MCE is at it again providing the wares that Apple simply won't. After offering up a 2x Blu-ray burner for the Mac Pro and Power Mac G5 last year, the company is keeping up with the industry by introducing a 6x variant for the very same machines. You'll also find compatibility with BD-RE (2x), DVD±R (16x), DVD±RW (6x - 8x), DVD±RW DL (4x), CD-R (40x) and CD-RW (24x). The drive itself is available as we speak for $499, while a bundle with Roxio Toast 9 Titanium goes for $599 and an external version runs $749.

[Via The Mac Observer]

All this information about DirecTV's Media Center tuner has gotten us excited about Vista Media Center again. The last time we were this excited about MS's DVR platform is when we learned about the ATI CableCARD tuner -- that excitement was quickly dashed when the reality of obtaining one set in. But this new tuner offers us the same promise, but only enables one additional provider -- or so we thought. It seems that a commenter our friend Chris Lanier blogs and that he seems to put some merit in, claims that beta program letters have gone out to some Dish subscribers as well. Chris also points out that most of the technology like DVB-S and h.264 are already there, and that the main missing component -- a big one -- is Dish's conditional access system. Of course we always knew that collaboration between big companies like this is almost never limited by technology.

We first saw D-Link's DSM-750 MediaLounge Wireless Media Player at CES way back in 2007, and the company "officially" launched the 802.11n unit in September of that year -- but the scheduled November 2007 retail date came and went, and the four of you queuing up to drop $349 on an unheralded Media Center extender were left to sadly contemplate the crushing banality of your existence. Well, buck up, boy-o, because it looks like D-Link's realized that it's actually supposed to sell the DSM-750, and it's also gone and dropped the price down a whole $20, to $329. Sure, you can operate the thing in either MCE or MediaLounge mode, but you're still limited to 1080i output (even over HDMI), and at that price, it's pretty hard to see why you wouldn't just nab an Xbox 360 Arcade to do the same thing -- you're getting far more functionality for the money, even if you have to spring for wireless and the remote. Still, we're glad this thing is finally here -- those four dudes were getting awfully weepy.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

To some, DVRs are a like a religion and switching shouldn't be taken lightly, but others will take whatever their provider gives 'em them, if the price is right. Unfortunately, choosing a provider often means choosing a DVR, as satellite providers don't give you any choice. TiVo is the obvious old favorite, but Vista Media Center has really given them quite a challenge, and to be frank, Tivo hasn't really done much in the past few years to improve the experience -- new features yes, UI enhancements, no. So since we can't all try every DVR, we want to know, who makes the best HD DVR?

We're still a bit unsure if we're looking at a couple of TVs that actually sport built-in Extenders for Windows Media Center or just a couple of pretenders, but whatever the case, the newest duo from Zepto certainly has our attention. The 32-inch Helios A32 sports a 1,366 x 768 resolution panel, an optional "integrated wireless media center," a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, eight-millisecond response time, a single DVB-T tuner plus twin analog tuners, PIP support, the firm's own ambient lighting system and an internal amplifier for speakers. As for the 40-inch Helios A40, it steps things up with a 1,920 x 1,080 panel, but otherwise remains identical to its aforementioned sibling. Price wise, you'll be looking at 15,995 Danish Kroner ($3,085) for the little guy (which is available now), or 19,995 Danish Kroner ($3,857) for the A40 (shipping next month).

[Thanks, Jakob H.]

Technically, Niveus was the first of the major partners to spill the proverbial beans on its Extender for Windows Media Center, and while it was sitting around for all to see at CEDIA, details were admittedly slim. Now, however, the firm has come clean and doled out the specs for its Media Center Extender - EDGE, following the moves made by Linksys and D-Link earlier. The EDGE boasts a "Glacier Passive Cooling for near silent operation," RS-232 / IP / IR for third-party control support, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet jack, HDMI / component outputs and two-channel analog / digital optical audio outs. Unfortunately, Niveus' box doesn't include integrated WiFi, so its wired or nothin' here, and while we'd love to know how much this thing will actually cost, we do know it'll land sometime in November. Click on for a few more looks.

Remember those Linksys Media Center Extenders that popped up yesterday? Well, today the duo has officially been priced, but there's no good news for folks hoping for these two to undercut the other guys. Up first is the DMA2200, which will of course sport an integrated "upscaling DVD player" along with the obligatory dual-band Wireless N functionality, while the DMA2100 arrives in a smaller package (see it up close after the break) but keeps to the basics by omitting the optical drive. Both boxes are set to land this November, and while the DVD playin' DMA2200 will run you $349.99, you can save $50 by opting for the lesser-spec'd sibling.

