We knew about the FlipShare TV awhile ago, thanks to an FCC leak. It's basically a companion piece to Flip's camcorders, streaming video shot with the Mino HD, Ultra HD or what have you to a TV. But oddly enough, it's dumbed-down enough that it somehow circles back around and becomes complicated again, starting with the seemingly-basic hardware.

The FlipShare TV is actually comprised of three necessary components: A cute, small, square white box about the size of a Roku that plugs into your TV (featuring RCA and HDMI ports); a fairly large USB dongle; and a super simple remote reminiscent of Apple's remote. The USB dongle is actually required to be plugged in (and your computer turned on) if you want to use the FlipShare TV at all, forming kind of an point-to-point wireless network. Yeah, it's supposed to eliminate the trouble of logging into a wireless home network, but it brings up problems of its own—what about multi-computer households? And while it may be a pre-release issue, my box dropped the connection with its dongle when the two were on opposite ends of my apartment, a problem my normal wireless router doesn't have.

Also released today is the updated FlipShare 5.0 software, which is easy enough to use. Plug in a camcorder, drag its videos to your library, and your precious moments can then be watched on your computer or via the FlipShare TV, or alternately shared via Facebook or YouTube. Also supported are FlipChannels, a sort of private online video storage that lets you upload videos and "share" access with other people. Anyone with whom the FlipChannel is shared can watch your videos on a computer, mobile device (iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry are supported) or, again, through the FlipShare TV. So those are your two choices for streaming: Computer or FlipChannel.

Therein lies another problem: The FlipShare TV can only play back the very specific video format used by Flip camcorders, some kind of WMV at 30fps. Nothing else. This is not a media streamer, it's a Flip streamer. Music? Forget it. Your ripped DVDs? No way. (JPEGs are also supported, but that's it for non-Flip media). Playback quality is good, but these aren't exactly super high-quality files we're dealing with here.

The FlipShare TV is a thoroughly simple device, often to its detriment. It does only one thing, and does it fairly well, but it's really designed for someone who finds the glut of excellent modern media streamers far too threatening. Given its limitations (no storage, only one compatible format, no extras), it's pretty surprising that it also commands a pretty expensive price at $150 (available tomorrow). Theoretically, parents, grandparents and other less tech-savvy folks would appreciate the simplicity of the FlipShare TV—but if you're reading this, you'll definitely find its limitations to be a dealbreaker. [Flip]

Geekologie reader Brian loves himself some Cisco. Lucky for him the design kind of resembles a post-Apocalyptic barcode brand-like symbol or something, so it could have the legs to last a lifetime. Unlike, you know, Zune guy. [Geekologie]

We don't know too much about the gadget at this point. There's no release date and no pricing information, but there are some pretty pictures and a brief explanation of how it works:

Previously recorded video, accessed on a computer via FlipShare software, is wirelessly streamed via the FlipShareTV USB stick to the small FlipShareTV box and controlled via remote.

Wowza. That combined with the fact that the FlipShareTV is a three piece set seems a bit overly elaborate for a basic task. Until there's more info, maybe we should just stick with being excited about Apple updates even if they're a bit ugly. [Zatz Not Funny!]

[Copyranter]

UPDATE: This video was actually done by an aspiring director without Cisco's involvement. So, he can pretty much strike them off his list of potential employers. Actual Cisco ads can be seen here.

It's a form-factor that doesn't leave much room for creativity, but Samsung's managed to put together a distinctive product with the HMX-U10. The slightly swept design allows for more comfortable gripping than the flat bricks we've all grown accustomed to, and the compact profile—56mm x 103mm x 15.5mm—belies its solid specs, and most notably its ability to record 1080p H.264 video, as opposed to the industry standard 720p. Otherwise, we're in familiar territory here: there's a one-touch YouTube upload button, fixed-focus lens, expandable SD storage and a two-inch LED screen.

