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Posts Tagged ‘Home Entertainment’

Skifta promises easy DLNA media-shifting [Video]

By Chris Davies on Thursday, Nov 19th 2009 No Comments

One of Qualcomm’s more low-key demonstrations from today is actually the one thing you can try most readily yourself. Skifta aims to make media shifting more straightforward, using a single client PC or Mac that can then be accessed by any DLNA and UPnP client in your home or remotely. The system works using a simple web-based interface which will work on your desktop or cellphone browser (the Skifta team had an HTC Hero on hand to do just that), and then that content from pretty much any DLNA device gets funnelled around.

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Video demo after the cut

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Creston Spotify app promises touchscreen home entertainment [Video]

By Chris Davies on Tuesday, Nov 17th 2009 1 Comment

Spotify is great, particularly when you’re having one of those parties where people keep asking “oh, have you heard that new track by…”, but the current computer-bound UI isn’t exactly conducive to being passed around. If you’re lucky enough to have a touchscreen Crestron home entertainment system, however, Custom Controls may have the app for you: they’ve whipped up a new UI that will allow for fingertip control of Spotify through Creston panels.

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Video demo after the cut

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BBC relaunch iPlayer as Wii Channel

By Chris Davies on Friday, Nov 13th 2009 No Comments

The BBC has announced that it will be "relaunching" the iPlayer streaming TV system on the Nintendo Wii, with the system now present as a dedicated Wii channel. While iPlayer access on the Wii has been possible since April 2008, the new iPlayer channel will apparently offer a "faster, high quality and improved viewing experience" according to Erik Huggers, direct of Future Media and Technology at the BBC.

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Boxee Box official: debut on December7th

By Chris Davies on Thursday, Nov 12th 2009 1 Comment

Boxee has long been the darling of the homebrew DVR crowd, turning the Apple TV into a far more capable – and less iTunes-centric – media system and brightening DIY HTPCs no end. Now the company has announced its plans for an off-the-shelf Boxee Box, which will deliver the same sort of experience but without the need to build it youself.

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Sonos ZonePlayer S5 goes on sale today [update with Video]

By Chris Davies on Tuesday, Nov 3rd 2009 No Comments

Sonos' latest ZonePlayer, the all-in-one S5, has gone on sale in the US today. Packing a wireless receiver and an amplified 5-driver speaker array into a single, bedroom and kitchen friendly unit, the S5 automatically integrates into an existing Sonos setup, or alternatively could be used by those not wanting the extraneous mess and hassle of separate speakers demanded by the company's previous ZonePlayers.

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Cisco FlipShareTV streamer system outed by FCC

By Chris Davies on Friday, Oct 30th 2009 No Comments

The FCC has kindly outed Cisco’s latest device, the FlipShareTV, seemingly a companion media streamer for the company’s Flip range of point-and-shoot camcorders. The three-part FlipShareTV consists of a remote control, USB dongle for your computer, and a set-top box, with a basic folder-based browsing structure that can be used to view recorded video that has been transferred from the camcorders.

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Apple TV 3.0 released: iTunes Extra and LP support plus internet radio

By Chris Davies on Thursday, Oct 29th 2009 1 Comment

As predicted earlier today, Apple have pushed out their latest firmware for the Apple TV. Version 3.0 brings with it a newly redesigned GUI, along with compatibility with iTunes Extras and iTunes LP as introduced in iTunes 9. There’s also support for Genius Mixes and internet radio playback, and the whole set-top box experience is apparently smoother and quicker.

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Apple TV 3.0 tipped in new iTunes T&Cs

By Chris Davies on Thursday, Oct 29th 2009 No Comments

An upcoming update to the Apple TV has been tipped by a change in Terms & Conditions for the iTunes Store. The new agreement – which is shown as of today – lists that “you can now use iTunes LPs and iTunes extras on Apple TV with software version 3.0 or higher”; however Apple are yet to release version 3.0 for their set-top box.

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Logitech Harmony IR Extender System lands for budget price

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Oct 28th 2009 No Comments

IR extenders – which can be used to remotely-control A/V components tucked inside closed-up equipment racks or in other rooms – aren’t new, but Logitech probably have the brand-name recognition (and bricks-and-mortar shelf space) to soon dominate the market. The Logitech Harmony IR Extender System works with your existing remotes, and comes with a compact IR receiver and an IR blaster with various tethered mini-blasters.

Logitech Harmony IR Extender System 1

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MTube Android home entertainment tablet gets video demo

By Chris Davies on Tuesday, Oct 27th 2009 2 Comments

The last we heard of MTube they were pushing a tiny, 2.8-inch MID with integrated WiMAX, but their latest touchscreen device jumps firmly onto the Android bandwagon. The MTube Android MID has a 7.6-inch capacitive touchscreen and uses an ARM processor, but rather than trying to hitch a ride in your bag, it’s intended for living room duties. Not only does the tablet offer internet access, but you can stream video, photos and music from the MTube to your big-screen TV.

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