Okoro Media Systems, manufacturer of Digital Entertainment Systems for the high end audio video market, is pleased to announce the availability of the 2009 OMS-SX100 model. The OMS-SX100 is an “Ultra Low Profile” Digital Entertainment Systems based on AMD's energy efficient Athlon X2 platform. The OMS-SX100 features cool and quiet operation, 7.1 LPCM HDMI support, 1080P Blu-ray playback and low power green operation. The 2009 OMS-SX100 Digital Entertainment System can also handle the needs of customers with limited space with its 2.7 inch ultra low profile frame. Coupled with the OMS Slim Blu-ray drive, the unit is Blu-ray profile 2.0 compliant and can decode 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS along with 7.1 Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio formats. 
 
"Since the release of the low profile series in 2006, Okoro Media Systems has been working on delivering to our customers the next generation of ultra low profile systems. Our customers want a powerful machine that can manage their media, playback Blu-ray titles as well as being green. We feel that the SX100 will give them a feature packed Digital Entertainment System in a thin and elegant form factor. " said Christopher Curry, VP of Sales & Marketing.
 
The OMS-SX100 is now shipping and has the following standard specifications:
 

• 45watt Dual Core AMD Processor
• 8-channel LPCM audio via HDMI
• 2GB RAM
• 500GB low power HD storage
• DVD Burner 
• HDMI, DVI, VGA output
• Windows Vista Home Premium

The following options are also available:

• OMS Slim Blu-ray Drive
• 4GB RAM upgrade
• 1TB low power HD upgrade

Coming soon CableCARD and SAGETV HDPVR models and other additional upgrades. 
 
For more information about the OMS-SX100 Digital Entertainment system, please visit www.okoromedia.com.

Remember when I said you would hear more about Zune on mobile phones before the years end?  Well, now you have.  “Zune software will also be ported to and be more important not just with the hardware but on the PC, on Windows Mobile devices, etc.," said Steve Ballmer.

Missing Remote has had a few great articles over the past few weeks including a Battle of the Windows Home Server Systems and a letter to Microsoft about what is going on with Media Center.  The article ends with a note to Microsoft asking for them to “go back to the drawing board and re-think the Media Center product: its future as a product, the viability of the strategy of having it tossed into random Windows versions, and goals for the technologies that make up Windows Media Center.”

Last month Ed Bott wrote the best article ever on the Media Center platform.  He covered several issues but mainly focused on the TV Pack and all of the issues that happened behind the scenes.  I didn’t get to post about it when he first published it, but I have to get it out there because Ed really did a fantastic job with the article.

PC Mag has an “unofficial” Guide to the TV Pack including installation instructions just in case you happen to find it online somewhere.

I’ll be a guest on The Media Center Show before year’s end, but that shouldn’t stop you from waiting until then to listen to Ian’s other weekly podcasts.  Hear about Open Media Library (OML) from David Shulitz and CEA Mark Of Excellence Awards with Roland Graham.

Today Microsoft officially launched their MSNBC News beta in Media Center to the world (err, I mean US and Canada).  This was actually something that popped up on one of my beta machines a few months ago, but when I asked about it Microsoft said I wasn’t even supposed to have it, and thus I didn’t blog about it.  Much like the Internet TV Beta, access the new application can be found on the TV + Movies strip.

Ian Dixon and Brandon LeBlanc have some screenshots up on their respective blogs.  These out-of-band “feature” plug-ins might be Microsoft’s hope to keep the Media Center platform moving between Windows releases, so I’m hoping this isn’t the last one that we will see.

• Access the latest U.S. Election 08 videos
• Editor Picks and Most Popular videos, as selected by viewers
• Five-day weather forecast for any zip code in the U.S.
• Customize your own news video playlists
• Ability to browse by category, such as Business, Sports, and Entertainment
•  Search for stories using keywords
• Related videos for each story

Easily search through entire media catalogues and select Internet content utilizing the unified Niveus Search tool, now available for download.

Milpitas, CA – September 26, 2008 – Niveus Media, Inc. announces beta availability of the new unified Niveus Search, which enables easy retrieval of content accessible across the local network and Internet. The patent-pending Niveus Search offers Windows Vista ® Media Center users an easy-to-use, 10’ interface that provides an all encompassing scan of both the Media Center and Internet sources.

