Media Clients: Media Center Extenders & others
The virtual media home network is finally a reality (with a few caveats).
Imagine being able to access and control all of your favorite TV shows, movies, music, photos and more, right from the comfort of your living room sofa with your remote control. What's more, imagine being able to enjoy them on the den or bedroom television, even if your computer is in a different room. That's the promise behind this year's crop of A/V clients.
For several years, Microsoft and other companies have been working on various products that present an easy-to-use interface for accessing media content. With the advent of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, a significant upgrade from last year's version, we think that Microsoft may have finally gotten it right. In addition, other products such as those by Sony, PRISMIQ and Samsung have opened the door for everyone to stream digital content wirelessly throughout their home. This article will explain the basics of what you need to know in order to purchase these products and integrate them into your living room system.
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
For Media Center PCs, the basic idea is to install the PC in the living room, rather than relegating it to a spare bedroom or den, as is usually the case. Even though this is the third version of Media Center Edition, it's still a relatively new product. Some PCs come with just the basic operating system, while others include one or more TV tuners and a remote control. As a result, it helps to understand how to put a system together, so that you can purchase the correct system that does exactly what you'd expect it to do.
There are a number of ways to take advantage of the A/V client revolution. If you don't already have one, and you're thinking of looking into installing an A/V client, you might want to consider setting up a wireless network in your home first. It's easy, inexpensive, and will make all the difference. Many new computers sold in the past year come with built-in wireless connections, so you may already have part of what you need. If not, adding a USB or PC Card wireless adapter is a simple process.
In some cases, however, wireless networks aren't as reliable as wired networks. This depends on a number of factors, but generally we recommend that if at all possible, run an Ethernet cable from the main Media Center PC to your Internet router. This way you're guaranteed a solid, fast connection to the Internet at all times.
Once you have your network set up, think about what you want your new system to be able to accomplish. Do you want to be able to record several television programs at a time in your home, and then watch them from different rooms? Do you want to show family photos on your big living room television? If this sounds like you, then consider a media center PC. Some manufacturers (such as Dell and Gateway) offer Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 on their PCs. Others, such as Sony, go their own route and include different software that accomplishes much of the same thing (such as GigaPocket).
Most Media Center PCs give you the ability to watch, pause and record live television. You can install up to three TV tuners in the PC, which means you can watch one show while recording one or more additional shows straight to the hard disk. In addition, you get a simple, brightly colored interface with large icons for viewing television, movies, photos and listening to music, all displayed on your living room television. The system will go out to the Internet and retrieve television show schedules, artist information, album covers and more as you use the system.
MCE Extenders
Once you have decided on a Media Center Edition PC, you can then purchase set top boxes called Media Center Edition Extenders (or MCE Extenders for short) that allow you to play media files remotely. These will allow you to transfer and enjoy content in different rooms of the home. Let's say you want to have access to your media files in your living room, your den, and on your bedroom TV. What you would do is purchase a Media Center PC and two MCE Extenders, one for the den and one for the bedroom.
The MCE Extenders do not allow you to change content, or use other functions of the PC such as browsing the Internet. What you can do, however, is stream content wirelessly, so you can show photos, watch recorded TV shows and listen to music, all from the streamlined Media Center user interface and supplied remote control. They can transfer live television, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 files, .WMV files and more, and they support both DTCP and DRM for transferring protected content from your PC (see the accompanying sidebar "Copy Protection" for more information.)
MCE Extenders are sophisticated enough that you may never see the Windows operating system underneath all of this. Using them feels more like operating your DVD player or television. In addition, some of the PCs even look like high-end audio components, which is always a plus for integrating them into your home theater décor. Finally, MCE Extenders don't have loud fans whirring inside, which was a big turn-off for early Media Center adopters. Many people don't want a big PC with loud fans interfering with the pristine stereo sound (or blissful silence) they enjoy in their living room.
Non-MCE Server Software
Several non-Microsoft options exist for the server software that controls your A/V network. Sony's GigaPocket software comes pre-loaded on many of its desktop and laptop models. Similar to Microsoft Media Center Edition, GigaPocket gives you the ability to record TV programs and then convert them to MPEG-2 format. Then you can watch them right on the computer, or stream them to other devices in the house. Similar products exist from other manufacturers as well, all of which provide media-center-like features to one degree or another.
You can also buy set-top boxes that you plug in like typical audio or video components. For example, the PRISMIQ Media Player ($250, www.prismiq.com) allows you to connect to your regular PC without having to use Microsoft's Media Center Edition software. It comes with its own MediaManager software in the box that you install on your PC. The player has a built-in Ethernet port, and has an additional slot for a wireless card which can be purchased separately. If you go this route, you can leave your PC in the den or home office, and then buy one of these to sit on top of your living room television. Then you can download content on your PC and stream it wirelessly to the living room. Often this is a simpler way to go, since you don't have to commit to buying and setting up a PC in the living room.
