Have you discovered Microsoft’s Media Center Online Spotlight ?
December 11, 2006 by Joe Boyle · Leave a Comment
If you have discovered that now your PC and home theater system do not need to be regarded as alien to each other you will probably have discovered the Online Spotlight as part of Windows XP Media Center
This new feature provides you a myriad of choices including free, premium and subscription services from Microsoft and other selected third party providers.
from Online Spotlight you can watch movies, download the latest soundtracks and music as well as access to news, sports updates and a huge range of [tag-tec]entertainment programming[/tag-tec] which is set to expand.
Showcase : - With the show case section of windows XP media center edition you can access a massive data base of [tag-tec]music downloads[/tag-tec] as well as being able to buy offerings from MTV , AOL Music , Napster and many more ..
Music and Radio :- Within this category you will find satellite radio , napster , aol , live 365 and MTV which gives you access to more than 5,000 internet radio stations spanning dozens of generes.
TV and Movies :- Using your broadband (ADSL) or cable connection you can download and stream movies currently there are more than 1200 movies available to browse, buy and watch through services by Movielink and Cinema Now. Just select you favorite’s and download to enjoy. In addition in addition you will find great TV from ABC , and Titan TV.
News and Sports :- Get the latest news and sports offerings from Fox Sports, Newsgator, Msn and Reuters and NPR.
Games:- No multimedia entertainment program would be totally complete without at least some gaming options and media center has certainly not ignored this either. Discover Games and Games on demand being available to satify the gamers needs.
Lifestyle :- Gallery Player , Kodak offer a wide range of pictures from all different walks of life as well a black and white photography and fine art images. In addition the life style offers a suite of organisational software which includes contacts, calendar and a home organiser.
Without doubt this is the future if Microsoft and Bill Gates have anything to do with it and I I feel it is only a few years down the track that visting your favorite DVD store or DVD rental outlet will become a faded memory.
If you have experienced the new windows multi media system lets hear what you thought about it ?
Tags: downloads, media center, spotlight, XP media
Will the PC be moving into the living room ?
December 8, 2006 by Joe Boyle · Leave a Comment
With Intels new Viiv is the PC set to become a must have for every living room and that image of the office PC only being used for doing the family accounts and the kids playing computer games a thing fo the past.
When wandering round the computer stores or surfing the internet if you come across the [tag-tec]Intel[/tag-tec] Viiv you will know you are pretty much at the cutting edge of today with a [tag-tec]coreduo[/tag-tec] processor or sometimes it is referred to as a [tag-tec]dual core[/tag-tec] processor.
Viiv is designed to offer surround sound and HD video so is likely to eventually end up in the home theater fanatic’s set up and here’s just a scratching of the surface of what this new media can do .
If Intel had it’s way this could see the end of the home PC and the launch of the multi media experience in the home ..
Most ViiV Pc’s will be equiped with wireless keyboard and mouse so nothing new there but they are packed with audio visual features (now your talking our language)
They are designed to look neat on your shelf or even as part of your home theater system after all Viiv will have available to them well in excess of 100 companies offering content which will mean you will be spoilt for choice.
On demand films , music and even TV downloads will be available from companies such as Movielink , Yahoo, Music Match and Adobe with more to follow I am sure.
The Intel Viiv Entertainment Pass enables you to browse over the internet via the Online Spotlight feature in Windows Media Center.
The Viiv is set to bring the PC from the office into the home of every household across America or at least that’s what Intel and Microsoft would have us believe..
Watch this space for more updates as they arrive ..
Tags: entertainment pass, home theater, microsoft, multi media, processor, Viiv
Blu Ray or VS HD DVD how to choose ?
December 8, 2006 by Joe Boyle · Leave a Comment
As HD (high definition) is set to become the norm over the coming years will DVD eventually end up where it’s forerunners consigned to the home movie theater archives .. a once found memory?
HD is all ready waiting in the wings to take it’s crown but as before the major manufacturers can’t or maybe won’t decide on a single standard.
So whats new and what will HD bring that we never had before?
HD provides better pictures and better resolutions than were ever possible even with DVD. Major broadcasters worldwide are slowly rolling out more and more programs to this new standard (sound likes something we have heard before don’t you think ?)
