Comments for Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com How good can it be, if it isn't HD? Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:33:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Multi-Room Viewing vs a Multi-Room DVR by Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2012/03/15/multi-room-viewing-vs-a-multi-room-dvr/comment-page-1/#comment-3839 Ben Drawbaugh Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:33:27 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=455#comment-3839 That is one qualification I forgot to include in this post, national availability. Like WOW, there are a few local providers with whole home DVRs and even though the U-Verse footprint is limited honestly they have offered one for a few years. You are right, Arris does have a compelling offering, it's just that it isn't available to very many people. That is one qualification I forgot to include in this post, national availability. Like WOW, there are a few local providers with whole home DVRs and even though the U-Verse footprint is limited honestly they have offered one for a few years.

You are right, Arris does have a compelling offering, it’s just that it isn’t available to very many people.

]]> Comment on Multi-Room Viewing vs a Multi-Room DVR by Richard Gunther http://bjdraw.com/2012/03/15/multi-room-viewing-vs-a-multi-room-dvr/comment-page-1/#comment-3838 Richard Gunther Sun, 08 Apr 2012 13:51:15 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=455#comment-3838 Ben, what are your thoughts on WOW's new Ultra TV platform, based on Arris' Moxi technology? Arris walked me through the offering at CES, and while this first offering from WOW specifically talks about "viewing from multiple rooms," you can dig into the details to learn that you can control the scheduled recordings from any of the remote media players. Arris is a comparatively small player, but this seems like a competitive offering. Ben, what are your thoughts on WOW’s new Ultra TV platform, based on Arris’ Moxi technology? Arris walked me through the offering at CES, and while this first offering from WOW specifically talks about “viewing from multiple rooms,” you can dig into the details to learn that you can control the scheduled recordings from any of the remote media players. Arris is a comparatively small player, but this seems like a competitive offering.

]]> Comment on Why HD streaming isn’t ready for primetime by jlh304 http://bjdraw.com/2012/03/09/why-hd-streaming-isnt-ready-for-primetime/comment-page-1/#comment-3828 jlh304 Sat, 07 Apr 2012 12:53:13 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=450#comment-3828 25Mbps is not enough speed, pay for a faster connection they are out there and not for a ton of money. Just watch a bluray on a PS3 you will see the movie is streaming from the disc to the play on avarage around 35Mbps. Sometimes hitting higher rates. 25Mbps is not enough speed, pay for a faster connection they are out there and not for a ton of money. Just watch a bluray on a PS3 you will see the movie is streaming from the disc to the play on avarage around 35Mbps. Sometimes hitting higher rates.

]]> Comment on Multi-Room Viewing vs a Multi-Room DVR by Nosgoth1979 http://bjdraw.com/2012/03/15/multi-room-viewing-vs-a-multi-room-dvr/comment-page-1/#comment-3812 Nosgoth1979 Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:47:07 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=455#comment-3812 This is an important distinction and I really like the way you lay out the facts. I’ve only had the Hopper for a few days now but I love it. I would never want to go back to my single room DVRs. Being an employee of DISH, I’d known that I would have full functionality in ever room just like if I were at the primary TV, but what I didn’t think about is that I can see what the tuners are being used for in the other rooms too. This was an unexpected bonus, because it makes it that much easier to make sure my kids aren’t watching TV when they shouldn’t be, and that when they are, they’re watching shows and movies that I approve of. Plus that hard-drive…man I can’t even imagine what it’s going to take to fill 2TBs up. This is an important distinction and I really like the way you lay out the facts. I’ve only had the Hopper for a few days now but I love it. I would never want to go back to my single room DVRs. Being an employee of DISH, I’d known that I would have full functionality in ever room just like if I were at the primary TV, but what I didn’t think about is that I can see what the tuners are being used for in the other rooms too. This was an unexpected bonus, because it makes it that much easier to make sure my kids aren’t watching TV when they shouldn’t be, and that when they are, they’re watching shows and movies that I approve of. Plus that hard-drive…man I can’t even imagine what it’s going to take to fill 2TBs up.

