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Alienware details new High Definition Media Server

The latest, greatest Windows Media Center is the new Alienware High Definition Media Server. Besides its ubiquitous name, the High Definition Media Server (I’m going to call it the HDMS) has a sleek design, up to 4TB storage in RAID-5 redundancy, Intel quad-core processor, 1080p video, Blu-ray Disc read/write, up to four cable tuners (two in high-def), and 7.1 channel pre-amp outputs.



At this point there is no MSRP. Alienware is searching for custom installation firms interested in integrating this product into high-end homes. If I had an undisclosed amount of money I’d consider this.

Visit the Alienware site for more details.

Digital downloads don’t threaten optical media

In a strange turn of events, many bloggers are touting iTunes as the killer of Blu-ray Disc. It seems the majority of these people were HD DVD supports in December, and the rest are Steve Jobs. Why the sudden change in tune?

iMovie isn’t anything new, video-on-demand has been around for over a decade. Time Warner was boasting last year about how big their VOD business was and one executive even declared optical media dead. Funny, DVD actually did better than expected last year.

Why are comparisons even being made with Blu-ray Disc anyway? The iTunes movies are not high-def. Some are, but they’re only available to AppleTV Take 2 owners. VOD is in high-def with cable providers. AppleTV is also a rental service. People kept buying VHS and DVD even though Blockbuster was renting movies. Online rentals have been available for a couple years as well. People buy movies to collect them, you don’t collect movies on a hard drive.

Some people point to music to support their case. They saw CD is in a slump. This is true, but some argue that there isn’t music worth buying right now. The fact that music is essentially free online also hurts the music industry, something the movie industry is fighting with all their might.

But why are so many HD DVD fans dropping their support of high-quality movies in 1080p with lossless audio to now support poor-quality video downloads? The best-quality AppleTV only movies are 720p highly-compressed video files with low-bitrate Dolby Digital audio, and most aren’t even in surround sound. Were they not thouroughly impressed with HD DVD’s quality?

What do you think? Will video downloads replace physical media, or will it supplement it?

Disney to add support for D-Box

D-Box Technologies offers a niche product for the home theater enthusiast - a motion actuator for seating. This is a unique product unlike all the “bass actuators” you see out there. D-Box doesn’t just shake your chair, it lifts, drops and shifts your chair much like the theaters you find at an amusement park. Movement is programmed with D-Box Motion Code for each specific movie and the data is part of the DVD’s soundtrack giving each film a unique experience.



Considering only a select bunch of movies even use D-Box technology, it seems like quite an investment to gain an arbitrarily greater theatrical benefit. This may be changing now that Disney has signed up to support D-Box Motion Code on upcoming titles. Fox and Lions Gate have already been releasing DVDs and Blu-ray Discs with D-Box enabled soundtracks, but then only on select titles. Disney will bring Game Plan and The Rock to Blu-ray on 22nd January 2008.

Whether you care about moving recliners or not, it seems like D-Box is looking to significantly grow their niche. They’re already working with gaming companies to bring a more “simulation” feel to games. Sounds fun … for a while I guess.

Since 2001, Kaleidescape has been the leader in home media servers, delivering high-quality DVD content to distributed locations throughout the home via ethernet network. Many other companies have sprung up to challenge the entertainment server market offering myriad features, but every one of them has had to follow in the steps of Kaleidescape - often borrowing ideas. The elegance and ease of use Kaleidescape offers with their user interface is one thing every company emulates.

Aside from the hardware and software offerings, Kaleidescape has been watched by the entire A/V convergence industry for their court battles with the DVD-CCA. This is a complicated story, so I’ll try to make it brief. Kaleidescape is the only company to have obtained a license from the DVD Copy Control Association (DVD-CCA) to remove the Content Scramble System (CSS) from the DVD to rip and play back from the hard drive. This license requires Kaleidescape to use a closed system with proprietary software and hardware to limit the content’s output to mirror CSS specifications. This includes limiting analog video outputs at 480p, and the protection keys and unscrambled data cannot be on “user-accessible buses,” like the PCI slot. There is even a separate license obtained from Macrovision required for the analog outputs.