Also, with the emphasis on still shooting, I'm noticing a conceptual problem: point-and-shoot cameras have been getting more and more video savvy in the last few years, and now, mini-camcorders are aspiring to be pocket cameras. They're roughly the same size, and assuming a tag of around $200—suspected, but not certain—for the HMX-U10, fall into the same price range. The future won't be pretty for one category or the other, and that's not even considering the increasingly capable imaging capabilities of modern smartphones. Exactly what will kill what (and what we'll be left with) is still up in the air, but you can rest assured the slaughter will be well-recorded. [InfoSyncWorld, Crave]

The guts of the machine are a 400MHz processor, 32MB RAM, and 8MB flash memory, plus two external antennas for wider coverage. You can also stream media from USB drives through the USB port to UPnP devices. It's 802.11n compliant, of course, and will retail for $120.

Main point? That it's Linux-based, so people can shove apps on there like BitTorrent downloaders and whatever else you can find that runs on Linux. [Linksys]

Price: $1000 (as tested)

The Verdict: Despite having some great ideas, the WHA system lacks any semblance of reliable quality and performance. It felt rushed and unpolished, whether it was the cheap feel of the products—a collection of wireless players and a controller, all which you'd buy a la carte to suit your household needs—or the glitchiness of system software. When it was working, the ability to push and share content from one zone to another, connect to internet music services and connect your own devices directly were all very nice. But getting there was a headache, and the system was unreliable—to say the least—even when running.

While it is nice that the Linksys 802.11n streaming means you don't need every component tethered via Ethernet—or, as in Sonos' case, a whole separate wireless network dedicated to music and music only—it also increases the complexity of setup tenfold. Each component must be plugged into the router via Ethernet (or in the case of the Remote, your PC's USB), and you have to use Windows software to detect and configure each and every device in a multi-step wizard. In the case of the Director, a screen-equipped WHA music player, I tried to connect to the network without the PC, and it did work, but when I entered my network password incorrectly once, the only way to backtrack and reenter the password was to reboot the system.

Also, in a separate test we ran using a Time Capsule as the main wireless router, we had too many troubles to list. We're still unclear whether or not it was a problem with the Apple router or a faulty component from Linksys, but either way, if you use non-Linksys routers, be forewarned you may experience added difficulty.

Once I actually got the system working, it wasn't long before a torrent of random problems started to kick in. Plugging a FAT32-formatted HDD into the Director's USB port would cause the system to freeze. Rhapsody would sputter and spew after a few minutes before ultimately dropping the connection. The response between the remote and the device in question would lag. Despite selecting a playlist from my iPod, only one track at a time would play. Sometimes the Director iPod wouldn't detect the iPod at all.

The touchscreen remote actually performed admirably, but its use of a cheaply built resistive touchpanel for a finger UI meant that it wasn't very responsive. (Calibration did help, but it was still annoying.) Essentially, you spend more time worrying about WHA breaking down than you do enjoying your music.

Despite being the most versatile streaming audio player we've seen to date, the lack of quality control really makes the Cisco Linksys Wireless Home Audio system a product line to avoid. (Note: To ensure that our negative result wasn't a fluke, we tested two separate sets of brand-new Linksys components in two distinct households, and we experienced severe problems in both instances.) For roughly the same price you can pick up Sonos' two comparable Zone Players and an 8-gig iPod touch to run Sonos free software, giving you a much more polished, easier to use package. [WHA on Giz]

It seems unlikely that Google would go all in on the hardware end like this, but whether they partner up or not, just a rumor is enough to make companies like Cisco nervous—and send Juniper stock into a tailspin. [SD Times via Bnet via Slashdot]

The Skinny: The Media Hub NAS drive is built on top of a custom linux platform that works with Mac or PC, complete with automated backups, remote access, and specific functionality, such as iTunes Server. Simillar to theHP MediaSmart Server, it presents music, photos and video in a browser based UI, that can be accessed over both local and remote connections. That means you can stream all your media from your web browser without any additional apps. It also plays nice with Linksys' new Wireless Home Audio system.

The Linksys Media Hub comes in three configurations—the 500 GB NAS without a navigation LCD screen will cost $350. The 500 GB NAS with an LCD screen will cost $400, and the 1 TB NAS with an LCD screen will cost $430.