No longer do Media Center users have to scroll through lengthy catalogues trying to locate a certain movie, TV program, song, etc. Utilizing the unified Niveus Search yields visual results of the electronic program guide, recorded TV, music, photos, videos, and web-based content, from sources such as Netflix, Flickr, and Live365 Internet radio. Additionally, for the less decisive that aren’t sure what to watch or listen to, by entering keywords of interest, Search will return a number of related results from across its sources.

Accessing and using the Niveus Search tool is simple and can be easily accomplished with the use of only a remote control. By selecting “New Search” via the Search icon on the Windows Media Center strip, users can enter keywords with the remote control (T9) or the onscreen keypad. Search then reveals results in a compelling gallery, with cover art, movie posters, icons, pictures, or other supported visual formats. The user can then click play, slideshow, or schedule a recording based on the type of result(s) returned. Previous searches can be found through a Previous Searches icon on the Media Center menu.

Now available via the Niveus Software Labs webpage, Niveus Search is being released as beta for all Windows Vista Media Center users for an undetermined amount of time to gather feedback, field results, and suggestions. Niveus will continue to release improvements to Niveus Search beta via the Niveus Software Labs and intends to release a production version of Niveus Search to the Windows Media Center community when ready. Niveus Search will be supported by the user community in the new Niveus Software Labs Forum. A gallery of screenshots can be viewed through the Niveus Software Labs by selecting the screenshots tab.

For more information, please visit www.niveusmedia.com.

About Niveus Media

Founded in 2003, Silicon Valley based Niveus Media, Inc. manufactures award-winning media server hardware and software solutions, optimized to manage all HD entertainment in multi-zone applications. With the most advanced media servers, storage servers, proprietary software and service technologies, Niveus revolutionizes the aggregation, distribution, and enjoyment of today’s digital media.

I’ve just gotten a tip from a very reliable source that Microsoft is looking to take Media Center off the desktop and turn it into a CE appliance.  The only information that I have is that it is planned to be a headless device of some sort.  Other details are very scarce at this point with no timeline to speak of, but I’ve been assured that Microsoft is actively working on such a project.

Is the Home Server “Media Center UI integration” that I just said wouldn’t happen the start of this project?  Does it even have anything to do with Windows Home Server?  Might Softsled be making an appearance in this all?  Maybe that technology they got from WebGuide?  I have no idea, because clearly such a product would go against everything I’ve ever said about Media Center.

So, I’m a bit shocked that Microsoft is looking to do anything like this.  For years I have been saying that such a device would fail in the market due to its un-doubtable high cost in comparison to other CE devices like TiVo’s and the $10/month cable/satellite DVR.

Media Center’s number one problem has been failing to define itself in the market.  Enthusiasts and power users want features not currently provided by Media Center, most of which Microsoft has shown little interest in actually implementing, and they want it at the smallest price possible.  The high-end custom install channel wants the same things, but are willing to pay as much as they need to in order to get the features.  Then the rest of the world doesn’t know that Media Center exists, and even if they did they want it at a price lower than what enthusiasts and power users are willing to spend.

Thoughts and opinions?  I’m not going to ask what you would pay for such a device, rather what do you think your Mom would pay?  I’ve establish in the past that enthusiasts and power users want such a device and therefore might be willing to pay for it, but what about your Mom or other “average” users?  Keep in mind that if this is a headless device, you have to factor in Extenders for each room you actually want to watch content in.

Looking at this from the outside with no information on what it planned, I still say such a product would fail to reach the mass market.  Now for the enthusiasts, power user, and custom-install channel this could be a great move.  That brings up another question, is Microsoft shifting their focus for Media Center from developing for the “mass market” to developing for enthusiasts, power users, and the custom install channel (Remember their presence at CEDIA)?

Internet access provider Wayport enables wireless music downloads for Zune customers in Wi-Fi hot spots at more than 9,800 McDonald’s restaurants.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 16, 2008 — Zune, Microsoft Corp.’s end-to-end music and entertainment service, today released its much anticipated free software update that will bring new features to every Zune portable media player. Revealed last week, the new software will allow Zune users to wirelessly stream and download music from the Zune Marketplace store on the go; tag and purchase songs directly from the built-in FM radio; and tap into new, personalized music recommendations and programming. To allow customers to take full advantage of the new wireless functionality, Zune today announced that it is working with high-speed Internet access provider Wayport Inc. to deliver Zune users free, wireless access to the Zune Marketplace from more than 9,800 participating McDonald’s®restaurants across the U.S.

