Smart Home Blog

Reycom announced its two new Win7 media centers – REC 100 and REC 1000. Basically they’re the same except hard drive capacity – REC 100 has 320GB and REC 1000 – 500GB. Also REC 1000 sports Blu-ray drive except DVD one. Both models are based on Intel processors and nVidia graphics and have dual ATSC tuners and RF remote control.

Except compact size and nice design the REC 100 and REC 1000 are energy-efficient and not expensive. They’ll be available this quarter at $499.00 (REC 100 I guess).

[via The Digital Media Zone]

An open source project called Simonsays offers a voice control for Win7 MCE via microphone to capture voice commands. Those commands are processed by Windows 7 Voice Recognition SDK. Currently hole project is a Python script hosted at Google Code. It has a limited dictionary of commands. But it should be enough to control playback or volume. You can install and configure Simonsays using that instruction.

[via ehomeUgrade]

Windows MCE users have a possibility to access to more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly on their HTPC. After installing a new plug-in powered by Silverlight technology the Netflix link will appear under “TV + Movies”. Sure to use it you should subscribe be Netflix subscriber. Also the Netflix integration is not available on MCE extenders.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

Good news for all movies fans who own Windows Media Center. Now you can watch more than 3400 selections of movies, TV shows and music videos on your media center thanks for offered extender.

Once you install the CinemaNow extender you’ll able to watch selected movie or TV show (pay-per-view), download it to your media center (download-to-own) or get legal DVD copy (burn-to-DVD).

The price is very reasonable. So, you need just a high speed Internet connection which is not something unreal today.

[via CEPro]

MCEGuru is a software for Windows Media Center users which allows to control it from several touchscreen devices. One of those device can be Nokia Internet Tablet – Nokia770, N800 or N810. Once installed on the device and MCE the MCEGuru gives you following options:

• See your photos
• List your movies and videos, with their thumbnail image
• List TV channels configured on your Media Center, as well as the program guide for them
• List all the music available on your Media Center, and even listening to it directly on your controlling device
• Manage current playlist on your Media Center
• Control the currently playing media on your TV, browse in it, etc…

To install MCEGuru on your Internet Tablet use that direct link or check the project page on Maemo site.