Consumer Home Networked Media Gallery

Networked digital media around the home

    by Douglas Dixon

       

Home Networked Media
    Home Networked Media Technology - UPnP, DLNA
    Home Media Sharing Products - Apple TV, Archos, VUDU, Sling
    Internet Radio and Music Services

PC / TV Media: Capture and Transfer
    PC TV and Video Capture - ATI, Pinnacle
    Portable TV Recording: PC to TV - SanDisk
    See Game Consoles: PS3, Xbox 360

Home Video Monitoring and Webcams
    Consumer Web Cams: USB - Logitech
    Consumer Internet Cameras: IP - Creative, WiLife

Home Media Servers - Backup / Archiving
    Share, Archive -- NAS - Network Storage, Media Servers
    Backup -- External Hard Drive

See also:
    Consumer HDTV Gallery
    High-Def DVD Gallery

Home Networked Media

• Share stored content around the house over home network 
• Connections among PCs and consumer electronics devices
• Don't need to go to a specific room and use a specific player device to access home media library
• Play music stored on PC (or streamed directly over the Internet) on stereo system
• Watch movies downloaded to your PC on living room TV
• Watch TV shows from set-top digital video recorder on bedroom TV

Home Networked Media Trends - Holiday 2009

• Home Networked Media Sharing
• PC / TV Media Capture
• Home Video - Webcams
  • Microsoft LifeCam Cinema [HD]
  • Astak Mole Internet camera
  • Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks -
  • Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks
• Home Media Servers: Backup / archiving

See also:

• 2009 International CES Summary
• Holiday Gadgets 2008

Trends - 2008

Purchased content is becoming less encumbered, with DRM-free MP3 downloads and managed transfers within the connected home. But do you want TV on your PC, and/or PC features on your TV -- with RSS feeds in pop-up windows? And who will control the box that bridges the two worlds, the cable company or Apple TV?

• Local devices: Bluetooth, Wireless USB
      WirelessHD, multi-gigabit uncompressed, lossless audio, video and data
• Whole-home: Wi-Fi (802.11n), Powerline HomePlug (Zytel) vs. HD-PLC (Panasonic)
      Z-Wave Alliance - Connected Home wireless home control and automation
• Neighborhood: WiMAX (Xohm / Sprint, Intel)

Infrastructure 

• Set-top networking
      TV displays and set-top players include network connectors
• Networked media gateways / servers
      Digital cable boxes: DVRs
      Game players: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360
• Set-top networked players: Bridge TV, PC, Internet
      Apple TV, Slingbox, VUDU
• Software media players act as networked UPnP players and even servers
      InterVideo WinDVD, CyberLink PowerDVD
• Microsoft Windows Vista has built-in networked media support
      Windows XP Media Center computers
      Windows Media Connect option for Windows XP acts as an UPnP server,
      Access from remote Media Center Extender devices
      www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter

    Next: Home Media Sharing Products

Home Networked Media Technology

    See Home Networked Media Resources: Digital Media Networking Formats

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

• Simple and robust connectivity between stand-alone devices and PCs from different vendors
      Consumer electronics, intelligent appliances, mobile devices
• Members: Computing, printing and networking; Consumer electronics; 
      Home appliances, automation, control and security; Mobile products.
• www.upnp.org

Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), 

• Open standards and widely available industry specifications
• Enable wired and wireless interoperable network of Personal Computers (PC), 
      Consumer Electronics (CE) and mobile devices in the home 
      enabling a seamless environment for sharing and growing new digital media and content services
• Consumers are acquiring, viewing and managing an increasing variety of digital content 
      on their PCs, consumer electronics products and mobile devices. 
      They want to be able to easily and conveniently enjoy this content using any electronic device, 
      and from any location in their home, and beyond.
• www.dlna.org

Home Networking Technology 

    WiFi - see Wireless Media Resources: Wireless Broadband Networking Technology
    Home Networking - see Home Digital Media Resources: Digital Media Transmission Formats

Home Networking Technology 

Wi-Fi 

• 802.11b - 2.4 GHz spectrum with a bandwidth of 11 Mbps
• 802.11a - 5 GHz frequency range with a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps
• 802.11g - 2.4 GHz frequency but with a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps.
• 802.11n - at least 100 Mbps, up to 540 Mbps

WiMAX

• Range 50 km, data rates of 70 Mbps

MoCA (Multimedia over Cable Alliance)

• Fastest: theoretical 270 Mbps, actual 135 Mbps
• Low latency rate: 5 milliseconds actual usage, 20 to 30 for HomePlug AV and HPNA
• Minimal interference from other TV signals and no interference from household appliances or devices
• www.mocalliance.org

