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Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Posts tagged with Internet TV
Nov 12
Something wicked this way comes…the Dell Inspiron Zino HD
Posted by Jay Taylor in 6:33 AM
As the saying goes, great things come in small packages, and boy did Dell deliver on that adage!
Our friends at Dell sent over their new Inspiron Zino HD PC and I must say that this little Inspiron really inspired me. This box has the potential to be a great solution as a small form factor (SFF) HTPC as well as a very capable desktop computer for those that have limited work spaces. I would like to apologize in advance for the length of this particular blog post, but I wanted to make sure I provided an accurate write up.
Per my usual comments, this is not intended to be an official review of the device, but more of an overview of the platform and features offered, mixed with a little user feedback. Let me dive into some of the specifications first and then share a little on my experience with this computer.
Size
The first thing I noticed when I pulled the Inspiron Zino HD out of the box was small size. Measuring a mere 7 3/4 inches on each side and only 3 1/2 inches tall (approximately), this is a really small PC. I snapped a couple of pictures to give you some references for comparison (see below). After removing the protective packaging, it was very pleasing to the eye. The overall shape, fit and finish are beautiful –not something I often say about a PC. The unit has a mirror black piano finish.
As you can see, it is similar in size to a baseball cap–now that is pretty small. I also snapped a picture of it sitting next to the Lian Li C39 chassis (a low profile HTPC chassis).
Specs
Dell is offering the Inspiron Zino HD PC with multiple configurable options so customers have the ability to personalize the platform to a specific need or budget. The particular unit sent to me was configured with the following specifications:
| OS: Windows® 7 Home Premium | CPU: AMD Athlon™ X2 3250e processor | Chipset: AMD RS780G |
| LAN: On board Gb Ethernet | Wireless: Integrated Wireless N | Memory: 2GB DDR2 800 |
| Optical Drive: 8x DVD ROM | HDD: 250GB | USB wired mouse |
| Volume: 3.5L | LxWxH: 197.6mm x 197.6mm x 89mm | USB wired keyboard |
Performance
At the heart of this little beast is the AMD RS780G chipset and the AMD Athlon™ X2 3250e processor. Combined, these two pieces of technology deliver a very compelling experience in both processing and graphics power. Capable of handling excellent HD playback (when combined with an HD monitor), online streamed content and more, this unit delivers a great entertainment experience. While I did not run any benchmark utilities, I was impressed by the variety of applications and content the platform supported.
Do note though, none of my testing was done under rigorous lab conditions with repeated and averaged test results nor am I showing pretty graphs and charts. My testing was strictly limited to putting it in a real world environment and observing the results. See the User Experience section below for more details. I would also like to point out that this unit is not intended to be a high performance gaming system but neither is it an entry level nettop type platform. This is a solid performing, mainstream PC that offers a full PC experience for a variety of uses.
Optional Configurations
As mentioned above, this unit is configurable with many upgrade options. For example, you want a larger HDD? You can get up to a 1TB HDD installed. Higher end graphics? Yep, order an ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330 GPU and you have one powerful little work horse. Here is a list of upgrade options:
CPU: Up to an AMD Athlon™ Neo X2 6850e processor
Graphics: Optional ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330 GPU
Memory: Up to 8GB of DDR2 800
HDD: Up to 1TB
ODD: DVD or Blu-ray drive option available
Wireless: Optional 802.11 b, g, or n
Colors: 9 color lid options to choose from (see below)
OS Options:
Windows® Vista Home Basic 32bit
Windows® 7 Home Premium 64Bit
Windows® 7 Professional 64Bit
Windows® 7 Ultimate 64Bit
Pricing and Availability
According to my friends at Dell, the Inspiron Zino HD will start at $229 for the base configuration (AMD Athlon™ 2650e processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 8X DVD drive, Windows Vista Basic). Yes, you read that correctly, $229! This is an incredible starting price point for such a capable system in such a small form factor. Dell also told me that the unit will be available both online and through retail outlets. Units are available online today from Dell but expect a month or two (typical retail stocking times) before systems will be available on store shelves. Prices are in USD, see your local Dell.com site for regional pricing.
User Experience
My initial goal was to test this as a great, small form factor HTPC. As such, I spent a good deal of time testing the box in a home theater environment. And it did most things very well.
From the moment I opened up the packaging, and powered it up, the process was smooth and user friendly. The device immediately went through the set up process without any hiccups. I was able to easily set up the user accounts and Media Center. Once everything was completed, I decided to install additional software to open up the experience a little, like Hulu’s Desktop application and Arcsoft’s Total Media Theater.
I wanted to test Blu-ray playback but since my unit did not have a Blu-ray player installed, I was unable to test that functionality.
Playing Content-
Once all that was done, the fun really began. I first played a couple of different DVDs to evaluate playback quality. I was not disappointed. With a handful of DVDs, some more intensive than others, the system played them all back smoothly without dropping frames thanks in part to AMD’s UVD hardware acceleration technology.
