In an ideal world, home networks would run at optimal 100Mbps and all our devices would work together easily. In the real world, home networks are still a pain and wireless technologies still aren’t at the point that you can consistently deliver HD Video content without hiccups, stutters or flat-out drop-outs. Because of these challenges, any company that offers a solution that aims to consistently deliver HD over wireless without these issues is destined to get some serious attention. Enter Netgear. Seeing that 802.11g over 2.4Ghz was not working for HD transmission, they created a product (WNHDEB111 - Video Demo) that went with 802.11n (draft spec) and worked on the far less congested 5Ghz spectrum. So, how does it work? Well, PC Magazine really seems to like it.

First, it’s important to note that this kit does not include a router. It’s assuming you have a wireless or wired router already in place. Ideally, this will work in conjunction with a wired Gigabit router, as one of the units in the kit connects to a router to act as an 802.11n bridge. The other unit in the kit works as an AP (access point) only. Additional AP units go for $130. With that out of the way, you’re probably wondering how the kit performs. MORE »

Media Center users are used to getting their media in a fashion that is consistent and useable. Whether it’s music, videos or pictures, the demanding MCE user expects to be able to use the 10-foot interface without trouble. Having to pull out the keyboard or mouse is an unacceptable proposition. That reason alone has kept HD DVD and Blu-ray playback from being seamless on MCE, which is ironic, since most MCE users are the first to adopt playback of Hi-Def content. Well, our friends at Missing Remote have put together a nice tutorial that helps make Cyberlink’s PowerDVD Ultra integrate nicely with Media Center. MORE »

If anyone doubts for a minute that Netflix is looking to deliver online video to the home, they’ve obviously got their eyes closed and their ears covered. With plug-ins like MyNetflix for Vista MCE and the plug-in for SageTV hitting in recent days, Netflix streaming videos are quickly being moved to the living room. However, these particular solutions are being driven more by the community than by Netflix. With no recent signs of hardware coming from the announced deal with LG, it would look like Netflix is content to let the community do their work for them. Appearances, as we all know, can be deceiving. MORE »

The online video delivery market is set to absolutely explode in 2008. As we’ve been covering companies like Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and Vudu, smaller companies like SyncTV are also trying to carve out a niche in this rapidly developing space. WebTVwire, hoping to find an alternative to Apple iTunes and Amazon Unbox, has asked the question many are wondering - is SyncTV a viable alternative to these existing services? MORE »

The iPhone is set to explode as a multi-purpose device. It’s gorgeous touchscreen, growing popularity and OS X based operating system are setting it up to be so much more than just a great phone or media player. Even though home energy monitoring is not something you’d normally get excited about, the “Current State” concept - as reported by Automated Home - could be the project to generate excitement over this concept, by using a device like the iPhone to help users easily and intuitively monitor usage. MORE »

Netflix has been in the news a good bit lately, and for good reason. Their recent foray into streaming videos - for free, no less - has gotten the attention of quite a few people. We just recently reported about the plug-in for Vista Media Center that would allow you to watch streaming Netflix videos from the comfort of your couch. As everyone knows, though, Microsoft’s MCE offering is not the only provider in this space. Another popular option - SageTV - is popular amongst the do-it-yourself crowd and they refuse to be left behind. According to BrentEvans Geek Tonic, SageTV is also getting a Netflix plug-in that will support the Watch Instantly option that Netflix subscribers are becoming quickly familiar with. MORE »

I have to admit, I’m a bit of an Apple fanboy. I’ve owned three different Macs, currently have 4 iPods in or around the house, use the Airport Extreme Router and my wife and I both own iPhones (both an 8 and 16GB). I plan on buying the AppleTV shortly and intend on purchasing my 4th Mac - either a Mac Pro or Macbook Pro - within the next few months. I even stood in-line for the Leopard launch. Why share all of that? Because, without a doubt, I will catch flack for what I’m about to say and will probably be called an Apple-hater, which I am not. But the truth is, after this weekend, I don’t think I’ll ever buy another song from iTunes again. And it’s all because of Amazon. MORE »

I hate clutter. I also hate that I have at least 5 different remotes scattered across my living room. Sadly, I once invested in a universal remote only to find that it did a good job of frustrating me and not much else. Which is why I found ExtremeTech’s review of the Logitech Harmony One universal remote so intriguing. Could it be that this particular universal remote would solve my clutter problems? Or would this remote take me down the same road of frustration was my last one did? MORE »

The moment Netflix announced it would be streaming movies, Media Center users the world over started clamoring for a plugin to support the service. One of the first that we saw certainly appeared to get the job done, but integration within the MCE interface seemed somewhat lacking. If that tight integration is what you’ve been looking forward to, then MyNetflix - a beta plugin from Anthony Park - is exactly what you’re looking for (via Chris Lanier). MORE »

Video fanatics were quite pleased to hear about Hauppauge’s newest video capture device: the HD PVR. However, as with many devices announced before they’re actually launched, details were somewhat limited. Here’s what we knew: It would have an H.264 hardware encoder, support component video input and would retail for around $250. We now have more details, thanks to Rakesh at the Snapstream blog. MORE »