Wilson got a chance to check it out, and here are his shots and basic impressions:

Setup was easy, provided you have a Windows PC. Even gaining remote access to files over the web required nothing more than a quick sign-up on Cisco's server website. While you can't configure it on a Mac, you can access it via Bonjour or DLNA, so moving files is reliable and fast.

The Media Hub web interface controls the system, and comes in two flavors, a full featured one you can only access locally, and a more content-oriented one you can reach anywhere. The interface has its own media player, so you can queue up music and play away, right there. You can also play movies and photo slideshows if you run IE on a PC. If you're running Firefox or any other browser, you can get at your videos and photos, but you tend to have to download them to view them. The same goes for AAC audio, which can be played back via your browser, but currently can't play from the hub media player.

Remote interface:

Dumping files directly from a memory card or USB stick was a cool feature—it auto detects, then it's just a simple matter of clicking OK. I did have trouble with an 8GB SDHC card from SanDisk, but Linksys tells me that shouldn't be the case generally, that SDHC is supported, so I assume it's just a temporary bug.

In all, the system does a fair amount—solid backup, good media accessibility. The biggest differentiator might be the direct access to the drive from the card slots and USB. Linksys promises future features like Time Machine backup and better media handling, but for now, it's a solid product for the PC world.

Cisco Simplifies Digital Media Access for Consumers

Linksys by Cisco Media Hub helps consumers enjoy all of their digital photos,
music and video anytime, anywhere

Las Vegas – January 7, 2009 – Cisco® today announced the Linksys by Cisco Media Hub at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Designed to simplify access to and interaction with digital content, the Media Hub gathers, organizes, and presents all the digital video, photos and music that users have spread amongst various devices in the home. With a Media Hub consumers can enjoy all of their media through an easy to use interface that is not only accessible in the home, but throughout the world via a web browser. The Media Hub is the perfect solution for consumers with extensive digital media libraries who are looking to eliminate the complexity of managing their collections.

Facts/Highlights:
Centralized Access to Digital Photos, Music and Videos
Sharing media on multiple devices within the home is easy with the Media Hub’s media and iTunes server capabilities. The Media Hub automatically searches the network for other media devices to present all available digital media to the user in a single location.
Easy Graphical User Interface
Content accessible to the Media Hub is presented in a browser-based, simple to navigate user interface. Music albums are consolidated and presented together with the appropriate Album Art, regardless of where the tracks reside within the network, eliminating the need to know which device music is stored on. Photos and videos are presented using thumbnail images that are easily organized by date or name. All available media, regardless of type, can be located by using the available search function.
Simple Remote Access 
Remote Access can be enabled on the Media Hub with just a few clicks of a button. Users are not required to install any special software or change their network configuration. The Media Hub takes care of everything with the exception of choosing its Remote Access name. Whether accessing the Media Hub on a PC at home, or through a web browser anywhere in the world via www.ciscomediahub.com, consumers are presented with the same easy to navigate user interface that enables them to access their digital media and upload or download files from a remote location.
Backup
Automated backup software is included with the Media Hub to help ensure that even the most treasured memories and digital libraries are protected. Folders on a computer within the network that contain Digital Media can be set to automatically copy any new files to the Media Hub for added piece of mind.

Consumer Friendly Design
The product's sleek design makes it possible to place the Media Hub virtually anywhere in the home and with its near silent operation it will not disturb daily life. With two drive bays and external USB ports consumers can easily expand their Media Hub if and when their Digital Media storage needs grow.

Configurations and availability:
In the US, the products are available now from authorized Linksys by Cisco retailers, resellers, and VAR partners. Cisco anticipates availability in Canada, UK, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands during the first quarter of 2009.

The Media Hub comes in both the NMH300 Series and the NMH400 Series. The NMH300 series is a cost-effective solution that offers all of the core features of the Media Hub, and is designed to be used primarily with a PC or Mac to interface with the device. On the NMH400 Series, an LCD screen that displays information such as available space, drive usage by type of media, and network status teams with a 6-in-1 card reader to enable the simple transfer of new media and entertainment onto the Media Hub without the need for a computer. Firmware upgrades and instant backups can also be initiated via navigating the LCD.

