Multimedia, oh Multimedia, be not my master!

Proposed Multimedia Solution for the Slethbridges (First draft)

Audio

MP3s played from hard disc on PC to the Onkyo amp, (or can be sent to the TV speakers from the PC via HDMI. The TV needs to be on for this).

To play on the deck speakers, the Onkyo can be changed manually, and the playlist controlled directly on the PC (to avoid turning on the tv)

Video

Movies played from the PC hard drive (or DVD slot on PC) to the graphics card over HDMI cable to the TV. Sound can either be over this HDMI so the speakers on the TV are used, or the Onkyo can be set to play the sound.

Control of TV is by its own remote control, (and that might be all that is needed for BRAVIA Internet Video  option)

For control of the PC when viewing the TV (in the next room to the PC), a wireless keyboard or universal remote will be required.

Universal Remote Control with touchpad

for example: Logitech Harmony 1000i $540



Wireless keyboard mouse in one

for example: Logitech DiNiova keyboard mouse $290



Graphics Card

for example:  EVGA GeForce GTX 465 HDMI Dual-DVI 1GB   $380



Flatscreen 32"

for example LG 32LD460 $800

or    Sony Bravia KDL-32EX710 $1300

(faster screen refresh - smoother picture, has built-in BRAVIA Internet Video)


or

Suggested checklist when choosing a flat screen:

Fast response time, high contrast

wall mountable VESA

USB input

Memory card input

3.5mm jack input (play direct from iPod)

Internet Radio - not just another little black box!

When you tun on the TV, it just works. Same with the radio. Mostly.

Its now just as easy to get Internet Radio.

My favourite device (last month) was a demure looking little radio. It has two dials, two buttons and a speaker. And a remote.

Difference is, once connected to the internet by wire or wireless, offers seemingly unending choice in free stations from all over the world. Many don't have adverts or other annoyances, some don't even have announcers!

Many of the major real-world radio stations (eg BBC6) have the internet version available. The sound quality is surprisingly good, and the device can be plugged into your normal home amplifier or sound system.

Choice of stations can be made by genre or country or by searching for a known station. Adding a station you like to your favourites is an easy way to build up a list for quick access.

This type of box is perfect for those unwilling (or unable) to use a computer, and would make a great gift for retired folk - or as an addition to the techno hungry home.

Available in New Zealand  are several even more useful versions of this idea. Think of an alarm clock radio with the features above, and perhaps add an iPod dock on top. Surely that's all you need?

The various models available all come with some type of small screen to aid navigation, so for those a bit more adventurous, why not choose from one of multitude of "tablet-ty" type mini computers, that will certainly be able to give you internet radio, as well as your email, what's on tv tonight and the current temperature in Seoul. And there are many to choose from - not just the iPad which you might just have heard of!?

See my blog for in-depth discussion on this : http://www.hha.co.nz/blog/?p=196

Windows Home Server

Having a computer server at home seems like something restricted to a home business or hardcore geek. Well not anymore. Windows home server delivers management, sharing and protection of our increasingly multimedia digital lives. It's a centralized place to store and share files on your home network. Manage digitally recorded TV episodes, downloaded movies and music content and stream these to other computers or provide access to them over the internet. Automatically back up all your computers at home. Log in to the server from anywhere on the internet. There are a large number of free extensions that can provide all sorts of useful services.

MediaSmart Servers when not in use go into standby mode and use as little as 1-3 watts and at a size smaller than a shoe box this is difinately a cool unobtrusive addition to any home multimedia entertainment setup.

I set up the system at home more out curiosity rather than to use a particular feature but quickly found it useful for a number of applications I hadn't considered. One extension I tried was called FirePlay and allowed me to stream my music to any computer. At a friends house talking about a particular song, a couple of clicks and it was playing on his laptop. Managing backups has always been a hassle but the home server made it easy.

This product has been out for a number of years but is only now becoming useful as our lives and entertainment are more and more being stored as digital files.



HP LX197 Mediasmart Server RRP $816.00

Faster Broadband? ... Maybe.

There is a lot of talk about the government 'fibre to the door' initiative and the super fast broadband speeds that this will achieve. Fibre to the door will be fantastic but in reality it is at least five years before the average person is using it.

The news is not all bad however as there is a lot more speed to squeeze out of the current wires running to your house or business and in the background over the last few years Telecom and others have been adding new technologies to and between our Hawkes Bay exchanges that could give your internet the boost you desire.

