Multimedia, AV Archive

From time to time, we like take a break from technology news to query our readers to find out details about our community. Previously, we asked you to show us your desktop. This time, we ask "What's your favorite movie?" Is it sci-fi or comedy? Action or maybe drama? Share your favorites so we can check them out! I'll start: while I'm tempted to say The Red Violin, I'm not sure there's a better screenplay than The Usual Suspects.

Microsoft has released a Windows Media Player plugin for Firefox. The plugin obviously only works on Windows. "We couldn't respond as quickly as we would have liked to (we had to get Windows Vista out the door!), but now that it's shipped, the team has moved its attention to getting Firefox users up and running. This week we are happy to say that we have a new plug-in for Firefox that makes WMP work once again."

"4Front Technologies is announcing the availability of Open Sound System version 4.0 for Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, Open Server6 and UnixWare7. Open Sound System is a cross platform audio architecture that provides drivers for most consumer and professional audio devices and comes with an API that allows applications to be simply recompiled on any of the supported operating systems."

Steve Jobs writes: "Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats. In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat."

This small tutorial will show you how to transcode your videos and movies to be suitable for viewing on an mpeg4-capable cellphone.

"I found that any Firewire-equipped Mac can be made into an HD-PVR for unencrypted content at the expense of an appropriate firewire cable. Apple even provides the necessary capture software that you need, provided that you know where to look." More here.

"The Neuros OSD promises a lot - it claims to be the first open source Linux-based embedded media center and it 'records video and links your PC, portables and entertainment center'. Bold claims, but can it live up to them?"

Apple is working furiously to get their ITV product into market early next year. However, this type of product is not a new idea. There have been a number of similar remote multimedia products since 2003, most based off the Syabas software stack. Geeks.com were very generous sending us over ADS' MXL-581 Media-Link Entertainment Receiver for a review, a Syabas-based device that's using the uCOS-II real-time kernel (introduction ). Check inside for our review and many screenshots of the system.

Geeks.com were very generous sending us over their SupportPlus SP-PMP51C (aka Sorell SV-10) portable media player for a review. This PMP is unique because among extended media features (20GB, A/V playback/rec, line-in, fm radio/rec, voice rec, text viewer, OGG support, lots of accessories) it also includes a 1.3MP swivel camera (with VGA video recording) selling at the fair price of $199 (use the promo code "GEEKPLUS" to buy the item for just $149).

Phoronix has published a review of the LIX Systems LX8100-AM2BB-M2NPV, which is a complete HTPC/PVR that ships with GNU/Linux and all of the other goodies. They conclude: "We have become overwhelmingly impressed by the LX8100-AM2BB-M2NPV. This HTPC system is incredibly compact, powerful for video purposes, offers a great deal of installed software and other media features, and is unbelievably quiet. The Lx8100 is extremely well designed for its size and the changeable frontpanel design is interesting and functional for matching the device with other multimedia equipment. The LX8100-AM2BB-M2NPV came loaded with all of the hardware needed to get going. The software also came completely configured and required virtually no setup."

"MythTV is a Linux based, multimedia software that allows you to view and record TV shows to your hard drive in the manner of Tivo, Windows Media Center and Beyond TV. MythTV recently released 0.20 version of their awesome TV/PVR/Multimedia Frontend software. I installed the latest version to see if it was really as good as it looks."

How many times has this happened to you? You're rocking out to the latest ditty on your iPod, rocking so hard you could be one of those black silhouette people from the Apple commercials, when you feel that pressure in your bowels, and you know you've got to go. You're faced with a terrible dilemma: either endure some quiet moments alone, or risk an international terrorist incident by dropping your iPod into the toilet. Well, your long nightmare is finally over.

Magnatune has the right idea and we love their motto: "We Are Not Evil". They are a real record label but they give away 128 kbps mp3s of all their artist's songs for free. If you like what you hear you can purchase higher quality DRM-free FLAC, Mp3, OGG, AAC, WAV versions at a price you set! If you don't, you can always keep, share or delete your legally downloaded 128 kbps mp3, your choice. They are sharing revenues 50/50 with their signed artists and they allow consumers to share their purchased songs with 3 friends. What sets them apart from other "free music" web sites is that they actually sign artists that are able to produce high quality music and are serious about their work (rather than just being a random mp3 hosting site). Also, artists keep all of their work's rights.

RealNetworks will release open-source software this year that will let Linux computers play Windows Media files legally. The media delivery software company and Novell made the announcement at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo. Novell said it will include the tool in its Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 in the fourth quarter.