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HTPC Building Series: Choosing the MSI 7411 motherboard
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies, PC / Laptop,
Check out our HTPC on a Budget series and join us in building a great HTPC for under $1,000.
In this installment of the Home Theater PC building log, we wanted to focus on the core of our system. Previously, we took a look at the process of selecting hardware along with a look at the overall mission to build the best HTPC we can, on a budget. To understand what we are aiming to do, though, I thought it would be best if we were able to take a look at what’s going to be at the center of everything: the MSI MS-7411 Media Live DIVA 7.1 motherboard.
That’s a mouthful, we know - but it’s also an amazing centerpiece for our system. The foundation is MSI’s MS-7411 micro-ATX motherboard featuring AMD’s 780M chipset with UVD support and side-port memory for smooth 1080p playback. This motherboard can be ordered with either pre-amp or amp audio card solutions (one purchase package) directly from your distributor of choice. Note that this motherboard uses the mobile variant of the 780 for additional power savings features that are useful in a home theater environment. It pulls less power, and it doesn’t get as hot, which means much less fan noise. Nothing kills a movie experience like fan noise, seriously.
Click to continue reading HTPC Building Series: Choosing the MSI 7411 motherboard
Gallery: HTPC Building Series: Choosing the MSI 7411 motherboard
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Super Talent Godfather USB Flash Drive
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Movies, Storage,
This is a USB flash drive that’s hard to refuse. The Super Talent swiveling hologram or 2-piece rubber Godfather not only holds up to 16GB of data, music and pictures, it comes with images and quotes from the classic film. It is compatible with both USB 2.0 and 1.1 and because of its solid-state storage, promises 10 years of data retention. Choose from a 1GB drive for $14.99, 4GB for $19.99 and the 16GB for a mere $24.99. Each comes with keychain and/or mini-lanyard and can be found on Amazon.
Read More 
| Super Talent
Gallery: Super Talent Godfather USB Flash Drive
It’s Sony’s turn to join in on the inexpensive, YouTube loving camcorders. The Webbie produces up to 8.5 hours of HD MPEG-4 video or thousands of 5 MP images. At a size of 2.4 x 1.7-inches, it houses a CMOS sensor and records on the company’s ultra-small Memory Stick PRO Duo media. The Webbie also features a 2.5 swivel screen, an 5x optical zoom and simplified software at a price of $199.99. This spring, they will also have an upright Webbie available for $169.99.
Read More | Sony Style
Gallery: Sony Webbie HD Mini-Camcorder
Panasonic VIERA CAST Adopts Amazon VOD
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Internet, Movies,
Watch out, Netflix, you have some competition. Panasonic has now announced that it is teaming with Amazon Video On Demand on their 2009 VIERA CAST enabled HDTVs and Blu-ray products. Grab yourself one and you will have access to over 40,000 titles. In addition, you can get YouTube, Picasa, Bloomberg News and weather. We have to admit we like VOD as they often have some freebies and that is a good thing. Look for the new VIERA CAST early this year.
Read More | Akihabara News
Gallery: Panasonic VIERA CAST Adopts Amazon VOD
Netflix streaming hits VIZIO Connected HDTV [UPDATED]
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, CES, CES 2009, Corporate News, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies,
VIZIO is launching a new platform that they’re calling “Conneced HDTV,” and with it comes confirmation of the second Netflix direct-to-TV partnership. VIZIO’s Connected HDTV platform is designed to compliment traditional television viewing. You just connect the television to your home network, and if there’s nothing good on, you can go into Netflix, and I am sure there will be other services (YouTube? Hulu?) that you’ll be able to pull up as well. This is a trend we are definitely liking, let’s eliminate set-top boxes while providing more viewing options for the consumer.
EDIT: Okay, we just got more details on this. Aside from Netflix, the VIZIO Connected HDTV platform also brings Amazon Video on Demand, Pandora, Flickr, Blockbuster OnDemand, Rhapsody, Adobe Flash content, games from Accedo Broadband, and the Yahoo! widget engine. Very, very interesting!
Read More | MarketWatch
Gallery: Netflix streaming hits VIZIO Connected HDTV [UPDATED]
RCA announces EZ209HD, their slimmest Small Wonder camcorder ever
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, CES, CES 2009, Handhelds, HDTV, Movies, Portable Audio / Video,
We are loving just how prevalent small HD cams are becoming, and the RCA EZ209HD looks to be an impressive unit when it comes to that category. This is the company’s slimmest and “sexiest” (their word, not mine) Small Wonder camcorder ever, and captures high definition video while sporting a 2-inch display. Even better, though, unlike some of the other handheld HD flash camcorders we’ve seen, the EZ209HD even has an HDMI port, so you can plug directly into a television to watch your home movies. The rechargeable battery lasts for two hours, which is also nice, and the camera even supports a 60fps Sports Mode for fast action. Once your recordings are done, you can easily upload them to YouTube and Box.net. You’ll be able to get your hands on an RCA EZ209HD by the end of this quarter, and it’ll sell for $119.99.
Full press release available after the break, which includes details on the EZ207 as well.
Click to continue reading RCA announces EZ209HD, their slimmest Small Wonder camcorder ever
Gallery: RCA announces EZ209HD, their slimmest Small Wonder camcorder ever
Panasonic Plasma 3DTV With Blu-ray Player
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies,
You will still need some glasses, but Panasonic will be offering a 103-inch Plasma 3DTV and Blu-ray disc player that will deliver 1930x1080p high def. The company says that they put 2 sets of HD images onto one disc and have a way to record, decode and playback the images. The glasses themselves are synchronized shutters instead of those cheapy ones you used to watch Captain Eeo way back at Disneyland. Okay, but we bet they will still be nerdy and prices will be expensive plus.
Read More | fav.or.it
Gallery: Panasonic Plasma 3DTV With Blu-ray Player
Thanko Video Camera MP4 Watch
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Movies, Music, Portable Audio / Video, USB,
Thanko is helping you play spy with its Video Camera MP4 Watch. It has a built-in 4GB flash drive and can record images, MP3 and WMA audio and AVI video with its mic and camera. It also has a handy headphone port for private playback and it handles uploading, as well as file conversion, through your PC USB port. Compatible with Windows XP/Vista, the watch has a TFT 1.8-inch display with a video resolution of 352x288 and a picture resolution of 640x480. Expect 3.5 to 8.3 hours of playback, a battery charge time of 4 hours and a price of $249.99.
Read More | Audio Cubes
Gallery: Thanko Video Camera MP4 Watch
Chinavasion Portable DVD Player
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Movies, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games,
Chinavasion has a portable DVD player with TV that will handle most disc formats. It has a 9-inch LCD swivel screen, an analog TV tuner, and SD and USB card slots. It also features an 8 bit Nintendo emulator and gamepad, can display photos and play music. The 251 x 42 x 195mm device comes in black, has 2.5 hours of viewing per battery charge and comes at a $133.50 price.
Read More | Chinavasion
Gallery: Chinavasion Portable DVD Player
Gov. Paterson Proposes iPod Tax
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Movies, Music,
New York’s Governor David Paterson is trying to come up with creative ways to pad the state’s $15.4 billion deficit. One of these is an “iPod tax” that would charge for downloaded music and other “digitally delivered entertainment services.” In addition, cable and satellite TV services, movie tickets, taxis, soda, beer, wine, cigars and massages will also be taxed. The proposal must still get legislative approval and we expect that if it passes, there may be an influx of New Yorkers flooding to places like New Jersey to get their tunes.
Read More | NY Daily News
Gallery: Gov. Paterson Proposes iPod Tax
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