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XBMC ARM port teased, will manage HD playback from pocket-sized Beagleboard (video)

by Tim Stevens posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 10:05AM

XBMC ARM port teased, will manage HD playback from pocket-sized Beagleboard (video)
There was a time when the X in XBMC stood for Xbox, but now just look at it. The open source project is showing up on everything from MIDs to Apple TVs and soon will be in the wild running on ARM-powered devices, with the development team posting a teaser video of the software running quite well on a tiny 600MHz Beagleboard. It's a fraction of the size of most HTPCs and, at $150, a fraction of their cost, too. Right now the software seems to be struggling a bit with what looks to be 480p wide content, but the devs promise proper HD playback in the full release -- though they're not saying when that full release will be.

[Via Hack A Day]

Continue reading XBMC ARM port teased, will manage HD playback from pocket-sized Beagleboard (video)

boxee for Windows alpha previewed

by Richard Lawler posted Jan 19th 2009 at 7:34PM


Looking for another Windows Media Center complement / alternative? Download Squad's taken a look at the currently in private alpha Windows version of boxee and found the interface a breeze to operate with a standard Windows Media Center remote, not surprising since it was originally designed with Mac remotes in mind. Of course, without Media Center's DVR underpinnings it's not a full replacement, but with a slick video browser and often updated sources, it could find its niche as a way to navigate both locally stored and online streaming video. Hit the read link for more impressions if you haven't been invited to the party (now open to all on Mac or Ubuntu) yet.

Hulu comes to XBMC

by Steven Kim posted Jan 5th 2009 at 11:46PM

XBMC and Hulu
If you've been dying to get Hulu integrated into your HTPC and the Boxee experience isn't your cup of tea, now you can give the Boxee's older cousin, XBMC, a whirl. Hit the link for details on how to get rolling, and lest you blanche at the idea of retrieving the latest XBMC source from Subversion, there's a merciful link to a compiled installer. After getting your XBMC install squared away, simply add a script and away you go! Based on the one comment in the link, it sadly sounds like Xbox 360 owners might not be able to join in on the fun just yet; but if you give this one a go, let us know how things pan out.

XBMC spinoff Media Portal reaches version 1.0, five year countdown to MediaPortal 2 begins

by Richard Lawler posted Dec 27th 2008 at 3:05PM


It's been five long years, but the devs behind MediaPortal have decided their Windows Media Center / SageTV / BeyondTV competitor is worthy of exiting beta, finally reaching version 1.0. A long way from its roots as a Xbox Media Center port for Windows, it promises easy access to music, movies and more from a full screen display, along with support for watching and recording live TV. DownloadSquad mentions MediaPortal 2 is now on the way, with the open source project looking to add media streaming to / from various devices to the mix. Certainly seems worth a look if waiting on a boxee invite isn't your cup of tea.

[Via Download Squad]

boxee alpha opens up on Mac, Ubuntu January 8; Windows invites to follow

by Richard Lawler posted Dec 23rd 2008 at 3:21PM

Six months and 150,000 signups later, boxee is preparing to move from alpha to beta status, ready to drop any unsent invites on all interested parties by the 25th ahead of the open alpha period starting January 8, 2009. While OS X / Apple TV / Ubuntu have been the required attire so far, Windows users won't be out in the cold much longer, as CEO Avner Ronen revealed in comments on the boxee blog that the Windows alpha program will start "early 2009" with thousands of invites sent out every week. That enough to pique your interest in this media streaming set-top box software?

[Via A VC]

Boxee / XBMC now available on Apple TV

by Darren Murph posted Oct 1st 2008 at 8:00AM


If you were curious as to why Boxee suddenly became available for OS X 10.4 users, here's your sign. The underpinnings of the Apple TV are indeed based on Tiger, thus paving the way for Scott Davilla, a developer for the aTV-bootloader project, to announce that Boxee and XMBC can now be installed on Apple's set-top-box. In order to take advantage, you'll need the aTV Flash bootloader on a bootable USB drive, an Apple TV and the software in the links below. Currently, things are setup to run on Mac only, though PC / Linux versions are promised for next week. After signing up for a Boxee invite, jump on past the break for the step-by-step guide to getting this going.

Gallery: Boxee / XMBC now available on Apple TV



Read - ATV Bootloader site
Read - Boxee Alpha signup

Continue reading Boxee / XBMC now available on Apple TV

Boxee opens its doors for OS X 10.4 "Tiger" users

by Darren Murph posted Sep 27th 2008 at 9:33PM


Boxee, the open-source media streaming software that launched this summer, has always had a soft spot for Mac users. So soft, in fact, that it has just launched a new version that's completely compatible with OS X 10.4 (Tiger). The update also improves performance of multimedia library browsing and makes a few other minor changes / fixes sure to make heavy users smile. If you're still holding onto Tiger and want to know what the buzz is about, today's your lucky day.

Microsoft planning La Veuve de Media Center?

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 17th 2008 at 8:25PM


Our friend Chris Lanier's sources report a potential headless Media Center-powered CE appliance is under development. The current implementation on desktops and laptops gives it exposure, but the possibility of a more focused device could help potential users understand just what the package is for. On the other hand, competition from entrenched STB manufacturers and service providers could squeeze prices too low for whatever system is being cooked up in Redmond, which clearly considers our preferred "throw bags of money at the XBMC dev crew" strategy unsound. Barring convict redemption ideas cribbed from obscure French romance flicks released early this decade, what do you think Microsoft should do next?

[Picture courtesy of Thomas Hawk]

XBMC 'Atlantis' landing in around two months

by Darren Murph posted Aug 14th 2008 at 5:49PM

No sooner did we ask the audience which PVR application was best than the XBMC team reveals the next major installment of XBMC Media Center. A post over at the official website informs us that Team-XBMC "has hit a feature freeze in anticipation of an upcoming stable release of XBMC, codenamed Atlantis." The software is set to be released for Windows, Linux, Mac and Xbox simultaneously in around two months, and the crew is asking for your help in discovering bugs early in order to get a stable release out the door in short order. So, you planning to pitch in?

[Thanks, Michael]

Boxee launches for Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04

by Darren Murph posted Jul 27th 2008 at 5:28PM


Surely you remember Boxee, right? After launching in June on the Mac with the promise of a Linux distro (and Windows, too) not far behind, this open-source media streaming application has finally gone live on Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04. The creators reckoned that by covering Gutsy Gibbon and Hardy Heron users, most everyone interested would be covered, and we have to say we agree with that assessment. It should be noted that said software still has potential kinks, and there are currently a number of alpha testers toying with it in order to send in feedback and get things ironed out. More intriguing here, however, is the possibility for this version to slide into set-top-boxes or standalone players that are built on Linux-based platforms, but for now, why not hit the read link and give it a go on your very own machine. Let us know how it turns out, alright?

Boxee: open-source media streaming software heads for alpha

by Darren Murph posted Jun 12th 2008 at 5:42PM


As the media streaming game heats up, quite a bit of focus is being placed on the software side. Take Boxee, for example -- this open-source application is designed to enable users to "control their media from a PC-connected TV," but in due time, it hopes to spread the program to set-top-boxes, cable company-issued HD DVRs, etc. Operating in quite the inverse manner, the system is slated to hit alpha next Monday, but it will only support Mac and Linux operating systems. Of course, a Windows-friendly version is due out soon, and given that it is based on XBMC, we have all ideas that it will be at least decently useful. As it stands, Boxee can support 1080p content, but DRM-laced material is still a no-go. The startup is hoping to round up a few alpha testers to get things moving in the right direction, and if you think you're the perfect candidate, tap the read link and get involved.




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