Yeah, you may be burning that midnight oil, but your weariness isn't the reason you're certain you've seen this thing before. Touted at CES as the MediaSmart Receiver, the re-dubbed MediaSmart Connect is finally available for pre-order. Just as we heard before, this unit takes full advantage of Extender for Windows Media Center technology, and although it possesses no internal storage space, it will pull in digital media from around your home (and a variety of online media outlets) and pipe it straight to your HDTV. The unit plays nice with other UPnP- and DLNA-compliant devices and includes 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, an Ethernet port, HDMI / component jacks and support for MPEG2/4, DivX, XviD, WMV, MP3, WMA, AAC, JPEG and BMP files (among others). Prospective buyers can get their order in today for $349.

As YouTube slowly but surely sneaks its way into the connected home, we just keep telling ourselves it'll support high-def content one day. If and when that day ever arrives, owners of HP MediaSmart connected entertainment products will definitely be ready to take full advantage, as a recent announcement has brought the internet video king's content to Hewlett-Packard wares. The deal will enable MediaSmart TV owners and those that purchase the forthcoming MediaSmart Connect digital media receiver to simply login to their YT account via the remote, but there's really no details beyond that. If you're cool with pixelated video blown up to 50 or more inches, give it a go and let us know how it turns out. As for us, we'll be waiting for YouTube HD.

Those looking to better unify your lighting, security, HVAC and home theater are in luck, as a new team has just been formed to investigate what you want, what you need and how to deliver it. Whirlpool, Bell Canada, Cisco, Direct Energy, HP, Legrand, Leviton, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Zensys and the Z-Wave Alliance have all come together to "conduct an in-depth study about the state and future of the smart home." More specifically, the crew will be asking consumers what types of connected home applications could be created or improved upon, with a few examples consisting of TV-based Caller ID screens, remotely controlled temperature / lighting and the ability to crank your home stereo to 11 when a crook breaks in. Yeah, we're totally bluffing on that last one, but you never know.

Owners of HP's older MediaSmart HDTVs, your sometime is now as Chris Lanier reports the company's posted the long-awaited Vista Media Center Extender update. The SL4278N and SL4778N model TVs should prompt for the update automatically if they're connected to the internet, and afterwards connect to your fully patched Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition machine and access your Media Center library (DivX, Xvid, h.264, MPEG-2 and WMV of course), live TV, recorded TV or other features directly through the TV. Check out HP's support page for a full walkthrough on the process and keep your Windows Media Center remote close by.

[Via Chris Lanier, HP press release]

Not pleased with any of HP's other offerings? Fret not, as we've got yet another one coming your way. The Pavilion Elite m9150f PC comes ready to handle those HD DVD / PVR duties, and it may even withstand a e-mail or two. Here's the dirt:

• 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor
• Intel's G33 Express chipset
• 3GB of DDR2 RAM
• Dual 360GB (720GB total) 7,200 SATA hard drives
• HP's Personal / Pocket Media Drive Bays
• HD DVD (read-only) drive
  
• LightScribe-enabled SuperMulti DVD burner
• Gigabit Ethernet / 802.11b/g WiFi
• NTSC / ATSC / FM tuners
• HP Media Center remote control with IR receiver
• Front-mounted 15-in-1 multicard reader

If you couldn't already guess, this one also packs six USB 2.0 ports, twin FireWire sockets, audio in / out, a wireless keyboard / mouse combo and HDMI / DVI outputs. As with HP's other newly announced media PCs, the m9100 series is set to ship this month and start at $1,159.

Remember those tasty Phenom chips AMD loosed back on November? We sure hope so, because that's the CPU HP's relying on in its forthcoming Pavilion Media Center m8330f PC. Here's the specifics:

• 2.2GHz AMD Phenom 9500 quad-core CPU
• NVIDIA's nForce 430 chipset
• 3GB of DDR2 RAM
• Twin 320GB 7,200 RPM SATA hard drives
• HP's Personal Media Drive Bay
• LightScribe-enabled SuperMulti DVD burner
• NTSC / ATSC / FM tuners
• HP Media Center remote control with IR receiver
• Front-mounted 15-in-1 multicard reader

Beyond that, you can expect six USB 2.0 ports, a pair of FireWire connectors, audio in / out, HDMI and DVI sockets and an HP mouse / keyboard combo. Like the s3330f PC already mentioned, this too will be landing real soon with a price tag starting at $959.

If you're looking for a Media Center Extender that can do a smidgen more than your average 360, HP just announced a brand new option for you. The MediaSmart Receiver does the usual MCE business (actually, it's an Extender for Windows Media Center, meaning it can do DivX and XviD), in addition to playing H.264, MPEG-2, AAC, having built-in 802.11a/b/g/n, a Pocket Media Drive bay, and all the outputs you'll need to get the thing up and running (component, HDMI with HDCP). And, of course, it'll stream you media via DLNA / UPnP servers, play it off the drive or USB ports, as well as switching modes o HP's own media interface, just in case you're not into the Extender experience (or don't rely on an XP or Vista box to deal with your media). No pricing intel just yet, but expect a spring release. Of course, if you wanted to get a small Media Center Extender with a hard drive, USB, and high def outputs, there are a few decent alternatives out there.

