News

New HP receiver sends PC-based media wirelessly to HDTVs

By Michael Hatamoto and Scott M. Fulton, III | Published June 17, 2008, 6:41 PM

Hewlett-Packard's MediaSmart Connect digital receiver -- which enables people who store content on a home network or notebook PC to transfer it via wired or wireless connection to their HDTVs -- is now available for pre-order.

Originally introduced during the CES last January, the MediaSmart Connect receiver uses Windows Media Center to connect HDTV viewers not only to locally stored programming but also online content. This includes renting or purchasing movies using CinemaNow, sharing photos on Snapfish, and listening to online radio through Live365, according to HP.

What HP is calling a "receiver" is what Microsoft typically calls an "extender," with respect to Windows Media Center-endowed equipment. In any event, MediaSmart Connect receiver users will be able to access content on-demand through MSN, including shows from A&E, DIY, Food Network, Fox Sports, History Channel, and MSNBC. And owners who have a TV tuner card installed in their PC will be able to record content from their HDTV unit.

The receiver device supports MPEG2/4, DivX, XViD, DVR-MS, WMV, MP3, WMA, AAC, JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG, and TIFF formats. Available for pre-order now through HP's Web site and popular e-retailers, the device will be released next month for $349 MSRP.

HP's MediaSmart Connect Windows Media Center 'extender' receiver

Microsoft is hosting a one-hour online seminar on Thursday, June 26, to be led by HP's director of connected entertainment Brian Burch, which will demonstrate the MediaSmart Connect device in depth. There, Microsoft says Burch will demonstrate how multiple hard drives in a home network can be perceived as a single provider of media for the connected HDTV.

HP also offers a MediaSmart-branded Server that enables users to stream media data to networked PCs as well as home entertainment PCs, using Windows Home Server. But despite the branding similarities, customers will not be required to use the MediaSmart Server with the MediaSmart Connect receiver. HP designed the MediaSmart Server as a server designed to centralize media so it can be shared on each computer installed with the Control Center. The lowest priced HP MediaSmart Server is available for $599.99.

Comments

View comments by with a score of at least

apexracer
Jun 24, 2008 - 7:43 AM

doesn't the xBox 360 do essentially the same thing for less - plus it plays games?

Score: 0

|
Post Reply
foxfyre
Jun 18, 2008 - 10:14 PM

It would be interesting to find out if they are using UWB (ultrawideband) for high speed short distance wireless transfers.

Score: 0

|
Post Reply
skimore
Jun 17, 2008 - 7:00 PM

I would have to see it work.. I have the Netgear EVA8000 (1080i wifi) and the Buffalo LinkTheater A&G.. Nothing but issues with the Wifi.. and everything was resolved by using Slingbox's network over power..

normal video works most of the time.. but x264 no way over wifi..

Score: 0

|
Post Reply
ilev
Jun 18, 2008 - 3:05 AM

No support for MKV ?

Score: 0

|
Post Reply

Microsoft's Ray Ozzie: 'Nobody's going to be 100% open'

The mobile apps ecosystems of the world may converge over time, led by apps being ported over across platforms, according to the Chief Software Architect.

Will Firefox beat IE9 to Direct2D rendering?

Just days after Microsoft executives gave conference attendees a peek at a new rendering technology, a Mozilla contributor revealed he's working on the same thing.

Where there's smoke: Apple warranty stance raises troubling questions

Carmi Levy | Wide Angle Zoom: Smoking can be dangerous not only for your lungs, it appears, but for your Apple hardware warranty.

AOL's decision to rebrand as Aol. takes a bad brand and makes it worse

The idea behind the social Web is to crowd source before bringing out something new. But not at AOL, which new logo debuted with a cry of "fail!" across the blogosphere and Twittersphere today.

Microsoft 'worked with Apple' for Silverlight on iPhone, says Goldfarb

By not making such a big deal out of trying to stream video to the iPhone, Microsoft got a big deal out of it, revealed the Silverlight product manager.

Clicker.com cuts through the Web video chaos

In a world where homemade video and Hollywood movies travel the same pipeline, it's good to have a real search engine to cut through the clutter.

A case study in improving software: What Office 2010 can learn from Notion 3

A music composition product gambles with a complete overhaul, in an effort to make headway against two well-known competitors in a tough market.

Kindle 2 update adds battery life, native PDF reader

Amazon has pushed out an update to the Kindle 2 e-reader that lengthens battery life and adds a native PDF viewer.

Safari on iPhone gets competition from a $1 browser app

Apple likes to say it gives iPhone users a full browsing experience, but a new competitor tries to incorporate more desktop browser features.

Action Replay maker sues Microsoft for Xbox 360 'predatory technological barriers'

Third-party video game accessory maker Datel has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft over the Xbox 360's recent Dashboard update.

Microsoft's Bob Muglia and Ray Ozzie on Silverlight vs. standards

Bob Muglia: "We're trying to provide people with an environment that has capabilities that you just simply can't do today in the standards-based world."