Next I loaded up some Hulu content via both the Hulu website and their Desktop application. With the latest Flash player from Adobe, the system did pretty well. I played content from both Hulu’s website and using their Hulu DT application. Both versions played very well. In addition to the Hulu content, I tried the new Internet TV functions integrated into Media Center. After updating the flash player plug in for Media Center, again, content played back smooth and without issues. Not wanting to limit the experience to Hulu or Media Center, I also tried content directly from ABC’s website, again smooth playback. Lastly, I tried content from YouTube with great success as well. Now this mix certainly does not reflect all the different websites and content that exists, but I think it does provide some idea of what you might expect.
When placing your order, it should be noted that the current version of Flash player does not take advantage of the hardware acceleration via the graphics chip. Therefore, flash playback is very CPU intensive and the more robust or faster the processor, the smoother the playback (assuming you are not limited by your internet connection). Likewise, if a future version of Adobe’s Flash player supports hardware acceleration, playback of Flash content should be even better.
Thanks to my coworkers in Canada, I managed to get my hands on a new USB TV Tuner (based upon the ATI Theater™ HD 750 tuner) and connect it to the Zino HD. Windows® 7 immediately recognized the tuner and installed the appropriate drivers. After a quick set up in Media Center, I was able to watch live and DVR local broadcast content in HD (using my HD capable monitor) without any issues. Playback of both live and recorded TV content was clear, smooth and stutter free. Signal strength was good but of course that is highly dependent on terrain, distance from towers, etc. but needless to say, it was a pleasant experience with the ATI Theater HD 750- based TV tuner and the Zino HD combination.
Now, I did run into a stuttering issue playing back recorded TV over the wireless N network. However, I don’t believe this to be an issue with the Dell hardware because when I watch the same content live or recorded locally on the HDD it plays back just fine. Likewise, if I pause the streamed recorded TV content being played back, it will play fine for a while before it starts stuttering again. Therefore, this would appear to be something limiting on my wireless network. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to debug the issue at the time of this posting.
Integrated Wireless-
The integrated wireless N adapter worked exceptionally well. I had full bars and it worked even better than my USB wireless N adapter that I normally use for my bedroom HTPC. The Windows® 7 Home Group functionality makes adding systems and sharing content very easy. With a couple of quick clicks, I was able to see the media on my main HTPC without issue. Movies streamed from my main HTPC played back very well– again no dropped frames and the picture quality looked excellent. Likewise, music and pictures were also easily streamed from the main HTPC to the Inspiron Zino HD without issue. Therefore, other than the minor issue with recorded TV content, streaming over the network was very solid and smooth.
Storing CDs to drive-
I also decided to load some music content on the local drive so I popped in a couple of CDs to see how well the system was able to convert music in different formats. The results were quick and again, local and remote content played back smoothly. Speaking of storage, the device does have 2 eSATA ports so external storage can be easily added if you run out of space on the HDD.
Power Draw-
After bringing the unit back to work, I connected it up to a Kill-A-Watt meter to see how the power draw was going to be on this machine. Now, power draw did vary as expected based upon different use cases (DVD, streaming internet content, etc.). At idle (staring at the desktop), the system was using a mere 29W. When I streamed content from Hulu (via Hulu DT), the system was drawing about 40W while DVD playback was about 37W. With such low power operation, no high speed fans were necessary to keep this unit cool, bringing me to my next topic — noise levels.
Noise Level-
While I did not have a noise meter handy, it is worth noting that under all these circumstances, the box remained very quiet. Even in the quietest of rooms, the system is only barely perceptible. In most cases, I needed to put my ear within a few inches of the PC to hear it. I even left it on overnight in my bedroom and it was only noticeable if you were listening for it. Dell did an excellent job of keeping this PC almost silent.
For me, this computer makes for an excellent small form factor HTPC. However I think it would be equally at home for college students in a dorm room for example that have little desk space and need a system to function both as a PC and an entertainment device. Likewise, this could make for a great kitchen PC, where you might want to have a PC nearby when cooking, looking up web recipes, and more. This unit could also function as a kid’s PC where you might not need high end gaming performance but want something small and quiet.
I am hoping to get my hands on the version that has the Blu-ray drive and the ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330 GPU in the near future. If I do, I will certainly post a blog on that one as well so stay tuned.
There is so much more I would have like to have covered but I think I have rambled on enough. To our friends at Dell, I say congratulations on a job well done. To our AMD@Home blog readers, this is quite a capable little device that was whisper quiet with low power requirements. It was able to handle just about everything I could throw at it without issue. Even at the base configuration, to have such an elegantly designed, HD capable machine available at for $229 from Dell is astounding. It would be hard to build a similar machine yourself at that price. I think I know what is going on my Christmas list — now I just need to worry if I have been good enough this year.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Oct 21
Netflix and Internet TV on Windows® 7, have you seen it?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 1:34 PM
Microsoft updates Windows® 7, just before launch…and it is very cool!