Many of these components support UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). This protocol, first introduced in 2003, gives different kinds of electronic devices (notebooks, PDAs, desktop PCs, etc.) the ability to find each other on a network, connect and begin communicating. It allows you to purchase different kinds of products by different manufacturers and reliably stream content between them. For more information on UPnP, visit www.upnp.org.
Portable Media Players
These devices give you high-quality video, music, pictures and more in a device about the size of a portable gaming system. You can record television shows on your TiVo, Media Center PC, or other digital video recorder, and then transfer the video to these devices. They come equipped with hard drives up to 80GB and can store many hours of material. Catch up on your television shows by carrying one with you.
An example of a portable media player is the Creative Zen Portable Media Center ($499, www.creative.com). It syncs up with your desktop PC and lets you sync content for watching it on the go. Plus, it serves as a portable music player, photo viewer, and even a backup hard disk for your computer, allowing you to carry large data files with you.
There are a few downsides to be aware of. These devices are pretty expensive, averaging about $475 per machine on the street. Plus, the small screens (under 4 inches) can be difficult to watch. Walking with one is out of the question, compared to listening to an iPod, where you can simply tuck the device in your pocket, listen hands-free and keep your eyes ahead of you. But for watching pre-recorded video on an airplane or bus ride, these devices are ideal, since they weigh only several ounces and store all of the video on the internal hard drive.
Some of them, such as the Archos AV420 ($549, www.archos.com) even record television shows directly onto the device itself. You simply place the device in its cradle on top of your television set, program what you want to record, and then each morning take it with you. Or, when you get home, dock it in its cradle and watch recorded content on your living room television instead. Most of the portable media players allow you to do this, but the compressed video quality is generally sub par; expect resolution similar to a VHS cassette.
WiFi Clients
If you're only concerned about sharing music, several products fit the bill. Linksys has created a kind of streaming boom box with its WMLS11B ($264, www.linksys.com). This device is available with detachable speakers and can stream music wirelessly from your PC. It's a neat, self-contained solution in that you can carry it around your home, set it up wherever you want and listen to music from your PC's hard drive.
In a similar vein is the Apple Airport Express wireless hub ($129, www.apple.com). This is a portable wireless hub and access point that has the power adapter self contained; you simply plug it into your wall, and connect your stereo and your computer printer to it. Then you can print from anywhere in the house, or even stream music from any computer in the house to the stereo to which you connect the Airport Express.
The Future of Home Networking
A/V Clients are devices that bridge the huge gap between living room entertainment systems (televisions, DVD players, home theater receivers, etc.) and the PC. While many people today have gone as far as setting up a wired or wireless network in their home, generally they only use it to share Internet access or play games. Meanwhile, they continue to watch television and DVDs in the living room, while dragging everyone around the home computer to see photos, or listening to downloaded mp3s on small computer speakers rather than on the living room stereo.
Manufacturers have been trying to bridge this divide for the past decade. With the latest consumer electronics products, this dream may finally be a reality. We're moving toward a world where music, movies, photos, etc. are no longer physical objects, but exist virtually on a network, and we can enjoy them in any room in the house or take them with us on the road. The products and systems outlined in this article show you how you can get started today.
Jamie Lendino is a freelance technology writer and sound designer for video games.
[Sidebar: Video Copy Protection]
Manufacturers have developed several methods to stem the flow of pirated video. In an age where we can make perfect copies of music, movies and more, this kind of thing is a necessary evil, and arguably more important than the old Macrovision system was for analog VHS and satellite television. These copy protection methods generally act transparently, but you should still be aware of them, since certain set-top boxes and portable media players don't support all of them.
The first is Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP). Five companies originally developed DTCP: Sony, Hitachi, Matsushita, Intel and Toshiba. This type of protection safeguards against making perfect digital copies, such as through a FireWire or DVD digital output. In addition, keep in mind that no matter what product you purchase, as of today you won't be able to stream commercial DVD movies across your network to other rooms due to their built-in copy protection.
Another term to watch out for is Digital Rights Management (DRM). Devices that support this Microsoft protocol allow you to stream protected content that you can purchase from online services. You can then share content with your portable media players or with media hubs in other rooms of the house. Generally, any recent Media Center 2005 device will support the latest version of DRM. Some devices, such as the PRISMIQ Media Player, do not play media files protected by DRM. We expect this protocol to further mature as the market for purchasing online video content becomes larger.
Digg This!
del.icio.us
Technorati
Reddit