After seeing considerable success on computers and then moving over to a dedicated box, HTPC client Boxee has finally made its way to the iPad. The app is primarily designed to be a place to watch streaming web video on your tablet, but its functionality doesn’t end there. When paired with Boxee’s Media Manager it […]
The long awaited Boxee for iPad app is finally ready to launch, and coming with it is a fresh update for the Boxee Box, plus new Media Manager software for your PC or Mac to make streaming locally stored files to the tablet or PC even easier. We got an early look at the iPad app (which lacks access to the Box’s apps) and while the interface had been lightly reworked since our last hands-on experience at CES it was very crash prone, with a tendency to close suddenly while streaming videos from YouTube or a connected PC. Boxee Box owners may not have to worry about that however, since the new v1.2 update adds AirPlay compatibility as an “experiment” for any online content (check after the break for the full list of changes). The Media Manager software on the PC makes it easier to organize content for playback on the tablet or Box, while a new Watch Later Bookmarklet also makes one-click sharing of online video from browser to device possible. All in all the idea is to make Boxee the “one place to discover, watch and share video” no matter where you are and we can see it getting there — once everything stays up and running consistently.
Gallery: Boxee iPad app
Continue reading Boxee launches iPad app, new Box update, media server and bookmarklet today
Boxee launches iPad app, new Box update, media server and bookmarklet today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Gather round everyone, while you may have gotten used to accessing Engadget via the browser or any one of our mobile apps, starting today we’re ready to come home in one more way: on your TV. Launching on Boxee, Roku, Yahoo! Widgets and DivX is a new AOL HD package which includes a channel full of our videos ready for viewing on big screens. This way, when you want to kick back and enjoy a new hands-on video, The Engadget Show or any of our other content it’s only as far away as your remote control, which is probably also your phone, PC or tablet. There’s plenty more to come in the future — we’ll figure out an in-app Screen Grabs submission tool somehow — but for now we’re happy to have an official outlet on some of the most widely available connected TV platforms out there. The AOL HD app will begin showing up today, check out the gallery for a few screenshots of us on each of the platforms.
Gallery: Engadget on AOL HD
Continue reading Engadget comes to your TV on Boxee, Roku, Yahoo and DivX starting today
Engadget comes to your TV on Boxee, Roku, Yahoo and DivX starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Boxee users on PC and Mac should no longer feel ignored, with promises of updated software on the way and now the option to use a Boxee Box remote from D-Link. The two sided QWERTY design is unchanged and the included RF dongle means your HTPC can stay safely out of sight while you enjoy some branded remote control action without selling out for a one-size-fits-all box. The roll your own media player crowd can pick up the remote at a penny under $50 at a variety of online retailers right now, the long awaited software update is still due this fall.
Continue reading D-Link brings the Boxee Box remote to PC, Mac users
D-Link brings the Boxee Box remote to PC, Mac users originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sling Media teased its SlingPlayer for Connected Devices with a Google TV demo last month, but we had a chance to go hands-on with the TV streaming service on a Boxee Box at tonight’s gdgt event in NYC. The player launched without issue on the demo system we saw, and the interface should feel familiar if you’ve used any of the SlingPlayer mobile apps. Sling says the application will appear in the list of Boxee apps and in the Spotlight on Google TV when it hits public beta within the next month, or you can sign up to be notified on Sling’s website. Post-beta pricing and availability details haven’t been released, but you can get your TV fix for free for the duration of the beta period. Jump past the break for a quick peek in our hands-on video.
Continue reading SlingPlayer for Boxee Box hands-on (video)
SlingPlayer for Boxee Box hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Ever since the Boxee Box was released fans running the software on their PCs have been left by the wayside, but as we expected that changes this fall with updates for the PC, Mac and Ubuntu versions. CEO Avner Ronen announced on the official blog that while updates for the downloadable version “will most likely lag behind the versions of Boxee for devices” the company hopes to keep them more up to speed going forward. Still think you could do a better job of updating the software yourself? Done, since Boxee also plans to make an open source version available. There’s no date attached to that effort and given past experience with delayed Boxee releases we wouldn’t clear our college football watching schedule just yet, but for everyone who would rather roll their own media device there is still a future in the Boxee platform.
