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Print E-mail del.icio.us 23 comment(s) - last by Locutus465.. on Sep 30 at 11:43 PM

D-Link SM-750 MediaLounge HD Media Center Extender  (Source: D-Link)
Microsoft bulks up its Internet TV programming

Microsoft today launches a beta of its Windows Media Center Internet TV platform. Microsoft's Internet TV initiative was first hyped for the Xbox 360 platform, but it will first show up on Windows Vista machines.

Owners of Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate will be able to access free ad-supported TV content without the need for a hardware TV tuner. Over 100 hours of programming will initially be available during the beta phase including episodes of "Arrested Development" along with music concerts by John Mayer and Snoop Dogg.

Vista users will also have access to news clips from MSNBC and sports highlights from FOX Sports.

Owners of Microsoft's Xbox 360 will be happy to know that their consoles can be used as Windows Media Extenders to view the same content available on Windows Vista.

Microsoft also announced that Linksys, D-Link and HP Windows Media Center Extenders would be capable of streaming Internet TV content to high-definition TVs.

Linksys' Media Center Extender DMA2100 is priced at $299, D-Link's DSM-750 MediaLounge HD Media Center Extender is priced at $349 and HP's 42" and 47" MediaSmart LCD HDTVs already incoporate Windows Media Center technology.

"We are excited to reveal the first series of totally quiet, cool, and sleek-looking Media Center Extender devices, designed to deliver the ultimate entertainment experience to every TV set in your home," said Joe Belfiore, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Entertainment and Devices eHome Division.

"These products are the initial third-party devices that can wirelessly connect a TV with a PC, with features including live high-definition TV, PVR, movies, pictures, music and online services. In addition, the Internet TV beta allows Windows Media Center as well as Extender users to enjoy free high- quality television from some of their favorite studios and networks in Media Center, directly over the Internet."

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This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
By Vanilla Thunder on 9/28/2007 4:11:14 PM , Rating: 1
quote:
Over 100 hours of programming will initially be available during the beta phase including episode of "Arrested Development"


This is the most exciting part of this story for me. I wonder if someone finally picked this show up and this will be a new episode. One can only hope. For those of you not hip to this series. Go buy it now on DVD. It's one of the best things that have been on TV in years.

Vanilla




RE: But where did the lighter fluid come from...?
By DFranch on 9/28/2007 4:20:09 PM , Rating: 2
That would be great because it really was a great show. I've never seen a show canceled for 2 years brought back to life before. It seems unlikely they would be able to get the entire cast back together.


By T4RTER S4UCE on 9/28/2007 4:38:27 PM , Rating: 5
*COUGH*(Family Guy)*COUGH*


RE: But where did the lighter fluid come from...?
By Mitch101 on 9/28/2007 5:16:16 PM , Rating: 3
Now if they would only bring back Futurama.


RE: But where did the lighter fluid come from...?
By JBird7986 on 9/28/2007 6:08:34 PM , Rating: 2
Already done it...Comedy Central will have new episodes airing next year.


RE: But where did the lighter fluid come from...?
By Nekrik on 9/28/2007 6:52:15 PM , Rating: 2
Nice work, now go see if you get SciFi to put Firefly back into production.


RE: But where did the lighter fluid come from...?
By Rickl3r on 9/28/2007 11:53:18 PM , Rating: 2
Firefly was on Fox, not SciFi.


By Nekrik on 9/29/2007 6:06:25 AM , Rating: 2
Yep, but as far as I have heard Fox already stated they will not continue the series, but they own the rights to it (hence the movie based on the show was named Serenity and not Firefly). The SciFi channel expressed an intrest in the show and would be more likely to buy the rights to produce the show again.


By just4U on 9/29/2007 2:08:15 PM , Rating: 2
I'd like to see a return of Dead Like Me. That show had everything going for it except support from showtime. It's got a very good international fan base to boot... To bad they only ran it for 3 seasons.