HomePlug Powerline Alliance - Electrical Wiring

• Electrical is most pervasive wiring in the home 
• HomePlug AV - 2005 - maximum theoretical data rate of up to 200 Mbps
• HomePlug Turbo - 2004 - 85 Mbps  
• Noise, interference possibly incompatible
• www.homeplug.org

ZyXEL DMA1100Pdigital media adapter 

• HomePlug AV Powerline technology, DLNA server
• 1080i high definition (HD) streaming, HDMI connection to HDTV and USB 2.0 support
• Streams digital music and HD video to the home entertainment system with ease over power lines
• 2/08 - $269
• us.zyxel.com

HD-PLC - High Definition Power Line Communication

• 190 Mbps, nearly four times current wireless home networks
• CEPCA, CE (Consumer Electronics) Power Line Communication Alliance, established May 2005
      www.cepca.org
• HD-PLC Alliance, established September 2007
      www.hd-plc.org
• Panasonic

Home Phoneline Networking Alliance - HomePNA - HPNA

• Existing copper phone lines for in-home networking 
• Recently added ability to network over coax as well
• International Telecommunications Union, HomePNA 3.0 (G.9954) 
• Data rates of up to 240 Mbps, average data rate of 107 Mbps
• www.homepna.org

Home A/V Networking Technology - Wireless Displays

    See Home Digital Media Resources - Home A/V Networking Technology

High Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA)

• Members from IT, content provider, service provider , consumer electronics industry segments.
• Mission to utilize existing standards and technologies to create a design guideline for secure High Definition AV networks that will advance commercial deployment of products and services and will enhance the consumer HD entertainment experience
• Focus initially on IEEE 1394/FireWire
• www.hanaalliance.org

WirelessHD (WiHD)

• Formed in 2006, 40 companies
      Intel, LG, Panasonic, NEC, SAMSUNG, SiBEAM, Sony, Toshiba
• Next generation wireless digital network interface specification for consumer electronics products.
• Wireless streaming high-definition content between source devices and high-definition displays
• Combine uncompressed high-definition video, multi-channel audio, intelligent format and control data, and Hollywood approved content protection
• Uncompressed HD video, audio and data transmission, scalable to future high-definition A/V formats
• First generation high-speed rates up to 4 Gbps at ten meters for CE, PC, and portable devices 
• Core technology theoretical data rates as high as 25 Gbps
• www.wirelesshd.org

Pulse~LINK - Ultra Wideband (UWB)

• CWave Whole-Home Interactive HD solution 
• Whole-home distribution of interactive HD multimedia content over a hybrid wired/wireless network
• Room-to-room distribution of multiple HDTV streams and multimedia content 
      over both coax and wireless connections simultaneously from the same chipset
• Data rates more than 400 Mbps
• MAC/Baseband/RF chipset exceeds 1Gbps in UWB communications
• www.pulselink.net

DisplayLink - Networked Displays

• Extended display to multiple monitors -- Real-time video playback across a USB link
• High-performance Hardware Rendering Engine (HRE) network display chips and Virtual Graphics Card (VGC) software that power high-quality, fully interactive 32-bit true-color graphics 
• Adaptive compression algorithm and graphics protocol can also transmit graphics over other standard network interfaces, including wireless USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi
• www.displaylink.com

See also - Local Device Networking Technology: 
    Wireless USB, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication 

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Home Media Sharing Products

• Media sharing over home network
• Media content downloading
• DVR sharing across home network
• See Game Consoles: PS3, Xbox 360

Apple TV

• www.apple.com/appletv

10/09 - Apple TV 3.0 software: Redesigned main menu, easier access to on-demand HD movie rentals and purchases, HD TV shows, music and podcasts from the iTunes Store. Fullscreen iTunes Extras and iTunes LP, Genius Mixes and Internet radio

Watch iTunes library, iTunes Store rentals:      Movies, TV shows, music videos Free internet content: YouTube videos, podcasts, HD video podcasts     Photos from Flickr or .Mac Web Galleries Standard Definition rentals: 720 x 480 anamorphic, stereo,      New releases $3.99, Library titles $2.99 High Definition: 1280 x 720, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound,      New releases $4.99, Library titles $3.99 30 days to start watching, once started have 24 hours to finish watching 1/08 - 40 GB $229, 160 GB $329 3/07 - introduced - 40 GB $299   Find the  Apple TV on Amazon.com

Specs

• Intel processor, 40 or 160 GB hard drive
• Up to 50 / 200 hours of video, 9,000 / 36,000 songs, 25,000 pictures
• A/V: HDMI, Component video, Optical audio, Analog RCA stereo audio
• Network: 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 802.11n wireless
• Ports: USB 2.0, IR receiver (works with included Apple Remote)
• Footprint: 7.7 by 7.7 inches (197 by 197 mm), Height: 1.1 inches (28 mm)
• Weight: 2.4 pounds (1.09 kg)

