CES, Where's the media center?

[flemingljr]

Anyone remember the big announcement at last years CES about a media center for direcTV that would allow receivers in other rooms to view recorded shows? I thought they would be displaying that this year?

[ebonovic]

As of right now... There has been no direct mention of last years Home Media Center

Some are reading into the "PRO" offering as being the Home Media Center, but there has been no official word if that is correct or not.

[DeDondeEs]

There was an article about it in the Wall Street Journal this morning.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB113643334863038375-mU_K9jT0gL86LD1Lv4YPCv7ydXM_20070105.html?mod=tff_main_tff_t op

Although the article talks about being able to view DirecTV programming, it doesn't say anything about recording.

[ebonovic]

What WSJ article is in relation to the "Media Center" product that Microsoft has.

What fleming is refering to is the 2005-CES announcment about the Home Media Center (HMC) that at the time was coming from Ucentric (during 2005 they where purchase by motorola)

[nitsudima]

There was some talk, either in Bill Gate's keynote speech last night or some separate interviews, about a Microsoft/DirecTV partnership that would allow DirecTV receivers (presumably DVRs) to share content with Windows-based PCs and Xbox 360s. I'm taking this to also mean that Playsforsure handhelds would also be supported, but I don't remember if that was mentioned specifically or not. In any case, it's likely that the only supported DVR will be the R15.

I'll be at the CES tomorrow, so I'll check the MS and DirecTV booths and try to find out more. I'll see if Tivo is there, too.

[ebonovic]

You can see some of the articles out there... CNet for one.

(The HR20 would probably also be supported, but a lot depends on the DirecTV 2Go product)

But again... the Media Center that OP is referring to is the one announced at last years CES the Home Media Center from Ucentric.... it had nothing to do with MS's Media Center (hence the confusion we are having now and last year).

Home Media Center was basically (in a brief nutshell) a server/client model for the home running on DirecTV hardware. With a core server unit, and child units at the other ends.

[GaryGnu]

There is mention of it here: http://gear.ign.com/articles/578/578382p1.html

Scroll down a bit.

[Scott in CO]

Yep, that article mentions the Home Media Center. That article from January 8, 2005, that is. Not quite a year old, but pretty close! :-)

[tbeckner]

There is mention of it here: http://gear.ign.com/articles/578/578382p1.html

Scroll down a bit.Of course that article is from last years CES. It appears that DirecTV might have dropped the HMC in favor of hooking up with Microsoft and a MCE server. Although I doubt that there will not be a lot of takers for a $1,500 to $2,000 MCE machine with the requirement that the clients will have to be XBOX 360s at $299 to $399 each.

I doubt if Bill Gates will have a problem affording that type of setup, but most of us will struggle to afford $1,800 to $2,400 to watch a DVR recording on one TV and add another $299 to $399 to watch on a second TV. (between $2,100 to $2,800 for a second TV)

You do the math!

Although, if you go to the NDS site, there still is information available on the HMC.

[tbeckner]

As of right now... There has been no direct mention of last years Home Media Center

Some are reading into the "PRO" offering as being the Home Media Center, but there has been no official word if that is correct or not.Actually, based upon the "PRO' specifications that have been released, the "PRO" unit will be a rack mounted DVR, with specific extensions to allow it to be used in a rack that is hidden and nothing more.

[HiDefGator]

Unless the HMC could support HD on the clients I'm not sure it would have been a big hit. I really wanted one until others said it was only going do SD on the clients. If I have to put one on each HD TV then what did it buy me?

[tbeckner]

Unless the HMC could support HD on the clients I'm not sure it would have been a big hit. I really wanted one until others said it was only going do SD on the clients. If I have to put one on each HD TV then what did it buy me?Very good reason that DirecTV dumped the HMC concept and didn't demo or announce it this year. I didn't pay any attemtion to the announcement last year, because I was waiting for 6.2 amd MRV for my SD DirecTiVos, which happened in May.

