Chris Lanier's Blog

Apple

• Reader Questions: Round 1

  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. Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/ Posted Apr 08 2008, 02:17 PM by Chris - Moderator with no comments Filed under: Digital Media, CableCARD, Media Center, Extenders, Home Server, Apple

• Short Bits: Big Screen Apps, Apple TV, Start Menu Feedback

  You can now purchase all Big Screen v2 products online at bigscreenglobal.com.  Even better, right now you can get a few bucks off your purchase by clicking here.  Next week, in the sprint of the new branding in the sidebar you might just be able to win a free copy right here.  Stay tuned. Could Apple really beat Microsoft to interactive TV applications?  They now have a patent that describes OCAP-like interactivity features.  OCAP of course, is the interactivity layer that is defined in the CableCARD 2.0 (tru2way) specs that should be supported in BOCRs.  No idea if it is OCAP-based, but Apple seems to be getting more committed to Apple TV. Charlie Owen is asking for feedback on the Media Center Start Menu over at The Green Button.  The overwhelming majority of people want to have basic customization such as rearranging and hiding tiles and strips. Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/ Posted Feb 07 2008, 05:13 PM by Chris - Moderator with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Digital Media, Media Center, Apple

• Apple TV Gets Upgraded

  Apple finally upgraded their Apple TV yesterday at MacWorld making it worthy of a look.  Overall, I’m impressed with the upgrade, but still not touching it.  I’m sure a lot of people out there are not impressed, but I’m trying to see it from Apple’s angle.  No PVR and no DVD player is exactly what they want in this product.  As soon as they give you the ability to playback “legacy” formats you have no reason to buy/rent the same content from them. The big draw of the new Apple TV is being able to make purchases/rentals directly from the unit, taking the PC out of the picture.  I’ve said that would add significant value before and I think it succeed in that.  What they haven’t succeeded in is killing Netflix.  With HD movie rentals for $3.99 ($4.99 for new releases), I’d much rather pickup an $8.99 Netflix account.  New releases will be delayed 30 days from the DVD release on iTunes, so Netflix is still the top choice here.  Plus, at $3.99/$4.99 you are talking about Blockbuster rental prices, which have been too high for a while and caused the switch to Netflix.  I’ve completely skipped the technical stuff like lackluster bitrate and resolution when compared to HD DVD/Blu-ray. Apple did drop the price to $229 for a 40GB model, which does beat out the price of any current Media Center Extender.  The problem is, the two products are competing against each other while offering completely different feature sets.  If Microsoft would bring the Xbox Live Marketplace rentals to Media Center and Extenders the products would match up a bit more and I think give Media Center a big push.   Doing this doesn’t fix the price issue from above, but it does give you choice as DVD playback is part of several Extenders.  If Microsoft can actually combine them all (you know, like a Connected Home) then Apple could have a fight on their hand to upgrade Apple TV to support other formats and features. Apple TV no longer sucks, it is just not for me.  What about you? Apple TV (Take 2) Details (Engadget), More on Apple's iTunes rentals (Engadget), Apple TV Take 2 Hands-on (Engadget) Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/ Posted Jan 16 2008, 09:44 AM by Chris - Moderator with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Digital Media, Media Center, Apple

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

  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? Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/ Posted Dec 28 2007, 02:05 PM by Chris - Moderator with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Digital Media, Media Center, Extenders, Apple

• Apple Releases New iPods; Zune Dies in the Corner

  Sorry for anyone looking for a pro-Microsoft post today, but Apple just announced those new iPods I was talking about last night when criticizing the Zune and I’m personally declaring that the Zune is dead. On the iPod front, there is one for every budget.  New Shuffle colors (1GB $79), new iPod nano’s that support audio/video with 24 hour of audio playback on a charge (4GB - $149, 8GB - $199), new iPod Classic with audio/video support (80GB - $249, 160GB - $349), and finally iPod touch (8GB - $299, 16GB - $399) that also will support wireless browsing and download from the iTunes Store which was one of the biggest problems with the Zune that launched with WiFi too. Zune is dead.  The only thing that might save it (long shot) is that v2 Zunes launch with a WiFi Zune Marketplace, relaxed music sharing restrictions, built-in Media Center Extender, Media Center-based syncing, a something that Apple has yet to think of (is there anything?) What are your suggestions to save the Zune?  Am I wrong about it being dead?  You buying a new iPod?  Let me know.  Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/ Posted Sep 05 2007, 02:38 PM by Chris - Moderator with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Digital Media, Apple

• Apple Disappoints Me Today

  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/ Posted Jun 11 2007, 04:22 PM by Chris - Moderator with 4 comment(s) Filed under: Apple