Formats

• Video: H.264 / protected H.264 (iTunes Store): Up to 5 Mbps, Progressive Main Profile (CAVLC) with AAC-LC audio
      up to 160 Kbps (max 1280 x 720 at 24 fps, 960 x 540 at 30 fps) in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
• iTunes Store purchased video: 320 x 240, 640 x 480, 720 x 480 (anamorphic), or high-def 720p
• MPEG-4: Up to 3 Mbps, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (max 720 x 432 at 30 fps) 
      in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
• Audio: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps); protected AAC (iTunes Store); MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps); MP3 VBR; 
      Apple Lossless; AIFF; WAV; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through
• Photo: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PNG

Sling Media Slingbox: Networked Video / Place-Shifting

Slingbox - Watch set-top video on PC or mobile devices

• Transmit set-top TV signal to PCs and mobile devices 
• Run SlingPlayer on PC, Mac or Mobile device to watch TV remotely 
• Access home devices over the Internet -- to catch a favorite show or to watch local news
      Digital cable, satellite receiver, DVR, DVD player
• Use the virtual remote control to set up digital video recorder to record a show.
• Works over Ethernet network, or use SlingLink Powerline Ethernet Adapters 
      to pass network connection through home electrical wiring ($99)
• Slingbox TUNER - connects to cable modem or basic coaxial connection, 9/06 $179 (OLD)
• Slingbox AV  - SD -  2/08 $129, 9/06 $179
• Slingbox SOLO - HD -  2/08 $179
• Slingbox PRO - up to 4 A/V devices, HD - 2/08 $299, 9/06 $249 
• HD Connect accessory for HD $49.99
• SlingLink TURBO Powerline Ethernet Adapters - 2/08 $79, 9/06 $99
• SlingPlayer Mobile - for Palm, Windows Mobile, Symbian - 2/08 $99
• www.slingmedia.com

SlingCatcher - Watch PC / Internet content on TV (Q2 08)

• Digital video player for TV
• Watch video from Slingbox, PC / laptop, or virtually any video site on the Internet
• SlingPlayer for TV - watch video from any device connected to a Slingbox
• SlingSync - copy digital media files to USB hard drive attached to SlingCatcher
• SlingProjector - project anything playing on computer screen directly onto a television
• Due Q2, $249
• www.slingmedia.com/go/slingcatcher
• press release - www.slingmedia.com/get/pr-slingcatcher.html

    Find the Slingbox PRO on Amazon.com

VUDU - Internet Movies on Demand (9/07)

Instant access to HD films, TV shows, approximately 5,000 movies Pay as you go - no activation fees and no subscription fees Rental movies 99¢ to $3.99,      purchased movies $4.99 to $19.99, TV episodes $1.99 Displays HD content up to 1080i/1080p24  Two USB ports for future storage options (available within six months) Height: 2.4 in, Width: 8.9 in, Depth: 7.3 in, Weight: 4.2 lbs Storage: Unlimited rentals, 100 hours of owned movies' Requires High-speed broadband Internet connection     3 Mbps advertised (2.0 actual) for instant viewing     1.5 Mbps advertised (1.2 actual) for delayed viewing Audio Outputs: HDMI v 1.1, Digital Optical, Digital Coax, RCA (Dolby 5.1) Video Outputs: HDMI v 1.1, Component, S-Video, Composite Video Resolution: 1080p/24, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i --  HD recommended VUDU XL - high-end version designed for integration into high-end home theaters, ship end February 1/08 - price lowered to $295 9/07 - Introduced - $399 www.vudu.com   Find the  VUDU box on Amazon.com

Next: PC / TV Media: Capture and Transfer

ARCHOS TV+ -- WiFi Digital Video Recorder  (Q4 07)