“Wayport is pleased to be working with Microsoft to make it easier for Zune users to access music on the go,” said Dan Lowden, vice president of business development and marketing for Wayport. “Our ability to enable and manage applications and devices over converged networks creates exciting new opportunities for our clients to attract new customers whose digital lifestyle extends beyond their home and office.”

More Colors and Custom Designs

Zune Originals, the online store designed to let consumers customize their Zune player with laser-engraved art and personal text, now also offers exclusive color combinations. In addition to the recently announced Zune 16 and Zune 120 available in black at retailers nationwide, Zune Originals (http://www.zuneoriginals.net) also will offer the Zune 16 in blue, red, pink and green as an online exclusive. In addition, Zune Originals is refreshing its collection of custom artwork with 14 eye-catching new designs from artists such as Rolito, MWM (Matt W. Moore), Ippei Gyoubu and Aya Kato to give consumers more options to personalize their Zune experience.

The Digital Content Consumers Want

In addition to launching Zune Channels, which push new music to subscribers’ collections each week, and personalized music recommendations, Zune Marketplace also offers editorial features such as the Zune School Music Masters Program and the Xbox Gamer Central pages, as well as Instant Collections playlists to help consumers explore specific themes and genres. Zune Marketplace now offers more than 4 million songs, 80 percent of which are available as digital rights management (DRM)-free MP3s; 8,500 music videos; 3,000 episodes of popular TV shows; and more than 6,000 audio and video podcasts.

Zune customers have a choice in how they acquire music — they can pay per track or choose a Zune Pass subscription. Zune Pass subscribers can download or stream music from their Zune or computer interchangeably, all for a flat rate of $14.99 (U.S.) per month. To give people a chance to experience Zune Pass subscription, Zune is offering a free, 14-day trial to all new customers. More information is available at http://www.zune.net/setup.

Zune also now supports audiobook content from leading distributors including Audible Inc. Zune users can now explore more than 50,000 books, magazines and newspapers from more than 600 publishers and content providers at audible.com and sync it to their Zune. To commemorate the addition of audiobooks, Audible is offering all new and existing Zune owners a free copy of “Black River” by bestselling writer Dean Koontz.

New Software and Firmware

The Zune PC software is a free download that provides rich discovery and media management capabilities to help consumers make the most of their existing music collections in addition to providing access to the Zune Social and Zune Marketplace so they can add to it. To experience new features such as Buy from FM, wireless music downloads, Zune Channels, Picks personal recommendations, games and more, the new Zune PC software and device firmware are available for free download at http://www.zune.net.

Estimated retail pricing for the Zune device is as follows:

• 120 GB: $249.99 (U.S.)
• 80 GB: $229.99 (U.S.)1
• 16 GB: $199.00 (U.S.)
• 8 GB: $149.99 (U.S.)
• 4 GB: $129.99 (U.S.)1

More information on Zune and related images is available at http://www.zune.net/press.

About Zune

Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment brand that provides an integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune Marketplace online store, the Zune Social online music community created to help people discover music, and the ZuneOriginals.net online media player customization store. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

1 A limited number of 80GB and 4GB devices remain in the channel, and those remaining will be available at this price.

Long Zheng spotted a good one last week, finding a job posting that implies several things about Windows Home Server v2 including “Time Machine compete UI for backup and restore, Windows Media Center integration UI, Live Mesh integration UI etc..”

Windows Media Center integration UI is clearly the part of it that I’m going to focus on, however I think this might end up being the opposite of what most people think (and want) it to be.  Mainly, “Windows Media Center integration UI” doesn’t have to mean “Windows Media Center UI integration.”  The placement of UI in the sentence makes a huge different.

For example “Windows Media Center integration UI” sounds like a wizard from within Home Server to integrate sharing and backup of Media Center content such as Recorded TV.  “Windows Media Center UI integration” on the other hand would imply Media Center functionality being built into Home Server.

The wording used by Microsoft is “Windows Media Center integration UI” leading me to believe that Microsoft’s focus is not on integrating Media Center directly into Home Server.

I’ve (poorly) argued in the past that while an integrated Home Server+Media Center would be the killer scenario for hardcore Media Center users and geeks, it would do nothing to give Media Center the push it needs in the marketplace.  I also question the backup functionality of Home Server when more and more roles keep getting delegated to it.  Put Media Center functionality in and mix it with backup and remote access and it is almost time for a Home Server to backup my Home Server.

I’m I overanalyzing the "Windows Media Center integration UI" wording?  You still holding out for your Home Sever with Media Center/Extender functionality?