Back in June, I wrote a brief blog on some interesting developments from Microsoft, Hulu and YouTube. I covered how each of these vendors had released news and/or applications to bring more content to the HTPC in new and exciting ways. At that point in time, Microsoft’s announcement of Netflix integration into Media Center was strictly limited to Windows Vista®. However, I had suggested that they would include this integration into Windows® 7 by launch time. Well, I am happy to say that Microsoft released an update for Windows 7 in the past couple of days that now adds Netflix. However, Microsoft did not stop with just the Netflix integration; the update includes support for the Adobe Flash player and even more mainstream content from content providers like CBS, NBC, PBS and others, offering both current shows like ‘How I Met Your Mother’, ‘Dateline’ and ’60 Minutes’ to classic shows like ‘Star Trek’, ‘Twilight Zone’, ‘MacGyver’ and more.
If you have not seen this yet, Hack 7MC has a nice overview on the new features added to Windows 7.
You can also find a discussion on these new changes at The Green Button
While some may raise concerns regarding viewing quality of the content, I think this change should be viewed from a larger perspective. This change puts the framework in place for delivery of real and interesting content on Windows 7 capable PCs. I have spent some time over the past couple of nights checking out the content and while it is not HD quality, it was certainly better than low resolution web video I have seen on other sites. I’m hopeful that the visual quality of the material will be improved upon as time moves forward; it is the framework that I find really exciting.
As I stated previously, these are exciting times for the HTPC. The role of PC technology in the home is constantly changing for the better. The industry is rapidly changing, bringing more content to the consumer in ever easier ways to navigate and enjoy.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Aug 05
Anyone Seen the Remote? (Part 1 on Controlling your HTPC)
Posted by Jay Taylor in 10:28 AM
Lean Back Technology for your HTPC!
So, you’ve got this fancy new HTPC, but how do you use it? Well, I thought we would take a look at the various options for controlling your HTPC. I am splitting this post into a two part series covering both keyboard and mice solutions in the first post while wand style remotes will be featured in the second post. Like previous posts on technology, products covered are limited to what I had immediately available — not intended to cover all the different options out there. Likewise, this is not intended to be a review of all the different solutions, just an introduction to a few available products.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a few of these different solutions for testing thanks to our technology partners. As such, I brought these devices home for a brief period so I could see how my family liked them. I know, I said I should never use my family as beta testers, but this seemed a little different and I felt it would be more useful to provide their feedback in addition to mine to provide a wider cross section of user experiences. More about their responses later on.
Keyboards and mice come in many different flavors; some are clearly aimed at the desk environment with their cables running to the back of your PC (aka the 2 foot experience). They provide little value in a living room setting while you are sitting on the couch. However, with the advent of wireless keyboards, you are no longer tethered to your PC.
The ultimate goal of the HTPC for me is that I would never have need of a keyboard or mouse and that I could do everything with a remote in hand. As covered in the “What Can an HTPC Do?” series (part 1 and part 2), I showed you a lot of what you can do with just a remote in hand. However, as mentioned, the HTPC is also a fully functional PC and therefore, the addition of a keyboard and mouse opens it up to just about all the things you could do on a traditional PC. Now, I don’t do my “PC” type activities on my HTPC, but there are a lot of different video websites that I routinely visit for TV content. Having a keyboard and mouse for searching content on those sites can be useful. So, let’s discuss some of the technologies and the options available for your HTPC.
Technology
First, it is important to understand there are various cordless keyboard technologies on the market. Some may be infrared (IR) based solutions, while others may be radio frequency (RF) or Bluetooth® (BT) based technologies. The difference can impact cost, reliability, line of sight, distance, and other factors. IR solutions are typically the cheapest solutions to implement and work in much the same way as a traditional remote control might work. Typically, they will have good range but would require direct line of sight to the sensor in order to send the keystrokes (your typing) to your HTPC. RF on the other hand is usually more common and uses radio waves to send those keystroke. These can vary in range from 3 feet to 10-15 feet or more but can be impacted by interference from other devices in the home (cordless phones, etc.) or home construction (metals used in the walls, venting, stairway rails, etc). BT keyboards are usually the most expensive solutions, but typically have the longest range and can work well at distances up to 30 feet.
Some HTPC keyboards integrate cursor control via a mouse pad (like those on laptops), a track ball or other forms into the keyboard design, while others bundle separate mice in the package. Now, I personally feel that the integrated solution is a really nice feature that eliminates the need for a separate mouse. However, these may not be ideal if you are trying to game on an HTPC. Integrated cursor control may not have the precision movement or ease of control offered by a separate mouse and therefore may not work as well in a gaming environment.
Another common feature found in HTPC style keyboards is a rechargeable battery. This is another nice touch because like any device, these can go through batteries quite often. Having a recharging deck can save the consumer the hassle of changing batteries and can also be more convenient. Not all wireless keyboards offer recharging stations so be sure to check the package before making your purchase if that is important to you.
Some vendors will include software applications and drivers with their keyboards. Some of these applications can be useful for media playback, programming hotkeys, etc. These may also automatically check for version updates for you, but this can also happen at less than ideal times. However, you often have control over when these updates should or should not take place. So, let’s look at a few different solutions (in no particular order).
Keyboards for HTPC
One of the first RF keyboards I tried was the nMedia PC RF keyboard and remote combo package.
