Faster, stronger, higher - media extenders, that is
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Written by Atila on May 22, 2008 – 9:06 am
Now that we’ve heard the news that D-Link is planning to start selling a faster home media extender to compete with Apple TV, the item continues to beg the question - why only downloaded media and not anything that’s on the computer, such as live Skype phone calls (audio and video) and streaming media (such as MLB.tv)?
The unnamed D-Link media extender (probably will be called some version of its existing “Media Lounge“) is designed to compete with AppleTV, which does the same thing - will cost more and do less than the Addlogix InternetVue - which basically turns your TV into your computer’s TV screen. This device will allow streaming video to be seen “live” on your TV, and will allow you to watch “live” video from the many new streaming media video networks out there (MyDamnChannel, VeohTV, Joost, etc., and etc.)
Even more interesting is D-Link’s interest in this market, which has responded to AppleTV in an underwhelming fashion, by many accounts. We think this is the next step - to connect the PC/Mac to other media (Slingbox’s reverse product - TV on your computer is a nice niche device of interest only to a few techies, as far as we can see). This suggests to us that there is a sense that this market will take off if the right device is introduced into the system. Make it as simple to use as the remote control we have now (point and click, as it were), and the industry will take off.
Having connected my Mac to the TV before stumping up for an AppleTV I think I know the answer.
TV’s great, you push two buttons and sit back. PC on TV isn’t, you spend the usual amount of time with multiple clicks and mouse actions and then sit back to watch the movie/TV show. Then there’s the internet streaming that may or may not work that well, higher connection speed will improve this but there’s no guarantee. If PC on TV were another geeky gadget the hit-or-miss service, that PC users seem to revel in, that would be fine. Unfortunately TV is slick and useful (with a few annoyances) and is a hard act to follow. Vomitting your PC content onto the big screen isn’t the way to go at all. All manufacturers need to be aware the two systems work very differently and a whole new hybrid system of interaction is required.
That said, I was disappointed Apple haven’t released a USB iSight and an iChat function and let’s see if the Euro iTS video rollout will bring extra features and better quality content.
McD