Tag Archives: htpc

XBMC 12 Frodo launches in finished form with support for Android, live TV

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XBMC 12 Frodo

XBMC 12 Frodo has spent enough time in beta that you'd think it was walking to Mordor. Whatever prompted the long trek, it's at last over: the finished version of XBMC 12 is hitting the servers. As promised, the completed edition significantly expands the media center app's universe to include initial support for Android and Raspberry Pi, as well as live TV and DVR functionality. Sticklers for quality may like the upgrade as well, as there's new support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio processing on top of 10-bit H.264 video decoding. There's considerably more on tap with the completed Frodo build than what we can list here, so hit the download link if you want to see what two months of testing delivers.

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Source: XBMC

Z3RO Pro Computer Will Fit Just About Anywhere

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If you’re like me, you may have long wanted to have a home theater PC in your living room entertainment center. The problem that I have – that I bet a few of you suffer from as well – is that my wife already has the entertainment center stuffed with all manner of knick-knacks. That means there’s barely any room for any actual home theater components.

A company called Xi3 Corporation has a new computer suitable for HTPC applications that will fit in just about any entertainment center, including mine. The machine is called the Z3RO Pro Computer and it measures just 4.875 x 3.625 x 1.875 inches.

xi3 z3ro computer

That means the computer is roughly the size of a paperback novel, and not one of those gigantically thick Stephen King paperbacks either.

Inside that tiny chassis is a dual-core 64-bit x86-based processor operating at 1.65 GHz. The machine has an integrated GPU with 80 graphics cores and a top resolution of 2560×1600. It’s got 4 GB of RAM, and the ability to include an SSD ranging in size from 16GB to 1TB. The machine has a pair of DisplayPort video outputs including one that pulls HDMI duty as well. For connectivity, it has a gigabit Ethernet port, and four eSATAp 3.0 ports. Surprisingly, the one thing that’s clearly missing is integrated Wi-Fi, so you’ll have to use a USB dongle or Ethernet/Wi-Fi bridge for that.

It consumes only 15 W of power, and ships with the openSUSE Linux operating system pre-installed. That said, you can also install Windows 8 or other operating systems if you so choose.

Shipping for the Xi3 Z3RO Pro is set for Q2 2013 with prices starting at $399 (USD).

DIY Silent Computer Doesn’t Make a Peep

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I’ve gotten used to my computer rig making lots of noise, when it’s totally quiet, it usually indicates some sort of a hardware failure. Some computers run 24/7 and generate a lot of heat because getting work done. While there are certainly some machines out there that have no fans and are pretty quiet, Redditor DeFex wanted to build a rig that was completely silent, by doing away with fans, and all other moving parts.

diy silent computer heatsink

His DIY silent computer  features a 65W Intel Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, so it’s powerful enough to handle all his media center needs. A solid state disk replaces a traditional IDE drive, which gets noisy. SSDs also generate less heat. This system also has no DVD or Blu-ray drive. In order to cool this computer, DeFex picked up a large 10″×7″ heatsink from HeatSinkUSA, which draws away heat from the motherboard.

diy silent computer heatsink complete

The case includes some parts that were 3d-printed using a MakerBot 3D. The overall project is pretty cool, though it’s still a work in progress. You can check out more pics of the build over on imgur.

diy silent computer heatsink construction

[via Liliputing]

Plex desktop app becomes Plex Home Theater, adds AirPlay and HD audio

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Plex desktop app becomes Plex Home Theater, adds AirPlay and HD audio

Plex wants us to settle in for some holiday viewing in front of our home theater PCs, and to that effect it's delivering a major beta update to its desktop app -- including a new name. The more clearly defined Plex Home Theater syncs up with the XBMC 12 beta and simplifies Plex's own update process. For those in the living room, shifting to the newer base brings AirPlay streaming from nearby Apple-friendly gear as well as 10-bit H.264 video and HD audio. Behind-the-scenes updates bring more efficient video rendering and fix some older bugs, such as audio sync with SD footage. The catch to enjoying all this? As the upgrade is pre-release code, Plex is limiting early access to PlexPass subscribers. Media mavens still willing to pay the premium can check out the source link for an upgrade to their end-of-year movie marathons.

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Via: GigaOM

Source: Plex

XBMC 12 Beta 2 rolls out, brings first Android beta APK

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The second official beta of XBMC 12 "Frodo" is ready for testing, and if you've been waiting to move up from the nightlies you finally can -- as long as it meets a few requirements, like supporting Neon processor code (most HTC and Samsung devices do). There's a compatibility list of devices known to work, although there are known issues with Android 4.2 that won't be addressed until Beta 3. Also improved in this version is support for the Xbox 360 controller, no matter what platform you're using it on, along with some audio fixes and other tweaks. Hit the source link for the full list of updates or just go straight to the download page if your media device can't wait.

