Hauppauge releases new MediaMVP that Connects via an Ethernet Network
I definitely want one of these!
Hauppauge has released a new version of their MediaMVP box that supports Ethernet networks, so now (presuming youve got a Ethernet connection near your TV) you can stream your recorded movies, music and listen to net radio from your TV without having to have a PVR in the same room. Ideal, at least in my situation where I can have the PVR in one room and use this for the extra TV in a different room (and yes my new house has Ethernet points next to every TV point!). It basically replaces the need to have a VCR or DVD with every TV.
Now for the good stuff from Hauppauge:
MediaMVP Features:
Access digital music, videos or pictures (or Internet radio stations**) from your TV set, over your home network.
Uses 10Mbit or 100Mbit Ethernet, for the best network performance with any type of digital media. Plays DVD quality videos on your TV set over an Ethernet LAN!
Composite and S-Video outputs for the best video quality on TV sets, plus stereo audio output to TV sets or home theater systems.
Watch digital camera pictures (JPEG or GIF) on your TV set. Play slide shows with music, too!
Plays MP3 music, either individual titles, all the music titles in a directory or M3U, B4S, PLS and ASX playlists.
Plays MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and DivX recordings made with the Hauppauge WinTV with SoftPVR or WinTV-PVR’s. Will also play most other MPEG-1/2 standard video files. Will also play most standard DivX movies*. With MediaMVP’s remote control, you can pause, rewin, fast forward or jump through your recorded videos.
Remote control for easy access to your PC media from your TV set. MediaMVPs remote control allows you to navigate through your PCs disk drives, and displays media names, directories and other information on the TV set. MediaMVPs remote also can control the audio volume and mute of videos and music being played.
*Note: you need a 1.8Ghz or faster PC to play DivX movies.
** Note: Internet radio stations must be directly accessable via a URL to be played through MediaMVP.
MediaMVP connects to your TV set, and allows you to watch and listen to PC based media via an Ethernet network.
MediaMVP is really simple to install: Install the MediaMVP server application on your PC, connect MediaMVP to your PC through any 10/100 RJ-45 Ethernet port on routers, hubs or switches. Plug in MediaMVP and you’ll have instant access to digital music, videos and pictures stored on your PC!
Listen to MP3 music on your TV set!
Watch digital camera slide shows with music on your TV set!
Watch any MPEG videos (especially those recorded with the Hauppauge WinTVs) on your TV set!
Navigate through your PC media on your TV set, selecting individual music titles to listen to or digital pictures to watch. You can simultaneously play a digital picture slideshow while listening to a complete music program. Or play a music playlist (MusicMatch, Winamp and Windows Media playlists supported).
Create MPEG videos on your PC with any Hauppauge WinTV or WinTV-PVR, and play them on your TV set. You can use Hauppauge’s SoftPVR™ with any WinTV board to record videos in MPEG or DivX. For the best system performance, use a WinTV-PVR-150, WinTV-PVR-250, WinTV-PVR-350 or WinTV-PVR-usb2 with hardware MPEG recorder built-in. MediaMVP also supports most MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or DivX standard videos.
MediaMVPs remote control allows you to pause, fast forward and rewind through videos, plus pause music and picture shows. You can adjust the audio volume from MediaMVPs remote control, so you won’t need to use your TV sets remote at all!
Connect MediaMVP to your home theater system, for the ultimate home media network. Just connect the S-Video and stereo audio outputs to your home theater switch, and you’ll be able to watch your digital videos and pictures on your TV set while listening to the digital audio on your home theater speakers!
MediaMVP is great when traveling with laptop computers. It’s small enough to carry on vacations and business trips, so you can watch videos, digital pictures and listen to music on your hotel room TV set. All you need is an Ethernet cross over cable (not supplied) to directly connect MediaMVP with your laptop.
Technically speaking:
MediaMVP is a Linux based digital media receiver based on a powerful IBM PowerPC processor. It includes a hardware MPEG decoder to process digital video movies, while music and digital pictures are software decoded by MediaMVP’s processor. It receives the digital media from a PC via an Ethernet LAN, decodes the media and outputs video through composite and S-Video connections, and audio through stereo audio output connectors. MediaMVP and the PC operate in a ‘client-server’ system, where the MediaMVP requests menus and media from the PC, and the PC satisfies those requests. MediaMVP receives user commands from the infrared remote control and sends these commands to the PC server. Menus seen on the TV set are created via HTML on the PC and sent over the network to the MediaMVP for display on the TV set. Custom user interfaces for the TV set can be created by making new HTML screens on the PC.
Specifications and requirements
MediaMVP video decoder specification
Dedicated hardware decode support for MPEG-2 Transport Stream, MPEG-2 MP@ML, and MPEG-1. Decodes full CCIR601 resolution NTSC and PAL encoded MPEG-2 bit streams in real time, up to and including 720×480 (NTSC) or 720×576 (PAL).
Hardware audio decoder: MPEG-1 level 2 (MP3) or level 3 (PCM audio not supported at this time).
Decodes MPEG datarates from 1.5 Mbits/sec to 8 Mbits/sec
Video output: composite, S-Video and RGB (Scart equipped models only)
Upscales half screen resolution video to full screen. For example, MediaMVP will take 320×240 VCD video and play it full screen. It also offers a tunable Anti-Flicker Filter.
Three level anti-flicker filter
Outputs NTSC and PAL video, software selectable
MediaMVP audio decoder specification
Dedicated hardware decode support for MPEG-1 level 2 or level 3 audio (MP3 audio).
Decodes MP3 audio with datarates up to 320 Kbits/sec, variable or fixed
Decodes mono and stereo. Mono audio sent to both left and right channels.
TV Set Requirements
Composite or S-Video input on North America models. Scart input on European models.
Left and right audio input jacks (or Scart on European models)
PC System Requirements
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home, XP Professional or Windows2000
128MB RAM and 20GB hard disk space (minimum recommended)
Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
Processor: 750MHz or faster. 1.8GHz P4 or faster to play DivX movies.
CD-ROM drive for loading software
Network Requirements
One 10/100 RJ-45 port on a Router, Hub or Switch
or
Direct connect from MediaMVP to PC via cross over LAN cable (not supplied)
Included in the MediaMVP package
MediaMVP digital media receiver device
Stand
Wall mounted power supply
Remote control with batteries
MediaMVP Installation CD-ROM
MediaMVP QuickInstall Guide
1.5 meter A/V cable set
1.5 meter Ethernet cable