However, in spite of all the licenses Kalidescape has received, the DVD-CCA continues to claim the system does not stand up to the CSS requirements. The DVD-CCA has repeatedly sued Kalidescape over this claim and has lost every case. Most recently was a March ruling where the judge found in favor of Kalidescape. Since this ruling, the DVD-CCA is attempting to amend the license making it so the DVD must be physically present for the video to play back and that the CSS codes cannot be moved to a hard drive. This is ridiculous, of course, as it completely voids any advantage a hard drive based storage system yields. The good news is that the courts and appeals courts have all agreed with Kaleidescape in several court decisions. The amendment reads as follows:

6.4. Certain Requirements for DVD Products, shall not be designed to descramble scrambled CSS Data when the DVD Disc containing such CSS Data and associated CSS Keys is not physically present in the DVD Player or DVD Drive (as applicable), and a DVD Product shall not be designed to make or direct the making of a persistent copy of CSS Data that has be descrambled from such DVD Disc by such DVD Product.

Founder and CEO Michael Malcolm wrote a scathing letter to the Content Protection Advisory Council (CPAC) claiming the group is attempting to put his company out of business. The CPAC is made up of several electronics manufacturers Malcolm claims are using their position to stifle competition. None of the CPAC companies make a media server system. Malcolm wrote that the amendment violates antitrust regulations.

The purpose of this proposed amendment is to put Kalidescape out of business by excluding the Kalidescape system from the DVD playback devices authorized by the CSS License Agreement.”

I asked Malcolm if his company was seeking legal action against the DVD-CCA and he denied that in no uncertain terms. However he has previously stated they were looking at it.

Looking to the future

Like another product innovator, Apple, Kaleidescape doesn’t usually talk about future products and features. When I spoke to Michael Malcolm, founder and CEO of Kaleidescape, he would not comment on any plans to bring Blu-ray or HD DVD to the Kaleidescape platform. On August 16, Mercury News reported Malcolm believes the quality of DVD upscaling is so good that you cannot tell the difference between the new formats and regular DVD. This might hint at no future adoption of the formats. Another hint is Kaleidescape is looking to a future of delivering high-def content over the internet, something Microsoft is pushing as well.

In fact, their initial goal was to create an internet delivery system and even filed a number of patents on that technology. Malcolm told Engadget in a 2005 interview that the hurdle that has yet to be overcome is getting studios to agree to digital delivery. “To do Internet delivery of movies, you need to convince the content owners to license their movies to you, and you need a large enough installed base that it’s economically interesting to them,” he said. “But you need people to buy the platform, and you can’t get there without the movies.”

With studios like Universal, Disney and Lions Gate bowing high-def content on such services like VUDU and Xbox LIVE over the internet, I wonder if Kaleidescape will revisit digital delivery. In the meantime, they offer pre-loaded movie collections including categories such as “Academy Award Winners Best Picture,” and “The Criterion Collection Catalog.” This is a quick and easy way to fill up your hard drives with quality films cataloged properly with no work from yourself, and the best part is many of these films are hard-to-find.

Netflix posts 3Q profit

After half a year of lower than expected revenue reports, Netflix announced today a 23 percent increase in profits over last year. Beating analyst expectations by about $8 million, this news boost Netflix stock by 13% in after-hours trading.



Blockbuster Online has been very successful this year and it has been cutting into Netflix’s expected growth. Netflix struck back by lowering prices and engaging in more aggressive advertising and is very optimistic for the fourth quarter.

With this news, Netflix has increased expectations. I just hope they can manage another price break soon.

Sony’s new Blu-ray enabled home media server

While it seems that Blu-ray and HD DVD spent up their ammunition at IFA in Berlin, Sony did bring one brand new product out at CEDIA in Denver. The HES-V1000 Home Entertainment Server is Sony’s top of the line 200 disc Blu-ray Disc Home Server featuring a 500GB hard drive to store music, movies and photos. I received a lot of information about the HES-V1000 yesterday and I’ve got to say, this thing is impressive.

Sony seems to think the future of the home is in consolidated packages. The Playstation 3 is one example of including every home entertainment source into one box (with the upcoming DVR functionality anyway). The HES-V1000 is a huge step above that, however, with a 200 disc Blu-ray megachanger that has one touch content import to the 500GB hard drive. You can also upload quickly from your PC any video, music or photo you’d like. The HES-V1000 is a DLNA device, so you can access content from other DLNA devices (like your laptop), and you can use your PS3 as a media extender in other rooms of the house (and from that to your PSP at Starbucks). The HES-V1000 can act as the media hub for whole house audio/video integration. Sony’s Linux-based XMB (Cross Media Bar) menu system is utilized here, just as it is in all the new HDTVs, PS3, PSP an receivers. It’s an elegant and functional way to get to the content you have, as well as manage settings.

