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HP MediaSmart ex485 / ex487 v2.5 update now available

by Richard Lawler posted Apr 22nd 2009 at 9:41PM


Thanks are due to EHD reader Matthew for letting us know the much-anticipated v2.5 update to HP's MediaSmart ex485 / ex487 model home servers has been waiting for us on its website for a few days now. In case you missed it, this patch adds a whole load of new features like automatic video conversion, iPhone streaming and other improvements detailed here. The patch itself? A click of the read link and a 24MB download away.

[Thanks, Matthew]

PlayTV upgraded with upscaling, more DVR features

by Richard Lawler posted Apr 6th 2009 at 1:32PM


The PlayTV add-on for PlayStation 3 may be delayed in Auckland, but if it's already grabbing OTA TV for your system the latest software update brings some much needed new features to the table. Among the new additions, upscaling should bring a sharper picture to HDTVs everywhere, and a new XMB option that takes you direct to TV watching should streamline things appreciably. Hit up Joystiq for a quick video explaining all the changes or better yet, get that PS3 online and grab the update.

Samsung's BD-P1500 gets firmware update, Netflix streaming not included

by Darren Murph posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 11:30AM


Man, we're beginning to sound like a broken record when referring to BD-P1500 firmware updates. Back in June, we were miffed when a Profile 2.0-less update hit; if you'll recall, it was months later before BD-Live capabilities were added. Today, we've seen the deck's more flamboyant siblings receive updates that bring along the highly anticipated HD Netflix stream, yet the corresponding v2.1 BD-P1500 upgrade offers only "improved playback compatibility of some movie titles." 'Course, we never heard specifically that said feature was destined for this player, but wouldn't it be nice? Yes, yes it would.

Firmware update brings HD Netflix streaming to Samsung BD-P2500 / BD-P2550 Blu-ray players

by Darren Murph posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 9:55AM Breaking News


The day before Thanksgiving seems so far away now, doesn't it? For those that can think back pre-feast, Samsung promised that a firmware update was on the way in order to bring HD Netflix streaming to its BD-P2500 / BD-P2550 Blu-ray players. Exactly one week later, it's here. Officially, the firmware v2.1 adds support for "Netflix VC1-AP HD Streaming" and "improves playback compatibility of some movie titles." We needn't tell you how urgent it is you download this and give it a try -- but be on the lookout for less-than-stellar image quality. Best of luck, brave ones.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Full screen Flash-enabling v2.53 PS3 firmware available now

by Darren Murph posted Dec 1st 2008 at 11:31PM


We're still not over Sony's trickeration -- which led us to believe the version 2.53 firmware update was hitting prior to the US Thanksgiving holiday -- but we're not ones to turn down a free update under any circumstances. As of now (as in, right now), Sony's PlayStation 3 can support full screen embedded Flash videos courtesy of the latest firmware, so there's really no excuse for you not firing up the System Update and sucking it down. Get to it!

[Via PS3 Fanboy, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

NXE creating HDMI headaches for UK Xbox 360 owners?

by Richard Lawler posted Nov 21st 2008 at 6:33PM


The path to Netflix-enhanced glory hasn't been entirely trouble free for everyone, this time it's posters on AVForum noticing a distinct lack of audio on Xbox 360s connected to their HDTV by HDMI. So far suggested solutions for the afflicted include plugging in the hard drive while the system is on, or waiting several minutes before switching the monitor to HDMI, and repeating them every time the system is started. It's not the first time we've heard of UK-centric HDMI weirdness, any of you hearing a whole lot of nothing while gaming (that's not attributable to hard drive installs)?

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Columbus, Ohio becomes Total Home DVR's next victim

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2008 at 3:33PM


What's with all the silence, AT&T? Every other day now it seems that you're blessing another region of your slowly expanding U-verse footprint with Total Home DVR, yet users are left to discover the upgrade on their own. But yeah, there's nothing wrong with a good surprise every now and then, and that's exactly what U-verse subscribers in Columbus, Ohio received late last week. Who's got next? Or, should we say, who wants it bad enough?

[Thanks, Matthew]

DirecTV confirms HD DVR / receiver glitch, apologizes profusely

by Darren Murph posted Oct 8th 2008 at 3:58AM


So it's true -- hordes of DirecTV users weren't just dreaming about a glitch that required a painstaking reboot to start the week off. DirecTV has sent out e-mails to loads of affected users which were unexpectedly forced to mash the red "Reset" button located within a door on the front panel of their HD DVR / receiver in order to get things going again. Of course, even the mighty satcaster can't replace any missed recordings that were scheduled, but it is "sincerely" sorry for the inconvenience. You'll still be paying your full bill, though, so it's not that sorry.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Botched DirecTV software update requiring HR2X STBs to be restarted?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 6th 2008 at 4:21PM