The following configurations of the LinksysMedia Hub will be available from launch:
NMH305 – Linksys by Cisco Media Hub (500GB hard drive) MSRP: $299.99/ €299.99

NMH405 – Linksys by Cisco Media Hub with LCD and 6-in-1 card reader (500GB hard drive) MSRP: $349.99/ €349.99

NMH410 – Linksys by Cisco Media Hub with LCD and 6-in-1 card reader (1TB hard drive) MSRP: $429.99/ €429.99

The Wireless Home Audio system comes in a variety of form factors, including standalone CD players with touch panels, hubs that connect to your home theater system, iPod docks and systems with detached speakers. They all have the ability to interface with one another, play music simultaneously according to designated zones, and since they're all DLNA 1.5 compliant, they can pull music from the same digital libraries and connected devices. The components also play nicely with the new Linksys Media Hub NAS.

• The Conductor (DMC350) is an all in one player that has it's own speakers, a seven-inch touchscreen for navigating digital libraries and a CD player.
Price: TBD

• The Director (DMC250) is a stand alone receiver with a 100 watt amplifier that has RCA and Speaker out to connect to your existing sound system. Price: $450

•The Player (DMP100)is intended to be plugged into an existing home theater system, merely relaying digital audio via RCA cables to your sound system. Price: $300

• The Controller (DMWR1000) is similar in function to Sonos' controller but this unit works over Wireless-N, has touchscreen functionality, as well as a D-pad. This is how you would navigate your media library with The Player connected to your stereo. There's even chatter of possibly offering an iPhone controller app down the road. Price: $350

• There are also a smattering of accessories such as speakers ($150), an iPod dock ($80), and a basic IR remote ($30). When the iPod dock is plugged in, any of the other devices can access the content on the iPod, as long as a wi-fi connection is present.

As far as bundles go, there will be three bundles offered—the Premier Kit, the Trio Kit and the Executive Kit. The Premier includes 1 Player, 1 Director, 1 Controller and 2 IR remotes for $1000. The Trio includes 2 Players, 1 Controller and 2 IR remotes for $850. The Executive includes 1 Director, speakers and an IR remote for $550. The entire Wireless Home Audio system, except the Conductor, should be available immediately. The Conductor is slated for a Q1 release.

Cisco Multi-Room Home Audio Solution Enhances and Extends
the Listening Experience for Consumers

Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio makes it easy to play music
from a variety of sources wirelessly throughout the home

Las Vegas – January 7, 2009 – Cisco® today announced the Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio system at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. From the world leaders in networking, the Wireless Home Audio system utilizes Wireless-N technology to deliver a rich audio experience to any room in the home. Users can create a party atmosphere with immaculate synchronization when listening to the same song throughout the entire home, or send different music to customized “zones”. The Wireless Home Audio solution also puts millions of songs at your fingertips through integrated Internet services such as Rhapsody, AudioLounge, and RadioTime. An optional Docking Station for iPod enables your content on Apple iPods™, including Podcasts, Audio Books, and purchased iTunes content, to be played through any Wireless Home Audio device on the network. Wireless Home Audio products also work great with the newly announced Linksys by Cisco Media Hub that gathers and presents the available media on a network.

Facts/Highlights:

Complete Solution
The Wireless Home Audio product family includes three available options for playback devices that allow consumers to bring wireless audio to any room – the all-in-one Conductor, the Director with powerful amplifier and the Player which is the ideal addition to existing sound systems. A Wireless-N Controller enhances the Wireless Home Audio experience by providing touchscreen access to all available audio from anywhere in the home. Consumers can easily unleash audio from their iPods by simply slipping it into the available Docking Station for instant access to all of the songs, playlists, and other audio content on the device. In addition, with millions of songs available from Rhapsody in the US and AudioLounge in Europe, Wireless Home Audio users can search for tracks, discover new artists, and create playlists to be sent to any room. A “Favorites” function gives one-touch access to any content from any source.

