Filed under: Media Computers, Media streamers

Forget about waiting for Niveus to open up its slick Motion picture Library to the public, now that the Open Media Library is available. The GPL v3-licensed project just rolled out the 0.1 beta version, designed for users to access their entire movie library and associated metadata (actors, summary, etc.) no matter the format, through extenders like the Xbox 360 or HP MediaSmart Connect. Turning Media Center Extenders into DVD streamers has been done before, but this should streamline things even further, with the added bonus of playing back Blu-ray and HD DVD rips. If you’ve got Vista Media Center, check it out and give some feedback for future editions.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

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Filed under: New content

As self proclaimed HD junkies, we are nearly as interested in what it takes to produce HD as we’re into watching it. So when we ran across these pictures of all the HDTV and switching equipment setup for the Olympics, it really got our blood pumping. It’s not that we didn’t think that it was going to take a ton of equipment to produce 3600 hours of HD, but it’s one thing to read it, and another to actually see it. One thing’s for sure, 08.08.08 can’t get here fast enough.

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Filed under: Podcasts

Finally, the Matrix collection gets a Blu-ray release date. We’re not scared off by the $130 MSRP, but we do manage to disagree over the merits of the collection as a whole. Netflix looks to be raising Blu-ray prices soon; and despite the protests, we doubt the price bump will be repealed like the Profiles feature removal. And what are you going to do — haven’t you heard that brick-and-mortar rental is on the way out? The TV distribution game is all about padding the HD channel counts, and the bar has been raised to the magical 100 number by Verizon FiOS Television, DirecTV and even locally-originated news. We’re intrigued by Samsung’s Media Center Extender, but really want to see the electronics giant merge this functionality with a Blu-ray player. Wrapping up, we puzzle over the analog hole, ultra widescreen TV formats and LG’s presence in the tru2way arena. But one thing that didn’t have us confused was the inflated plasma power consumption numbers put up by Good Magazine.

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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
00:32 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 094 - 07.23.2008
15:23 - The Ultimate Matrix Collection to make Blu-ray debut on October 14th
18:37 - Netflix CEO says Blu-ray premiums coming “very soon”
20:19 - Survey finds most Americans think in-store motion picture renting is fading out
22:27 - Verizon posts official FiOS HD channel rollout dates
23:19 - New York City officially gifted with Verizon’s FiOS TV: 100 HD channels
24:57 - DirecTV to boast 130 HD channels on August 14th, 1080p movies later this year
27:23 - America finally claims 100 local HD news stations
30:42 - Poll: Do you receive your local news in HD?
31:35 - Samsung reveals $200 MediaLive Media Center Extender
33:49 - Who cares if the analog hole is closed?
35:56 - Could we see ultra widescreen HDTVs in the future?
39:06 - LG, Funai officially jump on the tru2way bandwagon
40:37 - How much does it cost to just leave your HDTV plugged in?

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LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)

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Filed under: Blu-ray

As if the wait for Futurama’s return wasn’t bad enough, the wait for its Blu-ray debut has been nearly unbearable. The good news out of Comic-Con is that the next movie, Bender’s Game is coming day and date on Blu-ray November 4. /Film’s early peek at the trailer brings word of jabs at high energy prices and Lord of the Rings parodies, no official release from Fox yet — or hints about the previously released movies coming to HD — but in the meantime check out the full ad and mark down 11/4 on your calendar.

[Via TheHDRoom]

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Filed under: Displays, Sony, LCD

Whoa there, Sony. Usually your designs are fairly impressive — sleek, if nothing else — but this all new BRAVIA T Series is most certainly not pretty. Boasting “powerful side speakers with a choice of Dual Tweeters or a 3D Woofer [saywha?] with side duct for a complete entertainment experience,” these sets sacrifice style in order to flank a set of speakers on the side of the panel. For those that can look beyond it, you’ll find a BRAVIA Engine 2, Intelligent Picture and MPEG Noise Reduction, with models ranging from 19- to 32-inches. The new range is scheduled to hit the Asia-Pacific market next month for undisclosed prices — not like you’ll be inquiring anyway, right?