Boxee users without a Box on PC, Mac or Ubuntu are getting a fall update, open source release originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Boxee threw a meetup in London last night where it revealed the return of its BBC iPlayer app and upcoming addition of streaming movies and shows from Blinkbox. This continues a trend that has seen the addition of Headweb video on-demand for Scandinavian regions and Databazaar’s library of Bollywood flicks in the last week. Boxee had iPlayer before but it stopped working after some technical changes, while the blog post reveals Blinkbox support is expected arrive around the end of the year. Boxee flashed its iPad app at the party too, promising to bring the existing experience to your tablet plus the ability to send video back to a Boxee Box for watching on the big TV screen. Finally, VP of marketing Andrew Kippen mentioned streaming locally stored video to the iPad from new Boxee Media Server software. While adding Plex-style functionality is nice by itself, we’re just excited to see any kind of reference to the software for PC and Macs that seems to have been ignored since Boxee got into the Box business.
Boxee hits London with updated iPlayer app, Blinkbox video and new Media Server originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 07:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Good news for those left less than satisfied by their auditory experience after the recent Boxee Box 1.1 update, the company has completed work on a fix and released the v1.1.1 update earlier today. Owners of the box can now matrix stereo audio sources through their surround sound setup again and if you prefer volume control to be on, it’s just a click of a settings checkbox away. One change that is remains is that it still no longer decodes Dolby TrueHD to 5.1 channel PCM internally, which appears to be the change originally intended due to the licensing between Dolby and D-Link. The update should be downloaded automatically shortly while those who are more impatient can go the manual update route, all the necessary instructions can be found at the source link below.
[Thanks, Neil]
Boxee Box patch fixes surround sound problems, brings back volume control originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It wasn’t long after the Boxee Box v1.1 update started to roll out that users with surround sound systems found a major issue with it: besides the removal of volume controls (confirmed to return as an optional setting in the next update), there was an undocumented change to the way it handled stereo PCM audio sources for users with surround sound systems. Instead of sending it on to the user’s receiver as a two channel source so it could be processed to fill all the speakers, it is sent as a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio source and only plays audio through the front left and right speakers, with no audio coming from the center channel or rear speakers. That’s a major problem for people trying to watch Netflix streams, MLB.tv, listen to certain lossless audio files or any other stereo audio source and enjoy an audio experience that takes advantage of their setup.
A Boxee developer on AVSForum indicated the change was due to a licensing agreement between the manufacturer of the box, D-Link, and Dolby, and would need to be left up to them for a fix. We’ve reached out to both Boxee and D-Link for word on their issue and while we haven’t received a detailed response (expect more information tomorrow at the earliest), there is a notation on the JIRA bug tracker for the issue by “yuvalt” indicating the team is working on a fix for this and other issues which will hopefully be available within days. Check out the forum threads for more detail on the issue as well as temporary workarounds, we’ll let you know if we get an official response on why this is happening and if / when there’s a fix incoming.
Update: Per Boxee VP of Marketing Andrew Kippen, the problem was the result of a “miscommunication” and a fixed update for that and the volume control toggle will roll out this week. Check after the break for his words verbatim, but owners of the Box can rest easy knowing their surrounds will be back to work shortly.
[Thanks, Neil]
Latest Boxee Box update leaves surround sound speakers silent on stereo sources (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 May 2011 18:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Early previews of a new update for the Boxee Box mentioned a couple of different version numbers, but now the company has settled on v1.1 for the software update (sorry, still nothing for PCs) it’s rolling out over the next few days with a slew of new features. VP of Marketing Andrew Kippen confirms the “huge browser update” he’d mentioned earlier is included with the following features: favorites, history, a better UI to show more of the picture and include more options, plus expanded HTML5 capabilities that should fix login problems for HBO Go. There’s no mention of iPad support, but the whole on screen display has been trimmed with a new seek bar for more precise FF/Rewind action, along with support for customized local metadata and NFO files, a new MLB.tv app and two new content partners including the worst TV channel ever and SnagFilms. One thing that’s been removed? Volume controls, which Boxee says “improves consistency” and makes it the same as any standard Blu-ray player. As usual, the update will be issued automatically, but if you just can’t wait you can force it manually, check the source links for details, more screenshots and a full changelog.
Boxee Box v1.1 update includes improved browser, playback controls and more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 May 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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