Gizmo Lovers Blog | TiVo, Slingbox, Android, Blu-ray Disc, and whatever other tech I feel like blogging about…

Hauppauge HD PVR PC Add-On Delayed, Again

Posted on Monday, March 31, 2008 by MegaZone

Back at CES Hauppauge announced their HD PVR PC USB add-on, which will allow PCs to record high-definition content from component input into H.264/AVCHD video. Originally slated for ’1Q08′, which ends today, it was pushed back to ‘spring’, and now Brent Evans at Zatz Not Funny reports that it“should hit the market toward the end of May, early June.”

Additionally, the $249 add-on will not initially work with Windows Media Center, due to the latter’s lack of H.264 video support. Though support is planning for sometime later this summer. Brent hypothesizes that H.264 will be included in the ‘Fiji’ Windows Media Center update, which is now entering beta, and appears to be supporting the DirecTV HD PC tuner. DirecTV is, of course, using MPEG-4/H.264 for their new HD channels.

Posted in DVR, PC | Tagged DVR, Hauppauge, PC, Zatz Not Funny | Leave a comment

Design A Logo Contest Update

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 by MegaZone

I wanted to update everyone on the site logo contest. I received a number of entries over the past week and the designers didn’t make it easy on me. Several of the designs would work well, and a few of them are actually similar in many ways, so picking one winner will be a challenge. I going to pick the finalists and post them to solicit feedback to help select the winner. I’m trying to get that out soon, along with the long-overdue look at TiVo Desktop 2.6. The past couple of weeks have been a bit hectic, I had a couple of days where I wasn’t feeling well which kept me from getting anything done, spent a couple of days doing my taxes, and then I got laid off. I’m getting back on top of things.

Posted in Site Updates, TiVo | Tagged contest, Site Updates, TiVo | 4 Comments

Software Updates Coming For Comcast TiVo

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 by MegaZone

In addition to the 9.3 software that has begun to appear on standalone TiVos it looks like the Comcast TiVo OCAP software is also getting an update, according to this post in AVS Forum:

Hello everyone – I want to let you know that the next software release for the Comcast DVR with TiVo Service is now targeted to begin rolling out next week, beginning with the towns surrounding our Derry NH cable system, and will be rolling out to the other systems where Comcast DVR with TiVo service is available over the following few weeks. This is a bit later than the originally-planned March rollout to align with other Comcast programs.
To recap, this software release will include a firmware fix for the reboot loop bug on DCH boxes (aka the “8888″ display bug), enable Dolby Digital output for DCH boxes, correct the Guide HD filter behavior, and include other bug fixes.

Good to see the the cable units continuing to receive updates.

Picked up from Zatz Not Funny.

Posted in Cable, OCAP, TiVo | Tagged Comcast, OCAP, TiVo, Tru2Way, update, Zatz Not Funny | Leave a comment

Microsoft And DirecTV Beta Testing DirecTV PC Tuners

Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 by MegaZone

DirecTV’s HDPC-20 tuner card for Windows Media Center has been vaporware for a couple of years, but after a sighting in January it looks like it is slowing moving toward release with a beta program. EngadgetHD has a screen capture of the invite that was sent out.