• WiFi Media Player plus DVR
• 80 GB hard drive stores up to 100 movies, 800,000 photos, or 45,000 songs
• 250 GB hard drive stores up to 310 movies, 2,500,000 photos, or 145,000 songs
• Play movies, music, photos, podcasts, Web video, surf full Internet on TV
• Stream PC media library to the TV
• Download from the ARCHOS Content Portal: movies, TV shows and music
• Record and schedule TV shows and movies with the TV Program Guide
• Record video sources including satellite/cable box, VCR, DVD player, MPEG-4 format
• Remote control with integrated keyboard and mouse pointer
• Surf the Web, access online email, play Web video from sites like YouTube (optional Web browser plug-in)
• Sync your recorded TV shows to your ARCHOS portable media player
      (10 minutes to sync 2 hour movie)
• Video playback:  MPEG-4 (ASP@L5 AVI, up to DVD resolution)
      WMV (MP@ML, up to DVD resolution)
• Optional software plug-ins:
      Podcast plug-in: H.264 up to DVD resolution and AAC sound
      Cinema Plug-in: MPEG-2 MP@ML up to 10 Mbps (up to DVD resolution) and AC3 stereo sound
• Audio playback:  Stereo MP3 decoding @ 30-320 Kbits/s CBR & VBR, WMA, Protected WMA, WAV (PCM/ADPCM)
• With optional software plug-ins: AAC stereo ,  AC3 stereo audio and 5.1 sound
• Photo viewer:  JPEG, BMP, PNG 
• PDF viewer:  Reads PDF documents (not all PDF features) 
• Video recording:  Records NTSC/PAL/SECAM to MPEG-4 SP files with ADPCM stereo sound, 
      VGA resolution (640 x 480)@ 30 or 25 f/s, in AVI format
• Audio recording:  WAV (IMA ADPCM or PCM) format
• 250 x 164 x 37 mm, 1294 g
• Q4 07: 80 GB $249, 160 GB $399
• www.archos.com/products/gen_5/archos_tv/index.html?country=global&lang=en

    Find the ARCHOS TV+ on Amazon.com

ARCHOS TVportation Plug-in - Stream live TV  (5/08)

• Use ARCHOS TV+ as a streaming media server
      view live home TV over the Internet, change channels
      (not viewing of recorded / stored content)
• Clients for ARCHOS 605 / 705, Windows PCs / laptops, Windows Mobile smartphones
• available 5/08 - free server download for ARCHOS TV+
      $49 server for ARCHOS 605 and 705 WiFi and DVR Station
• Press release (PDF)

Sonos multi-room digital music system

Multi-room digital music system, whole house solution www.sonos.com Find the  Sonos music system on Amazon.com

Logitech Squeezebox Boom (9/08)   

All-in-one network music player, with integrated amplifier,      high-performance speakers, simplified setup 9/08 - $299 All-in-one design: Plug in to power outlet, connect to network     Includes remote control All-digital 30-watt amplifier Two 3/4-inch, high-def, soft-dome tweeters,      two 3-inch, high-power, long-throw woofers Bi-amplified design with high performance signal processor,      class D amplifiers and digital crossovers Stereo XL technology widens sound stage Wired Ethernet 10/100 or Wi-Fi wireless 802.11g networking 7-day alarm clock, six preset buttons Play local music library with SqueezeCenter music serve     Access personal music collection, create playlists     Connect to music services and Internet radio Connect to Internet radio via SqueezeNetwork.com online service     Access thousands of Internet radio stations, millions of songs     Free music (with ads): Pandora, Slacker     Subscription: Last.fm, Live365, MP3tunes,          Radio IO, RadioTime, Rhapsody, SIRIUS Supports MP3, FLAC, WMA, WMA Lossless,      AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF Line-in via 3.5 mm stereo jack Headphone/Subwoofer out via 3.5 mm connector PR - 8/08 - www.logitech.com/index.cfm/172/5015&cl=us,en www.logitech.com Find the Logitech Squeezebox Boom on Amazon.com

Logitech Squeezebox - Networked Music Player  (06)

Access PC music library from living room stereo Connects to stereo system (analog or digital or headphones)  Uses a wired or wireless network connection to deliver music Use IR remote with bright fluorescent display to browse stored music on the PC (SlimServer software) Access streaming Internet radio stations, Rhapsody's 2 million song collection (with subscription)      even when computer is turned off Formerly Slim Devices 06 - $249 www.slimdevices.com Find theLogitech Squeezebox on Amazon.com

Logitech Wireless DJ Music System: Wireless Music  (06)

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Internet Radio and Music Services 

• Deliver favorite music anytime and anywhere, to a PC, portable player, or cell phone
• Internet Radio - Wikipedia article - list of stations

Live365 - Listings to explore thousands of available stations, search by genre and location.

