The release of the first beta of XBMC 11.0 “Eden” turned out to be a great Christmas present. I’ve been using it regularly since its release, and other than some issues with building a library from a SMB share, the Eden beta has been quite stable. The interface is faster than ever and the new horizontal layout is a welcome […]
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The Xbox 360’s fall update brought a whole slew of new video playback options, but as it turns out the update also brought with it a nasty bug affecting the system’s RGB colorspace output during video playback. The result was a washed-out image and more visible compression artifacts. It took awhile, but Microsoft is finally acknowledging the issue and has […]
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Folks using Media Center Master for managing metadata can look forward to an update the next time fire up the program. Version 1.34 has been issued via auto-update. There’s no sign of the usual changelog post in the MCM forums, but evidently the update fixes an issue accessing NZBMatrix.com which will good news for premium MCM users who use NZBMatrix.com […]
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We had the opportunity to review Fractal Design’s Arc Midi case last month and came away generally pleased, particularly with the case’s versatility and value. It would make a solid foundation for any HTPC or home server build. I am continually surprised with how many drive bays Fractal Design manages to fit into their cases without sacrificing accessibility. Our friends […]
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The ever-popular aTV Flash (black) from FireCore has been updated to version 1.2. The update brings a number of new features as well as a raft of bug fixes and system improvements. The biggest new feature is a video zoom function that can be accessed through the Playback Menu to allow users to stretch just about any video to fill […]
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Time Warner Cable launched their live TV streaming app for Android phones just about a month ago, and today the company announced that iPhone and iPod Touch owners can get in on the action as well. The iOS app is actually an update to the previously iPad-only app. It offers Time Warner Cable subscribers live TV streaming over their home […]
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Gaming PCs and HTPCs come in all shapes and sizes, and it is not at all uncommon for the lines to cross, but Alienware may well have come up with one of the more exciting line-crossers in quite awhile with the freshly minted X51. The Alienware X51 is a small-form factor gaming PC that could easily pass for a gaming […]
Read moreThose who know me, know that I’m not a big fan of advertising. Of course “the why” isn’t nearly as simple as it would first appear however. The fundamental problem with advertising isn’t with the message per se, but the delivery – as an onerous chore, forced upon us in some sort of arcane moral obligation for “free” content. While […]
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It has been easy to beat up on Netflix over the last several months. The company was a golden child of the Internet during its rise over Blockbuster and with its forward-thinking transition to streaming media provider, but we are all aware of the gaffes the company has committed that have taken the shine off that luster. Though the company […]
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I often find that that good networking kit is neglected when it comes to building an solid connected home theater, with low-end network interface cards (NIC), routers and wireless access points (AP) creating a sub-standard experience. It’s also an area where we haven’t done as much as we should to spread the word through guides and reviews – something that […]
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