This is a full size keyboard operating on a 2.4Ghz RF band. It has an integrated trackball on the right hand side with your left and right click buttons on the left side. Along the top edge are Internet hot keys and multimedia hot keys for quick access to common functions. The keyboard has a very nice tactile feel without being loud as you type. The overall shape has a very comfortable feel in your hands. Using the trackball can take a little practice, especially if you are more familiar using a full size mouse in a desktop environment. There is an option to bundle the keyboard with a remote as well (to be discussed in part 2 of this post). This option can be a great, cost effective solution for those on a tight budget.
Another interesting set of solutions comes from Microsoft. Microsoft has numerous wireless keyboards on the market, but they have some that specifically target Media Center type applications.
The Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 is another full size keyboard solution that integrates cursor control along with numerous other functions into the keyboard design. It is a popular choice among many HTPC enthusiasts. It uses BT technology so the range is very good. It is very thin and light and has a rechargeable battery for ease of use. It too is comfortable and quiet when typing. The many built-in hot keys bring a lot of functionality to the finger tips with a single button press. It comes bundled with a cordless mouse as well giving you a couple of options for controlling the cursor. Although more expensive than the nMedia solution mentioned above, it is quite a bit less costly than some of the higher end units on the market while delivering a great mid range solution. While I did not have one of these to test, I have seen it in several stores and found it a very compelling solution.
Logitech has some great products as well, two of which are nice keyboard solutions for HTPC users. The Logitech diNovo EdgeTM and the Logitech diNovo MiniTM are keyboard and mice solutions that provide two very different user experiences. Like the Microsoft solution above, the Logitech solutions listed leverage BT technology for great range.
The diNovo EdgeTM is a full size keyboard and mouse solution for the HTPC. It has back lit keys, integrated mouse pad, touch based volume slider all in a very slim, rechargeable design. This is probably one of the more sexy solutions I have seen in keyboards for the HTPC space. The elegant design is both aesthetically pleasing and very functional. The hot keys make for quick access to commonly used functions. The battery seems to last a long time on a single charge, but this depends on how often it is used so mileage may vary, so to speak. When not in use, the recharging station also makes for a convenient stand for storage. This falls into the mid to high end type price point, but you can often find it on sale online.
The diNovo MiniTM is a much smaller solution that uses a thumb style QWERTY keyboard and also includes a mouse touch pad. It comes with a charger and it has pretty good life out of a single charge. One particularly nice feature included in the diNovo Mini is a switch that converts the touch pad into an up/down/left/right select navigation control (like those found on traditional wand style remotes). This is pretty handy for having one solution that can navigate Windows® Media Center similar to a wand remote as well as operate as a keyboard and mouse solution for general PC duties. It has media control keys along the top for easy playback of your favorite media content along with channel up/down for TV control (assuming you have a TV Tuner in your HTPC). It also has back lit keys so you can easily find the letters in low light situations.
User Experience
It is difficult to write in depth about the full user experience and functionality of all these keyboards in a single post so I will be brief. Each one of these products could easily deserve its own post, therefore, I would suggest that you read some in depth reviews and go to the product pages to get a list of the full functionality offered by each of these products as well as to learn what other solutions are out there that might best meet your needs.
User experiences of these solutions differ from one unit to the next and also from one person to the next. Full size keyboards are easy to adapt to since most people use them daily with their PCs. Both my wife and I found the larger keyboards very easy to use and comfortable. Even my kids liked the full size keyboards. I personally liked all of them, but found the touch pads a little easier to use since it was the same technology used on my laptop. However, full size keyboards can take up a lot of space on coffee tables or entertainment shelves in your living room and don’t always fit the decor.
If you are space constricted, the smaller micro size keyboards or the thumb style like the diNovo Mini might be better suited. While I like the diNovo Mini a lot (its small size while being fully functional was great), I am just not as adept at the thumb style keyboard as my wife and kids. My daughter is a texting queen and her lightening fast fingers are a blur as she texts people on her phone. As such, she was able to quickly adapt to the smaller diNovo mini. She did mention that the keyboard is bigger than that of her phone, but it did not appear to throw her off at all. Heck, based upon some of her comments, I have to keep an eye on it just to make sure my daughter does not hijack it for her room.
Therefore, if you are comfortable and quick with texting on phones, the thumb style solutions like the diNovo Mini might make for a great solution for you. However, if you tend to fumble those smaller keyboards like me (I too often send out garbled messages or take forever just to send a two word response), a full size keyboard might be the answer for you. I only covered a small amount of solutions on the market; there are a lot of options out there to meet the needs of the consumers.
Next time, we will look at a few of the wand style remote controls to give you an idea of what is available on the market today. Stay tuned. If you have some feedback about this blog or have some info you would like to share on your favorite HTPC keyboard solution, please feel free to leave a comment.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Jun 04
Du Yu Hulu?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 11:52 AM
Note worthy News on Hulu, YouTube and Netflix
By now you may have already heard some of the exciting news for the HTPC space over the last few weeks. However, in case you had not, let’s spend a little time talking about it here.