A slim PC destined to handle both of the major high-definition movie formats? Say it ain't so! Turns out, HP is indeed doling out such a machine, and it's so eloquently dubbed the Pavilion Slimline s3330f PC. Here's a look at what this mighty mini-tower will be packin':

• 2.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor
• 2GB of DDR2 RAM
• 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA drive
• HP Pocket Media Drive Bay
• Single LightScribe-enabled optical drive that reads Blu-ray / HD DVD and writes to dual-layer DVDs
  
• NVIDIA's 256MB GeForce 8500 GT
• 802.11b/g WiFi
• Built-in NTSC / ATSC TV tuners
• Front-mounted 15-in-1 multicard reader

Furthermore, you'll find 6 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, audio in / out, DVI / HDMI ports and a wireless keyboard / mouse bundled in along with a whole suite of software. Intrigued? Be on the lookout for this one to land later this month starting at $949.

We didn't realize this was news, but after we discovered that Sony was selling ATI's CableCARD tuner for $300 by it's lonesome, we realized how few people knew that you could buy a Media Center PC with a CableCARD tuner for less than $3000. We agree that $300 for a CableCARD tuner is out of control ridiculous -- especially compared to a TiVo HD which sells for the same price and has dual CableCARD tuners -- but to go around and pretend like they only work with "expensive" Media Center PCs is ridiculous. Sure it sucks that it costs $300 and that you have to buy it with a OEM like HP or Dell just to get it, but we for one are just glad they are a reality, now if only DirecTV or Dish would make a tuner like this for Media Center.

Earlier this month, we noticed that fence-sitters in the drawn out format war could play both sides by picking up the towering m9000t with an HD DVD / Blu-ray combo drive built right in. For those still wondering if it's worth the coin, ComputerShopper managed to sit it down and answer that very inquiry. For starters, the hardware in this "entertainment PC" was said to be mighty robust, and all around performance seemed to exceed expectations. There were no complaints when watching high-definition films, and while this thing wasn't exactly built for gamers, it managed to pass a Company of Heroes test with flying colors. The only notable dig on this otherwise solid machine was the unfortunate lack of "couch-friendly peripherals," but for under $1,500, the Pavilion Elite m9000t was still deemed "an excellent choice."

Just last month, we heard rumblings that HP may begin offering up two-faced optical drives in its desktops, and sure enough, a variety of select Pavilions are now being served up with HD DVD and / or Blu-ray compatibility. The d4995t, m9000t and m9000z all give users the option of purchasing a vanilla dual-layer DVD burner, an HD DVD / Blu-ray combo player (that also burns DVDs), or a drive that burns Blu-ray / DVD and reads HD DVD. Additionally, a number of lesser-spec'd rigs also provide users the option of picking up an HD combo drive of some sort, and you can even snap up ATI's TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner on the d4995t and m9000t (among others).

[Thanks, Ryan]

Just in case Linksys and D-Link's introductions weren't enough to satisfy, Microsoft is now announcing yet another partner in its refreshed Extenders for Windows Media Center effort. Beginning in "early 2008," owners of HP's current 42- and 47-inch MediaSmart LCD HDTVs will be able to utilize all of the features of the Media Center Extender platform sans any additional hardware. According to Microsoft, users will simply download a software update for their set, after which they'll be able to kick back and enjoy a little Windows Media Center Internet TV while basking in the glory that is added functionality.

Regrettably, there's not a lot to go on just yet, but DigiTimes has it that HP will soon be launching "next-generation PCs with a Blu-ray / HD DVD dual-format burner." The announcement was reportedly issued at a product presentation held in Singapore, and while no model numbers were doled out, we can purportedly expect the two-faced machines to land in Europe and America sometime next month. Notably, HP has hemmed and hawed between formats in the past, but we're all for a rig that burns (and reads) both.

[Via TG Daily]

Well, would you check this out. Those "issues" that HP was apparently having with its Digital Tuner-equipped m8010y have finally been remedied... in the form of an entirely new machine. Strange as it may be to believe, searching for an m8010y or d4890y at HP's webshop yields information about two recently decommissioned products rather than giving you access to buy one of your own, and users searching for a CableCARD-ready media PC will instead be forced by buy an m8100y. Interestingly, the base CPU is now a 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo E6560 and the included graphics card is the 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS, and while you'd certainly benefit from a few select upgrades, mettlesome souls can snag the newest HP to (hopefully) play nice with ATI's Digital Cable tuner for as low as $1,149.99.

One of the least expensive ways to get HD is to take a computer and add an inexpensive ATSC tuner, but how many people actually want to do this? The concept of a HTPC isn't very new and while it is very popular in certain circles, can it ever go mainstream? Some people would certainly argue yes, but recent news from HP indicates something different; HP has announced that they will no longer have a HTPC line. HP isn't the only one either, Dell has never had one and Apple opted for an iTunes extender (Apple TV). While we certainly appreciate the benefits of a HTPC, are they worth the cost, size, noise and hassles? Even many MCE 2005 fans prefer to use an Xbox 360 to connect to the TV. When it comes right down to it, most people want their home theater experiences to be drop dead simple, after all, isn't trying to relax the whole point of a home theater?