Engadget HD Podcast 144 - 07.01.2009
By Trent Wolbe 
posted Jul 1st 2009 1:00PM
posted Jul 1st 2009 1:00PM
Good times this week as we discuss the future fallout of The Pirate Bay and illegal downloads in general. But that isn't the only fun we had as we also continued our Harris Poll talk, which we finally cut short since we are just sick of it. That doesn't mean we didn't continue talking Blu-ray though, as we covered more polls, including our own, and the latest Blu-ray player from Oppo. Finally we were all over the map on topics such as Hulu and the PS3, touchscreen remotes -- and why they suck -- then finally a little Curb your Enthusiasm and the ultimate technology laggards.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Steven Kim, Richard Lawler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Program
00:01:10 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 143 - 06.24.2009
00:08:34 - Pirate Bay acquired by Global Gaming Factory, going legit like Napster
00:17:35 - Top ten rationales for illegally downloading HDTV shows
00:24:25 - Harris Poll concerning Blu-ray and HD DVD penetration is way off
00:27:28 - Futuresource still predicting big things for Blu-ray
00:29:32 - Poll: So how do YOU think Blu-ray is doing?
00:38:48 - Oppo BDP-83 pre-orders now open for all (in North America)
00:44:27 - Supreme Court declines to hear remote storage DVR appeal, cloud recording is on the way
00:50:06 - Why aren't MTV HD's music videos in high definition?
00:52:44 - Hulu to PlayStation 3 browsers: "This video is not available on your platform"
00:56:16 - Hands-on with the Apple TV iPhone remote
01:01:30 - Netgear MoCA Coax-Ethernet adapter review
01:07:30 - Curb Your Enthusiasm going HD this season, if you really want to see Larry David in HD
01:11:16 - 2.1 million households let the DTV transition pass them by
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Ben, it was just in the third quarter of 2008 that laptop sales exceeded desktop sales, and the margin is still fairly slim. Considering that for every year up to that point desktops outsold laptops, and that people keep computers for more than a couple of years, it is almost assured that there are many more desktops in use out there than laptops.
Rather than the Benevision Dream for media accessibility, I think we can refer to the Beniverse, a universe in which what is "real" is what matches with Ben's own experiences and preferences. :0)
Personally, I really dislike working with a laptop. The typing experience is horrible compared to my ergonomic keyboard and I prefer my larger screen.
On the subject of "pirating" videos
Here is an argument I heard recently:
A: You have a subscription to a rent physical video media via mail service.
B: You subscription grants you a license to watch said videos (for private, non-performance use) without restriction.
C: You rip the physical video media. This is symantecly the same a ripping an audio CD (legal btw) although untested in court. Ongoing lawsuits may change this (Real Media vs. Greedy et al).
D: Watching the copy is identical to watching the original which you are licensed to watch.
Therefore E: So long as your subscription is maintained, and the provider continues to offer the video, you are licensed to watch your video copy because of B and D.
What do you think? It seems to me C is the only possible weak point in the argument.
Hey guys, meant 2 comment last week on your project natal coverage and just forgot and quite frankly assumed someone else would have written in. But I think everyone is forgetting that micosoft mentioned and demoed that natal is not only gesture based but has voice recognition. Which means it's potentially ALOT cooler as an addition to your home theater then just gestures to control the system. Imagine if they implement some kind of system tahr allows you to just speak what you want the media center to do. If you wanna watch netflix, you just say netflix and the name of the movie, etc. Pretty cool stuff potentialy.
About touch based remotes and voice control.
I can see someone using a touch remote (like iphone etc) for going through media like Ben said, but no way I would prefer an all touch based remote for my "normal" tv viewing (changing channels, volume up down, etc). For those things I dont want to have to look at the remote, just feel my way to the button and press.
And voice controlling a television or sound system, who ever thought of that. How the hell am I going to lower the volume when the stereo is at eleven. Maybe I could scream loud enough to get my alarm clock to recognise that I want to lower the sound, but there is now frikkin way I could ever over power my stereo amplifier.
So finally nathal, might look cool but some of the things MS want us to use it for just seem stupid.
So imagin your sitting in the livving room watching tv really loud. So loud that you dont hear your grand parants knocking at the door. Hearing the loud music they figure you dont hear them, so they just open the door. Finaly you see them from the sofa, you start to wave your arms around trying to pause the movie (maybe doing some kicks as well MS seams to like that), and a the same time trying to lower the volume by screaming command left and right.
Na I will stick to my "normal" remote.
Hello Enjoyed listening to the podcast live last week. This is Groover from the Ustream.
On the comment about the gas I was talking to Steve about his comparison of stealing a gallon of gas in comparison with downloading a tv show. I don't think that was a fair comparison because cable is a subscription service where you pay once a month for all you can eat.
I think if TV was available in on demand of all the shows there would not be a reason to download maybe.
If you want another reason some might say for downloading a movie could be Netflix is too slow. Like when a movie you want to watch is on a long wait. I'm sure with some that have had Netflix for a while they are used to watching whatever they want.
Natal is coming to the pc now too...might not be a good fit as nobody wants to act out mime in front of their laptop (!) or in a home office but perhpas this might be something that would work well with an HTPC as these are the only pcs likely to be hooked up to a big screen/pj.