Great Audio Quality, Precise Synchronization
Cisco, the world’s leader in networking technology has applied its years of knowledge and expertise to develop an amazing lossless digital audio delivery solution that preserves the full depth and richness of the recording, as originally intended by the artist. Through distributed decoding technology, each Wireless Home Audio device receives unmodified audio source material without any trans-coding or compression. The audio is then reproduced and synchronized to within microseconds, virtually eliminating echo artefacts so often evident in other wireless audio systems.
Wireless Simplicity
With Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio, music can be unleashed from existing digital libraries that are stored on a PC or other device, integrated Internet services, or even an iPod, with no need to run new wires around the home, or undergoing complex home renovation to install the devices. As a complete wireless solution, Wireless Home Audio products enable consumers to fully equip their homes with a world of music that is at their fingertips.
Standards-Based Compatibility 
Following Cisco’s standards-based approach to networking, the Wireless Home Audio products utilize Wireless-N technology to provide greater value to the consumer by allowing each device to achieve its full potential as an extension of the solution rather than requiring that one of the devices be hard-wired to a router. Wireless Home Audio products have been built to utilize the DLNA 1.5 standard, extending the value of the solution by making it accessible to and from a broad variety of devices. The products are compatible with standards such as HomePlug, Wireless-G, and Ethernet to allow consumers to choose the mix of networking technologies that is right for them.

Products

Conductor DMC350 Wireless-N Digital Music Center
The Conductor is a complete, portable, self-contained wireless music system with integrated speakers that can be used to bring music to any room of the home. All it needs is a power outlet. It features a seven inch LCD touch screen for easy navigation through your music library and an integrated CD player to play those songs that you have not digitized yet. An individual IR Remote is included.

Director DMC250 Wireless-N Music Player with Integrated Amplifier
Features a 50-watt per channel integrated amplifier powerful enough to be placed in any room as a more permanent solution to access digital music, and includes a line in and out to connect to speakers. Its full color LCD display makes navigating through your music library simple. An individual IR Remote is included.

Player DMP100 Wireless-N Music Extender
Allows you to access digital music from existing stereo or surround sound systems in the home. Its compact design allows it to blend well with any décor making it an ideal option to extend music to any room in the home utilizing your existing audio equipment. An individual IR Remote is included.

Stereo Speaker Kit DSPK50 
designed to compliment the Director - Wireless-N Music Player. Pair them to create a complete, high-quality wireless sound system and experience your digital music all around your home, at your control.

Controller DMWR1000 Wireless-N Touchscreen Remote
Designed to control the complete Wireless Home Audio system wirelessly. It features a large, color touchscreen, thumbwheel, and engaging interface designed to let you easily control any one or every one of your Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio devices, including a docked iPod, from anywhere in your home, even when they’re out of sight.

Docking Station for iPod MCCI40
Allows consumers to extend their available Wireless Home Audio library to include all of the content on their iPod, including Podcasts, Audio Books, and purchased iTunes content.

IR Remote DMRIR500
Comes standard with the Conductor, Director, and Player. Its simple button layout and slim form factor allows you to easily control your audio devices when you do not have a Controller nearby.

To simplify the purchasing process, three Wireless Home Audio kits are available:

Premier Kit:
A two-room starter kit that includes Director and IR Remote, Player and IR Remote, and Wireless-N Controller.

Trio Kit:
A kit for consumers looking to add the power Wireless Home Audio to their existing audio systems, the Trio Kit includes 2 Players, 2 IR Remotes, and a Wireless-N Controller.

Executive Kit:
An easy way to add a Wireless Home Audio capabilities to any room, the Executive Kit includes a Director, IR Remote and matching speakers.

Supporting Quotes:

Greg Memo, vice president and general manager, products, Cisco Consumer Business Group.
“After years of research and testing, we are answering the consumer’s call for a wireless home audio system that seamlessly consolidates music content from all of their sources into one solution with incredible audio quality. By both expanding the amount of accessible music and simplifying the experience, we have developed a family of products that work together to greatly enhance the experience of enjoying digital music throughout the home.”

Mike Wolf, director, Digital Home, ABI Research
“We believe that today’s home usage paradigm for digital music will transition from being PC-centric to one that is networked and accessible throughout the home. Cisco’s products allow consumers to enjoy their digital music collections over the network and point to where we believe this market is going.”

