Compared to just a few weeks ago, it is a great time to be in the market for a Digital Cable Tuner (DCT). We just took a look at devices from SiliconDust and Hauppauge and now it is Ceton’s turn because their newest tuner, the $299 InfiniTV 4 USB, arrived this afternoon. Obviously we have not had much time to […]
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We spend a good deal of time covering digital cable tuners (DCT) because they are popular and quite possibly the easiest way to get premium content into the home theater PC (HTPC). They do have some downsides, however. For example, if the content the DCT records is copy-protected, it can only be played back within Windows Media Center and can’t […]
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We learned from our recent chassis poll that a number of you are using tower or desktop style enclosures for your home theater PCs (HTPC); thus, we felt that we should expand our chassis reviews to include more products in these form factors. Today, we take a look at the SilverStone TJ08-E Micro-ATX tower chassis. The TJ08 Evolution is an […]
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As the long-time leader in network connected digital TV tuners, when SiliconDust announced the three CableCARD tuner HDHomeRun PRIME labeling it “highly-anticipated” would be an understatement. Offering native support for Window 7 Media Center via its gigabit Ethernet port, the PRIME is also unique in what is becoming a [welcomely] crowded market for Digital Cable Tuners (DCT) not just because […]
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A few months ago there was no competition in the market for Digital Cable Tuners, now there are several form factors, OEMs and interfaces to choose from. Earlier today Aaron provided a first look at Hauppauge’s WinTV-DCR-2650 Dual Digital Cable Tuner. Now it is time to do the same for its big brother – the three tuner, $250 network enabled […]
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Getting our hands on a new product is always exciting so we thought we would share it with you! We’ve been anxiously awaiting the Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 ever since we first saw the prototype of the CableCARD product at CES. If you haven’t heard by now, the WinTV-DCR-2650 is a dual-cable tuner that connects to a PC via USB–a great option […]
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While there are certainly a number of options when it comes to movie management within Microsoft Windows 7 Media Center (7MC) such as My Movies, Media Browser, etc., one of the simplest is the included native movie library. This guide will cover the following: What types of files can be added to the library How to add files to the […]
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The world of Internet-based streaming audio services is vast compared to traditional terrestrial (AM and FM) radio solutions. If you’ve got an old alarm clock or portable boombox, it likely is limited to terrestrial options and perhaps some physical media. Grace Digital Audio is aiming to modernize these devices with their Allegro portable Wi-Fi Internet radio, the smaller sibling of […]
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Last Christmas my wife, reprising her role as Santa Claus, climbed down the chimney and left the Logitech Harmony One universal remote under the tree. It was gleaming in the early morning sunshine–I got a little misty-eyed. After fulfilling my familial obligations (I love watching my son open presents) I scurried upstairs and began tinkering. I had two objectives in mind […]
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Do you sometimes find yourself in a situation where you want to show off photos, a video or some other content on your laptop on your big screen without the means to do so? You know the drill; everyone crowds awkwardly around the small screen on your laptop and feigns interest even though they are terribly uncomfortable. This is one […]
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