Firstly a few acronyms to help you sleep at night. (source wikipedia.org)

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line). This is the first generation of Broadband over our phone lines and is what most broadband users have today. This has a maximum download speed of 8 Megabits and upload speed of 800 kilobits. End user can be up to 5km from the exchange over the phone wire.

ADSL2+. This has a maximum download speed of 24 Megabits and upload speed of 1 Megabit. End user can be up to 2km from the exchange over the phone wire.

VDSL2. (Very High-Speed Digital Subscriber Line 2) This has a theoretical maximum download speed of up to 100 Megabits and upload speed of 16 Megabits. End user can be up to 500m from the exchange over the phone wire.


Unfortunately these technologies are not available to all of us. There are several factors that determine who can get what.

Whether your exchange / cabinet is upgraded. The role out of these newer technologies by Telecom and others, Airnet and Slingshot are two I have heard of in the bay, has been going for several years and will continue for several more. The project is managed by Telecom Wholesale and they have a very good resource on line to determine whether you are able to join to one of these faster technologies or when it will be available. http://www.telecomwholesale.co.nz/maps.

Whether your ISP supports it. ADSL2+ can be used by anyone that has a full speed broadband account but VDSL2 requires your ISP to support a VDSL2 plan and currently no one does nor have I heard any dates of when they will. Whats up with that?

Your hardware. ADSL2+ is supported by most broadband modems less than 3 years old and in some cases it will automatically detect the ADSL2+ network and connect but the majority of modems out there will need to be configured, updated or replaced to reap the extra speed available. VDSL2 modems are not yet available but will probably be more expensive when they do get here.

So whether you already have ADSL2+ or have to suffer the tyranny of a dial-up connection Internet in the Hawkes Bay is slowly getting better.

Internet Radio - how to get it

When it comes to Internet Radio you can set your PC or laptop to stream stations, but let's be honest, who wants the laptop next to your bed, or on the kitchen shelf. Or next to the tv? For these applications, a dedicated box that does just one thing, and does it well is what's required.

I started researching devices for listening to internet radio. (The last - and only - model I have sold is unfortunately no longer available - Freecom's MusicPal. Which is a shame as it was exceptionally easy to use, and, it just worked. And came in at a good price.



I even shot my own review video, but before I could upload, found a more than adequate description by Freecom themselves:


Oh! I see that I did actually get around to uploading my review and have had a massive 454 hits (please don't watch, my head might swell).  A more independent review by Micheal Sherlock describes it's functionality well.

What's new in the current iteration s the ability to access podcasts - which takes the radio concept further to an on-demand radio - sort of like a tape recorder ;)

However, for a better sound quality device, I would have to look further into the Squeezebox:





or the Livio Radio.

Reading around this topic of choosing a device, it seems that the important thing is not to tie yourself in to a particular portal for accessing the stations, as they inevitably will either charge at some stage, or will cease to exist. Look for the DAB+ certification - this ensures you can get to the current popular standard and lots to choose form see  Digital Audio Broadcasting Plus.

It also seems that most are running on the same basic chipset, and its just the housing, speaker, connectors and firmware that vary in quality.

And most are NOT available in New Zealand..

So while casting around for alternatives, I see that its no longer fashionable to restrict one's self to a device without a screen, even when just listening to the radio. There are a multitude of "tablety" devices with varying screen sizes that can pretend to be radios.

How many of which we can locally, and whether they will still work next year without requiring firmware updates is another question.
I found a few that I had no idea were competing with the iPad. (Don't get excited, there are likely not available here, and the prices are US$.) To see these reviewed just search on tablets at http://reviews.cnet.com/

(Not to mention the new kindle)

Where to from here?

Experiment with internet radio on your PC, where your beloved can hear it, and might get interested. Then you can casually comment that "the iPad can do that internet radio stuff, too" !? (Internet Explorer has been trying to lure us there for ages - their default bookmarks includes the MediaCenter-centric link to http://www.windowsmedia.com/radioui/home.aspx, but there are many others.

No, I don't work for Apple. Unfortunately.

Back to the dark side (where I am more comfortable!), you could go for Windows7 's killer app, the Homegroup - which when it catches on, will make keeping and finding media content in the household a breeze. At the moment, its just too hard. We all have Gigaturdes of stuff, but can never get to it or find it - let alone share it reliably.

Mark my words!