Handy Gadgets

A review of the Sling Media Slingbox Classic player has been posted over at Tracy and Matt's Blog. 'Most users of the Slingbox, in the UK at least, are going to be using it for controlling their Sky box remotely so I'll talk in those terms. [Though if you look at the SlingMedia site you'll see that the Slingbox supports lots of other devices]. In general I would imagine that everyone would use the Scart Adaptor, that comes with the box, plugged into one of the Sky outputs. Then the 3 pin Combination Audio/Video cable plugs into that, and then the other end into the input of the Slingbox. Then you hook up the ethernet cable to your router, plug the IR Cable into the Slingbox and route the cables so that the IR transmitters are pointing at the right part of the Sky Box.'

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Posted by Admin at 11:35 PM | Permalink

A review of the Sling Media Slingbox Pro-HD video player has been posted over at PC World. 'With the Slingbox Pro-HD, Sling Media has created a version of its pioneering "place-shifting" device that lets you view high-definition video in high definition, remotely. Like previous Slingbox devices, such as the Slingbox Solo and the Slingbox Pro, it works by streaming video from a cable TV box, digital video recorder, or other home video source through the Slingbox unit, and then displaying the video footage on your network- or Internet-connected Windows laptop. (Software for playing high-def content is not yet available for Macs or for mobile devices that support standard-definition streams).'

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Posted by Admin at 10:45 PM | Permalink

A review of the Samsung HT-BD2 Blu-ray Home Cinema System has been posted over at Trusted Reviews. 'All of the processing and amplification takes place in the main unit, which pumps out a respectable 1,100W (RMS) or power, which works out at 135W per channel with 155W for the sub. The built-in disc drive obviously plays Blu-ray, but it also spins DVDs (upscaling them to 1080p if you want), finalised DVD-RW/-Rs and CDs, and you can also play MP3 and JPEG files from recordable CDs and DVDs. However, the unit is locked into Blu-ray Region B and DVD Region 2 and you can forget about DVD-Audio playback, which would have been a nice bonus feature for fans of hi-res music

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Posted by Admin at 5:18 PM | Permalink

Digital Trends have published a review of the Onkyo TX-SR606 receiver. ‘The TX-SR606 passes a full 1080p signal (1080 lines, progressive scan, the best that HD currently has to offer) and is HDMI 1.3a-compliant. The higher bandwidth of 1.3a means that it accepts the raw digital bitstreams of the high-resolution Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats, in addition to supporting up to 48-bit color depth (the current standard is 24-bit) and potentially higher frame rates. So right away we know that the TX-SR606 is a good investment today, and one that will provide headroom for the future of consumer electronics as the quality continues to improve. Onkyo has also added Remote Interactive over HDMI (RIHD), their own proprietary spin on the more common Consumer Electronics Control (CEC), to better allow the operation of multiple connected HDMI devices from different manufacturers with a single remote.’

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Posted by Admin at 10:09 PM | Permalink

Press Release

New Hybrid ExpressCard TV Tuner Gathers Clear QAM and H.264 Real-Time Recording Capabilities onto an Ultra-Slim Shell

MILPITAS, CA - May 19, 2008- AVerMedia® Technologies, Inc., the leading provider of digital multimedia and presentation technology announced today the release of the AVerTV Hybrid NanoExpress, the compact ExpressCard TV tuner with the ability to receive HDTV (ATSC/Unencrypted "Clear" QAM Digital Cable TV), Analog TV or FM Radio on any Windows XP or Vista laptop. The slim-fit design easily inserts completely into the ExpressCard slot, leaving no protrusion of the unit outside of the laptop. The great functionalities and stylish appearance earned it a CES 2008 Innovations Design and Engineering Award Winner in the Video Accessories category.

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Posted by Admin at 10:29 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Panasonic DMR-EX768 DVD/HDD Recorder. 'The DMR-EX768 is another model from Panasonic's latest line-up of digital recorders, which in our opinion is the company's strongest ever. We recently tested the DMR-EX78 and were hit for six by its combination of convenient features, magnificent picture quality and ease of use, and the DMR-EX768 seemingly offers more of the same but at a lower price.

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Posted by Admin at 1:11 PM | Permalink

A review of the Neuros OSD TV and Video Recorder has been posted over at Mobile Tech Review. 'The crescent-shaped OSD measures 5.5 x 5.5 x 1.26 inches with a weight of 8 ounces, and features a simple black color scheme similar to that of its predecessors. A remote control and stand are also included. The basic connectors are on the back of the device, including composite input/output, S-Video input, power, Ethernet, and a connector for the included infrared blaster. On the front edge are the OSD's storage slots, which can accept SD and CF cards as well as Memory Sticks.