Last.fm - Customize your own listening experience. 
Develop profile of interests - specific stations, genres, or artists, preview individual tracks
Explore with personal recommendations, similar, shared music from other users and groups

Slacker Personal Radio - Choose genre and style, listen for free (with ads)
Explore new music, customize personal stations with favorite styles and artists 
Over 100 expert-programmed stations, 10,000 artist stations

• Licensing agreements with major record labels, thousands of independent labels
• Radio-like experience - customize music, skip ahead in playlist over individual songs
      Can't skip backwards to replay a specific song, can pause playback
• Slacker G2 portable player - Refreshes your favorite stations over USB or Wi-Fi 
      $199 for 4 GB / 25 stations / 2500 songs, $249 for 8 GB / 40 stations / 4000 songs (with space for personal storage)
• Slacker Premium Radio service - $7.50 to $9.99 a month
      Avoid ads, request specific songs (like calling in a request to the DJ), save favorite songs on computer or Slacker player

Pandora Radio -  Personalized radio stations
Music with similar music styles related to favorite artist, song, or composer
Based on the Music Genome Project

• Register for free to save stations, share stations with other listeners
     Subscribe for ad-free ($36 a year)
• Available on cell phones from Sprint and AT&T, including the iPhone.
• Available on home players including Sonos and Logitech Squeezebox

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PC / TV Media: Capture and Transfer

• Desktop and set-top, CE and PC

PC TV and Video Capture

• Watch TV on PC: Desktop or laptop
• Analog and digital, off-air broadcast and cable

Diamond / ATI TV Wonder HD 600 USB - HDTV Stick (08)

Compact, hi-speed USB HD digital video recorder for notebook or desktop PC Watch, pause or schedule recordings of TV programs - Analog & digital / HDTV Find favorite programs with Electronic Programming Guide Convert video for portable media player or stream to media center extender device AMD LIVE! On Demand - Access DVR from a broadband-connected computer Hybrid TV Tuner Stick      Over-the-air / Cable Analog TV (NTSC) & Over-the-air Digital TV / HDTV (ATSC) Capture from VCRs, camcorders with included audio/video input cable Telescopic antenna to receive free-to-air TV channels Remote control - control TV from a distance ATI Catalyst Media Center software - Full PVR and time shifting      DVD Playback, DVD Authoring,  ATI Theater Video Converter F-Type coax connector for Analog TV (NTSC) or HDTV (ATSC)      Adapter for composite video, S-video, Stereo audio input http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonder600/usb Distributed by Diamond Multimedia      www.diamondmm.com/TVW600USB.php 4/08 - $99 - Also PCI $99, PCI Express $99 versions Find the  ATI TV Wonder HD 600 USB Stick on Amazon.com

Diamond / ATI TV Wonder HD 650 USB - HDTV (08)

Watch, pause or schedule recordings of TV programs - Analog & digital / HDTV Digital cable reception of Clear-QAM channels (unencrypted Digital Cable TV)      requires Windows Vista Combo tuners - Watch analog TV while recording digital TV at the same time Find favorite programs with Electronic Programming Guide Convert video for portable media player or stream to media center extender device AMD LIVE! On Demand - Access DVR from a broadband-connected computer Combo tuning with two built-in tuners:      Over-the-air / Cable Analog TV (NTSC) & Over-the-air Digital TV / HDTV (ATSC)      Clear-QAM (unscrambled) Digital HD Cable + FM Radio ATI Theater Video Processing Technology      Hardware MPEG-2 compression, Automatic Color, Gain Control      Motion Adaptive 3D Comb Filter, Noise Reduction, Edge Enhancement ATI Catalyst Media Center software - Full PVR and time shifting      DVD Playback, DVD Authoring, ATI Theater Video Converter F-Type coax connector for Analog TV (NTSC) / FM radio      F-Type coax connector for HDTV (ATSC or ClearQAM)      Adapter for composite video, S-video, Stereo audio input http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonder650/usb Distributed by Diamond Multimedia      www.diamondmm.com/TVW650USB.php 4/08 - $139 - Also PCI $129, PCI Express $129 versions, Combo USB for Mac $149 Find the  ATI TV Wonder HD 650 USB on Amazon.com

Pinnacle PCTV HD mini Stick - Ultra-Compact Digital TV Tuner (9/08)    

Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro / Ultimate Stick (10/07)

Ultra-portable USB 2.0 HDTV tuner stick with integrated Flash PVR     no installation required Supports both analog (NTSC) and digital (ATSC) TV signals     Hardware ready for ClearQAM (unencrypted digital cable) reception Includes mini remote control and high-gain telescopic antenna On-stick memory with preinstalled TV tuner and PVR application,      plus available storage, Record up to 2 hours of TV directly to stick  A/V adaptor cable, capture from composite video (RCA),      S-Video, stereo audio (3.5mm headphone) Includes Pinnacle Studio QuickStart to edit and trim videos TV tuner fully compatible with Windows Media Center PCTV HD Ultimate Stick - $129 - software on device PCTV HD Pro Stick - $99 - A/V input, remote control PCTV HD Stick - $79 - HD www.pinnaclesys.com Find the  Pinnacle PCTV HD Ultimate Stick on Amazon.com

Pinnacle Video Transfer   (2/08)    