Worldwide Market Trends:
In a recent IDC survey, 46% of home network owners and 27% of non home network owners were interested in streaming music from their computer or the Internet to their stereo. (IDC, June 2008)

ABI forecasts total worldwide networked audio shipments will grow from 6.4 million to 38 million with a CAGR of 68%.  (ABI, 2007)

Nearly a fourth — 22% — of US households have at least one iPod. That’s nearly 25 million households that currently have an iPod. Thirty percent of them have more than one iPod. (Forrester 2008)

Pricing and availability:
The Wireless Home Audio products are available in the United States from authorized Linksys by Cisco retailers, authorized resellers, and VAR partners. Cisco anticipates availability in stores in Denmark and The Netherlands during the first quarter of 2009. The Conductor will be available in the first quarter of 2009.

Estimated street prices are as follows:

Premier Kit - $999.99/ €999.99
Trio Kit - $849.99/ €849.99
Executive Kit - $549.99/ €549.99
Conductor – Pricing available at launch
Director - $449.99/ €449.99
Player - $299.99/ €299.99
Stereo Speaker Kit - $149.99/ €149.99
Controller - $349.99/ €349.99
iPod Dock - $79.99/ €79.99
IR Remote - $29.99/ €29.99

The first two—a video streamer that "more easily" gets Internet video on your TV, like million other boxes out there, and a streaming "digital stereo system"—sound pretty mundane, and whether or not they're worth a look will rely entirely on their execution of what are now dated concepts.

The last, however, the Telepresence videoconferencing system, actually sounds interesting, and is supposedly based on their awesome corporate tech. Whether or not people actually want to talk to their families in HD video over their HDTVs is another question. It's something different, in any case. We'll definitely be checking it out next week to see if it's actually good too. [NYT]

Although the intentions aren't yet explicit, most of the coalition members have openly opposed net neutrality legislation and are in favor of allowing ISPs to have the "freedom" to monitor their customers. But Microsoft is a little bit more squirmy on the subject. Thomas C. Rubin, Microsoft’s chief counsel for intellectual property strategy, told Hansell:

We think that this is an opportunity to work with leaders across industries to put our heads together to discuss the opportunities that exist to facilitate the promotion of the availability of legitimate content on the Internet. We are not in favor of filtering at the network level.

Hopefully that is enough of a bulwark against rampant abuse of power. As the forces align, it's important for pirates and non-pirates alike to keep watch. Meantime, check out the full article. [NYT]

NCTA and TiVo Announce Progress on Switched Digital Adapter for TiVo DVRs SDV solutions from TiVo, Motorola and Cisco currently undergoing CableLabs(R) testing Cisco and Motorola tuning adapters on display at the 2008 Cable Show TiVo HD DVRs with tuning adapter support on display at the CableNET and Motorola booths at the 2008 Cable Show

NEW ORLEANS, May 19, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO), today announced that after a series of successful informal interoperability tests TiVo and several manufacturers of switched digital external tuning adapters have submitted products for formal testing at CableLabs. The tuning adapter will enable TiVo Series3(TM), TiVo HD DVRs, and certain other one-way digital cable ready consumer electronic devices that utilize CableCARDs(TM) to access digital cable channels delivered using switched digital technology.

"The ability to turn concept into reality this quickly is a testament to how closely cable operators, CableLabs, TiVo and other cable vendors have worked over the last several months to develop this first-of-its-kind marketplace solution," said Kyle McSlarrow, NCTA President & CEO. "We are extremely grateful to TiVo for the critical role it has played throughout and are confident that customers will benefit from this solution enabling full access to switched digital channels."

Motorola and Cisco have both developed external tuning adapters and are seeking qualification by CableLabs(R) before being delivered to cable operators for deployment. The tuning adapters are expected to be offered in the coming months by cable operators including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, and Cablevision in areas where switched digital technology is being deployed. The cable operators and TiVo plan to work cooperatively to alert TiVo subscribers about the availability or need of the new external adapter and to ensure that installation of the adapter and CableCARDs will be easy and seamless for the consumer.