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.

While most of the hybrid tuners we see 'round these parts are of the USB variety, Saber's DA-1N1-I is looking out for those of us needing a new occupant in a lonely PCI slot -- but we'd be careful calling it a "hybrid." This low-profile "combo" card should be ideal for HTPCs, and offers up an analog NTSC tuner with hardware decoding as well as a QAM-capable ATSC tuner for grabbing those high-definition OTA broadcasts. Meant to operate in Windows Vista and MCE scenarios, this sucka can even be installed beside a clone of itself for freaks that would actually use a dual analog / dual digital tuner setup, and the low, low price of around $99 ought to garner quite a bit of attention.

Would you look at this -- the My Movies plug-in from the days of yore is finally getting updated to play nice with ripped HD DVD and Blu-ray titles. Also new to the v2.31 release is improved folder monitoring, metadata updating via the web, the ability to automatically attach HD DVD and Blu-ray cover underlays for HD DVD and Blu-ray covers, and moreover, a smorgasbord of bugs have been fixed from the prior version. To take a gander at the (admittedly lengthy) list of updates and fixes, be sure to hit the read link after safely securing your spectacles, and try out the download if you think this will make your movie management chores a bit less involved.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

You may be rather used to hearing from Moneual every few months or so, but the engineering department has apparently been on top of things lately. A mere three days after witnessing the firm's colorful lineup of Inovys, the company's 301 HTPC is being offered up as well, and we must say that the simple, sleek styling is quite attractive. Internally, you'll notice a water-cooled AMD 64 Athlon X2 4400 handling the processing duties, 2GB of RAM, 7.1-channel audio, dual FireWire ports, a 250GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD writer, HDMI / VGA outputs, five USB 2.0 connectors, Ethernet, and a wireless keyboard / remote to keep things tidy. Most impressive, however, is the price, as this decently-spec'd media PC will only run you $995 (sans any TV tuning abilities, of course).

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

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?

Media Centers are so in now and that you have to really do something to make your black box stand out, and S1Digital's new lineup of media centers and servers does just that. Actually there are two series, the ProLine for professional installers and home automation companies and the Home Series for the rest of us. The Home Series includes the Platinum, Gold and Mighty editions, all running Core 2 Duo processors and Vista Home Premium. The Mighty is the size of a book and includes built in WiFi and DVD burner. Up next is the Gold, which is a more traditional size and adds up to 1TB of storage, HDMI, 2 ATSC and 2 NTSC tuners (sorry no CableCARD here), 7.1 audio and Viiv. The Platinum tops the Home Series, adding a quiet design an internal scaler and optional HD DVD or Blu-ray drive. But they don't stop there and are trying to join Niveus in the high end market with the ProLine Series, which of course does everything the Home series does, but with Vista Ultimate, rack mountable, a silent design and two-way control for all your favorite home automation systems like Crestron and AMX. As impressive as this lineup is, we are once again left wonder, where are the CableCARDs?

Read: S1Digital Introduces the Home Series Line of Media Centers
Read: S1Digital Sets a New Reference Standard with ProLine Series Media Centers

Talk about one-upping. No sooner than the cutesy soccer ball cooling station graced our eyes, MCE Integrations is upping the ante quite substantially with its latest cooler / jukebox hybrid. Partnering with Icehouse, this brew-lover's dream come true sports the tried and true jukebox allure, a built-in cooler for keeping the stash on ice, a flipout touchscreen HDTV, and an Aopen Mini PC to run the show. Current models are still running Windows MCE 2005, but the company promises that we'll see Vista Home Premium loaded on them later this year. Although we don't expect the Rock Box to be hitting any mainstream retailers in the near future, those looking to add yet another novelty to their game room or recently opened pub can snag the baseline unit for around $6,500, and for those abstaining from alcoholic intake, the cooler can be replaced by a subwoofer for some serious (and sober) room-rattling action.

Japan's Logitec may have been the first to lay claim to a Mac-compatible Blu-ray burner, but it looks like MCE Technologies gets the bragging rights for the first Mac-friendly internal burner, which also has the added benefit of actually being available 'round these parts. As with the Logitec, MCE's Mac Pro and Power Mac G5-compatible drive will give you 2x reading and writing speeds on Blu-ray discs, as well as the usual less-than-speedy burning times for CDs and DVDs. The key to the Mac compatibility is, of course, Roxio's Toast 8 Titanium software, which first declared its Mac Blu-ray support last summer but so far hasn't been able to put it to much use. While you'll have to crack open your case, you will be somewhat rewarded for your effort, with drive setting you back considerably less than Logitec's external offering, available now direct from MCE for $699.

[Thanks, Dave]