New Media Center Extenders

Posted By: Sarah Perez | Oct 3rd, 2007 @ 9:49 PM
On September 27th at the Digital Life Conference, Microsoft and our partners announced several new Media Center Extenders which will allow for easy access to cable programming, high-def TV content, movies, music, photos, and videos (including popular formats, like DivX). Along with the Xbox 360, these newly announced Extenders will make it even easier to bring the media content to any room of your house.

The first is the Linksys DMA2200 ($349.99), which includes an upscaling DVD Player and dual-band Wireless-N Extender. Another, the Linksys DMA2100 ($299.99) offers the Media Center Extender in a smaller form factor, forgoing the DVD Player in exchange for a reduced footprint. From D-Link comes the DSM-750 MediaLounge HD Media Center Extender ($349.99 ). The D-Link device can connect to the network either using Ethernet ports or dual-band draft Wireless-N. Supporting videos up to 1080i, WMV, DivX, and XVid video formats, and featuring a USB 2.0 port for instant access to flash drives or hard drives, the D-Link is a great device for people whose media collections are varied and dispersed.

For those with high-end home theater systems, the Niveus Media Extender - EDGE brings high-fidelity, 1080p video, digital audio, and an amazing 3D interface, like that on the Niveus Media Center products. The Niveus Extender will also feature their proprietary Glacier Passive Cooling System for a near silent operation. For an all-in-one solution, HP's MediaSmart LCD HDTVs, available in 42-inch and 47-inch sizes, will support the new Media Center Extender technology via a software download sometime in early 2008. The Media Center functionality will let owners control live TV and access Media Center's Internet TV features while using their TV's remote control. The HP MediaSmart TVs are available now; the other Extenders should be available in November, just in time for the holiday season.

We're going to get together with the Extender team soon for a video, so if you have any questions please leave them in the comments.
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#Oct 4th, 2007 @ 11:51 AM
USArcher
USArcher

Suggest Questions...

- Regarding Live TV, how long does it take from turning on a Extender to being able watch Live TV?  Can you leave devices turned on 24x7?

- Are parental controls extended to these devices?

- Windows Home Server and Zune launch within a week of you guys.  How can Media Center Extender leverage these? 

- Zune plugs into an XBox, can you do the same thing with a Extender?

- Can we expect upgrades to be available for high definition DVD players that already have sophisticated graphics processing and network connectivity?

- Is Media Center Extender technology built into the new Zune?  With wireless connectivity and AV dock, you have many of the prequisite items to stream media.

Thanks

#Oct 6th, 2007 @ 1:31 PM
GasPain
GasPain
So does this mean that the 360 will soon have divx capabilities?
#Oct 7th, 2007 @ 4:33 AM
kahj
kahj

I second the other question.  Will 360's be able to play Divx and Xvid?  Plus I heard the extenders will be able to play H.264; will the 360 do this and what container(s) will be supported for H.264?  MP4?