Engadget HD Podcast 139 - 06.04.2009
By Trent Wolbe 
posted Jun 4th 2009 1:00PM
posted Jun 4th 2009 1:00PM
According the comments from last week it seems we've really hit our stride incorporating uStream into the show and we have to say it makes it much more fun. If there were two themes with week it would be the Xbox 360 as a media hub and Hulu. Some might argue that this doesn't have anything to do with HD, but it does. Once again Richard joined us this week, which is always a good thing, but it is even better when we talk anything gamer related, because lord know the rest of us aren't gamers. Finally we have a soap box addition as we express our disgust in HDMI for the five new versions of HDMI 1.4 -- yes five.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Steven Kim, Richard Lawler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
01:21 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 138 - 05.29.2009
14:10 - Xbox Live gets 1080p Zune video store, Netflix browsing, Twitter and Facebook integration
24:00 - Poll: Do you actually want to watch TV via your game console?
26:15 - Hulu Desktop app puts a remote control friendly face on for Macs & PCs
33:44 - Hulu coming to Roku video player?
43:00 - Poll: How much would you pay for Hulu on your TV?
50:40 - DISH / EchoStar ordered to pay TiVo $190 million in patent infringement case
59:23 - HDMI 1.4 officially detailed: Ethernet / Audio Return channels, 3D, 4K x 2K support
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)
No AAC. Something happen?
No matter, I got the MP3.
Yeah, My iTunes is saying it can't find the file. Please upload the AAC file.
Thanks!
hey ben when talking about the audio codecs for the xbox stuff they use wma pro (which if you believe the ms pr spin) is as efficient as some of the other codecs. And we dont know but they could even go to WMA lossless which would be equivalent to truehd or dts-master.
except you need a AVR that decodes WMA Pro to get 5.1/7.1 versus DolbyDigital Plus or DTS which most people can decode.
Given the fact that a lot of people who have a Xbox360 do not have HDMI unless their unit is a replacement for a RRoD or they are late adopters so you are limited to S/PDIF out which complicates matters for decoding of something other than DolbyDigital or DTS and the Xbox360 doesn't analog outputs for letting it decode the audio.
So is it decoding WMA in the Xbox360 and sending PCM?
P.S. good podcast guys, but I think you have a ground loop somewhere becasue there is a good bit of hum going on in the 60hz range, might be on Richard's end since it sounds louder when he is talking but atlest we can hear him this week :)
someone was seriously clicking up a storm towards the end, made me lol
Love the show guys. The live ustream is just a blast. It's like when i yell at my tv at only in this case my tv can hear me and respond. Love the show love the site.
I do agree still a little early to be disappointed I still would have liked to hear a little more details about the Zune HD announcement at E3. With the talk about removing boxes I am surprised no one mentioned being able to browse Netflix's watch on demand without having to go to your PC. That seems to make the service a lot more appealing to casual viewers.
I am the other side of the coin since there so few movies I watch especially ones I would watch more than once I would rather pay $6.00 to watch it once than $14-30 to have a disk.
Hey guys great show! just wanted to comment on the hulu and netflix part of your
show.I currently cut my cable because of tough times but you know what i don't miss it at
all i'm currently on the one disc out plan with netflix with unlimited streaming and i use hulu
as a timeshift software on my mac mini and laptop it works great for me now that i'm
ota and not cable.I aslso have both a ps3 and xbox 360 with play on and i wouldn't pay
for a subcription plan from hulu because is already free unless they offer it with an already
ridiculous xbox live gold fee. thanks freddy
I'm a little dissapointed also at the microsoft e3 conference for not announcing hulu or
updating anything that day the fall is too far away for not updating netflix browsing how come
media center fo netflix already has it come on MS it's not that hard.
I'm having problems also with the AAC file in iTunes. It won't download.
I'm curious to know what you all think about the Last.fm, Twitter, and Facebook applications that were announced for the Xbox 360. Did Microsoft properly map the 1.5-foot interface of a PC to the 10-foot interface?
I'm also curious to know how you feel about the Xbox 360 interface and its usability. As a "connected STB" is it up to snuff?
I cut cable a few years ago, I can't stand paying for a service and having to watch commercials, it's like paying for something twice. If Hulu can provide a great HD product per subscription without commercials it will be very compelling as long as they provide full seasons. Hulu could go the Netflix route and be a serious competitor to Netflix. I would pay for a Hulu experience if they offered similar content as Netflix but in HD. I can't stand Netflix after the Bluray price increase mess.
We need a competitor to Netflix Instant Streaming. I hope the studios realize the importance of Instant Streaming and give consumers what they want. Instant gratification, I will be glad to pay a nice price for something that I want. But it has to be a good product, Netflix Instant Streaming has to be improved before I will pay a premium for the service at this point. I mean no HD for the browser come on. Forget downloads I want subscriptions, I watch to many movies.
Hey guys great show, love the live feel even tho I don't get to contribute live.
I have a question for Ben,
What is the current status of commercial removal in Win7 Media Center? I'm thinking of switching from Vista Media Center, but I have to have my commercial skipping. I bought ShowAnalyzer and don't mind getting my hands dirty.
Thanks,
C