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Posted by Admin at 10:17 PM | Permalink

PC Magazine have published a review of the SageTV HD Media Extender which allows you to view live or recorded HDTV, online video, photos and your DVD library on televisions in any room in your home. ‘The HD Media Extender comes with a full-featured remote control and looks like your typical A/V component. Its slim, black plastic front panel contains the usual Stop, Play, Pause, and Search controls, along with a Standby switch and two nonfunctioning—and therefore somewhat odd—USB ports. (In the device's PDF user manual, the company acknowledges that these ports aren't currently active.) The rear panel, meanwhile, offers HDMI, component, S-Video, and composite A/V outputs.

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Posted by Admin at 11:36 AM | Permalink

GadgetNutz have published a review of the Slingbox Solo. ‘Founded in 2004, Sling Media, Inc. is a different kind of consumer electronics company - one that's working to demystify convergence technologies and to create empowering experiences for the digital media consumer. The focus of Sling Media is to embrace - not replace - existing products and standards by enhancing them with hardware and software that make divergent technologies compatible and greatly improve the consumer experience. Because, after all, can't we all just get along?! Sling Media's first product, internationally acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox™, has literally transformed the way we are able to watch TV. The Slingbox turns any Internet-connected PC or laptop, Mac, or smartphone into your home television. That means you can watch TV virtually anywhere in the world.

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Posted by Admin at 3:16 PM | Permalink

Personal Computer World have published a review of the Neuros OSD which is a versatile recorder which saves copies of DVDs, VHS tapes and television programs from satellite receivers, cable boxes, TVs and any other device with standard video output. 'The Neuros OSD is an open-source media player that combines many of the most popular features of devices such as the Slingbox, with more conventional media-streaming functions. It’s a fairly small black box that would sit unobtrusively alongside your home cinema setup to help manage and play digital media. Rather than using more conventional methods to connect to a television, the Neuros OSD has two 3.5mm jacks: In and Out. Using the included cables, these provide composite video and analogue audio connections to and from your input source and TV or stereo.'

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Posted by Admin at 2:41 PM | Permalink

InfoSync World have published a review of the Vudu Internet-based video download box which connects to the Internet in order to bring movies to your television set on demand. ‘Packing an impressive 250GB HD, Vudu promises up to 100 hours of storage for purchased movies. The company also claims that its video processor is capable of rendering video at Full HD 1080p resolution. Port-wise, the Vudu is as flexible as they come. It offers an HDMI port for digital video and audio as well as component, composite and S-video output options. Audio is pumped through R/L analog, digital coaxial or digital optical ports. The Ethernet port allows connection to the service, and two USB ports allow for future storage expansion. Vudu includes the most advanced (HDMI) and the most rudimentary (composite) cables for connection to your television; for the in-between options you must find or purchase additional cables.’

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Posted by Admin at 4:50 PM | Permalink

Personal Computer World have published a review of the Slingbox Pro TV Streaming device. 'You simply hook it up to your video source, download the software on a PC and watch TV as if you were at home. The Pro version comes with up to four inputs (including HD) and faster streaming. The HD input isn’t HDMI, but rather a proprietary HD Connect socket - an adapter is included to connect Component HD sources. You can’t stream in HD (the Slingbox Pro scales it down to 640x480), but it looks better than standard Freeview. While the original (renamed Slingbox Classic) could only muster 2.5Mbits/sec streams, the new Slingbox Pro can reach 8Mbits/sec. Full-screen video therefore looks great over a Lan, but with most broadband upstreams under 500Kbits/sec, this increase doesn’t help when viewing over the internet.'

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Posted by Admin at 10:10 PM | Permalink

A review of the Sling Media Slingbox SOLO which is a gadget that allows you to watch and control your favorite TV source from anywhere in the world on your laptop or mobile phone has been posted over at CNET. 'The Slingbox Solo is about the size of three DVD cases stacked together, and it retains the trapezoidal shape of all previous Slingbox models. But the Solo's got a decidedly more polished look and feel--it's jet black (albeit with Sling's trademark red accents on the side), and the metal grille along the top and side gives it more of a classic high-end audio vibe. Except for the three red indicator lights on the front face, all the action is around back. There's no power switch either--once plugged in, the Slingbox is designed to be always on, just like a cable modem or router. The Solo's rear panel boasts composite, S-Video, and component video inputs and outputs, so it can sit between your cable or satellite box (or DVR) and your TV. That's a step up from last year's Slingbox AV, which lacked pass-through connectors.'

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Posted by Admin at 12:29 PM | Permalink

Reg Hardware have published a review of the TVonics DVR-250 digital TV recorder which allows you to record and store Free-to-View digital television and radio channels. 'The DVR-250 primarily uses the EPG to select content for recording, but you can also programme it VCR-style by entering specific times. You can begin watching a programme that's already begun being recorded - the so-called 'chase mode' - and even watch live TV in slo mo, which is fun to try, but not something you'll do frequently, I suspect. The box will apparently automatically adjust the programme recording time to match any changes in schedule caused by breaking news items or over-running sports events.'

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Posted by Admin at 12:54 PM | Permalink