TiVo has modified its software for its TiVo Series3 and TiVo HD DVRs to communicate with the external Tuning Adapter. TiVo announced that the modified software has been submitted to CableLabs for verification testing. Upon verification, the software upgrade will be made available to TiVo subscribers via a regularly scheduled update.

Switched digital technology enables cable operators to transmit individual channels to customers on an as-needed basis rather than broadcasting all channels to all subscribers all the time. Switched digital technology provides more flexibility for cable operators to utilize network capacity to deliver interactive digital services, high-definition (HD) channels, broadband Internet and digital phone service. The Tuning Adapter is intended to work on any Unidirectional Digital Cable Ready Product (UDCP) that has a USB connector and necessary firmware.

"We are pleased with the focus and cooperation that CableLabs and the cable industry has exhibited from the outset and are eager to see this solution through to fruition so that customers can enjoy access to all switched digital cable channels," said TiVo CEO & President Tom Rogers. "This undertaking is a significant step forward in our ongoing relationship with the cable industry to develop technology and provide solutions that improve the television experience of cable subscribers."

"Cisco continues to develop innovative video technology that allows cable operators to provide a broad range of video entertainment options, including high definition and niche content," said Michael Harney, senior vice president, Cisco, Service Provider Video Technology Group. "As part of our portfolio of advanced technology, Cisco will have on display the STA1520 Switched Tuning Adapter, which was developed in conjunction with CableLabs, our cable operator customers and TiVo."

"Motorola is committed to accelerating the delivery of personalized media experiences," commented John Burke, senior vice president and general manager for Motorola's Digital Video Solutions group. "Working collaboratively, we have developed a solution that extends the reach of innovative interactive services to TiVo users and we are pleased to be able to showcase this solution at the Cable Show."

TiVo HD DVRs attached to Motorola external adapters are currently on display in both the CableNET and Motorola booths at the 2008 Cable Show in New Orleans. The 2008 Cable Show, which runs May 18 - 20, is the largest cable and telecommunications exhibition in the United States.

The big steps Adobe is going to take to make this work are:

- Removing restrictions on use of the SWF and FLV/F4V specifications
- Publishing the device porting layer APIs for Adobe Flash Player
- Publishing the Adobe Flash® Cast™ protocol and the AMF protocol for robust data services
- Removing licensing fees - making next major releases of Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR for devices free

Adobe's also throwing in the AIR platform as well, which is "the next-generation RIA runtime for the desktop, supporting HTML, Ajax, Adobe Flash technology and PDF." [Adobe]

Microsoft will also introduce a new Internet TV service for all Vista Home Premium and Ultimate users: starting this Friday, those customers will find the option in their Media Center interface, and can use it to get a range of video programming without the need for a TV tuner. Check out more details on that and the MCEs in the press release below:

Microsoft Unveils Extenders for Windows Media Center and Internet TV Beta - Connected Entertainment Comes Home for the Holidays New devices from Cisco's Linksys division, D-Link and Niveus Media deliver new video formats, form factors and HD TV over wireless home networks; Internet TV Beta debuts with more than one hundred hours of free full-screen video

NEW YORK — Sept. 27, 2007, 12:01 AM EST — Today at DigitalLife, Microsoft joined initial launch partners in revealing highly anticipated details on new Extenders for Windows® Media Center. These devices, which are expected to be available for purchase this holiday season, will allow easy access to premium cable, high-definition TV, popular video formats including DiVX, music, paid movies, photos and more from any TV in the house, with a wired or wireless network connection. People can even pause a recorded show in one room, and then resume it from the same moment in another room. Adding to the wealth of content available on Windows Vista Media Center PCs, Microsoft launched a beta test of Windows Media Center Internet TV, which will offer more than one hundred hours of ad-supported entertainment from MSN Video, including full-length shows, music concerts and movie trailers.

"These new extenders bring the Media Center experience on a Windows Vista PC to any TV around the house in full HD over a standard wired or wireless home network connection," said Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President, eHome division at Microsoft. "We are excited to show consumers how easily they can enjoy their digital lifestyle around their house with any of the new sleek looking and quiet Extenders from our launch partners."

