Samsung has announced the launch of a new Media Center gadget called MediaLive Media Center Extender which it hopes will allow it to get a foothold into the "Connected" arena ahead of IFA next month.
The unit will run Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate operating systems allowing users to access photos, music, feature films, home movies, and live and recorded TV programs.
The MediaLive Media Center Extender is designed to be a companion product for Samsung HDTVs. It can be mounted to the back of certain Samsung sets, and with the help of HDMI-CEC, the TV's remote will control the box even while it's out of sight. Samsung say that this Extender is not just another media streamer because it will allow you to have the full (almost) Vista Media Center experience -- including the ability to watch live HD from CableCARD tuner -- on any TV (connected wired or wirelessly) in your house.
Beyond streaming personal entertainment, Samsung's MediaLive gives consumers access to a wide range of entertainment options including online services such as Vongo, MovieLink, Showtime TV, XM Radio, and FOX Sports, as well as the ability to browse through top news stories from Reuters and NPR.
Additionally, in the U.S., Windows Media Center features the Internet TV beta program, which offers access to viral videos, news stories, movie trailers, sports clips, cast interviews, movie concerts and more. For access to live and recorded TV through the Samsung MediaLive, a simple TV tuner can be connected to the PC, turning it into a powerful DVR with the ability to watch and record favorite television shows and movies. In conjunction with FOX Sports, consumers are able to access SportsLounge to quickly view up-to-date sports scores, statistics and schedules - a perfect tool for any fantasy sports fan.
Arriving quite late to the party, Samsung's Vice president of visual display marketing at Samsung Electronics America, John Revie said: "The PC is quickly becoming the hub for entertainment in the home, Samsung's MediaLive opens up a constantly expanding world of content for consumers".
Full HD resolution and support for a range of video, audio, and image codecs such as AC3, H.264, JPEG, MPEG2, MPEG4, WMA, and WMV is included.
The device connects to a PC via a RJ45 connected LAN cable, or wirelessly through a built-in 802.11a/b/g/n receiver.
Whilst no Australian pricing is yet available, the MediaLive is rumoured to go on sale in the U.S. during August and sell for $200 (USD).
source:
www.centredaily.com