Working in the custom install (CEDIA) industry, I immediately think of how this can work in a custom home. Every room of the house can have a TV on the wall and it can be sourced with a PS3 and use the Bluetooth remote to control the whole system while the HES-V1000 is in a closet somewhere supplying all the media you own to every room of the house. No programming required! With the added PSP functionality, it’s like adding a Slingbox to the mix. It does support 1080p/60 HDMI output for the Blu-ray Discs and features an IR input for custom installation.

To go along with this whole-house integration is the new CPF-IX001 wireless PC audio system. This DLNA device is a slim speaker system with WiFi that allows you to access audio from the HES-V1000 or other DLNA devices in other rooms of the house wirelessly. The HES-V1000 has four streams of audio out to facilitate these nifty devices, and even has a party mode.

Another breakthrough feature is the ability to backup your files to 25GB single-layer BD-R/REs. With 137 hours of video, 40,000 songs (2,000 CDs) or 20,000 pictures, the 500GB drive should be large enough for most people. The Blu-ray media is not stored on the hard drive, but unencrypted DVDs, CDs, MP3s and photos are all supported. Four memory card slots (Memory Stick, SD, xD and CF) for importing images from your camera are included on the unit. A pop-up slot also allows you to import from HDV, DV via iLink, composite and s-video sources with audio. You can load up the 200 disc changer with all your CDs and hit one button, “import,” and the HES-V1000 will automatically rip all the CDs and gather meta data from AMG.

What do you do with all of this content? Use the x-Applications to scrapbook photos or create home videos. With x-ScrapBook you can chose a template or create your own to make a slide show of your last vacation, or your daughter’s birthday party - you’re only limited by your imagination. For video, x-Pict Story HD allows you to compile music and pictures for a snazzy presentation you can share.

The possibilities of this new device are virtually endless. It’s one of the more exciting products to appear at CEDIA by far. To make this whole package seem even more attractive is the price: $3,499 USD. That’s right, less than a lot of media servers with far less features. It will be available mid-October.

SE2 Labs: Everything but the kitchen sink

If you ever wished to have all of your home theater equipment in one obtrusive, industrial monolith, your prayers have been answered. The new Utah based company SE2 Labs introduced the ITC One (not to be confused with R5-D4) at CEDIA Expo in Denver, CO last week. This 18″ W x 21″ H x 20″ D all-in-one modular system includes your choice of Microsoft X-Box 360, X-Box 360 HD DVD Player, Nintendo Wii, DirecTV, High-Def Tivo, Dish Network DVR, national cable providers DVR (including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Cable and many more), AMX Netlinx Control System, High-End Digital Surround Processor, Bryston Pre-Amp Processor with full digital outputs, IcePower High-End D-Class Amplifiers, High-End Video Processor, Front Touchpanel Screen, Apple Video iPod with Dock, proprietary Remote Control, Power Conditioning, Transparent Cabling and Cable Harness. If that isn’t enough to make you wonder, “What the hell?” SE2 Labs has partnered with Vidikron to provide a video display, and Triad to provide the speakers.

SE2 Labs has included an integrated cooling system to keep all the compact components from bursting into a flaming ball of fire and seriously maiming you (I’m sure it’s an insurance requirement). A mechanical isolation system prevents vibrations and suppresses the noise so you can enjoy your films and near the dialog too - a killer combination. Considering it includes the notoriously loud Xbox 360, this is an important feature.

My favorite feature of the ITC One is the pre-programmed remote. The back lit clicker looks like a stylish battle cruiser right out of Star Trek. It operates on RF frequencies so you don’t have to be in the line-of-sight, unlike the typical IR type remote. It features customized macros for one touch access to the sources inside the system. It can even control your lighting system! If that isn’t good enough, there is an LCD touch screen on the front of the case to manage all functions.

To be completely fair, this is a breakthrough product with eleven registered patents. If I didn’t know any better I would think SE2 developed the TARDIS (I know what you’re thinking, TARDISes are not made, they’re grown - whatever, grow up).

You’ve been foaming at the mouth for four paragraphs for this, so I’ll get right to it. The ITC One is yours from $19,900 from an authorized custom installer (must be the world’s laziest installer to use a pre-configured theater). Run! Don’t Walk to your nearest SE2 dealer to get yours today!