Sony Tv Problems

Forget the last mile, today's media problems at home concern the last 40 feet – or how to get all the video, music and photos stored on your Home PC to your TV and audio/stereo.

With the launch of XP Media Center, along with Sony's efforts to turn the PC into a digital media hub, making that connection has become even more important. And at this year's CES both Sony and HP both rolled out devices that should help bridge the divide.

Each showed off small network-enabled boxes that can communicate with a PC, stream media from that PC to the box, and then from the box to a TV or stereo. In addition, each include a rudimentary, TV-friendly interface to let you navigate through photos, music and (in Sony's case) video.

Sony's been showing off the RoomLink Network Media Receiver for some time now, at press events. The box has been available in Japan, and now Sony's bringing it to the US. This device uses Ethernet to connect up a Sony's Vaio computer running the Vaio Media software, and lets users playback stored video, live and recorded TV, audio and photos on any TV. MP3, wave and ADTRAC3/plus audio formats are supported, and MPEG1 and MPEG2 video.

The box itself includes a reasonably decent television-centric interface, and an IR remote, that lets users navigate through media stored on the external PC. The box itself includes a composite and sVideo output, along with stereo RCA audio connectors and an optical audio connector as well.

Sony also demonstrated its VAIO 802.11a Wireless LAN Ethernet Converter, which connects to the Ethernet port and turns the RoomLink into a wireless peripheral. However, in our ExtremeTech testing we found that although 802.11a can handle video streams, the range is just too short for most homes.

Sony's device will only work with Sony's specific hardware and software, which limits the usefulness. The Ethernet only version will cost $200 and will be available in February. The 802.11a adapter will be available in March, also for about $200. For more information, head to Sony's website.

HP will release two versions of its Digital Media Receiver 5000 in March as well. Unlike Sony, the HP device works with music and photos only, but will connect to any can connect up to a number of windows computers on a home network. HP's Digital Media Receiver will work with any Windows PC, not just HP's own branded PC.

Using either Ethernet or 802.11b, the device communicates with a home network, and connects to any shared drive containing digital media. On the audio side, the device reads standard M3U, PLS and RMP playlists, along with MP3 and WMA files. One limitation – during playback, instead of showing the album cover from an on-line database, just a blue-screen with a bit of text is displayed.

The device talks to a TV and/or stereo system through either an S-Video or Composite video output, and two RCA audio jacks. The relatively small box can sit either to the side or on top of a TV or in a stereo rack.

According to HP representatives, the device does not support video today because of the range of different formats available. Given that HP was an early proponent of the Media Center version of XP, this is a clear oversight.

However, HP will release a video-enabled version by the end of the year, that will work with video stored on Media Center computers, and possibly other video as well. The Ethernet only version will cost $200, while the 802.11b variant costs $300. For more information, head to HP's website.

Note: For Dell's position on Home Media, see "PC Is The Center Of The Wired Home, Dell Says".

Copyright © 2003 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in ExtremeTech.

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