]]> Comment on My days with Windows Media Center are numbered by Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2011/12/31/my-days-with-windows-media-center-are-numbered/comment-page-1/#comment-3799 Ben Drawbaugh Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:23:03 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=430#comment-3799 Typically the release of Windows is nearly identical to the consumer preview. Microsoft even went so far as to not call it a beta in order to ensure people wouldn't expect their feedback would be considered for the final product. The reality is that the team that worked on Media Center doesn't exist anymore so there is no reason to think MS is still developing it. Typically the release of Windows is nearly identical to the consumer preview. Microsoft even went so far as to not call it a beta in order to ensure people wouldn’t expect their feedback would be considered for the final product. The reality is that the team that worked on Media Center doesn’t exist anymore so there is no reason to think MS is still developing it.

]]> Comment on My days with Windows Media Center are numbered by Anthony http://bjdraw.com/2011/12/31/my-days-with-windows-media-center-are-numbered/comment-page-1/#comment-3798 Anthony Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:08:59 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=430#comment-3798 Sometimes I don't understand the complaining about Media Center and its short comings, plus the belief MS has stopped all development and that W8 has basically the same MC experience as Vista and Windows 7. How many times has MS stated that the consumer preview is NOT even the beta or RC of Windows 8. So STOP jumping to conclusions. HTPC parts prices have gone down, processing and power have GONE UP. There still too many people uninformed about this feature in W7, never mind all the people that buy Windows Ultimate for reasons I fail to understand if all your doing it playing games and browsing Facebook. Then in the same breath complain how much disk space Windows takes up and not even using a 1/3rd of its features. I think the Windows 8 SDK will be better suited for Tablet Use AND Media Center frankly. Remote Potato covers remote scheduling and mobile playback. Tivo's I find limited and Playon.tv is not officially supported in either direction. So how you going to watch streaming content? Not everything I want to watch can be found on Direct TV period. If I wanted to fire up Challenge of the Go-Bots, you're not going to find it on Direct TV. I shouldn't have to put a DVD into another STB either given the technological advances. Windows Media Center with all its faults for people that want as many options as possible is the best option. STB are designed for people that want to watch one media mostly. They are adding a TV tuner to Boxee but currently it will only support Over The Air HD. I'm sure it will have some sort of PVR feature. Great, but if you don't watch much network TV (like me) then this is not worth the investment to make the change over. Linux has a wealth of options because its open source, BUT it doesn't support my tuner cards (Cat's Eye and ATI/AMD) and doesn't support cable cards if the content is flagged, if you have Time Warner, name something that isn't flagged as protected content? lol While streaming has matured, they are embracing everything but Windows Media Center. What I have decided to do is combine what Windows does best which is the PVR experience and what Linux does best which is streaming content and much more "pretty" GUI for video files (Movies, TV Shows), torrents and newsgroups downloads. I have a WHS 2011 now and as it expands (currently 4TB) will be the central depository for all my media going forward. I don't need it to do any direct recording. That would be a welcomed option in a whole home system, but I'll wait for those options to mature more and when I move out of the parents home again. Having game consoles everywhere is not what I would call a solution. Sometimes I don’t understand the complaining about Media Center and its short comings, plus the belief MS has stopped all development and that W8 has basically the same MC experience as Vista and Windows 7. How many times has MS stated that the consumer preview is NOT even the beta or RC of Windows 8. So STOP jumping to conclusions. HTPC parts prices have gone down, processing and power have GONE UP.

There still too many people uninformed about this feature in W7, never mind all the people that buy Windows Ultimate for reasons I fail to understand if all your doing it playing games and browsing Facebook. Then in the same breath complain how much disk space Windows takes up and not even using a 1/3rd of its features.

I think the Windows 8 SDK will be better suited for Tablet Use AND Media Center frankly. Remote Potato covers remote scheduling and mobile playback.

Tivo’s I find limited and Playon.tv is not officially supported in either direction. So how you going to watch streaming content? Not everything I want to watch can be found on Direct TV period. If I wanted to fire up Challenge of the Go-Bots, you’re not going to find it on Direct TV. I shouldn’t have to put a DVD into another STB either given the technological advances.

Windows Media Center with all its faults for people that want as many options as possible is the best option. STB are designed for people that want to watch one media mostly. They are adding a TV tuner to Boxee but currently it will only support Over The Air HD. I’m sure it will have some sort of PVR feature. Great, but if you don’t watch much network TV (like me) then this is not worth the investment to make the change over.