Generally, we'd pass something like this off as just coincidence, but when over 95% of 1,000+ respondents confess to sharing the same issue, we simply can't turn the other cheek. It's assumed that DirecTV botched up a software update early this morning that affected a number of HR2X set-tops. Over at DBSTalk, the vast majority of readers who voluntarily took part in a poll affirmed that at least one of their HR2X units required a restart / reboot this morning. We know there's no real point in asking if you too were affected, but that aside, what was DirecTV attempting to send down? The world may never know.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Panasonic issues firmware update for DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player

by Darren Murph posted Oct 3rd 2008 at 10:42AM


While not nearly as momentous as Sony's BD-Live-enabling update for its BDP-S350 (or Toshiba's latest / last HD DVD update, for that matter), Panasonic's most recent firmware issuance will still interest proud owners of the DMP-BD30. A fresh update has surfaced for users in North and Latin America, though Panny only explains that v2.5 improves "playability and stability." If that's enough detail for you, check out the read link to get started.

[Thanks, Jerry]

Sony gifts BDP-S350 with BD-Live via firmware update

by Darren Murph posted Sep 25th 2008 at 9:27PM Breaking News


Earlier this summer, Sony promised that it would be pushing out a firmware update in the future that would add BD-Live functionality to its BDP-S350 Blu-ray player. Fast forward a few months, and lo and behold, it has kept its word. Available right this very second, the version 010 firmware adds in BD-Live support and improved BD-Java compatibility / improved sensitivity to the Remote Commander signal while in standby mode. Hop on down to the read link and get that 56.23MB download going -- given Sony's typically slow (and by slow, we mean hosted over a 14.4k modem) servers, you could be waiting awhile.

[Thanks, Dan and Brendan]

Update: Seems as if the URL download has been pulled, though users are reporting that the Network Update directly through the player works fine.

Comcast's 14 new HD channels nearly ready for Longmont, CO

by Darren Murph posted Sep 17th 2008 at 8:01AM

It has been a long time coming, but those 14 HD channels that Comcast promised back in May are just about ready for primetime. Based on a followup in The Longmont Times-Call, we're told that the carrier is around 80% complete with its $6 million infrastructure upgrade, which will bring 14 new high-def channels and 35 pay-per-view stations to the lineup. When all's said and done, LoMo residents will have access to the same lineup that's currently in Denver and Boulder, and if everything stays on schedule, that 80% figure should reach 100% within six weeks. Huzzah!

Cash in on old McIntosh gear with the Trade-UP program

by Steven Kim posted Aug 24th 2008 at 2:17AM

McIntosh MAC-1500 receiver
Okay, it's not like we expect the typical McIntosh customer to exactly be clipping coupons, but the company is offering up some incentive to get owners to upgrade their gear. The new Trade-UP program credits owners 75-percent of the original MSRP as a trade-in on any working McIntosh amp, preamp, integrated amp or receiver, good towards the purchase of some of the company's newfangled gear. This is a limited time offer, so get to it. And if you're worried that any new McIntosh gear will look out of place, don't -- the same chrome, blue backlighting, analog meters and Olde English logos are still in use today. So yeah, this moves McIntosh ahead of our college textbooks, cars, most of our stocks and even our homes in terms of maintained value. Don't let anyone tell you you're wasting money on gear again.

[Image courtesy The High Fidelity Museum]

UK Freeview channel update kills boxes dead

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 19th 2008 at 11:44PM

A few UK residents felt the pain Raid-style after the latest Freeview signal upgrade knocked certain receivers out of service last week. The upgrade has been rolling out in waves for the last month, unfortunately owners of some Daewoo, Labgear, Triax and Portland digital boxes have no choice but to buy a new box to keep getting television service. Hopefully our own digital transition doesn't end up with people trashing their box after a couple of years -- while Freeview says only a "minority" were affected by the enhancement, we're pretty sure it doesn't seem that way if your TV is one of the ones knocked out.

PS3 2.40 / 2.41 update adds Blu-ray upscaling, audio playback tweaks

by Richard Lawler posted Jul 11th 2008 at 3:31PM

The latest PlayStation 3 2.4x firmware update added more than just the long-awaited in-game XMB access. Upscaling from Blu-ray discs is now supported, allowing the system to deinterlace 1080i to 1080p on its own, if you have a homemade BDAV formatted disc recorded in less-than-full HD. Retail Blu-ray flicks are BDMV formatted, so for certain discs not in 1080p (mostly concerts), they'll still be played only in their native resolution. Also included is upscaling, frame noise reduction and block noise reduction for video played off the PS3 HDD or external storage media, and DTS-ES and DTS 96/24 compatibility on Blu-ray discs. AVSForum posters are also reporting some DTS-HD 7.1 discs now map to their speakers properly, but as we've seen, your experience may vary.

Read - PS3 2.41 System Update
Read - PS3 Firmware 2.4x- Master Thread




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