Entertainment 2.0

Unless you live somewhere that can receive AT&Ts U-verse service, this really won’t mean that much to you but EngadgetHD (these guys are on the ball!) is reporting that MS has added several new features to their MediaRoom IPTV property.

From the article:

Restart shamelessly copies StartOver, restarting a show at any point in its progress, even if you just turned the box on, while Live lets you scroll backwards through the program guide and pull down previously aired TV from the provider’s VOD server. Finally Download Anytime pulls in shows or movies ahead of time satellite VOD-style so they can be watched later, despite potentially limited bandwidth.

I’m dying for a true IPTV system but I don’t see anyone in my small corner of the world offering it anytime soon.  If you live somewhere with this service and you’re using it, how is it?  Let us know!

From EngadgetHD.

Up until CES, ATI was just about the only company offering Cable-Card tuners for your Media Center experience.  As of today, that could change very soon.

Centon has announced a multi-stream PCI cable card adapter that, apparently, will be able to record 6 channels at once.  Much like they say in the EngadgetHD article where I found this, I wonder if that’s even possible for one PCI card to handle 6 streams…especially HD.

Like every other solution out there however, you’ll have to have an overpriced OEM cable-card ready system in order to use this thing.  Too bad really.  Unlock the things and I’ll upgrade my cable instead of cancelling it there, Time Warner!

Much like LG and Vizio getting Netflix service starting this year, Panasonic today announced that their sets will be able to stream Amazon VOD starting in 2009.

It seems like streaming online video directly to your television without the need for a set-top box is officially “in” in 2009.  Now, choosing a TV will have as much to do with the content you can get as the picture you’ll see.

Would having one service or another make you choose one TV over another, all other things being equal? (Picture, price, etc.)  Leave a comment and let me know!

Full article at EngadgetHD.

I thought I’d go ahead this morning (since it’s early in Vegas) and post up some of the content from Microsoft’s keynote last evening.  Below you’ll find selected cuts from the speech in case you don’t have time to watch the whole thing.

You can also see this previous post if you care to watch the whole keynote from Mr. Ballmer and company.

I had heard rumors that Dish Network had bought into Slingbox and now it looks like they’re at least partnering up for Dish Network’s newest DVR.

The ViP 922 will incorporate a 1TB HDD which they say can hold 1000 hours of content before you need to hook up an external drive.  It’s also being touted as the world’s first DVR with placeshifting technology.

For more info, read the press release:

