Smart Home Blog

VDR is one of the most popular and power Linux-based front-end for the HTPC. It has a cleaver architecture and a lot of plugins. Using streamdev-server it’s possible to stream live TV over LAN. As client you can any PC with installed VideoLAN or mplayer. But in that case some functionality will be lost. Here is a way how to use Mac with Mac OS as streamdev client. I suspect that it’s the first step to port VDR under Mac OS. As there are no DVB device drivers for OS X with Linux headers you cannot use DVB devices on Mac. But you can enjoy full-featured VDR client on your Mac (thanks to Tero Siironen).

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SqueezeBox is a compact music streamer which allows to play a music from PC or listen internet radio. It connects to LAN via WiFi or Ethernet cable. Actually, SqueezeBox needs PC to get music content only. SlimDevices together with Infrant Technologies solved this by releasing ReadyNAS NV - the first commercially available NAS device to come pre-loaded with SlimServer Software. This allows to SqueezeBox connect to the NAS directly and get music files omitting PC.
There is a special offer - 1Tb ReadyNAS NV and 2 Squeezeboxes - for $1499.00

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I already wrote about new family of media streamers - SlingBox. It includes a three models which may be used for different purposes. There was not possibility to connect Slingbox to the HD source or TV. Now you can do it with a new Slingbox HD Connector. Just to pay $50 extra and you’ll able to stream HD TV over your LAN. The only one a little problem - the Connector doesn’t support HDMI yet.

The connector will be available in November at price $49.99. But you can preorder it now.

[via Engadget]

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Sling Media lanched three new Slingbox models: Slingbox PRO, Slingbox AV and Slingbox TUNER. Basically, all of them are needed to stream TV content from the different sources - satellite box, set-top-box, DVD etc via LAN to PC or mobile devices. Sling Media significantly increased performance of Slingbox to provide the customer with choice depending on their home TV setup and start at as low as $179.99. The difference beween those models makes conditional upon their use. Slingbox PRO is oriented on home users who are interesting to control many devices and HD. Slingbox AV is a simple variant of Slingbox PRO and it’s suit for standart definition television. Slingbox TUNER can just stream ordinary analog television channels. The prices are tagged at $249.99, $179.99 and $179.99 respectively.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

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Apple is going to release iTV - a wireless video streaming set-top box in Q1 2007. It’s around half the Mac Mini height and features a built-in power supply, USB 2.0, Ethernet, 802.11 “wireless component video”, optical audio and HDMI ports, plus regular ol’ RCA stereo audio ports.

iTV will support a standart Apple remote and come with an updated version of the Front Row interface.

The iTV will half the Mac Mini height and its price’ll also half of the Mac Mini price - $299.

[via Engadget]

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