Floppyhead - Digital Media and Home Theater Computers

SlySoft has just released the latest AnyDVD version which beats the latest 4th generation HD-DVD and Blu-ray copy protection MKBv4, which was lauded as being unbreakable.
From Slysoft’s press release:
All that AACS-LA has to offer now is BD+, but even that is on the verge of being circumvented and a release is expected by the end [...]

It looks like Vongo is trying to make their movie download service a little more customer friendly. From their newsletter:
We have made a number of new service improvements that make being a VONGO member even better.

Updated Personalize Recommendation Engine — Enhancements to the VONGO personal recommendation engine make it easier for users to find [...]

Someone has finally started selling standalone Digital Cable Tuners: Sony. This does make the LT series somewhat more interesting.
All I have to say is that it is about time. Just don’t get too excited because you still need to buy a digital cable ready computer with a special version of Windows Vista and and [...]

TVTonic has announced that it will now be offering the Weather Channel to their channel line-up. From TVTonic’s website:
And now, twice daily, TVTonic brings you on-demand national and regional video forecasts from The Weather Channel’s experts. So whether at home or the office, when you need to know what the skies have in store, [...]

Microsoft has announced details on the new Xbox 360 Arcade, the replacement to the initial Xbox 360 Core. The Arcade will retail for $279.99, which will be cheaper than the announced price of several stand alone media center extenders. It makes you wonder how media center extenders are going to differentiate themselves [...]

More details are hitting the internet about the SlingCatcher, Sling Media’s new streaming device. Sling’s latest supports a ton of codecs: WMV, MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264 and XviD in a variety of file formats, including .VOB. The most interesting thing is .VOB. That’s right, you can rip DVD’s onto your computer and stream [...]

The format war for next generation DVDs has been going on for some time. Each major studio has picked a side, with many only releasing movies on one format. Take for instant Fox’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” This top selling movie is only available on Blu-ray causing HD-DVD owners to [...]

In my office at home, I use my computer as a second TV, so when my wife is watching something I find boring, I can watch what I want. Righit now I have a Silver Sensor indoor antenna and use BeyondTV as my DVR.
Before I originally bought the the antenna, a tuner card, [...]

Computer Shopper has reviewed one of HP’s flagship media centers, the Pavilion Elite m9000t, albeit without a digital cable tuner. Is it me or have digital cable tuners fallen into obscurity?
Computer Shopper overall was impressed with the system. Looking at HP’s site, a pretty well-equipped system with a digital cable tuner and [...]

ArsTechnica has an article on the CableCard integration required by the FCC, always a confusing subject. Basically, the U.S. government has tried to create a new market for cable set-top boxes with the CableCard requirement. From the article:

Beginning in July, though, cable operators became subject to the “integration ban” and could no longer [...]