Last week Hulu announced a desktop application that allows you to use a standard Media Center type remote to navigate and view content on Hulu’s website. Now, instead of the traditional mouse and keyboard interface in a two-foot environment to navigate the Hulu website (think watching Hulu at your desk on a computer monitor), you can now launch this desktop application while using your Windows® Media Center Edition remote in a 10-foot environment (think watching Hulu from your couch on your big HD screen). Adding this so called “Lean Back” interface technology is a big step for Hulu in making it easier for consumers to access and watch content in a much more user friendly environment. This experience can even be integrated into Windows Media Center Edition by using something like the MCE Menu Mender application so you can launch the Hulu application from inside Media Center Edition instead of the desktop.
Earlier this week, YouTube announced YouTubeXL. This is another 10 foot UI for YouTube content. While Hulu chose to release an application enabling the 10 foot experience, YouTube chose to launch a website that provides the 10 foot navigation. In either case, this is great news for consumers that want to enjoy content from their couch instead of sitting and staring at a desktop or laptop computer screen.
But it does not end with Hulu and YouTube. A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft announced that they have teamed up with Netflix to support integration of Netflix functionality into the Windows Vista® Media Center application. While you could always do this via a 3rd Plug In application, what makes this interesting is that Microsoft recognizes the need for easy access to more content and is taking steps to make that happen. Now, Microsoft has not yet (at the time of this posting) integrated Netflix functionality into the upcoming Windows® 7 platform. I can’t speak for Microsoft here, but I would expect them to offer this in Windows 7 as well given that they just launched it in Windows Vista.
These are exciting times. The role of PC technology in the home is constantly changing for the better. As content owners and distributors integrate more 10-foot user interface (aka Lean Back) technology into their distribution model and as Microsoft further integrates those things into their Media Center application, the usage model and viability of the HTPC type platform increases. The industry is rapidly changing, bringing more content to the consumer in ever easier ways to navigate and enjoy that content.
So, tell us what you think about these industry changes. Are you taking advantage of all the content out there? Are you finding it easier to access this content? What do these changes mean to you? Du Yu Hulu?
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Mar 26
I’m All In!
Posted by Jay Taylor in 12:00 AM
OK, so is the Home Theater PC really ready for the Mainstream Consumer?
Up until now, I have tried to provide a high level overview of the hardware and software changes that have taken place over the past couple of years that are making the Home Theater PC an interesting platform. So, is the HTPC really ready for a larger audience? It is difficult to say what makes a platform move from a niche segment to the mainstream consumer platform. Certainly the degree of difficulty in setting up and using the product is one factor, while cost may be another. However, I thought I would share a little of my personal experience with the HTPC as a user and not as an engineer.
In these trying economic times, consumers are carefully watching their expenditures and spending their money where they believe they can get the most bang for their buck. Like the rest of you, I have taken a hard look at my own monthly expenditures trying to find some ways to save a little more ca$h. This is where my HTPC comes into play. I have been working on these types of platforms for a couple of years now and I think technology and content are finally coming together to open this system up to a larger consumer audience.
Jumping In
Now, I know that some of you may be thinking: “You’re an engineer. You can solve problems if something goes wrong with it, but the mainstream consumer may not be able to“. Let me assure you, that while I may be more technical, my family is certainly less so. Now, I may catch a little heat over this from my family (love you guys!), but they can be very vocal when things are not working quite right. I do a fair amount of traveling internationally and therefore, I am not always around to fix things if something breaks. For example, while on business in Taiwan I’ve been awoken at 3 am by an upset voice on the other end telling me in a polite but exasperated manner that “The doohickey isn’t clicking the way it’s supposed to and instead it’s making a thumping/gurgling sound so I can’t watch what I wanted to and you need to fix it now!“. So, I learned a while back that if I don’t want to sleep on the couch or get the evil eye from my children, I should probably not make my family test subjects and I should NEVER mess with their entertainment experience.
However, with all the recent changes taking place in the industry, I finally felt sufficiently at peace that we could make some changes in how we consume content in the home. About 3 months ago we took the steps to cancel our satellite service and get content strictly from over the air (OTA) broadcasts and through online content providers (see list here). There was certainly a little concern expressed on behalf of my wife and kids, but we tried it anyway. So far, things have been going pretty well. We have not had any blue screens, lock ups, or major problems at all.
End Result
There was a little bit of a learning curve that was needed, but soon everyone started to get the hang of this new thing (affectionately called, “the box”). Then as we discovered new sources of online content, I saw ever so slight smiles. Then those smiles grew as they started to realize the possibilities. No longer were they tied strictly to the time when a show was broadcast. No longer were they limited by the amount of DVR storage that our satellite provider gave us with their box. We now have more freedom to watch what we want, when we want. They have come to not fear the new box under the TV, but instead are starting to embrace it. Well, they are not REALLY hugging it, but they are seeing that it is not all that hard to use and in many respects, operates in a similar manner to our previous satellite box.
Sure there may be a few extra steps to get to the online content, but even that is starting to change. The kicker here is that since I built the box from scratch, there was no instruction manual, yet my wife was able to quickly pick it up without much guidance from me. This was a big deal for me because my wife loves instruction manuals and micro organizing. We have a big binder full of instruction manuals (really, I’m not exaggerating). We even have one from an answering machine we had 15 years ago. So, it was great to see her jump in and start using it (honey, I am so proud of you!).