At this point, I will likely wait until 2009 or beyond to fully buy into HD and let everyone else pay for the development and go through the pain. I did notice that the old GOLD STANDARD of 1080i has already been replaced by the 1080p standard that the new TVs are supporting.

This type of rapid change will likely continue until there is a majority of HD equipment in the marketplace and that is unlikely until 2009 or beyond.

[Mr. Soze]

Bump.

I couldn't find anything new on this.

[ebonovic]

The latest "information" that I have heard regarding the HMC... (from about 2 months ago)

Is that it is still in development... I will have to ask my contact the next time I talk to him.

I know DirecTV is more focused on getting the HR20 out (it is top of the pecking order), with probably the HMC following next.

[stuart628]

The latest "information" that I have heard regarding the HMC... (from about 2 months ago)

Is that it is still in development... I will have to ask my contact the next time I talk to him.

I know DirecTV is more focused on getting the HR20 out (it is top of the pecking order), with probably the HMC following next.

sorry to ask this because its probably a dumb question, but would this be for the tivo recievers, or just the R15 and all of Directv recievers?

[Lee L]

The latest "information" that I have heard regarding the HMC... (from about 2 months ago)


I know DirecTV is more focused on getting the HR20 out (it is top of the pecking order), with probably the HMC following next.

After that in the pecking order, there is making sure the little bits of toilet paper are picked up in the restroom, the dust is cleaned from the SVP's car each night before driving home and then 6.2 for the HR10-250? ;) ;) ;)

[ebonovic]

It is a new line of reciever.

99.999999% chance it will be running a software base closer to that of the R15... then running a TiVo based software.

Since no specifics are out yet about the HMC, I don't know of the R15, HR20, or D11 would be able to act as remote boxes for the HMC.

There is work being done by DirecTV, Microsoft, and Intel for a PC card for Microsoft Media Center (Vista) PC's, so that DirecTV can be a source of programing for the MS Media Center (Vista) systems....

It is thought to be that R15 will be updated to be a Media Extender for Microsoft Media Center via DirecTV2Go, as well as any other Media Extender for MS Media Center would be able to access that programming.....

BUT... bottom line...
Both of those projects are still in the development phases will no solid or remotely solid timeframes available.

[ebonovic]

After that in the pecking order, there is making sure the little bits of toilet paper are picked up in the restroom, the dust is cleaned from the SVP's car each night before driving home and then 6.2 for the HR10-250? ;) ;) ;)

I know 6.x is in the pecking order... just not sure where in that pecking order.

[Lee L]

You know I am just playing with you. Certainly no way you can make D* speed things up. If only Rupert had to use one each day.

[ebonovic]

You know I am just playing with you. Certainly no way you can make D* speed things up. If only Rupert had to use one each day.

Oh I know.... :D

[extension 721]

1080p. oh joy. I bet people will whine to D* that their programming isn't all in that format, because they HAD TO blow $20,000 on a 1080P TV, then in the same breath whine about not enough HD channels, and that $10 is too much for the HD package.

[extension 721]

You know I am just playing with you. Certainly no way you can make D* speed things up. If only Rupert had to use one each day.

Speed up? and have a product full of bugs?

COLECO prettymuch DIED a horrible death as a game/computer manufacturer because they RUSHED the ADAM computer system (based off the colecovision video game system, which was extremely advanced) to market so it would be out for christmas. ADAM was excellent...if you got one of the 40% that didn't have some defect in it. When half your units don't work it doesn't matter how advanced they are.

[Jabberer]

1080p. oh joy. I bet people will whine to D* that their programming isn't all in that format, because they HAD TO blow $20,000 on a 1080P TV...

Actually, the Westinghouse 42" LCD, which supports 1080p is $1899 at Best Buy - there may be others as well, but that's one that has caught my eye.

[Lee L]

Speed up? and have a product full of bugs?




You must not have seen all the threads going back about 18 months now about how they demoed the 6.2 software at CES 2005. They have had plenty of time to get it out. They just choose to work on other things.