[Via SonyInsider]

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, Panasonic, OLED

A bit earlier this year we heard that Panasonic (Matsushita’s red-headed stepchild) was vying for a little recognition in the OLED Television game, but outside of that, details were scarce. Now, however, we’re being told that the outfit is planning to start selling 40-inch OEL (organic electroluminescent, better known as OLED ’round these parts) TVs “as early as 2011.” Reportedly, it will be investing “several billion yen” to construct a prototype production line for OEL panels “20-inches and larger” that will go into service next spring. We’d be pretty stoked if the final product were within sight, but make sure to ring us early on next decade to make sure we haven’t absolutely forgotten about this here promise.

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Filed under: ABC, Discovery-HD, ESPN-HD, HBO-HD, MOJO, NBC, Showtime-HD, TNT-HD, Listings

What we’re watching tonight:

• Discovery (1080i) continues Shark Week with Surviving Sharks at 9 p.m. and Day of the Shark at 10 p.m.
• TNT (1080i) has The Closer at 9 p.m. followed by Saving Grace
• NBC (1080i) queues up American Gladiators at 8 p.m. followed by Nashville Star at 9 p.m.
• Mojo HD (1080i) premieres A Shot at Glory at 9 p.m.
• USA (1080i) has WWE: Raw at 9 p.m.
• ABC Family (720p) drops in The Middleman at 10 p.m.
• Showtime (1080i) has Weeds at 10 p.m. and The Secret Diary of a Call Girl at 10:30 p.m.
• History (1080i) presents Prehistoric Monsters Revealed at 9 p.m.
• ESPN2 HD (720p) brings WSOP at 10 p.m.
• A&E (720p) premieres season 2 of Paranormal State at 10 p.m.
• HBO (1080i) premieres The Recruiter at 9 p.m.
• ESPN HD (720p) has Angels/Red Sox at 7 p.m.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable, Fiber, World wide web, OTA, Satellite

Around Engadget, we’re all too familiar with the evil bit starving ways of some content providers and local affiliates in the name of the bottom line. But it’s always good to see the more mainstream press get wise as Popular Mechanics has a good article on the why and why not, our HD signal is over compressed. The most interesting new piece of information is something we’ve heard of in the past, but it’s good to get additional details, which is HBO’s stipulations in regards to what a provider can do with its signal. We assumed the stipulations would specify a minimum bit rate, but in reality it is a limitation of what other content can be carried on the same QAM channel. So that means no sports, animated content, or any other bit hungry content for that matter. Ultimately, all this talk just makes us enjoy our Blu-ray Discs that much more.

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Filed under: Misc, Media streamers

Surely you remember Boxee, right? After launching in June on the Mac with the promise of a Linux distro (and Windows, too) not far behind, this open-source media streaming application has finally gone live on Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04. The creators reckoned that by covering Gutsy Gibbon and Hardy Heron users, most everyone interested would be covered, and we have to say we concur with that assessment. It should be noted that said software still has potential kinks, and there are currently a number of alpha testers toying with it in order to send in feedback and get things ironed out. More intriguing here, however, is the possibility for this version to slide into set-top-boxes or standalone players that are built on Linux-based platforms, but for now, why not hit the read link and give it a go on your very own machine. Let us know how it turns out, alright?

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Filed under: Speakers, Others

Digging those Intimus loudspeakers, are you? Welcome yet another member to the family: the 4T floorstander. This tower packs dual 4-inch woven-fiberglass mid-woofers, a 1-inch silk-dome tweeter, an anti-resonant cabinet and a sexy coat of either gloss black or cherry. As you could likely piece together, this one was designed to complement the previously referenced 4B bookshelf speakers, and while they aren’t exactly out-of-a-white-van cheap, $650 per pair is still fairly reasonable in our eyes.

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