Engadget HD Podcast 148 - 07.29.2009
By Trent Wolbe 
posted Jul 30th 2009 1:30AM
posted Jul 30th 2009 1:30AM
Things are starting to get interesting again in the world of Windows Media Center now that Windows 7 is done, so we spent some time talking about what's new and what it will take to get people to use it. According to the HD Guru there is a new king in town and it's Panny's latest plasma, but who to believe? You'll have to have a listen to see where you land. Last up we talk a little Blu-ray and about the on going format war in China as well as the latest Michael Bay IMAX sequence controversy.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Steven Kim, Richard Lawler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Program
00:00:50 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 147 - 07.22.2009
00:04:00 - Windows 7 Media Center review
00:27:50 - How-to: Build an HD Media Center for under $1000
00:31:28 - Xbox 360's new Netflix Movie Parties disabled for Starz Play titles?
00:36:40 - Samsung UN46B7000 LED backlit LCD review
00:45:00 - Panasonic's TC-P54V10 plasma crowned king, so sayeth the HD Guru
00:52:52 - Blu-ray reportedly trailing CBHD in China, the second theater of the format war begins
00:54:36 - Poll: Is Final Cut Pro an indication of more Blu-ray support coming from Apple?
00:58:20 - Sony's Blu-ray MegaChanger hits the streets next month with new ES standalone
01:04:00 - Michael Bay plans The Dark Knight-style IMAX sequences for Transformers 2 Blu-ray
01:08:10 - Audioholics overviews entry level receiver choices
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The requested URL /engadgethd/podcasts/EngadgetHD_Podcast_148.mp3 was not found on this server.
Apache/1.3.33 Server at stadium.weblogsinc.com Port 80
yea they are not working :-(
You say that there's no way to record the buffer. If you rewind the video to the beginning of the buffer could you hit record and have it record from there? Yeah you'll have to watch it again but would that work?
Thanks everyone, we are aware of the glitch this week and are looking into it now.
Downloaded through iTunes on my phone and it gave me the last Engadget CLASSIC podcast even though I download the HD one :(
I get the same result as TrueEddie.
My hands are shakin from a lack of Ben's beautiful voice in podcast form. HALP!
Everything should be running smoothly now....sorry for the glitches, and thanks for your patience.
Thanks for all your hard work Trent, everything is kosher now!
The recycle bin's size is configurable (right click on the bin and select properties), so technically you can have any size you want.
I think the biggest drawback to using the recycle bin is that they are user specific, so if you delete something who's bin does it end up in (network service, pc user, extenderN user)?
The more important question is why does the bin even have to be part of the equation? Deleting an item on MC doesn't have to actually delete it, just mark it as "deletable", remove it from the standard view and make it show up on the deleted items view. When space is low MC could start there to make room for more recordings...
Ultimately, it's just another really simple feature that eHome should have implemented and hasn't (how long did video resume take?). Maybe in 8MC.
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The real value add for MC (and other HTPC solutions) all the functionality besides TV that it enables (movies, music, pictures, media automation, etc). TV gets it in the door for most (it did for me), but when discussing cost/value versus solutions like Tivo and CableCo's DVR it's important to include those features in the mix.
No need to RAID your movie store. Using something like WHS you just need to enable folder duplication to protect the data, and you have unlimited storage @$80 a TB (not to mention that you can buy storage as it becomes necessary, and storage only gets cheaper).
I didn't see it in the specs, but I wonder how many simultaneous movies the Sony changer can playback where the number of clients in the store on hard drive method is limited by network bandwidth (and later, much later, disc I/O).
related to the xbox live watching party thing (parties are limited to 8 people).... just a suggestion but it might be a good idea (if there is more than 8 people interested in doing this) to have each engadgethd person host their own party that way you can get however many people do it multiplied by 8. Gives you alot more expandability.
im with you about the potential usefulness of it but the fact that you are even considering doing this already makes this better than anything to date on bdlive.
also just another idea.... might be a good idea to email/contact major nelson about this. he might be able to provide some more people willing to host netflix parties (and have it be like their game with fame stuff they do)
All due respect and I really love listening to the podcast but it seems like over the past couple of weeks the issues I have with some gaming journalist and their podcasts are creeping up here as well. High End HD gear is purchased by the minority and the majority try to get what they can comfortably afford.