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Source: XBMC, Download

OpenELEC 3.0 Linux distro launches in beta, rolls in XBMC 12

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OpenELEC 30 Linux distro launches in beta, rolls in XBMC 12

We hope you weren't getting settled in with OpenELEC 2.0. Hot on the heels of the finished 2.0 release, the developement team has pushed out a first beta of OpenELEC 3.0 that folds XBMC 12.0 Frodo into the Linux distribution for home theater PCs. Accordingly, most of the additions are those that come with XBMC's code base: OpenELEC now supports ARM through the Raspberry Pi, betters its DVR support and slips in a modern audio engine. The distro-specific changes bring an update to the Linux 3.6 kernel, many more hardware drivers and an option to boot to RAM instead of a pokey hard drive. Running one beta based on another carries more than its share of risk, so be careful; if the positives for your living room continue to outweigh the pitfalls, 3.0 awaits at the source link.

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Source: OpenELEC

MediaPortal posts 2.0 alpha media hub and new remote apps, teases 1.3 beta with Titan

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MediaPortal posts 20 alpha and new remotes, teases 13 beta with Titan

Home theater PC owners only just recovering from their turkey or tofu comas will have some updating to do -- MediaPortal has been busy. The experimenters among us will most likely want to jump straight into the promised MediaPortal 2.0 Alpha Autumn, which carries new visual layouts and video backgrounds, a news plug-in and a party-friendly music player. New versions of remote tools like aMPdroid, MPExtended, WebMediaPortal and WifiRemote bring their own slew of upgrades, such as HTTP Live Streaming in MPExtended or a "what's new" interface in aMPdroid. We'll readily admit that our eye is most drawn to the yet-to-be-launched MediaPortal 1.3 beta's addition of the Titan skin you see up above: going beyond what we saw in October, the extra-polished look goes a long way towards accommodating newcomers and the style-conscious. We're still waiting on publicly accessible 1.3 beta code, but everything else is waiting for open-source media hubs at the included links.

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Via: Missing Remote

Source: MediaPortal (1), (2), (3)

Ceton releases Windows 8 drivers, Echo set-top box is getting Android inside for the holidays

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Ceton releases Windows 8 drivers, Echo settop box is getting Android inside for the holidays

Ceton will have something unexpected under the tree for early adopters of its $179 Echo Windows Media Center Extender -- Android. Updates are on the way that will bring not only finalized Extender software, but also beta support for the Android platform and apps. Detailed in a message sent to testers this evening, there's also an update rolling out in the next 24 hours that upgrades video output to 1080p and exposes settings for the Echo like optical audio out, bitstreaming over HDMI or optical and diagnostics. Even if you're not in that beta test but just like running the latest software, Ceton has also pushed out beta InfiniTV drivers for Windows 8 users (note: tuner bridging is not supported if the card is installed in a Windows 8 PC.) There's even a beta version of the Ceton Companion services that connect Media Center PCs to its mobile Companion apps -- which coincidentally are on sale for $2.99 at the moment -- for Windows 8 users to try out as well. Hit the source links for all of the details and expect more info on how the Echo puts Android on your HDTV soon.

Update: The Echo is also now available and shipping from Amazon, as well as the previously announced NewEgg.

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Source: Ceton (1), (2)

Vudu brings HDX 1080p streaming and downloadable movies to PCs

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Vudu brings HDX 1080p streaming, downloadable movies to PCs

While HDX video has been a trademark for the Vudu service for years, when it launched streaming and Vudu-to-go downloads for PCs last year, they were limited to standard definition. That's been corrected recently, as the service is now offering 1080p or 720p HDX video via the web. What you still won't get on the PC unfortunately is higher quality sound as it's still limited to stereo audio for now, and in our tests we weren't able to access the Flash streams on a phone or tablet. Just log into the website and you should be able to try it out for yourself, however you will need adequate internet speed and an HDCP-compliant display -- check out the details at the link below.

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Vudu brings HDX 1080p streaming and downloadable movies to PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBMC 12 ‘Frodo’ Beta 1 appears, includes support for Android, Raspberry Pi, HD audio and more

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XBMC 12 'Frodo' Beta 1 appears, includes support for Android, Raspberry Pi, HD audio and more

Development of the XBMC project has continued to roll along since Eden launched officially earlier this year, and now the first beta for v12 Frodo is live. Those who dive in will experience a slew of new features that have been trickling out in monthly builds recently, including support for HD audio formats like DTS-MA and Dolby TrueHD, live TV and PVR access plus versions for Android and Raspberry Pi. There's a long list of features to check out -- and known issues, this is a beta after all -- check out the official blog for all the details and to try it out yourself.

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XBMC 12 'Frodo' Beta 1 appears, includes support for Android, Raspberry Pi, HD audio and more originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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