Two groups of technology companies are championing two competing HD formats are we in for another beta/vhs type debarkle?
Well I hoping I get it right first time this time round but here’s the low down and you can judge for yourself which will eventually win or maybe just maybe they will actaully co-exist who knows at this early stage of the game.
HD DVD is supported by computer software giants Microsoft and you wouldn’t bet against them in a fair fight would you ?
They are working with Toshiba and Hitachi and few others…
Then we have the other major players Apple,Sony and Phillips a fine band if you like as well and they are throwing their hat into the ring for Blu-ray.
Strangley enough both of these technologies use a blue-violet laser which is able to scan a high capacity disc which are the same size as a CD/DVD.
Lets assume the guys from Apple got first name choice ?
The latest Tv’s to be released have the ability to display the new [tag-tec]HD signal[/tag-tec] and some (generally the higher end) have built into them something called a [tag-tec]HDMI[/tag-tec] ( High Definition Multi Media Interface) this looks a bit like a computer lead and allows for all components to be connected.
Some of the low end HD and DVD players are only able to create some of the picture standards availble with the new formats whilst in principle this might be quite sad I suspect if your budget’s a little low anything is better than none at all.
Most common picture formats are 720p,1080i and 1080p when loking at quality [tag-tec]1080p[/tag-tec] is the best and it refers to the number of pixels you see vertically on the tv screen.
The letters not suprisingly actually refer to the how the picture is formed on the screen the “p” standing for progressive which means the pixels are scanned by painting lines of pixels and the “i” stands for interlaced this works by painting the odd lines first and the then filling in the evens.
Sorry about the geek speak I am only telling you what they told me …
Any how if that left you totally confused at it makes little or no difference as they move so quickly you won’t see them (why on earth they have to make things so darn complicated is a mystery?)
If that’s not enough to confuse you currently the big guns can’t agree on anything so there are still no regions for the discs which means they all play anywhere whether this will continue remains to be seen but sounds a good idea to me cna you see any pitfalls?
Blu -ray holds about 5 times the amount of information you will find on a standard DVD and the HD-DVD holds about 3 times that of a standard DVD both formats are likely to be available with dual layers and there is even talk of triple layer discs which I can’t help thinking is a because we can sort of idea …
Slowly players are becoming available in both formats originally HD drives were available in Toshiba Laptops but slowly the drives are appearing but they are yet to become mainstream so if you wallet is not bursting with crispy greenbacks wait a few months more.
As I sure you could have predicted with Microsoft and Sony going head to head the Playstation 3 will have Blu-ray as standard and suprise suprise the Xbox 360 will feature an HD DVD drive.
With both of these consoles set for a holiday season launch maybe this will decide the new standard as traditionally home theater buyer are less frenetic then games console buyers and battle is about to commence.
Apart form the obvious capacity difference Blu-ray is much thinner and the manufacturing process is different to that of DVD’s which for the time being at least means they are more expensive (but taking the capacity issues into account this might be justified).
Both formats have highly sophisticated encryption technology called [tag-tec]HDCP[/tag-tec] (High Definition Content Protection) which could at last put paid to bootlegging. But don’t hold your breath as I am pretty sure our cousins from the far east are working hard to find ways around the technology.
So your thinking all sounds prety good so what about movies …
That’s a good question and one I will answer in a future post in the meantime here is a list of the latest Blu- ray and HD-DVD players for you to check out.
Blu- Ray
Sony VAIO VGN-AR270 Notebook with Blu-ray - VGN-AR270
Sony VAIO VGN-AR270 w/BR Notebook - Best
Sony Blu-ray Disc Player - BDP-S1
Sony BWU-100A Internal Blu-ray Disc Rewritable Drive - BWU-100A
Sony VAIO VGN-AR270 w/BR Notebook - Better
HD-DVD Players
Toshiba HD-XA1 DVD Player - DVD-RAM, DVD-R/-RW, CD-R/RW - DVD Video, CD-DA, MP3, WMA Playback - 1 Disc(s)
Tags: Blu Ray, HD drives, HD DVD, progressive scan
