Engadget HD Podcast 077 - 03.21.2008
We hope you like long Podcasts, because this one is out of control at over an hour. Normally we long to keep it short -- ok shorter -- but between the podcast delay this week, the PS3 update news, all the HD DVD fall out this week, the new HTPC improvements like WinDVD and AnyDVD updates, and finally all the satellite launches; we just couldn't figure out what we could skip. And like always, to help you weed through it all, you can use the time marks to skip ahead in the mp3, or download the AAC file and take advantage of the chapters. Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim
Producer: Trent Wolbe
01:35 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 076 - 03.12.2008
08:38 - PS3 firmware 2.20 bringing BD-Live interactive Blu-ray this month
08:54 - Sony Pictures schedules two BD-Live releases for April
12:37 - Scene selection on Blu-ray
15:56 - Blu-ray players from Panasonic, Philips, and Denon get DivX Certified
16:32 - Toshiba swallows a billion dollars on HD DVD
17:30 - Best Buy offers HD DVD owners $10 million in gift cards, trade in, shoulder to cry on
19:06 - Blu-ray on Xbox 360? Microsoft hasn't heard about it
21:44 - WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray finally supports TrueHD and DTS-HD
23:29 - SlySoft's latest AnyDVD HD release strips BD+ from Blu-ray Discs
23:45 - An up-close look at Niveus' new Movie Gallery
30:44 - VUDU teams up with home automotion / control partners
34:27 - Studio execs believe downloads are a "long way off" from replacing DVD
38:59 - Apple patent looks towards DVRs with portability
44:54 - TiVo users getting YouTubed
47:53 - TiVo gets official with Desktop Plus 2.6, enables web video viewing
50:52 - Where Is HD? lays out your options when selecting a provider
52:53 - 20% of US households will spend stimulus funds on consumer electronics
54:33 - Hulu.com out of beta, open for one and all - in the U.S.
58:43 - DISH Network's AMC-14 satellite fails to reach orbit
1:01:46 - DISH Network's spring HD rollout still on track
1:02:40 - DirecTV 11 satellite launch deemed a success
LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ryan10ad @ Mar 21st 2008 11:59AM
Have you seen MacBreak Weekly ( http://twit.tv/mbw )? Not been shorter than 1 hour for the last 8 shows.
John B @ Mar 21st 2008 12:08PM
Eh?? Are you guys on the radio and therefore subject to those hard 30 or 60 minute time frames? Some podcasts regularly go for almost two hours -- every week! Just click "Record" and go with it. Don't worry about time frames. That's why we use players that have a "Pause" function. :)
Ben Wraith @ Mar 21st 2008 7:59PM
The PS3 has a bookmark feature. As far as length, more content is always better.
PaulF @ Mar 22nd 2008 11:04AM
Show length: The longer the better.
PowerDVD Ultra Build 3730 had the new BD features way before the PS3 (there's now a 3730a out). I removed the Invasion disc and was amazed that when I put it back in the HTPC, it rememberd where it was.
Kwong Ha @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:06PM
I agree with John B. Take as long as it takes to get through the topics.
ieko @ Mar 22nd 2008 8:32PM
Ben, as far as Media Center with FIOS is concerned (AFAIK you've got FIOS) it works really well. I have a Dell XPS 410 with 4 CableCard tuners with two XBOX 360's and it's seriously the best thing I could've ever done. The only gripe I have is that the XBOX 360 IR sucks.
aaron @ Mar 25th 2008 5:49PM
im going to agree with this.... i dont have the cablecard stuff (hdhomerun here) but media center as a system is really good. i think a big key here though is to treat it as a server or a device and not toy with it once things are setup/configured (i even have my vista ultimate installed on server hardware).
of course things are really going to get interesting if those directv cards ever make it (hopefully wont have all those lame cablelabs restrictions). because that could be the endgame.
tivo does some things media center doesnt do and media center does some things tivo doesnt do. i personally run media center as my main dvr and then directv for the hd channels i dont get through qam cable. there are tons of little things you can do with media center because its a computer that a device just wont be able to do. now it does have some flaws that need to be addressed but it looks like ms is going to fix most of them.... they are just taking forever.
