Maven HTPC looks great, performs even better

mavenThe living room is no longer the domain on the TV – never mind if it was during the days where everything was shown in black and white, or when color TV first hit the scene and you had just three or four channels to choose from. In fact, TV shows have received plenty of heated competition from the likes of video game consoles over the years, not to mention this thing that is known as the Internet which has definitely captured the attention of many a person that TV can be forgotten. Apart from game consoles, computers too, have evolved to such a point where they no longer arrive in ugly cases, but rather, look sleek to boot even when placed in your living room so much so that it does not look out of place. Steiger Dynamics knows this, which is why they have come up with the Maven Home Theater PC (HTPC).

The Maven HTPC is an aesthetically pleasing living room device which is capable of just about doing it all, including replacing that Blu-ray player of yours (unless you are one of the many folks who purchased a PS3 as a Blu-ray player primarily, game console next), DVR, Desktop PC, and gaming console. This would certainly make the Maven HTPC a unifying device, offering less headaches with just a single remote control and virtually unlimited functionality.

Maven has been declared to be the world’s most powerful Home Theater PC in its segment, and is already available for order via the website configurator. There are three different lines to choose from, with the Pure line starting at $999, where it caters to the media center, audio and video enthusiasts. As for the Core line, it has been tailored to the hardcore gamer, while the Reference line offers the highest processing and graphics power for the ultimate enthusiast.

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[ Maven HTPC looks great, performs even better copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Asus VivoPC Unveiled As Windows 8-Powered Home Theater PC

Asus unveiled its VivoPC, which is their upcoming Windows 8-based home theater PC.

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MediaPortal posts new beta with new look and CableCARD, teases bigger sequel (video)

MediaPortal posts new beta with new interface and CableCARD, teases bigger sequel video

MediaPortal is a rare veteran spinoff of XBMC — a testament to its fan base, but also a sign that it needs a fresh coat of paint. A new 1.3 beta might offer just what home theater PC users have been looking for to keep the front end relevant, at least in the short term. It carries a much more contemporary (and less Windows Media Center-like) skin with minor tweaks to the layout and overall interface. CableCARD support also makes its overdue appearance, although the lack of official CableLabs approval keeps the software from recognizing any copy-protected shows. Don’t fret if those additions aren’t enough, however — we’ve been given a hint as to what the long-in-development MediaPortal 2 will offer through a pair of videos. The clips are largely top-level overviews, but they allude to mobile tie-ins, events, extensions, more skin support, video backgrounds and news. With an Autumn Build of MP2 available “right around the corner” for viewers, it might not be long before we learn what those new additions are like through first-hand experience.

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MediaPortal posts new beta with new look and CableCARD, teases bigger sequel (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 23:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OpenELEC-2.0 Linux distro released, turns your PC into an ‘appliance-like’ home theater device

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If you’re itching to park that AMD or Intel PC beside your TV as a dedicated home theater device, OpenELEC would like to offer up the first stable release of its Linux distro, version 2.0, for your consideration. The new build is now available for free (with the option to donate, of course), and the group behind it says that the installation takes less than five minutes and requires “zero Linux experience.” Once you’ve done that, it’ll be ready to serve your media needs in less than 10 seconds from a cold start, according to OpenELEC, with only a remote control needed to start surfing. The system updates automatically, including the XBMC V11 media core, and now includes PVR support, improved AMD functionality, CEC adapter compatibility, NFS, AFP, CIFS and SSH shares and Airplay / Airtunes support. If you’re already Mac- or Windows-centric, an OpenELEC system will play well with all your existing media, so if you’re ready to see how the Linux media crowd rolls, hit the source.

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OpenELEC-2.0 Linux distro released, turns your PC into an ‘appliance-like’ home theater device originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plex launches new Web Client and PlexPass subscription, updates Media Server

Plex launches new Web Client and PlexPass subscription, updates Media Server

Plex fans among us just got treated to a smorgasbord — albeit one that isn’t completely free. The media front-end developer hopes to boost its bottom line through PlexPass, a subscription service that amounts to a paid beta program. Shell out $4 per month and you’ll get early access to in-development features, including a slate of premium-only extras during their incubation phase. One of the more ordinary (if important) features is going live today: a revamped Web Client not only rivals the native OS X app for speed but offers full media playback on top of the usual queue management. Whether you subscribe or not, you’ll want to get an updated Media Server app that supports both PlexPass and the new client along with improving the server’s behavior in several areas, such as lowering its memory use and supporting RTMP transcoding. We hope Plex keeps enough components on the free side of the fence as time goes on. For now, at least, we’ll see the paid model as a way for loyalists to reward a company that has been powering their home theater PCs for years.

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Plex launches new Web Client and PlexPass subscription, updates Media Server originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 22:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Biostar Hi-Fi Z77X gives audiophiles 7.1-channel analog sound, overpriced cables thankfully optional

Biostar HiFi Z77X motherboard gives audiophiles 71channel analog sound with amp, overpriced cables thankfully optional

There haven’t been many choices in PC motherboards for audiophiles — the ‘real’ kind that might see even a good dedicated sound card as slumming it. Biostar wants to fill that untapped niche with the Hi-Fi Z77X. Along with run-of-the-mill expansion for an Ivy Bridge- or Sandy Bridge-based desktop, the board’s built-in 7.1-channel audio flaunts six 3.5mm analog jacks, an amp and the kind of exotic-sounding language that leads audio addicts to buy $2,000 cables they don’t need. We’re talking “metal-oxide film resistors” and “non-polarized electrolysis electric audio capacitors,” here. Whether or not the changes have an appreciable impact on sound quality, listeners are ironically left out of S/PDIF audio, which exists only as a header on the board unless buyers spend a little more on parts. That said, if we assume the as yet unknown price isn’t stereotypically high — and that audiophiles don’t mind a big, potentially noisy desktop as a home theater PC — the Hi-Fi Z77x could be a treat for those who want to wring every nuance out of music and movie soundtracks.

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Biostar Hi-Fi Z77X gives audiophiles 7.1-channel analog sound, overpriced cables thankfully optional originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: Best sub-$310 power-efficient HTPC for a caravan?

Ask Engadget: Best sub-$310 power-efficient HTPC for a caravan?

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Is from Martin, who is looking for a hyper-efficient media streamer for his retro caravan. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“My partner and I are renovating a small ’70s caravan and would like a power-efficient media center/PC purely to watch our library of movies and TV shows. We’re in Australia, so getting hold of kit like the Raspberry Pi would be difficult, we’re looking for something that’s equally power efficient, even up to $300 AUD (around $310 USD). Cheers!””

That’s this week’s challenge, Engadgeteers — do you feel up for it? Can you help our southern hemisphere friends find a power-efficient HTPC for under $310 that won’t drain a retro-caravan’s batteries? Can we help these people turn the temporary home into a rockin’ media-streamin’ paradise? Hit us up in the comments if you’ve got some expertise to share.

Ask Engadget: Best sub-$310 power-efficient HTPC for a caravan? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jul 2012 22:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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