DISH NETWORK® INTRODUCES WORLD’S FIRST "SLINGLOADED" HD DVR AT 2009 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
New 1 Terabyte High Definition DVR with Integrated Slingbox, Touchpad Remote Control and Tile-based User Interface
Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 8, 2009 – DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), the nation’s third largest pay-TV provider and the digital transition leader, today unveiled the world’s first
SlingLoaded™ HD DuoDVR™, the award-winning ViP® 922. The ViP® 922 is the first high definition digital video recorder that incorporates placeshifting technology.
The ViP® 922 was built by EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., a wholly-owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), and developed for DISH Network as an entertainment centerpiece that – combined with the only 1080p Video on Demand and 100 percent, all-HD suite of programming packages available today – will revolutionize the way consumers watch and enjoy their favorite programming. DISH Network will offer the ViP® 922 to customers in Spring 2009.
"DISH Network is pleased to add another award-winning product to our suite of MPEG-4 HD DVR ViP receivers: a groundbreaking set top box that offers consumers the true experience of TV everywhere," said DISH Network Chairman, CEO and President Charlie Ergen. "By integrating Sling Media’s Slingbox technology into our industry-leading HD DVR, DISH Network is providing even more ways for our subscribers to view their TV programming – through their television sets, their desktops at home, their laptops on the road, and their smartphones including Blackberrys, iPhones and more."
The ViP® 922 allows TV enthusiasts to watch and control their favorite TV shows and sporting events from anywhere in the world via a broadband Internet connection on their laptop or mobile phone. With five video sources, including satellite, broadband and optional over-the-air tuners, viewers will never run out of shows to watch. The ViP® 922 also features a multi-tuner DVR with up to 1,000 hours of recording time and supports connecting external hard drives for even more storage capacity.
An innovative touchpad remote control accompanies the ViP® 922, which eliminates half the buttons of a standard remote control and provides cursor-like navigation on a TV screen. With a slide of the thumb, viewers experience scroll-over activation of the new user interface: on-screen widget-like tiles and pop-up menus. All features are selectable by an underside index finger trigger selection on the radio frequency-controlled remote, which offers two-way learning of codes from other AV equipment remote controls.
The ViP® 922 can also be controlled using SlingGuide™, a new way for consumers to control their TV viewing experience over the Internet. SlingGuide features a powerful search engine for the TV along with the ability to schedule the ViP® 922 DVR timers remotely.
Other ViP® 922 features include:
? News feeds located on the home screen, giving viewers instant access to national news, weather, sports, and stock quotes.
? Ability to organize channels by channel name or number.
? 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480i and 480p support.
? Internet-delivered DISH On Demand including 1080p content.
? Ability to move one day in the guide while browsing full screen EPG or partial EPG.
? Connections to home networks via Ethernet, HomePlug Turbo (the next generation of HomePlug that allows for faster in-home transfer of content using home power lines), or WiFi (with optional WiFi adapter).
? Powerful search capability across all available video sources, including IP, VOD, satellite or DVR.
? Intuitive timer creation and DVR management, allowing users to categorize programming by groups (video source, title, genres) or by content description (date, length, ratings and more).
? Ability to load photos, MP3s and selected Internet content.
? Future upgrades such as photo sharing, movie ticket purchases, family calendars, instant messaging, streaming audio, and the ability to transfer content within a home network.
EchoStar’s new user interface and remote control for the ViP® 922 were selected as CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award honorees. Demonstrations of the ViP® 922 will be available at DISH Network’s Booth No. 14438, located in the Central Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan. 8-11. For more information about DISH Network, visit www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
Sling Media introduces SlingGuide: Redefining Search and Discovery for Satellite, Cable and Terrestrial Broadcast Programming
With powerful browse and search to add recordings, smart DVR space management and complete recording priority control, SlingGuide unlocks the power of your DVR from anywhere – on your PC, Mac or iPhone.
Las Vegas - International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) - January 8, 2008 - Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), today introduced SlingGuide, a new web-based way to easily find, watch and record your favorite television programming from anywhere. SlingGuide allows consumers to browse, search and record programs on their DVR from any PC, Macintosh or compatible mobile phone. In addition, if the DVR is SlingLoaded™ or has a Slingbox™ connected to it, consumers can also watch live or recorded programs off their DVR through a web-based version of the SlingPlayer software that is integrated into SlingGuide. SlingGuide will be available first to DISH Network subscribers when it launches in spring of 2009. For more information, go to www.slingmedia.com/go/slingguide.
"SlingGuide revolutionizes the way we search and discover traditional TV programming from satellite, cable and terrestrial broadcasts," said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media. "As avid couch potatoes, we were frustrated with the existing methods for finding what to watch and record from our satellite and cable TV sources. Meanwhile, for the much larger universe of Internet-based content, we were able to enjoy amazingly quick, easy and precise search tools. ‘What regional sports station is that ball game on? Why does it take me so many steps to set a recording for a show on next week?’ In other words, why can’t I simply ‘Google’ my TV? SlingGuide, our answer to this frustration, makes it easy for you to find, watch and record the programming that matters most – from anywhere."
For DISH Network customers with select DVRs, SlingGuide will provide a personal, integrated and centralized view of everything you want to watch or record on DISH Network including programming from hundreds of channels, thousands of programming choices, and even internet video from Sling.com.
The following is a list of DISH Network DVRS that are expected to be compatible with SlingGuide at launch.*
HD DuoDVRTM SlingLoadedTM ViP® 922 (Just Announced)
DuoDVR™ ViP® 722k
DuoDVR™ ViP® 722
DuoDVR™ ViP® 622
*Receivers require a broadband network connection to use SlingGuide.
Beyond the Grid
Current program guides on your TV can limit a consumer’s view of what is really available to watch at present and in the future. For that reason, consumers watch only a handful of channels or programs at most. SlingGuide’s powerful search technology makes it easy to watch and discover new programming you may never have known existed using the power of your PC, Mac or mobile phone. With SlingGuide you can search for shows by title, genre, network, keyword or actor.
A Better Remote Control
Using the web browser on an iPhone or iPod Touch, DISH Network customers can put the power of SlingGuide in the palm of their hand. Sitting in front of the TV, SlingGuide turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into an intelligent remote control capable of quickly browsing and searching the program guide, scheduling and managing DVR recordings, and more. SlingGuide on the iPhone or iPod Touch works with the DISH Network DVR to do this all in the background without disturbing the television picture displayed on the TV.
SlingLoaded or Slingbox-Enabled
While a Slingbox is not required to enjoy SlingGuide, those customers who have a Slingbox connected to one of the supported DISH Network DVRs or are lucky enough to be one of the first to enjoy the DISH Network HD DuoDVRTM SlingLoadedTM ViP® 922, SlingGuide also gives you the ability to watch live TV or DVR recordings on your PC, Mac or compatible mobile phone, around the home or around the world.
SlingGuide Features at a Glance

