rather still the best value for an Extender if you can live without
additional file format support and live with the fact that it has a fan.
Read
more here.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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D-Link has released the first firmware update for their
DSM-750 Extender. Based on the release
notes it appears that most if not all fixes in the new version 1.01 apply to the MediaLounge software
and not the Media Center Extender aspect of the product. That said it does appear to add 1080p output
as an option which should apply to both the Extender and MediaLounge modes. Other changes are below, you can
download the updated firmware here and upgrade
via the front USB port on the DSM-750.
- Support for 1080p TVs and video files
- Look of the Home page altered to improve navigation &
readability
- Online Media icon added to the home page
- Support for Rhapsody music service
- Support for Live365 Internet Radio service
- Support for vTuner Internet Radio service
- Remote control support changed to support Xbox 360 remote
- DVR-MS playback A/V sync issue in MediaLounge mode resolved
- Control point (aka "slave mode") access enabled
for playing video and music files from a compliant UPnP server
- Browsing music & video media files/folders now supports
only List mode (no thumbnail browsing).
- Photo files/folders supports browsing by thumbnail or list
mode
- "16:9" and "4:3" renamed
"Widescreen" & "Normal" in A/V Settings Menu
- Default device name is now "D-Link DSM-750"
- Audio tracks button improved to support multiple audio
tracks in supported video files
- Entering a wireless security key is now readable until
entered
- Reduced the amount of marqueeing text in the music player
page
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Samsung Electronics America Inc., the leader in the U.S.
digital television market, lets consumers view PC-content on a Samsung HDTV with
the retail launch of the company's MediaLive adaptor.
Samsung's MediaLive delivers digital content (including
HD content) in real-time from Windows Media Center on a PC running Windows
Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate operating systems to the big
screen of a Samsung HDTV via a wireless or wired home network. From photos,
music, feature films, home movies, and live and recorded TV programs, Samsung's MediaLive is the ideal plug-and-play complement to most
2008-model Samsung HDTVs.
"The PC is quickly becoming the hub for entertainment
in the home and Samsung's MediaLive gives consumers the freedom to enjoy and
manage movies, photos, and music on the bigger screen of an HDTV," said
John Revie, Vice President of Visual Display Marketing at Samsung Electronics
America. "Samsung's MediaLive opens up a constantly expanding world of
content for consumers, adding yet another connectivity option to the latest
Samsung HDTVs.'
Easily connected to an existing wireless or wired Internet
connection, Samsung's MediaLive allows PCs running Windows Vista or Windows
Vista Home Premium to stream a personal movie, photo, music, and video
collection to any 2008-model Samsung HDTV in the home with an HDMI-CEC
connection. With the ability to display content at up to Full HD resolution and
support for a range of video, audio, and image codecs such as AC3, H.264, JPEG,
MPEG2, MPEG4, WMA, and WMV, consumers will be able to enjoy an impressive
variety of video and audio files using Samsung's MediaLive. Instead of crowding
around a 15-inch PC monitor to share their latest music or movies, users can
transfer the same PC content in real-time and share it on a 50-inch HDTV with a
group of friends. One PC can stream content to up-to five Samsung MediaLive
boxes connected to a TV through a home network - providing total access to
entertainment from most 2008-model Samsung HDTV's in the home.
Beyond streaming personal entertainment, Samsung's MediaLive
gives consumers access to a wide range of entertainment options including online
services such as Vongo, MovieLink, Showtime TV, XM Radio, and FOX Sports, as
well as the ability to browse through top news stories from Reuters and NPR.
Additionally, in the U.S., Windows Media Center features the Internet TV beta
program, which offers access to viral videos, news stories, movie trailers,
sports clips, cast interviews, movie concerts and more. For access to live and
recorded TV through the Samsung MediaLive, a simple TV tuner can be connected
to the PC, turning it into a powerful DVR with the ability to watch and record
favorite television shows and movies. In conjunction with FOX Sports, consumers
are able to access SportsLounge to quickly view up-to-date sports scores,
statistics and schedules - a perfect tool for any fantasy sports fan.
'Microsoft is pleased to be working
with an industry leader such as Samsung, which shares our commitment to
expanding TV entertainment options through Windows Media Center,' said Ron Pessner, General Manager of the Connected TV
Division at Microsoft Corp. 'We're
seeing the industry recognize the value of delivering these types of integrated
solutions that allow consumers to extend pictures, music and more from their
Windows Vista Home Premium- or Ultimate-based PC to the TV.'
Employing the simple-to-navigate user interface and
integrated electronic program guide of Windows Media Center, content browsing
and playback is easily controlled using the arrow and enter buttons available
on either the included MediaLive Simple Remote, or the Samsung HDTV's remote control.
Using the included mounting bracket, the compact device can
be easily mounted to the rear of select Samsung flat-panel TVs for a
clutter-free home theater setup. Operational commands are sent to the MediaLive
via the HDMI-CEC port for a high quality, single-cable connection to the HDTV.
The device connects to a PC via a RJ45 connected LAN cable, or wirelessly
through a built-in 802.11 a/b/g/n receiver.
The Samsung MediaLive will be available in August 2008.
Specifications
Online Content
- Windows Media Center
online media content providers
Audio
Video
- WMV, MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264
- HDMI-CEC output
- Replay
- Down & Play of recorded TV program In PC
- AV Streaming with PC (Server)
- AV Streaming with PC (Client) - WMV, MPEG2 file Streaming
Photo
- JPEG
- Zoom in/out, Rotation
Input and Output
- DC Power
- USB 2.0 Slave
- USB 2.0 Host
- HDMI-CEC
- Ethernet (RJ45 LAN cable)
Works With
- 2008-model Samsung HDTVs 450 series and higher, LCD, Plasma
and DLP
Dimension (W X H X D, mm)
Weight
Estimated Selling
Price $200
Availability August 2008
*Subject to change without notice.
About Samsung
Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics
America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and
home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players,
digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized
innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the
HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more
information.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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