Recent Comments:
Engadget HD Podcast 162 - 11.03.2009 {Engadget HD}
Nov 14th 2009 10:15AM
regarding the comments on tivo i agree with some of Ben's points
regarding the dated ui. However you can now look at the guide while
watching a recorded tivo. This was a feature added close to a year
ago. I am a person who has really outgrown tivo but i often wonder
why Ben a person who only really watches tv and doesn't archive his
movies prefers media center. Granted the 4:3 interface is hideous but
Ben often talks about the out of the box 160 gig hard drive on the
tivo which isn't really a fair criticism for tivo since its so easy
to add a 1 terabyte hard drive with a small amount of hacking. I
realize that this requires a bit of hacking and would be considered a
work around but so does setting up commercial skip and auto convert
for dvrms toolbox. I'm not saying that media center isn't more
capable for somebody that spends hours writing dvrms toolbox profiles
i feel like its not fair to say that tivo comes with a 160 gb hard
drive as though it just cant be changed. Another advantage to tivo is
dual live buffers, something which no amount of hacking can fix. In
terms of added functionality I love the netflix ui another something
that media center cant really say that it has. Another thing i never
hear mentioned is stability. Stability is a major concern from me and
its the number one thing that makes me hesitant to make the jump to
media center. At any rate i agree with most of Ben's criticism of the
tivo ui but wanted to point out that it can now pull up the guide
while watching a recorded tv.
Engadget HD Podcast 163 - 11.10.2009 {Engadget HD}
Nov 14th 2009 10:07AM regarding the comments on tivo i agree with some of Ben's points regarding the dated ui. However you can now look at the guide while watching a recorded tivo. This was a feature added close to a year ago. I am a person who has really outgrown tivo but i often wonder why Ben a person who only really watches tv and doesn't archive his movies prefers media center. Granted the 4:3 interface is hideous but Ben often talks about the out of the box 160 gig hard drive on the tivo which isn't really a fair criticism for tivo since its so easy to add a 1 terabyte hard drive with a small amount of hacking. I realize that this requires a bit of hacking and would be considered a work around but so does setting up commercial skip and auto convert for dvrms toolbox. I'm not saying that media center isn't more capable for somebody that spends hours writing dvrms toolbox profiles i feel like its not fair to say that tivo comes with a 160 gb hard drive as though it just cant be changed. Another advantage to tivo is dual live buffers, something which no amount of hacking can fix. In terms of added functionality I love the netflix ui another something that media center cant really say that it has. Another thing i never hear mentioned is stability. Stability is a major concern from me and its the number one thing that makes me hesitant to make the jump to media center. At any rate i agree with most of Ben's criticism of the tivo ui but wanted to point out that it can now pull up the guide while watching a recorded tv.
Poll: What's the biggest Blu-ray disc still due to arrive in 2009? {Engadget HD}
Nov 2nd 2009 8:10AM Although i know im in the minority on this one id just like a movie i was promised this September, Pulp Fiction. Saving Private Ryan would also be a must buy but Pulp Fiction got a release date and just never came out. As for the poll i voted for Star Trek. I have never been a Star Trek fan but the movie was just sick and I agree with the comments saying that it should make for some nice reference material.
The best HD sports on TV this week {Engadget HD}
Oct 9th 2009 12:01AM Flagrant FSU bias
A brief history of Ceton and its 6-tuner CableCARD HTPC tuner {Engadget HD}
Oct 7th 2009 11:56AM The comments on this article are really funny. People seem to think that this company will replace their cable provider. Somebody wrote that they refuse to use comcast and this is exactly what they are looking for. Oddly enough the author of this Seattle times article seems like he did his homework and actually understands the technology. I have to even wonder if the author of this article is himself an enthusiast. Can't wait to get to purchase one of these though. I'm really hoping the 4 tuner cable card is at least under 400 since they say it will be between 300 and 600 depending on how many get ordered from dell and the like.
Best Buy bringing value priced all-in-one 32-inch LCD & Blu-ray HDTV to stores "soon" {Engadget HD}
Sep 24th 2009 9:06AM I think 500 bucks is s a decent price range to be in for this type of tv but i scored the 32" sharp blu- ray tv mentioned in this article for 600 even. This tv would have to be at least comparable to the sharp version which I somewhat doubt. The sharp version is not the greatest in terms of color reproduction but with clear qam and a blu-ray player it really fits the bill in the bedroom for those netflix blu-rays I don't feel like watching on my main tv. If your interested in this kind of tv at all i suggest looking at the LC 32BD60U instead of this model.
Poll: What's the most you'd pay for a quad HDTV tuner with CableCARD? {Engadget HD}
Sep 14th 2009 12:00PM I realize that most people will pick the low end here but i can't honestly say that I wouldn't be willing to be 600 for 4 tuners. I may be a rube but i paid 600 for my ps3 on launch day and i really can't say that having tuners for my entire house is any less of a value. I realize that 600 is hefty and would probably be at the high end but given the fact that a single tuner is over 200 bucks right now id much rather buy a 600 dollar 4 tuner card.
Blu-ray releases on September 15th 2009 {Engadget HD}
Sep 14th 2009 11:06AM hasn't Casablanca been out for awhile on Blu- ray? Is this a new version?
Media Center CableCARDs freed from OEM requirement {Engadget HD}
Sep 10th 2009 7:03AM "And last I heard rental rates and availability of a cable card was up to the cable company."
This is not true. If it were up to the cable company they would never provide you with that cable card. I have cox in northern virginia with a tivo hd and an SDV adapter. If not for legal action filed by enthusiasts through the FCC I don't believe i would even be able to use my tivo hd. Cable companies do not have the discretion to not provide you with a cable card. They are required (by the FCC) even if a little reluctant at first to provide you with them. Honestly though i have found my current cable provider to be very on top of the Cable Card / SDV issues. As for rental rates i have never been charged more than a buck or two a month for the cards themselves. What sucks is getting hit with another 10 dollar a month "HD" fee to get the HD tiers on another tv.
Media Center CableCARDs freed from OEM requirement {Engadget HD}
Sep 9th 2009 11:04PM Wonder why they didn't talk more about this
"A technology preview of the new Multi-Channel Cable TV Card from Ceton Corp., which enables PCs with Windows Media Center to play or record multiple live channels of premium HDTV at once, and stream live HD channels or recordings to multiple TV sets throughout the home, all with a single CableCARD."