( Well .. if were on a wish list for returning shows .. that's my pick)


This is freaking AWESOME.
By michal1980 on 9/29/2007 9:18:00 AM , Rating: 3
Talk about easy, vista might be worth it just for this.

Loaded media center, the link for beta was their. Tons of content. I'm just stunned at how easy this was.




RE: This is freaking AWESOME.
By DesertCat on 9/29/2007 10:53:55 AM , Rating: 2
I have to agree that it is easy. As a Vista Ultimate 64-bit user, this is one of the perks that makes me happy. I was actually looking around on the MS web site trying to find links to become part of the beta... and I was making it too difficult. All I had to do was open the Windows Media Center software that was already installed on my machine and the "Internet TV beta" was one of the options.


RE: This is freaking AWESOME.
By kinnoch on 9/29/2007 2:10:35 PM , Rating: 2
It was incredibly easy, but the quality doesn't seem very good. I briefly watched part of an Arrested Development episode and it didn't even seem to be DVD quality.


Priced out of Feasibility
By misbfa1 on 9/29/2007 11:16:55 AM , Rating: 5
These would be great, if not for the price. The D-Link and Linksys products are priced way to high. $300-$350 is way to much, maybe like $100 would be more reasonable. For those asking prices, there is no reason to purchase this over a 360 which has Media Extender built in plus infinitely more features/value. Even if you weren't going to play a single game on the 360, it would have far better resale value than a simple extender.

For $100 I would purchase one and put it where my other TV is, but not at this price.




RE: Priced out of Feasibility
By pjpizza on 9/30/2007 11:50:45 AM , Rating: 1
But the media centers (extenders?) probably don't sound like freakin' jet planes taking off...


Anyone know...
By Locutus465 on 9/30/2007 2:24:52 AM , Rating: 2
If this will be a public beta? How it can be accessed? I'd love to give it a try!




RE: Anyone know...
By crystal clear on 9/30/2007 12:33:52 PM , Rating: 2
Refer to the link provided in my comment-

On the morning of Sept. 28, 2007, U.S. users of Windows Vista Home Premium edition and Windows Vista Ultimate edition will find a new feature inside Media Center: the beta release of Internet TV .


RE: Anyone know...
By Locutus465 on 9/30/2007 11:43:09 PM , Rating: 2
Thanks... Sadly, at least with my premium (HDMI enabled) the extender function is quite broken :(

I get audio, no video at all... I'm sure this will be interesting once it is working a bit better... Still can't see any threat to cable yet, streaming quality just isn't there (even on my PC where I get video).


Not available
By Clienthes on 9/29/2007 7:54:26 PM , Rating: 2
It doesn't work in South Korea.

I am a sad monkey :(

Oh well, only 9 more months 'til I'm back in the States.




RE: Not available
By imperator3733 on 9/30/2007 12:05:52 AM , Rating: 2
It's only for the U.S.


Hmmm...
By softwiz on 9/28/2007 5:22:04 PM , Rating: 2
"Arrested Development" and "Vista" in the same article who would have thought. That explains a few things. Ha, ha.




Where's the link?
By hellokeith on 9/28/2007 6:24:29 PM , Rating: 2
Link please.




The link
By crystal clear on 9/29/2007 7:19:59 AM , Rating: 2
Microsoft Unveils Extenders for Windows Media Center and Internet TV Beta — Connected Entertainment Comes Home for the Holidays

New devices from Cisco’s Linksys division, D-Link, HP and Niveus Media deliver new video formats, form factors and HD TV over wireless home networks; Internet TV beta debuts with more than one hundred hours of free full-screen video.

Internet TV has been designed for both the TV and PC screen, and features high-quality video optimized for broadband streaming. Viewers can enjoy these high-quality videos on Extenders for Windows Media Center, including Xbox 360® consoles, as well as PCs running Windows Media Center in Windows Vista (available in Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate).


http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/sep0...