Julio @ Mar 22nd 2008 11:45PM
Wow, service provider fanboys? That's a bit silly. You never know what some people will go crazy for. Over on Engadget classic people got all pissed off simply because Ryan thought new Die Hard movie sucked. Which, come on, it so did.
Oh Ben you and your first world problems, ha. I'd be ticked too if I was just over that limit. I know my uncle somewhat wants to get a Blu-Ray player, but they're too expensive and the cheapest one is a PS3. So I guess he'll just wait for the price to come down or at least until the xbox starts selling a drive.
Uh oh I hope the PS3 fanboys don't come after me.
Julio @ Mar 22nd 2008 11:51PM
Oh and the length was fine. Like you said before the length doesn't matter as long as your entertaining and relevant.
And hey a suggestion, how about you guys do a weekly movie review or something. That would be cool.
Julio @ Mar 23rd 2008 12:58AM
Correction: I realize the PS3 isn't the cheapest one but it is the best deal.
tprice @ Mar 23rd 2008 9:17AM
I'm one of those guys who has a PS3, but has never played a game on it. But I think of it as more than a blu-ray player. The media extension piece of it is not getting enough attention. But when the firmware update allows for saving files from a website, I think it will.
Now that the format war is over, the media hub war will start. You guys should have a contest to come up with a catchy name for it....
exadius @ Mar 23rd 2008 2:07PM
As long as they are charging $34.99 for Blu-Ray movies DVDs will live on. Does it really cost that much more to produce Blu-Ray discs? I only buy Blu-Ray if it is a MUST HAVE movie, if not I just buy the DVD and upconvert on my Samsung Blu-Ray player.
locke6854 @ Mar 24th 2008 9:03AM
I really liked when you had a special guest chat with you.
I guess it worked better for format-war debate, which is a non-issue.
Truth Teller would be a hoot, though, and you know it.
ScrawlHD @ Mar 24th 2008 11:18AM
Enjoy the show. Don't worry about length or format, just have a conversation, they make the best podcasts.
Is it true that the *&#@ studios are going to make DirecTV limit their pay-per-view viewing window to 24 hours soon?? The hell???
Why is media the only field where progress is measured by how much you can limit your content and how mad you can make your customers?
Mr. Numeros @ Mar 24th 2008 2:36PM
Show length: Agree with everyone - take as long as you need to get through the content.
Movie/Gamer crossover: I tend to agree with you Ben in that not every movie lover is going to go out and buy games just because they have a PS3. The thing is, there are a lot more (imho) gamers who will go out and buy Blu-ray movies because their PS3 can play the discs.
The (PS3) gamer demographic coincides with your 'The 6th Day' demographic or 'Die Hard Collection' demographic. Those circles in that Venn diagram overlap a lot.
The (Blu-ray) movie lover who wants to buy 'No Country for Old Men' or 'There Will Be Blood' are not necessarily going to go buy Rachet and Clank just because their PS3 will play it. The overlap of -those- circles is much smaller.
That guy you know who plays games on his 360 and none on his PS3 is insane - I agree that it doesn't make any sense if he's a gamer as there are some good PS3 exclusives now.
JPSchneid @ Mar 24th 2008 3:10PM
No love for Xbox360 owners/Blockbuster Online subscribers?
After Ben's comment "I just didn't want to cut anyone out", I was disappointed there was not even a mention. I thought subjects such as 360 as a media hub, cost of Xbox Live content, where to find downloadable HD content and Netflix new releases compared to Blockbuster would spur at least one discussion.
BTW ... I have been downloading WMV-HD trailers from IGN to watch with my 360/XP Media Center desktop. Where can I find more downloadable WMV-HD content?
Length is fine. The longer the better. I usually listen to the podcast a couple times anyway, since my focus changes depending on what I am working on at the moment and I miss things on the first listen.