Copy analog video directly to any USB 2.0 mass storage device     No PC required     Record to USB hard drive or flash memory stick     Transfer to Apple iPod or Sony PSP Multiple analog inputs for S-Video, composite video and stereo audio Record TV shows, digitize home movies, back up vacation videos Directly record gaming sessions from game console One-touch start/stop recording from any video source      including TV, DVD player, PVR, camcorder, set-top box, gaming console Encode to H.264 video (MPEG-4), up to 720x480/576 (NTSC/PAL)     Good: 320x240, 512 kbps video, 96 kbps stereo audio 48 KHz     Better: 320x240, 768 kbps video, 128 kbps stereo audio 48 KHz     Best: 640x480, 1.5 Mbps video, 128 kbps stereo audio 48 KHz     PC: 720x480/576, 1.5 Mbps video, 192 kbps stereo audio 48 KHz Capture for mobile devices, full-screen PC, video editing, DVD burning Recharges iPod battery during video transfer Small and portable: 4.8 x 2.6 x 0.9 in. www.pinnaclesys.com/pvt - Press release 2/08 Introduced 2/08 - $129.99 Find the  Pinnacle Video Transfer on Amazon.com

    Next: Home Video Monitoring and Webcams

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Portable TV Recording: PC to TV

SanDisk Sansa TakeTV - PC-to-TV Video Player (10/07)

• 10/07, 4/08 - 4 GB  $99, 8 GB $149 (5 / 10 hours video)
      (1.5 Mbps video at 720x480 with 128 Kbps audio)
• PC to TV Flash media player: Play PC video content on TV
      Download digital content from PC,  plug-and-play directly on TV
• On PC, insert TakeTV Player unit into USB port, drag video files to flash storage
      Works with Windows Vista, Windows XP, latest versions of Mac and Linux
• Carry player to TV, slip into TakeTV TV Cradle
      Plugs into standard TV A/V connectors, NTSC and PAL
      AV composite or S-Video inputs, power
• TakeTV Remote control stored as cover of Player unit (built-in cell battery)
      Use on-screen guide play stored content
• Video formats: .AVI with MPEG-4 - DivX, XVID (DivX DRM)
      DivX Certified for Home Theater profile
• Resolution up to 720x576 / D1, 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios, max bitrate 7 Mbps
• Concept introduced 1/07 as USBTV
      Future: Plug directly into built-in port on new TV sets
• Product - www.sandisk.com/Products/Catalog(1383)-SanDisk_Sansa_TakeTV_Video_Player.aspx
• Press release, 10/07 - www.sandisk.com/Corporate/PressRoom/PressReleases/PressRelease.aspx?ID=4022
• www.take.tv

    Find the SanDisk Sansa TakeTV on Amazon.com

    Find related SanDisk articles in the Manifest Tech Blog

SanDisk Fanfare - Entertainment download service - Public BETA  (10/07)

• Digital entertainment content distribution platform
• Download TV shows to Sansa TakeTV and watch on TV
• Free (ad supported) and paid episodes
• First U.S. content partners include
      CBS, Jaman.com, Showtime, Smithsonian, The Weather Channel, TV Guide. 
      Programs available include CSI, Survivor China, Dexter, Sleeper Cell
• User interface designed by Schematic
• Rights-managed content protected with SanDisk TrustedFlash
      Security technology securely stores data on flash media
• www.fanfare.com

SanDisk V-Mate Video Memory Card Recorder  (9/06)

9/06 - $129 Record video to flash memory cards, play back on portable device 5.1 x 2.6 x 0.8" Scheduled recording, IR emitter (to set-top box or VCR) Any composite video source Video: MPEG-4 Simple Profile, H.263 (MP4, 3GP, 3G2)     Up to 640 x 480 pixels, up to 30 fps, NTSC & PAL     Up to 3.5 hours video / GB 3.5mm composite video, audio left & right - input & output Cards: SD, SDHC, miniSD, miniSDHC, microSD microSDHC;     (RS-)MMC (DV), MMCplus , MMC; Memory Stick/PRO/Duo/PRO Duo www.sandisk.com Find the  SanDisk V-Mate on Amazon.com

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Home Video Monitoring and Webcams

• Watch sleeping baby in the nursery 
• Monitor out the front window for delivery trucks
• Watch from other PCs on the home network
• Access over the Internet
    Open connection through firewall, register with Web service to make the connection

Consumer Web Cams: USB

• Direct connect to PC: Deliver the video over USB connection to computer
• Grab clips, run video conferencing software to communicate over the Internet
• Run monitoring software on attached PC to act as a video server
• Server can run video surveillance software to alert on motion, changes in scene
• Connect to the server PC over your home network to watch video from other computers
• Connectix introduced original QuickCam with eyeball design in 1994 (now Logitech)
• Creative WebCams -- www.creative.com/products/webcams
• Logitech QuickCams -- www.logitech.com
• Logitech Video Effects software - www.logitech.com/videoeffects
• Start at around $30

Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 (6/07) - HD Video

Universal monitor clip: Display or notebook 2 megapixel sensor, Carl Zeiss optics, glass lens, wide-angle lens Autofocus, built-in mic Video capture: Up to 1600 x 1200 pixels (HD Video 960 x 720) 8 MP photo (enhanced) Rightlight 2 (dimly light / poor backlight), Rightsound (echo, background noise) Logitech Video Effects, Fun Filters, Intelligent Face Tracking, Snapshot button HP Photosmart Essential software: capture, edit, customize, print images Video conferencing software     Windows Live Messenger, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger 6/07, 6/09 - $99 (street $71) PR 6/07 - www.logitech.com/index.cfm/172/3490&cl=us,en www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/webcams/&cl=us,en Find the  Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 on Amazon.com

Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks (6/07) - HD Video

Clips to top of display, 12-inch desktop stand [same specs as QuickCam Pro] 2 megapixel sensor, Carl Zeiss optics, glass lens, wide-angle lens Autofocus, built-in mic Video capture: Up to 1600 x 1200 pixels (HD Video 960 x 720) 8 MP photo (enhanced) Rightlight 2 (dimly light / poor backlight), Rightsound (echo, background noise) Logitech Video Effects, Fun Filters, Intelligent Face Tracking, Snapshot button HP Photosmart Essential software: capture, edit, customize, print images Video conferencing software     Windows Live Messenger, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger 6/07, 6/09 - $99 (street $72, $57) www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/webcams/&cl=us,en Find the  Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks on Amazon.com

Logitech QuickCam Connect (3/06) - Small, affordable

Universal monitor clip: Notebook and desktop monitors, or place on flat surfaces Smaller eyeball design: 45 millimeters wide, 33% smaller VGA 640 x 480 resolution, up to 30 fps Still image capture Built-in microphone RightSound Technology: Reduced background noise and echo cancellation One-click software: Capture, e-mail, or upload video or photos PR 3/06 - www.logitech.com/index.cfm/172/2478&cl=us,en 6/09 - $29 (street $27) www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/webcams/&cl=us,en Find the  Logitech QuickCam Connect on Amazon.com

Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks (3/07) - Affordable

Adjustable 20mm notebook clip VGA 640 x 480 resolution, up to 30 fps Adjustable focus ring Still image capture: Up to 1.3 megapixel with software enhancement Snapshot button for digital stills Built-in microphone: Headset-free audio RightSound Technology: Reduced background noise and echo cancellation Activity light: Know when you're 'live' Logitech QuickCam Applications: video email, QuickCapture for photos PR 3/07 - www.logitech.com/index.cfm/172/2929&cl=us,en 3/06, 6/09 - $39 (street $31) www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/webcams/&cl=us,en Find the  Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks on Amazon.com

Logitech Vid - Simple Video Conferencing Software (6/09)

Consumer Internet Cameras: IP

• Camera plugs directly into home network (or wireless): IP server 
• Better solution for continuous remote monitoring

Creative Live! Wireless   

Small network server box Wired Ethernet or untethered wireless connection. Monitor video feed from Web browser     change display resolution, tweak brightness and contrast, adjust camera settings Creative software to monitor up to four cameras simultaneously. 06 - $149 www.creative.com/products/webcams Find the  Creative Live! Wireless on Amazon.com

Logitech WiLife Surveillance Products   

• Sophisticated monitoring software for home and small business
      Indoor and outdoor cameras, lenses, lighting kits
• Formerly LükWerks, launched 12/05, acquired by Logitech 11/07