Now, this did not all come without some sacrifice. We don’t have access to all the exact same content we could get from our satellite provider. There are some shows we just can’t get, at least not yet. However, for all that we lost, we gained significantly more content. Sure, this content was out there and we could always watch it on our desktop PC, but do you really want to crowd around a 19″ computer monitor sitting at your desk to watch your TV programming? I know I don’t. Our HTPC gives us access to all that content and that experience but from the comfort of my couch. In addition to all that, the HTPC is our:
- Blu-ray and DVD player
- Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
- Photo Library
- Music Library
- Internet Radio
- DVD Library
- Amplifier
- TV Tuner
Just one box and one remote — it works great for us.
Between the two ATI TV WonderTM HD 650 Combo PCI Express® tuners I installed, we can watch and record multiple programs at the same time. For shows we may miss or are not broadcast on OTA TV, we go online to watch. To top it all off, we are saving about $100 per month by cutting the cord (or in our case, the satellite feed).
I can’t say if it is right for you or your family, or if you would save as much as we do, but perhaps it is time to take a look. If you have an interesting story or thoughts about your HTPC experience, please leave a comment, we would love to hear what you have to say. You can read about the steps I took to cut the cord here. Likewise, if you have a topic you would like to see covered in a future blog, let us know.
Till next time, happy trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Mar 19
Are You Plugged In Yet?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 12:29 PM
Getting more out of your HTPC.
I have mentioned in previous posts about various Plug In applications you can get that can add functionality and value to your home theater PC. This time, I thought I would share a few that I am currently using and provide a list of several more that exist.
However, before jumping into things, let me first explain a little about “plug-in” applications. As I had discussed in the What Can a Home Cinema/Home Theater PC Do?, Microsoft has developed a very nice application called Windows® Media Center. Windows Media Center provides some great functionality that allows you to enjoy much of your favorite content from the comfort of your couch. However, the very nature of the HTPC makes it very flexible, allowing it to do so much more. As such, Microsoft has enabled tools that allow software developers and others to write their own applications that “Plug In” to the Windows Media Center application. Once installed, most of these applications can be launched and used from inside the Windows Media Center almost as though it were part of the original application. In some cases, the plug-in might run in the background or reside on the desktop to make the Windows Media Center experience better.
The availability of plug-ins has enabled professional software vendors as well as individual software programmers to write a variety of applications that can enhance the overall functionality of your HTPC. There are applications that let you organize and store your DVD collection onto your HTPC, allow you to shop/bid on sites like eBay, provide localized, national and international weather updates, plus a lot more.
Below are some screen shots from My Movies and MCE Weather to give you an idea of the different types of features that can be added to your HTPC.
Movie Collection View
Forecast View
One thing to note about plug-ins is that while many of these are free, most of the developers do accept donations as they do spend a great deal of their free time writing and debugging these applications. If you find one you really like, consider making a donation to show your appreciation and support for the developer. Other plug-ins are fee based but may offer a trial version. Lastly, some plug-ins have specific hardware or software requirements, so it’s important to check the requirements before downloading and/or installing the application.
Below is a list of various plug-ins that I have collected with the help of folks on various forums. Again, this list is not all inclusive nor should it be considered a “recommended” list — it is just a sampling of some of the plug-ins available today. Most of the sites below will have screen shots and detailed information about their application.
MyNetflix Plugin
View add/remove movies from your Netflix queue, browse movies, view history/recommendations, etc.
View add/remove movies from your Netflix queue, browse movies, view history/recommendations, etc.
VMC Netflix
vmcNetflix is another Netflix oriented plug-in to manage your Netflix subscription.
My Movies Plugin
Shown above, index all your DVD movies automatically, browse, read about and watch your movies, etc.
ArcSoft TotalMedia™ Theatre (Fee based)
This is a great plug in for Blu-ray and DVD playback. The software supports multiple audio/video formats (Blu-ray or DVD Drive required).
Web Guide 4
WebGuide allows you to remotely view live/recorded TV programs as well as manage your recorded television programs. Offers remote access from any machine that has a web browser an internet access, including mobile devices. This currently only works with Windows Vista®
Secondrun TV Plugin
Here is a nice plug-in that brings Hulu to Media Center. This is an early release and still a work in progress, but it is a great start.
My Channel Logos for 7MC
Here is a nice plug-in that allows you to add channel logos to TV channels in the EPG (Program Guide). It is limited to Microsoft’s Windows 7 at this point in time.
MCE Google Calendar
Plug-in for adding Google calendar to Media Center.
Video Browser
Plug-in that provides a simple interface to your videos, movies, and TV shows.
Media Browser
Media Browser is a free media aggregator plugin for Media Center that takes your recorded, digital, or ripped media and presents it in a simple, easy to use interface. Media Browser prides itself on delivering a fast, intuitive, media rich experience for the whole family.
MC Shoutcast (Fee based)
mcShoutCast adds internet radio to your HTPC. +13,000 stations at your fingertips, save your favorite radio stations. Top 500 Station list shows you the hottest stations.
