Are Media Center Extenders Dead? (again)

[fstrydom]

[url=http://www.missingremote.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3489&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=4]Original Article Link[/url]

Interesting write-up. I think a point worth mentioning here is that again we are at an “unknown”. Nobody communicates their future direction. (With nobody I mean Microsoft and the hardware manufacturers). If v2 extenders are any indication, we have a long waiting time to find out if there will be a v3. For users that have problems that needs solving today, sitting around for an unknown period of time after Win7 release is not acceptable.
The lack of communication of future direction is frustrating and frankly insulting.

*End Rant*

Now for my perspective: I own 2 Linksys v2 extenders. I am always amazed at people that state they are completely satisfied with their extenders. I have experienced a range of problems to the extent that my family don’t really use them. Problems such as buzzing sound on my receiver when the extender is in standby, network issues on wired network that can only be resolved with a manual reboot of the extender, unresponsive UI, pressing button on remote once (e.g. move in the menu in a specific direction) and UI moves twice, ugly washed out UI, unacceptable methods (workarounds) of playing back ripped movies. The list goes on. So bottom line – I absolutely HATE v2 extenders (but just a little less than v1 extenders).
BUT, I am not happy that manufacturers are abandoning the extenders. It is not a good thing for us. I think it fair to say we will never see softsled, but that is what we really want. Imagine what HP (based on their track record with WHS and the touch screen PC’s) and others could do with the right softsled technology. And now we finally have the right hardware available for it (Atom & Ion).
So imagine no extender and no softsled. What are our options now? I have been trying to solve this one for a while and is still at a loss for the best solution.

So I would propose the solution (if not softsled) would be a more expensive extender (wait – hear me out). Microsoft discounts the xbox 360 so they can generate more revenue on the games. Now even though it is not the best imaginable extender ever, it knocks the socks off the v2 extenders in the same price range. And that hurts sales of the v2 extenders as they cannot be manufactured with similar specs for the same price. So if extenders whants to keep on living they need to offer something better than the xbox 360, at which point people may be willing to spend more for the perceived added value. Examples may be BR drive or ability to play back more formats through it’s UI.
Now to wrap up, a counter point to my own argument – why is it that AppleTV can offer the needed horespower (mostly) at the right price? Also with Ion and other recent new hardware, the cost of manufacturing extenders with enough juice should come way down.

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