Cameras encode video in real time to Windows Media Video 9 (wmv) compressed     Full-color video - VGA (640x480) or QVGA (320x240), 15, 10, or 5 frames/second     (does not record audio) No wiring -- Connect cameras to PC with over electrical power line     Mount cameras anywhere -- plug into standard electrical wall outlet Up to 6 cameras -- Display and process live, streaming digital video Cameras communicate with USB Receiver connected to PC Uses HomePlug power line networking, UPnP peer-to-peer networking     Best in buildings under 8-10,000 sq ft., or on single electrical run 1,000 linear ft. Cameras transmit video to WiLife Command Center Software on Windows PC     Control each camera's resolution, recording schedules, alerts Cameras perform motion detection - monitor up to 16 zones within the frame     Perform image processing, auto brightness Motion alerts - Detect motion in up to 16 zones within each camera view  Video recording -- Monitors and records video from up to six cameras     Review video by month, day, hour, and camera     Can record only frames with motion     Continuous recording - QVGA - 2.2 MB per minute, 3.2 GB per day     Motion detection - typically 10-20%, 3 to 6 GB per month Active Alerts -- Send motion alerts via cell phone, e-mail Remote Monitoring -- View from home PC over broadband - free     Internet browser or Windows Mobile phone, Via account at online.wilife.com 400 MHz processor, high-performance digital image sensor Lens: 80 degree viewing angle (diagonal), 50 degree pan (manual), manual focus Objects visible up to 100 feet in optimal lighting     Low-light capabilities - down to 2 Lux (about twice the light of a full moon) Indoor Camera - 10 ft Ethernet cable to power supply     Outdoor Camera - 12 ft standard electric cord, Spy Camera - 8 ft electric cord Indoor camera: 5.0 x 3.2 x 1.8 in. (12.7 x 8.1 x 4.6 cm), 6.7 oz (190 g) Indoor Starter Kit - $299     Outdoor Starter Kit - $299 (weatherproof & waterproof, +0 to +110 degrees F)     Spy Camera Starter Kit - $329 (fully functioning digital clock) Add-On - Indoor Camera $229, refurb $185; Outdoor Cam $229; Spy Cam $249     Wide Angle lens (120 degrees), Close Up lens, NightVision Illuminator Kit NightVision 50 Illuminator Kit (for Indoor & Spy Cameras only) $59.95      IR 80° lens, infrared illumination pass filter Illuminator, 28 LEDs, 70°illum angle     NightVision 20 illuminates up to 10 ft (3 m) NightVision 50 up to 30 ft (10 m) www.wilife.com www.logitech.com Find the  WiLife Indoor Starter Kit on Amazon.com

• WiLife Platinum software features ($80/year)
      Scheduled Alerts: Email and cell motion, by days and times
      No Show Alerts: Alert if kids not home on time
      Desktop Notifications: Alert tone and popup message
      Digital Pan, Tilt, Zoom: Scan and zoom within frame
      Password System Lock: Entire Command Center or individual features
      Online Video Storage: Review, organize, share protected clips
      Connection Monitoring: Email or cell phone message if system goes offline
      Remote Search and Playback: Access video by date, time, site
      Online Video Sharing: Distribution via email addresses

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Home Media Servers - Backup / Archiving

• Share, organize, archive digital media collection -- photos, music, video
• At prices under $1 per gigabyte, can get a half-terabyte or more of storage
      500 GB -- stores some 400,000 photos, 5,000 hours of music, or 40 hours of DV video

Share, Archive -- Network Storage, Media Servers

• Network drive plugs directly in to home network
• Central home server with no computer required
• Network Attached Storage (NAS)
• Share media files, Back up across the network
• Add built-in support for media streaming to set-top devices
• Add enterprise features like support for 10X faster Gigabit Ethernet
• Backup the server: USB ports to back up to external drives (or share)
• RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)
  Spreads files across multiple physical drives, still recover if one drive fails

Netgear ReadyNAS    

• Networked file sharing, archive / backup, media streaming, Web / FTP
      RAID, Gigabit Ethernet, Continuous System Monitoring and Backup
• RAID 0, 1, 5, plus hardware ReadyNAS X-RAID single volume auto expansion
• Hot swappable hard disks, even with additional capacity
• 3 USB 2.0 ports: Shared external hard drives and printers
• Network backup: EMC Retrospect backup and recovery software
• Web browser interface and setup wizard, automatic alerts (e-mail, text)
• Network File Services: Windows CIFS/SMB, Mac AFP, UNIX NFS, Web HTTP/S & FTP/S
• Media Streaming: UPnP AV, SlimServer, Network DVD player compatible, Windows MCE compatible 
• Network Security: Selectable Share, User Domain/ADS modes, Windows ACL , Encrypted network logins, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) 
• Network Options: DHCP or static IP, WINS, NTP
• 5-Year hardware warranty
• 9/08 - 1 TB $999 - 4 TB $2499; 06 - Up to 3 TB ~ $2870 (was Infrant)
• Community - www.readynas.com
• www.netgear.com/Products/Storage.aspx

    Find the Netgear ReadyNAS on Amazon.com

    Next: High-Def / DVD Gallery

Buffalo TeraStation

• 06 - 1 TB $650, 2 TB $1340 
• www.buffalotech.com

    Find the Buffalo TeraStation on Amazon.com

Backup -- External Hard Drive

• Connect to computer with USB or FireWire
• Set up folders to share media files
• Run backup software -- Manual, scheduled, continuous
      Save new and changed files from local computer, plus other systems across home network

Maxtor OneTouch III 

• 06 - 300 GB $200, 500 GB $329
• www.maxtor.com

    Find the Maxtor OneTouch III on Amazon.com

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