Music Browser
Music Browser is a Vista Media Center application which allow for folder based navigation of your music files, ditching the need to have the Artist and/or Album Artist tagged correctly in all of your files.
MCE Buddy
MCEBuddy is a file compression tool to make large TV, Video, etc. files smaller, saving disk space. It can also remove commercials from recorded TV shows.
MCE Weather
mceWeather shows weather for your region on your TV or PC. The plug-in provides data from all over the world. It shows the forecast for the next days and also shows you a satellite image of your country.
My TV to Go (Fee based)
Easily convert and transfer TV shows directly to your mobile device. Watch TV on your iPod, Sony Playstation Portable, Laptop, Pocket PC, Smartphone etc. Transfer directly to your device using your remote control (connectivity hardware may be required).
Lifextender
Lifextender is a simple commercial-removal application designed exclusively for Windows Vista® Media Center users.
ShowAnalyzer
ShowAnalyzer is another commercial removal based plug-in that basically “watches” the show for you, only really, really fast.
MCE Auction
Just imagine sitting on your couch in the living room with your remote in the hand while you search, browse, bid or buy on eBay! mceAuction brings eBay to your living room on your Microsoft® Windows® Media Center 2005 or Window’s Vista® Media Center.
MCE Contacts (Fee based)
Brings your contacts into media center with the ability to add pictures and detailed info on each contact.
Media Center Mail
With Media Center Mail you can read your e-mails on your Media Center TV. Media Center Mail comes with its own mail system for receiving e-mails from POP3 servers.
Media Center Status
Media Center Status is a simple application to keep your Facebook and Twitter friends up to date based upon what you are watching in Media Center.
MCE Phone Skype Application (Fee based)
With mcePhone for Skype, your Microsoft® Windows® Media Center turns into a full communication machine. Make/Receive Skype calls from within Windows Media Center (additional hardware may be required).
Menu Mender
Not so much a plug in per se, but more of a nice utility that allows you to customize the menu strips in Windows Vista® Media Center, add short cut icons to launch applications, etc. This does not work with Windows 7®.
Media Center Studio
Media Center studio is the follow on product to Menu Mender. It is another nice utility that allows you to customize the menu strips, add themes and customize your Media Center experience in both Windows Vista® and Windows 7®.
MCE Zone
A site with several different plug in applicaitons. They have calendar plug ins, Twitter® plug ins, VOIP plug ins and more.
As you can see, there are lots of ways to extend the functionality and enhance your HTPC experience. Next time, I will provide more info on my own experience with our Maui HTPC.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Feb 09
Give Me Online Video or Give Me Death!
Posted by Jay Taylor in 1:36 PM
Show me the content!
For those that have been following this blog, you have heard me share thoughts on the value of the Home Theater PC and all the great things it can do. I have talked about the MSI 7411 platform (a.k.a. “Maui”) and the unique features it offers to this space. I have even dropped a few hints about all this wonderful content that exists online. But where do you find it?
Well, today I thought I would share info and links to some of the content that exists online. Some content is in high definition (HD)* while some is standard definition (SD) and in many cases, you can find full length episodes of your favorite TV content. You can even find older syndicated shows that may not be available from broadcasters in your area or on any station today. Whether you are looking for reruns of Star Trek from the 1960’s, cop shows from the 1980’s (TJ Hooker anyone?) or (sticking with the William Shatner theme) the latest episode of Boston Legal, you can probably find just about all of it online.
This is not to say that every episode of every show is available, but there is a very, very large amount of content to be found with just a little bit of effort. Much of it is free or ad revenue supported. In addition to this ad revenue-supported content, there are also subscription services where you can access even more content and services.
This list is not all-inclusive by any means and is somewhat regional in nature due to my location here in the U.S. For those folks in other regions, make a comment on this blog post with your favorite content providers and we will add to this list.
What I am hoping to show here is just how much content can be found with minimal effort. After all, it is content that we are all ultimately interested in and what helps make the HTPC a valuable part of your entertainment system.
Most of what I have discussed previously involved a remote controlled interface through Windows® Media Center. When you add a keyboard, mouse, and an Internet connection to your HTPC, you increase the amount of content available to your HTPC. It is important to note that broadband Internet connections are very helpful for viewing online content. Most of the links to content below are found through ordinary web searches using your preferred browser software.
Now, enough talk, on with the list:
So, as you can see, there is a whole world of content out there to be enjoyed on an HTPC. Stay tuned for the next update, where I will discuss where you can get your own HTPC.
*HD monitor or TV required to view HD content
Till next time, happy trails!
Jan 03
What Can A Home Cinema/Home Theater PC Do? Part 2
Posted by Jay Taylor in 9:18 AM
The Benefits of Owning an HTPC
In Part 1, we discussed much of what an HTPC can do. As mentioned, this was a two part series so I want to continue that discussion on some additional features and experience that an HTPC can provide.