Linux has a wealth of options because its open source, BUT it doesn’t support my tuner cards (Cat’s Eye and ATI/AMD) and doesn’t support cable cards if the content is flagged, if you have Time Warner, name something that isn’t flagged as protected content? lol

While streaming has matured, they are embracing everything but Windows Media Center.

What I have decided to do is combine what Windows does best which is the PVR experience and what Linux does best which is streaming content and much more “pretty” GUI for video files (Movies, TV Shows), torrents and newsgroups downloads.

I have a WHS 2011 now and as it expands (currently 4TB) will be the central depository for all my media going forward. I don’t need it to do any direct recording. That would be a welcomed option in a whole home system, but I’ll wait for those options to mature more and when I move out of the parents home again.

Having game consoles everywhere is not what I would call a solution.

]]> Comment on How to tell an Xbox 360 is a Jasper by dishbreak http://bjdraw.com/2009/07/03/how-to-tell-an-xbox-360-is-a-jasper/comment-page-1/#comment-3624 dishbreak Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:42:16 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=377#comment-3624 Happy to report your Google juice is still working. +2 karma to you. :-) Thanks! Happy to report your Google juice is still working. +2 karma to you. :-) Thanks!

]]> Comment on Multi-Room Viewing vs a Multi-Room DVR by Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2012/03/15/multi-room-viewing-vs-a-multi-room-dvr/comment-page-1/#comment-3582 Ben Drawbaugh Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:40:32 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=455#comment-3582 You can't schedule recordings from any room of the house on the Verizon solution from the other DVRs. You may be able to from a regular STB, but two tuners for an entire house is hardly a multi-room DVR, either. You can’t schedule recordings from any room of the house on the Verizon solution from the other DVRs. You may be able to from a regular STB, but two tuners for an entire house is hardly a multi-room DVR, either.

]]> Comment on Multi-Room Viewing vs a Multi-Room DVR by Sam http://bjdraw.com/2012/03/15/multi-room-viewing-vs-a-multi-room-dvr/comment-page-1/#comment-3581 Sam Fri, 16 Mar 2012 01:09:49 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=455#comment-3581 Hi Ben, Wouldn't the Verizon Multi-Room solution meet your criteria for Multi-Room DVR? My girlfriend's solution has a DVR in one room and two satellite boxes in other rooms. I thought it was possible to start a recording and manage recordings from the satellite extender box. The TiVo Q/Elite & Preview solution doesn't currently meet all of your criteria but based on the recently posted Charter Support document and comments from Jason Nealis at RCN it will meet most, if not all, of your criteria sometime this summer. Thanks, ~Sam Hi Ben,

Wouldn’t the Verizon Multi-Room solution meet your criteria for Multi-Room DVR? My girlfriend’s solution has a DVR in one room and two satellite boxes in other rooms. I thought it was possible to start a recording and manage recordings from the satellite extender box.

The TiVo Q/Elite & Preview solution doesn’t currently meet all of your criteria but based on the recently posted Charter Support document and comments from Jason Nealis at RCN it will meet most, if not all, of your criteria sometime this summer.

Thanks,
~Sam

]]> Comment on Why HD streaming isn’t ready for primetime by Ben Drawbaugh http://bjdraw.com/2012/03/09/why-hd-streaming-isnt-ready-for-primetime/comment-page-1/#comment-3476 Ben Drawbaugh Sat, 10 Mar 2012 13:17:34 +0000 http://bjdraw.com/?p=450#comment-3476 I ended up watching an episode of Lillyhammer via Netflix on the Blu-ray player, which worked just fine. I didn't try the Xbox since I'd rather wait and see the movie in 1080p. No, never had a gen 2 ATV, at 720p I didn't feel compelled. Although I did miss the pictures, music and podcasts. I ended up watching an episode of Lillyhammer via Netflix on the Blu-ray player, which worked just fine. I didn’t try the Xbox since I’d rather wait and see the movie in 1080p.

No, never had a gen 2 ATV, at 720p I didn’t feel compelled. Although I did miss the pictures, music and podcasts.

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