? Personalized, integrated view of everything you want to watch or record in a simple visual interface on your PC, Mac or iPhone/iPod Touch

? All the features of your DVR’s remote control plus the seamless ability to browse, record or watch from anywhere.

? Watch your shows anywhere (with a SlingLoaded DVR or Slingbox attached)

? Discover new programming you never knew you had

? Easy, comprehensive search instead of your old remote control

? One click to record

? Search and record shows from your iPhone or iPod Touch

? Integration with Sling.com for clips, trailers, etc. of your favorite shows

Pricing and Availability
SlingGuide will be free to DISH Network subscribers who have a network-connected, compatible DVR. Sling Media will make SlingGuide available to DISH Network customers in spring of 2009. A limited beta of SlingGuide is already under way. For an opportunity to participate in the beta program, go to www.slingmedia.com/slingguide.

Thanks to Engadget HD for the image and original story.

I have a feeling most of the people who read this blog are on the geekier side of things and as such are going to want to get their hands on the Windows 7 beta as soon as possible.  As reported last night, if you’re like me and don’t have an MSDN or Technet subscription that chance will come Friday the 9th.

The Windows Blog has some information that you may want to read before downloading the beta.  Here are some quick highlights:

• Downloading will be limited to the first 2.5 million people
• Win7 will be available by download only-no physical media
• The beta will expire on August 1st, 2009
• Supports upgrade from Vista SP1 only.

There’s a lot more info in the post which you can find here.  One thing I’m curious about however is what about those of us running the SP2 beta?  Can we do an upgrade as well or does SP2 need to be removed first? 

The beta will be available on Friday from the Windows 7 site.

Keep subscribed to Entertainment 2.0.  I’ll be installing Win7 beta on at least two machines in my home and I’ll keep you up to date on what I find!

I hate to say it, but other than the Windows 7 beta going public on Friday (which most people expected) the Microsoft keynote, headlined by Steve Ballmer was rather disappointing this evening.  A lot of the information given was known prior to CES and wasn’t that big of a surprise to anyone.

The big disappointment for me was that there was almost nothing said, and even less shown about Media Center.  Several of the speakers talked about the TV being part of the connected home but nothing was demonstrated.  Hopefully they’ll have more to show as CES continues.

Thank you to those who joined me for the live broadcast.  I’ll have the recording posted soon although some editing might be in order.  It’s hard to talk and listen at the same time.  Still, it was a fun experience and worth losing the sleep over.  Hopefully next time those who join will want to call in and share with us!

If you didn’t get to watch, you should be able to view the keynote here.  It wasn’t available yet as I posted this but should be there soon.

Again, thank you and I look forward to posting the live broadcast and more info soon!

For Technet or MSDN subscribers you can head out and get the Windows 7 beta now.  For the rest of us, on Friday January 9th it’ll be opened up.

Stay tuned for testing and opinions!

Netgear is bringing itself further into your living room with the new Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150).  Like other companies (and devices from Netgear) the Digital Entertainer Elite will bring internet TV, RSS feeds and podcasts straight to your TV.

As well, the box will find and organize your media files located on the network for easy accessibility.

Some features from the article at Technolocus:

• Streams media directly from the Internet such as YouTube, Internet radio, Flickr photos, RSS, and podcasts
• Includes HDMI port, HD upconversion up to 1080p, two USB ports for iPod and USB drives
• 500GB hard drive for extra storage of movies, photos, and music
• Automatically finds all digital media files on your home network and organizes them into an easily accessible library

This obviously won’t help you with Media Center as an extender and I don’t see Netflix mentioned in the article so other than RSS feeds, I’m not sure what this might be for.  But, if you need one more box under your TV, it might just be for you.

Article and photo from Technolocus.

Toshiba announced at CES today that they will begin integrating Windows Media Center extenders in the some of their upcoming products.  With this, it appears as though another company is jumping into the extender market.  I think this is great news for all of us.  Anything that adds to the ecosystem is great news!

From the press release:

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 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.

Full article here.