Niklas Samios, COO of Winbox, presents the worlds first Windows CE based video-on-demand set-top-box and media streamer, the EVO1-XS. It will be distributed by Medion in Europe and retail at 150 euros. It can connect on the Maxdome video-on-demand service in Germany. There is also a big hybrid device with a 250GB hard drive, dual TV tuners which will be available for 500 euros. There will also be a TV with the integrated set-top-box release to be called the Edison.
Currently the DivX Connected hardware requires a Windows based computer on your local network to function, it uses a Windows software to stream content from the Internet to your TV using HDMI on a HDTV or using composite, scart and component connections. But there is probably a next version of DivX Connected hardware in the planning that would also provide the option to work without the need to have a Windows desktop or laptop computer in the home, which I think is crucial to reach mass market penetration, to reach and change media consumption for consumers who aren’t using broadband Internet much to watch videos yet.
Set-top-box based on the latest Sigma Designs chips for accessing video-on-demand, functions as a full HD media extender with all codecs support including h264 support in the home, IPTV and more Linux based software can be made for it, and it can be bought in batches of 1000 starting at $100 each unit for the basic model and $10-20 more for the high end model that includes a HDMI output.
DivX HD: Play, Download, Stage6 (filmed with the Sanyo Xacti HD2 720p camcorder using its built-in microphone)
Zyxel has some nice NAS, powerline networking and HD media extender boxes. The NSA-220 Network-Storage-Appliance holds 2 SATA drives + 2 USB connected drives for 200€, the PLA-400 Powerline-Adapter 200Mbit costs 150€ and the DMA-1000 Digital Media Adapter which supports a lot of codecs at up to 1080i, with a HDMI and Component output costs 130€. Zyxel are working on a new Digital Media Adapter with full HD h264 support.
DivX HD: Play, Download, Stage6 (filmed with the Sanyo Xacti HD2 720p camcorder using its built-in microphone)
DivX Inc. is launching a new platform that is called DivX Connected, demonstrated by this first beta testing model manufactured by D-Link. It’s a standard suitable for any device that has an Ethernet port and that can playback DivX. It makes it very easy and cheap to add the functionality of accessing any content from the PC, from the local network and from the Internet using a computer in the house as the host and real-time DivX encoder. So anything that your PC can run, will be available directly on your TV using the remote control. Even advanced AJAX, Flash, 3D games, Applications, whatever, can be added as Plugins to the DivX Connected platform rather easilly using a DivX Connected Plugins SDK. The price for DivX Connected devices could be below $100 soon, since currently DivX Certified DVD players cost $39, then they just need to add an Ethernet port to those boxes to provide the DivX Connected abillity. Which will include all VOD content, Stage6 DivX progressive downloading and instant seeking in progressively downloaded video over the Internet. It also can support up to 1080p video, and the hardware can upscale standard resolution DivX video to make it look better on HD screens.
DivX HD: Play, Download, Stage6 (filmed with the Sanyo Xacti HD2 720p camcorder using its built-in microphone)
The Interview is with Rémi Durand, Archos products manager and marketing director about the Gen5, which is in my opinion one of the best value one can find today as a gadget, and which is gradually becoming much more then a gadget, this can be an integrated part of ones digital lifestyle with all music and video going through one pocket $199 Connected touch-screen 150grams device. This interview is longer and the questions subjects sometimes require some background knowledge about the Archos Generation 5, which I will soon review in full HD quality on this video-blog. I am a long time fan of Archos and I update the blog at http://archosfans.com and I administer the forum at http://forum.archosfans.com. This Gen5 also includes a $249 DVR VOD set-top-box called the TV+ that in my opinion could become Archos biggest commercial success so far if the VOD+DVR content turns out to be extremely user-friendly, and a $90 105 which places Archos I think comfortably in the affordable flash based color screen Mp3 player segment.
DivX HD: Play, Download, Stage6 (filmed with the Sanyo Xacti HD2 720p camcorder using its built-in microphone)
Emtec shows a new mpeg-2 DVR that integrates a 500GB hard drive for 349€ and provides local area network digital media extender functionality. They are also planning to release a HD with HDMI version and to announce it within a few weeks from now.
Presenting the MSI PE201, GE202, PE201 Lite and CG201. Those are awesome full HD 1080p Mpeg4, H264, Mpeg2, WMV decoders based on the Sigma Designs EM8622L, the most powerfull HD video decoding DSP on the market. This device also uses a Toshiba TX4939 CPU and runs Linux, this provides some really awesome and unique features to this IP set-top-box. You can download video-on-demand directy onto its hard disk drive using BitTorrent peer-to-peer, or using progressive downloading, which means the video plays in real-time while it downloads into the built-in hard disk drive. This device can also come with a DVD burner which is great to backup the downloaded video-on-demand material if one wants to make some space on the built-in 160GB hard disk drive. For now MSI provides this solution only through Internet Service providers and Content providers. This could be the ultimate sub-300$ does-it-all HD box for the living room.
Watch the High Definition version: Play - Download
This device decodes all codecs including H264 in HD 1080p. Netgear is thinking of adding video-on-demand and other features, but for now there is only Youtube and BitTorrent through using a Windows computer.
Watch the High Definition version: Play - Download
