Future of the mediaplayers

The main players

● Consumer Devices

– Networked DVD Players

– Sandisk Sansa TakeTV

● PC

– Window Media Centre

– Apple TV

– Myth TV

● Consoles

– Playstation 3 / Xbox 360 /Wii

– Xbox Media Centre

Convergence

● "The convergence of PC media with the home entertainment system is something that has been promised for several years now. Tech-savvy computer users can easily have gigabytes of music, images, and video on hard drives, locked away from the living room setup. Many of us are looking for a simple solution that will allow our stereo/TV equipment to simply become network devices so they can consume any shared content. On the surface it sounds like a simple proposition - yet few devices can achieve this goal, and of those even fewer do it well. Some people resort to just plugging a computer into their setup so they have all of the features and media support, but finding good 10-foot interfaces can be challenging."

● atkulp, http://features.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/16/1722231

Networked DVD Players

● Networked DVD Players plays many audio and video formats out of the box including photo/JPEG discs. They can now streaming content over the local network and the internet. They can switch between DVD and network content with the click of a button, and they look like regular dvd players

KISS DVD Players

● Supports Xvid, DivX, Mpeg4, Mpeg2, H.264, Ogg, Wmv9, WmvHDSupports Xvid, DivX, Mpeg4, Mpeg2, H.264, Ogg, Wmv9, WmvHD

● Online services through Wired and Wireless ConnectionsOnline services through Wired and Wireless Connections

● Plays HD through HDMI or ComponentPlays HD through HDMI or Component

● USB and Card slots in some modelsUSB and Card slots in some models

● Plays and up-scales DVDsPlays and up-scales DVDs

● Looks like a dvd playerLooks like a dvd player

● Costs between 150 – 350 poundsCosts between 150 – 350 pounds

Flash based players

● SanDisk today announced the U.S. availability of the Sansa TakeTV video player, a media player that offer drag and drop video content from PCs to TVs. Using the Sansa TakeTV is claimed to be as simple as using a USB flash drive; drag video files to the TakeTV player and then plug it into its TV cradle. The cradle plugs into the standard AV sockets of televisions, and then an on-screen guide lets users select the content they've stored using the including remote control.

● http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/8471.html

Sandisk Sansa TakeTV

● Supports Xvid, DivX, Mpeg4, etcSupports Xvid, DivX, Mpeg4, etc

● Uses USB for transferUses USB for transfer

● Costs 60-90 poundsCosts 60-90 pounds

● Uses Sandisk's video platformUses Sandisk's video platform

● Small but uglySmall but ugly

● No High Def supportNo High Def support

● No Network supportNo Network support

PC

● Some people live with there computer, some hate the sound of the fan or blinking of the led lights. Some throw them behind glass or wood and love the power and flexibility

Windows Media Centre

● Supports most windows media, mpeg2, mpeg4 Supports most windows media, mpeg2, mpeg4

● Online services through Wired and Wireless ConnectionsOnline services through Wired and Wireless Connections

● Programmable Plug ins and ExtensionsProgrammable Plug ins and Extensions

● Excellent user interfaceExcellent user interface

● Sinkable interfaceSinkable interface

● Comes bundled with most Windows PC's nowComes bundled with most Windows PC's now

● Possible to buy a complete WMC system at a store or even DIYPossible to buy a complete WMC system at a store or even DIY

● Media centre extendersMedia centre extenders

Apple TV

● Supports mpeg4, h.264 and mpeg2Supports mpeg4, h.264 and mpeg2

● Online services through Wired and Wireless ConnectionsOnline services through Wired and Wireless Connections

● Tied into iTunes and iTunes music storeTied into iTunes and iTunes music store

● Official Plug insOfficial Plug ins

● Good user interfaceGood user interface

● Plays simple High DefPlays simple High Def

● Odd DRM modules for contentOdd DRM modules for content

● Small Footprint / No FanSmall Footprint / No Fan

Myth TV

● Supports all media formats even Wmv HD, h.264, Matroska, Ogg Theora Supports all media formats even Wmv HD, h.264, Matroska, Ogg Theora and Flash videoand Flash video

● Online Services though Wired and Wireless ConnectionsOnline Services though Wired and Wireless Connections

● Programmable Plug ins, Extensions and EngineProgrammable Plug ins, Extensions and Engine

● Good user interfacesGood user interfaces

● Sinkable interfaceSinkable interface

● Do it yourself project, can be difficultDo it yourself project, can be difficult

Current Generation Consoles

● Somewhat PC like but sold and supported as Consumer Electronic Devices

● All network and internet awareAll network and internet aware

● All play some kind of mediaAll play some kind of media

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmycanuck/79330165/

Playstation 3

● Supports Mpeg4, h.264, Mpeg2Supports Mpeg4, h.264, Mpeg2

● Card slots and USB for Media playbackCard slots and USB for Media playback

● Media legacy of the PSXMedia legacy of the PSX

● £299 – £399£299 – £399

Remember the PSX

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSX_%28DVR%29

Wii

● Supports image formats

● Flash video via Opera browser

● Ogg Vorbis and Ogg Theora to come via Opera browser

● Not really made for Media playback

● £180

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sameli/298195013/

Xbox 360

● Supports all Windows media, Mpeg2

● Made to work with Windows Media Centre / Windows Media Player

● Not really made for Media playback

● £200 – £300

Xbox Media Centre

● Supports Everything thanks to Open Source projects like FFMPEG (even flash video)

● USB, Ethernet slots / Network and Internet aware

● Supports simple High Def (including up-scaling to 1080i)

● Excellent Interface and Skinable

● Programmable (python) Plug ins, Extensions and Engine

● Works with iTunes, Windows Media, uPnP devices, Samba shares, etc

● Standalone or Networked

● Moving to Linux

● Xlink Kai network

● Less that 50 pounds

?Any questions