Engadget HD Podcast 176 - 01.26.2010
By Trent Wolbe 
posted January 26th 2010 4:39PM
posted January 26th 2010 4:39PM
No guests this week, but there's still plenty of HD related topics to talk about. Of course that includes 3D, but after that we had time to discuss a new Blu-ray player from Oppo, future possibilities for digital distribution and exactly what we're expecting from NBC's costly Winter Olympics coverage. After that the talk turns to the legal aspects of the latest action from the FCC, and Microsoft's patent infringement lawsuit. We wrap things up with an evaluation of DirecTV's multiroom beta, and just what happened to all the hype over connected HDTVs in 2010.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Richard Lawler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Program
00:58 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 175 - 1.22.2009
05:30 - 3D stole the show at CES 2010
08:40 - CableLabs starts testing 3D, determines existing set-tops are compatible
13:02 - Discovery searches for name for 3D channel, 3DNet is on the list
15:35 - Oppo adds a cheaper Blu-ray player to its lineup with the $289 BDP-80
20:22 - Digital distribution is the real winner of Warner/Netflix deal
25:06 - Hulu's subscription service might run $5 for access to select shows
27:45 - ESPN streaming coming to Xbox 360?
35:00 - NBC divvies up 835 hours of Winter Olympics action over TV & online, how much curling can you watch?
40:32 - FCC sides against cable companies restricting local sports HD feeds
44:05 - Microsoft has AT&T's back, sues TiVo for patent infringement
47:15 - DirecTV's public beta of multi-room viewing for existing DVRs is on
52:50 - Poll: Did you buy an internet connected HDTV?
LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)
Yay the podcast is up! Something to listen to tonight after our business meeting tonight!
Speaking of espn on the xbox.... (assuming this turns out to be true). I think its as likely part of this deal involves espn going to silverlight 3.0 for their streaming since the 360 would be unable to play the current streams. I would be nice to see espn360 go HD as part of this deal.
The NBC olympics proves you can do pretty decent live hd with only 3.5 mbit.
What about espn360 on the Boxee box? Would it work?
I finally just got my updates to my Directv receiver and now I can use the Multiroom functionality. As a long time user of Directv multiroom viewing incredible and just what I have been wanting for. Before I say to much I have been a Directv customer for a long time and actually think the onscreen guide and menus are great. I am sure there are better but it is much better than everything else in my area (Charter, Dish Network, AT& T).
As to the multiroom, I might have a unique situation to some people, but I have had 4 of the HD DVR for a long time. I have to remember to record certain things to certain DVR, depending on where I want to watch them. Some things in the bedroom, some things for the TV room with surround sound, some things for the kids in a different room and some things on all of them. If I did not record it on the right one I cannot watch it in that room. I cannot start something in one room and then finish it in the other room without remembering where I left off and fast forwarding it to the right point. Since the DVR's could be network I already had all of that setup.
Now with multiroom I can watch anything on any of the DVR's in any of the rooms. You do not have to copy it over to the machine. All of your recordings show up in list and in folders. It adds a label to the description of the show for which rooms DVR it is on. I can delete the shows from any of the DVR's. It will remember where I left off in watching the show and I can resume it in a different room. I have not tried any On Demand shows or Pay per view yet but I rarely watch those anyway. One thing I cannot do but it is not a big deal is change the recordings of a show that is on a different DVR or add setup something to record to a DVR in a different room. I actually have to go to that machine to do that. I hope they will update this in the future. But if I do want to setup a show to record on a different DVR than the one in room I am in is to just use the Directv iPhone app or the website and I can setup any show to record in any room.
So what I have now done is setup each DVR to only record certain types of show. One DVR for kids shows, one for movies and TV show, one for the crap filler shows and one for sports. I can now watch any of those in any room and anytime. The best part is it did not cost me any more than I am already paying and it has made TV watching so much easier.
I even like the new search and show info, cast and crew things they just put in too.
After listening to your podcast, I went to my local SonyStyle (Westchester Mall) to check out 3D. I have been really looking forward to 3D since I saw a U2 concert in 3D at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Avatar just cemented this technology to me.
There was a big sign in the window that said "3D TV is here!". But the 3D that Sony was showing was awful. They were showing clips from "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" running from a PS3 to a Sony LCD. There were about 5 pairs of glasses lying around. I tried them all to make sure there wasn't something wrong with the glasses. The 3D was very blurry even with almost no motion.
I am guessing that the TV was not configured correctly. I still have high hopes for the technology, but I am worried that demos like this will give it a bad name. Hoping you guys have seen something better.
I've got to agree with techSponge, the DirecTV MRV stuff has been pretty great so far. Being able to watch 1/2 a show in the living room and then move to the bedroom and pick up mid-stream is fantastic. It's also a blessing when my son climbs into bed with us (when he's sick or something) and we can stream his kid shows from the living room DVR). Aside from the box being a bit slow, I think the DirecTV DVR is pretty great and lightyears ahead of what I had with Brighthouse (in Orlando). I've tried MediaCenter with a CableCard when it first came out (real early adopter) but it was always flaky and the would need constant rebooting. Brighthouse would then add new HD channels but not support them on CableCard (still charging $6 per card).. making it increasingly useless. MediaCenter is great, but Cablecards and the cable companies support for them is utter crap and therefore makes it unfeasible for most people who want premium content. Not to mention, going back to the Brighthouse DVR would feel like going back to a VCR (no folders, no 30 second skip, no MRV, etc)
Ben,
I used to think BlockBuster was for old people too, but I've come around to realize that for me it's the better solution. I recently did a 4 week trial of BlockBuster's online service and came away impressed. I strictly rent BluRays and specifically new releases. Netflix never has the movies I want in stock and I'm usually waiting and now a number of the movies have a 30 day window. I currently have both Netflix and BlockBuster and while BlockBuster takes an extra day in the mail, they are shipping new releases faster and I can in store exchange them for another new release. They don't charge me the extra $3/month for Blurays and the store almost always has movies in stock that I've been waiting for weeks to get from Netflix. I have a BlockBuster across from my office so it's nothing to stop by. Sure, no streaminig... but like you I can't stand streaming quality or lack of surround sound. For me, I think it's the better solution. I've gotten 9 new release movies already this 1 month trial and I still have 12 days left. It seems odd defending BlockBuster after hating them so long, but if you want new release Blurays on the cheap, they seem like the way to go (for now). Try the free trial, you might change your mind too.