Amplified Audio
Now, you can even turn your HTPC into a high quality stereo amplifier. With the inclusion 5.1 amplifier card, you can enjoy the complete home theater experience in glorious, booming surround sound. Having a great video experience on your HTPC is one thing, but when you combine great video with a high performance, integrated amplifier, movies explode off the screen and music rattles the walls. I have a specific post coming up on this topic shortly…this one is pretty neat!
Music
Another of my favorite things about an HTPC is the easy access to my music. An HTPC can store some or all of your music library onto the Hard Disk with a simple click of a remote control. No more fumbling around with CDs, just store it to the Hard Drive and then put the CD away as a back up. Sure, this depends on how much music you have vs. how much storage space is available on your system, but it’s a great feature. Imagine, every song you own on one HTPC that can be easily accessed anytime you want.
Store your music library for quick, easy access. Set up playlists, play slideshows, etc. Image courtesy of Microsoft
You can sort/search by artist, album, year and more. In many cases, it will provide the album cover art and album details for you as well. As mentioned previously, you can even have music playing in the background while you are viewing photos from your picture library. It’s a great way to share and re-live your memories.
Internet TV
Now, here is a cool feature that Microsoft has added, Internet TV. Internet TV lets you see trailers for the latest movies playing at the theater or coming out on DVD. It can stream the trailers directly from the web, and it looks great! It will also provide access to some of the top Viral Videos. You can even find news, lifestyle video clips and more. It’s all just a few remote clicks away.
Movie trailers, cast interviews, viral videos, etc. are all available via Internet TV
You want HD content?
There is a great deal of HD content out on the internet. Applications like Hulu, TV MSN TV, Brightcove TV, Joost, etc provide some great, professional level and even broadcast content over the internet. Likewise, the major broadcasts networks make much of their content available online as well. You can find both trailers as well as full length episodes online. You can also find cooking shows, woodworking shows, technology review shows, travel shows, etc. much of it in beautiful Hi-Def. – and best of all, much of it is FREE! Many of these programs are ad based (like regular TV) while other sources of internet content are subscription based.
At this point it time, some 3rd party content does require the use of a keyboard/mouse, but the variety of content out there is amazing. With some of the small thumb size QWERTY keyboards out there, it is very easy to use to get to all of this, rich internet content online. It is also recommended that you have a broadband internet connection to enjoy the best experience with this content.
Note that an HD monitor is required for the full HD viewing experience.
Internet Radio
With an HTPC, you can access thousands of internet radio stations. You can find just about any type of music and genre you could possibly imagine. Programs like Windows Vista® Media Center give you access to thousands of internet radio stations and again, most of it is free with your HTPC.
Thousands of internet radio stations are available at the touch of a button
Extend that Experience
With an HTPC and an extender (like the Microsoft Xbox 360 or other DMA device) you can even access the content on your HTPC on a second or more screens in your home. An extender provides remote access of the content on the HTPC over your home network. Similarly, with the right home network setup, you can access much of the content on an HTPC from your other PCs in the home.
Sports Fan
Stay up to date with all the latest score and stats of favorite team. With an HTPC, you can get quick access to all the latest happenings. Track players and stats for your fantasy sports team, find out the latest scores, find out what teams are playing and even schedule TV recordings.
Syncing to Personal Media Players
Take your content with you. Sync your PMP to your HTPC and you can transcode your favorite content on the HTPC (including recorded TV, etc) to your media player and take it with you when you travel. Cell phones, Personal Media players, handheld game devices are all adding functionality that targets entertainment content. With an HTPC, not only do you have a central box that aggregates your entertainment content, but can easily synch that content to your preferred player device so you can enjoy that content while mobile.
Home Control/Automation
With an HTPC, you can even set it up for Home Automation and Control. There are few competing technologies that enable this type of functionality, but by adding Zigbee, Z-Wave, UPB, etc type devices, you can control heating/air conditioning (HVAC), Alarm Systems, lighting, and more all right from your HTPC. Typically, these devices require some software application support in addition to hardware, however it is rather impressive the type of advanced things you can do with an HTPC.
Control lighting, security, heating/air conditioning, etc. with your HTPC. Image courtesy of Aspen Media Products.
View security cameras from your HTPC. Image courtesy of Aspen Media Products
Some of the things mentioned in this write up require a more advanced type set up and are often better left to a professional installer, however all of it can be done on an HTPC when properly configured, equipped, and installed. In a future segment, we will discuss in more detail the advantages of purchasing a pre-configured system and where you can buy one.
Add a keyboard and mouse and guess what? You have a fully operational PC that can do all the typical PC functions as well.
HTPCs a great way to access and enjoy digital entertainment content and the technology is now much more mature, making these solutions available at an affordable price. All of it controlled with a single remote. There are numerous Plug In type applications available that extend the functionality even further. You can add Weather plug ins to get the local and national weather, Movie Database plug ins to manage your movie/video content, Movie Streaming plug ins to access even more movie content online and much, much more. I will be sharing more on this in an upcoming blog.
Imagine, one HTPC that is your STB, Amplifier, DVD or Blu-ray player, music jukebox, video jukebox, internet TV box that can hold all your vacation videos, photos, music. All-in-one box that is simple to use, remote control operated to meet all your entertainment needs!
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.