Monday, April 10, 2006
Where's My Media?
iLounge.com has a review of the forthcoming EyeBud 800 Wearable Display by eMagin.
This product brings to mind a scene from 'Back to the Future II' where the McFly kids are sporting TV/Phone displays not unlike the EyeBud. I'm not typically a gadget-oriented person but this is one product I have high hopes for.
When it comes to home media/entertainment set-ups, I'm personally holding out for one very specific thing. Integration.
Very soon, I'll be using my Mac mini home server for the centralized storage of all my ripped DVD's and video clips. From this point, the televisions (or monitors) in my home will act as hubs for the playback of my media. This integrated setup will actually reflect a lot of what my audio system is already doing.
As far as the iPod's are concerned. Well, again, they'll continue to act as portable modules that get pulled out when it comes time to leave the house.
Though much of the technology for this integration already exists, in my opinion, there are still a couple of hurdles to overcome. The first being wireless ethernet. Realistically, 802.11g is just not fast enough for heavy-duty video streaming and file transfers. At the moment, it works great for audio but it is far too slow for video. Choppy video playback and buffering issues are always extremely annoying. Finally, I'd much rather hold out for affordable 802.11n than to begin drilling holes in my walls and running tons of Cat 5 cable through my attic.
Another reason is Tivo. I'm very curious to see Tivo's response to Apple's Front Row and Microsoft's Media Center. Inevitably, some interaction will need to happen at either a hardware or software level. If done right, Tivo could expand interaction and compatibility with Mac's and PC's to the point where Tivo systems could effectively become the media hubs that we've all dreamt of. Now is the time for Tivo to take notice of the emerging HTPC (Home Theater PC) market and get involved while they still have our attention.
Though technology is constantly evolving and though there is never a perfect time to dedicate oneself to a specific format, it is still wise to gauge the market for certain key landmark developments. Once the wireless and DVR issues with home media systems have been resolved I believe one of those milestones will have been met.
This product brings to mind a scene from 'Back to the Future II' where the McFly kids are sporting TV/Phone displays not unlike the EyeBud. I'm not typically a gadget-oriented person but this is one product I have high hopes for.
When it comes to home media/entertainment set-ups, I'm personally holding out for one very specific thing. Integration.
Very soon, I'll be using my Mac mini home server for the centralized storage of all my ripped DVD's and video clips. From this point, the televisions (or monitors) in my home will act as hubs for the playback of my media. This integrated setup will actually reflect a lot of what my audio system is already doing.
As far as the iPod's are concerned. Well, again, they'll continue to act as portable modules that get pulled out when it comes time to leave the house.
Though much of the technology for this integration already exists, in my opinion, there are still a couple of hurdles to overcome. The first being wireless ethernet. Realistically, 802.11g is just not fast enough for heavy-duty video streaming and file transfers. At the moment, it works great for audio but it is far too slow for video. Choppy video playback and buffering issues are always extremely annoying. Finally, I'd much rather hold out for affordable 802.11n than to begin drilling holes in my walls and running tons of Cat 5 cable through my attic.
Another reason is Tivo. I'm very curious to see Tivo's response to Apple's Front Row and Microsoft's Media Center. Inevitably, some interaction will need to happen at either a hardware or software level. If done right, Tivo could expand interaction and compatibility with Mac's and PC's to the point where Tivo systems could effectively become the media hubs that we've all dreamt of. Now is the time for Tivo to take notice of the emerging HTPC (Home Theater PC) market and get involved while they still have our attention.
Though technology is constantly evolving and though there is never a perfect time to dedicate oneself to a specific format, it is still wise to gauge the market for certain key landmark developments. Once the wireless and DVR issues with home media systems have been resolved I believe one of those milestones will have been met.
Posted by Ernest Millan at 3:19 PM
Post a Comment |
0 comments