The reason Media Center anything hasn't caught on or in my opinion will, is ease of use. People will pay extra for ease of use and one thing that's not associated with any version of Windows is it's ease of use for everyone. That's where Apple got it right and why people love ipods and itunes and the iphone. The reason people aren't considering windows media center as an alternative to a cable dvr is they know if that there are a ton more issues that can pop up. Most people aren't like any of the hosts on this show or many the readers of this blog. The idea of spending $200+ to setup a way to watch tv and having to set it up yourself is not attractive and it's not as fun as working out of the box. Even purchasing a machine with windows media center and hooking up your cable card doesn't come easier than having a tech come out and setup the box for you. The techs that come out to setup cable as you know hardly know how to do a good job of that as it is let alone a customer setting up media center PC.
I think the reason you find it hard to understand why people haven't jumped on board is that you've obviously distanced yourself from the average consumer too much. The point I was getting at earlier is listening to your response to reader emails and comments are somewhat disrespectful and plain rude. People come to your website to get information so that they're more informed about the products and choices out there, not to be insulted for their lack of knowledge about the tons and tons of expensive products on the market.
What's funny about all of this is the topics you know little about you're perfectly fine with forgiving yourself for not know, but you don't show that same forgiveness to the people who actually value your opinion.
I enjoyed hearing about the topics you talked about and wrote in previously to see if you guys could provide information about the PS3 and it's multimedia capabilities. The response was you weren't interested and it wasn't something you cared to research. I've continued to listen to get information on the other topics but you're attitude sounds like it's carried over to other people who have asked for your help.
Hopefully you guys can get your act together and bring back the class that this podcast originally had.
Other than that keep up the good work I suppose?
It surprises me I have to say this to anyone, but you don't "get" the site. It is not for the majority, it is not for my friends or even my family. It is for HD enthusiasts.
When I was talking about Media Center adoption, I was talking about in reference to our readers and other tech people. More specifically, I was talking about other Engadget editors like Richard and Steve. That's because before MC can even have 10% of the 360 users, it has to get those on the cutting edge, which currently it doesn't.
Now many, many years from now, when it is easy to use and affordable, maybe more people will use it, but for the foreseeable future it isn't even on the radar for 95% of the people.
I'm glad you listen and appreciate your concern, but lets face it there are way less than a fraction of a percent of American's who have ever heard of Engadget HD, never the less listen to the show.
**Funny aside** Years ago when I got the idea to podcast, one of my top show name ideas was "HD Snobs." So yeah, I always envisioned the show to be what you despise.
Well I have to say I respect your honesty it's refreshing to see that you're not trying to pretend you're something your not. Also thanks for the timely response.
Also what kind of HD Snob buys a 360 and not a PS3 :)
Later Ben, Keep up the good work
Haha. Well I was impatient so I bought a $1000 Blu-ray player in May instead of waiting until the Fall for the PS3. And I only own the 360 because I use it instead of a STB to watch Live TV. If the full version of Grand Tourismo ever comes out, then I'll pick up a PS3.
I have been tempted to help get friends and family going on MCE and extenders, but I always struggle with the whole cable card complexity. If they have problems, they become my problems. It is just too much for even the average enthusiast. The required truck-roll from the cable co is the worst part. 2 of them come, IF they know what they are doing, they stand around your house, call the office, get someone that doesn't even know what cable card is, etc. UGH it is brutal. Even if you get it all working, the often forgotten spectre of SDV looms. If DirecTV or Dish came out with compatibility, I would look closely at it, but that is always "coming". Of course, none of this is an issue for me anymore as I am in the process of ripping out MCE and going with SageTV. It runs like a champ on WHS, and the extenders play everything (without stuttering!). 4 Extenders and a 360 going on ebay soon!
I just finished listening to the segment on Windows 7 Media Center. Prior to Windows 7 I had never even considered building a Windows Media Center based PC. Of course previously I was also on Directv where this wouldn't have been an option plus with the cheap cost of SD Directivos, it wouldn't have been a good deal.
Now that I am on Fios it is a different matter. The price of the Avermedia Duet was a huge deciding factor since I picked them up for around $100 on sale from Dell for 2 cards. What is still holding me back from full replacement is the cost of the cablecard tuners not to mention the fact single tuners are the only option. I bought 2 Tivo HDs with lifetime on sale for $800 which is around what it would cost me to buy 4 DCTs. This is before you add in the price of 4 cable cards versus 2 and the cost of an extender to match the setup of 2 Tivo HDs.
I would love to build or buy a complete Media Center with cablecard support even though I love my Tivos, but until cheaper CC multituners are an option count me on the sidelines routing for Ceton to release their card at a great price.
I know for a fact that "So you think you can Dance" is completely in HD. If you think it's not, you must not be watching it on FIOS.
I'm a FIOS subscriber in TX and we have the little HD logo there the whole time, and the image never looks 'soft'.