New devices build a wireless entertainment bridge throughout the home

The Cisco/Linksys DMA2200 Digital Media Center Extender with DVD Player is an elegant solution integrating an upscaling DVD/ CD player with wireless Extender for Windows Media Center in a single box, letting people reduce clutter while still having easy access to their HD television content with 5.1 audio, using just one remote control. Linksys will also offer the DMA2100 Digital Media Center Extender, which delivers all the appealing features of Extender for Windows Media Center in a compact wireless device. Both products support dual-band draft Wireless-N networking for high quality video and the utmost in convenience. Both devices will support WMV, DivX and XVid formats and are expected to be available for consumers in the US before the end of the year. Pricing has not yet been announced.

The D-Link DSM-750® MediaLounge® Media Player is housed in a sleek 17-inch black aluminum chassis, and connects to the home network using Ethernet or dual-band draft Wireless-N networking to make it easy to enjoy the Windows Media Center experience with friends and family on a home entertainment center. The player will support WMV, DivX, and XVid formats and the DSM-750 includes a USB 2.0 port for instant access to music, photos and videos stored on removable USB flash drives or hard drives.

Designed for the high-end home theater enthusiast, the Niveus Media Extender offers a high fidelity experience, uncompromised 1080p video, digital audio, and the same amazing 3D user interface found on the award-winning Niveus Media Center. Additionally, the Niveus Media Extender features the proprietary Niveus Glacier™ Passive Cooling system for cool and quiet performance and a sleek and stylish A/V form-factor.

Windows Media Center Internet TV Beta Launches

On Friday morning, September 28, 2007, United States users of Windows Vista Home Premium Edition and Windows Vista Ultimate Edition will find a new feature inside Media Center - the beta release of Internet TV. This new feature will allow people to enjoy a range of television and video content on their PCs and TV sets, without the need of a TV tuner in their PC. This streaming video content will be supported by advertising technology provided by YuMe Networks, and will be available to viewers for free.*

The content available in Internet TV comes from MSN Video, with more than 100 hours available during the beta period, including:

· Full episodes of TV shows such as the critically acclaimed "Arrested Development."

· Full-length music concerts including Chris Cornell, Snoop Dogg, Elton John, Pink, John Mayer, The Pussycat Dolls and many more.

· High quality movie trailers from major movie studios

· The latest news segments from MSNBC

· Sports clips from FOX Sports Television

Internet TV has been designed for both the TV and PC screen, and features high quality video optimized for broadband streaming. Viewers can enjoy these high quality videos on Media Center Extender devices, including Xbox 360, as well as Windows Vista Media Center PCs.

Extend Your Digital Entertainment to the Whole Home

Watching a recorded TV show in the living room, pausing it, and then quickly resuming it from the bedroom or kitchen will soon become even easier with these new low-heat, quiet, home-theater designed devices. Extenders for Windows Media Center support streaming live high-definition TV, including premium cable channels in the US, along with formats such as Windows Media HD. The D-Link and Linksys devices add built-in support for dual band Wireless-N networking and expanded support for popular video formats such as DivX, XVid and H.264. These devices allow people to almost instantly start enjoying their entertainment - there's no need for a built-in hard-drive to cache the video before viewing.

New Extender devices are expected to be available this holiday season, and will unleash photos, music, videos, live and recorded TV from PCs with Windows Vista Media Center for viewing and listening on big-screen TV displays or standard definition TVs - delivering the ultimate entertainment solution with a wide range of flexibility - ready for today and the future.

These Extenders will lead the industry in supporting the ability to send protected HD content to additional rooms, including recorded TV from over-the-air Advanced Television Systems Committee or Digital Cable Tuners. Extenders also support on-demand broadband content from Media Center Online Media partners such as up-to-date sports reports from FOXSports.com, kids programming from Nickelodeon, downloadable TV episodes from Showtime Networks, and subscription movies on demand from Starz VONGO, along with support for a wealth of 3rd-party plug-in applications.

More information on new Extenders for Windows Media Center is available at http://www.windowsvista.com/extender