Chris Albrecht on NewTeeVee posted an interesting analysis last week on Yahoo’s difficulty integrating its video properties and services on the Web. While Yahoo has re-launched its video section, it hasn’t managed to highlight all the things you can with video using Yahoo’s services. Specifically Albrecht points to the fact that there’s no link to Yahoo content that complements a movie trailer shown on the new video page, and the fact that there’s almost no reference (just a tiny link at the bottom) to Yahoo’s Jumpcut video editing application, which would dovetail nicely with the video-uploading app featured at the new Yahoo Video.

I’ll add to Albrecht’s list by mentioning that there’s no link to Yahoo Go TV. Go TV is designed to bring video from Yahoo to your television, and seems like a natural fit with the Yahoo Video site. Of course, Dave predicted the demise of Go TV over a year ago, and since it’s still hanging on only in beta, maybe it’s being left online by Yahoo higher-ups only to die a slow death. (Also, where’s My Channel? - debuted at CES 2007 and shown bottom right above)

In any case, the point about Yahoo not being able to consolidate its assets into a single compelling video platform is valid. And it’s a problem many other companies face as well. I always hear how well positioned Sony is given the combination of its movie studio and CE business, and yet the two divisions of the company seem to operate worlds away from each other.

Yahoo does have a lot of goodies in its war chest, but if it can’t sell the value of its treasure as a whole to consumers, then spinning off pieces of it or selling out to Microsoft may be Yahoo’s only options.

Rakesh from Snapstream has the latest scoop on Hauppauge’s soon-to-be-released HTPC HD PVR device that will encode high definition component input via a cable or satellite set-top box using H.264 at up to 25 Mbps:

• Includes Hauppauge’s IR blaster with code library
• It accepts component video up to 1080p
• The hardware is “basically done” and simply waiting for the final case design
• It’s based on a chip from Ambarella
• It will require a “relatively powerful PC to playback the recordings from this device
• Estimated shipment is expected by 3/31/2008

I first mentioned this device during CES and it’s exciting for HTPC users because it provides a way to get all your HD channels (not just the unencrypted QAM or OTA ones) from cable/satellite boxes without needing CableCARDs. If it works as advertised, it’ll be huge for SageTV, BeyondTV, Media Portal, GBPVR and even Vista Media Center users that don’t own a CableCARD tuner.

Check out more of Brent’s reflections on tech, gadgets, software and media at Brent Evans Geek Tonic.

A periodic roundup of relevant news… from our other blogs:

• HDTV Super Bowl Buying Spree: Connected Home 2 Go
• The Pros and Cons Of Media Center Vista: Davis Freeberg
• Hollywood Studios Abandon DVDs in 2008: Connected Home 2 Go
• HBO on the Web - Not a Time Warner Contradiction: Connected Home 2 Go
• Supercharge Your HTPC with SageTV’s SageMC: Brent Evans

A periodic roundup of relevant news… from our other blogs:

• Networking HDTV at Home: Connected Home 2 Go
• Snapstream Shuttering Couchville TV Listings: Brent Evans Geek Tonic
• Broadband by the Byte: Connected Home 2 Go
• Hauppauge Unveils Real-Time USB HD Recording: Brent Evans Geek Tonic
• WiMAX at CES: Connected Home 2 Go

It’s not that I don’t appreciate Logitech’s diNovo Mini keyboard and trackpad. It’s just that I can’t think of a use for this little guy since dismantling my HTPC(s) and projector 2.5 years ago. Back in the day, I settled on a Gyration set - less for mousing through the air, and more for the compact keyboard with decent wireless range. As opposed to Gyration’s RF, this diNovo uses Bluetooth which would have been within my range. It’s also rechargeable… Though, at $150 I expect a cradle (for the end table) rather than just a power cord.

With the increased DVR text entry we’re doing these days searching for shows and downloads (plus entering WPA passphrases), it’d be nice to see someone like TiVo add Bluetooth support for the diNovo. And Vudu already uses Bluetooth… (Given the Xbox 360’s limited movie selection, I haven’t felt the need to pick up Microsoft’s Chatpad - not to mention, I’ve no desire to IM on TV.)

Well, it’s still that time of year… The news is slow and giving gifts is good. DVRUpgrade, generally known for providing TiVo hard drive upgrades (and a ZNF sponsor), let me play with the HDHomeRun ($~170) for the last few months and now we’re giving it away.

The HDHomeRun is a pretty clever dual-tuning HD device, handing both OTA ATSC and unencrypted digital cable (clear QAM). Not only does it dual tune but, by being a network device, it allows you to watch television content from any computer on the LAN — Sort of a rudimentary in-home place-shifting, if you will. The HDHomeRun is pretty much platform independent feeding Windows (Beyond TV, SageTV, Windows MCE), Mac OS X (VLC, EyeTV, SageTV), and Linux (SageTV, MythTV).

I will warn you that the HDHomeRun runs a bit geeky, requiring some effort to configure (I used it on Mac with VLC, and with Beyond TV and MCE on Windows) and your cable provider can derail you at any time by changing which digital HD channels are served in the clear and where they are located. However, it’s quite the useful and versatile little device — something I would have really appreciated a few years ago with my HTPC and projector.

If you want in on the giveaway, please leave one comment. The catch is that you must provide a link to another comment you’ve left on ZNF, excluding contest posts and excluding prior contest comment submissions. I’ll randomly pick the winner tomorrow AM, so I can get this shipped (lower 48 states only, please) before I hit the road for work.

Many Home Theater PC users have been clamoring for a silent, easy-to-setup media extender that can handle High Definition video - a plug & play box that lets users remotely access their HTPC content from any TV in their home. Today, SageTV is answering their customers desires by delivering a new HD Media Extender ($199) now available for sale today that works with SageTV, their flagship PC DVR software. I had the opportunity to get a review unit to run through the paces prior to release. Over the past week I’ve been giving the SageTV STX-HD100 a workout by using it to extend my Home Theater setup.

I was very impressed with my overall experience with the SageTV STX-HD100 extender. It matched my SageTV interface almost exactly and handled just as well as the SageTV server does with a much easier setup than a full-fledged HTPC box. The only issue I had with the extender was one that was easily fixed with a firmware update. The positives far outweigh the negatives. This extender gives you the ability to place your digital content (TV, Movies, Music and more) wherever you want it - all in a small, silent box that’s affordable.

As Chris Lanier pointed out, SageTV has beat Microsoft to the market with an excellent HD extender that can handle about any file format you throw at it with great picture and sound quality. I highly recommend the SageTV STX-HD100 to anyone who owns or is considering the SageTV HTPC software for their Home Theater PC needs. This new HD extender by SageTV is an excellent solution for getting your media from your HTPC to your bedroom, living room or anywhere you have a television.

Check out the entire SageTV HD Extender review and many more pics over at Brent Evans Geek Tonic.

With access to four tuners and 1.5 terrabytes of storage, I thought that I had the ultimate DVR setup. However, after seeing Snapstream’s Enterprise PC DVR in action, I’m envious of its capabilities and my home entertainment system suddenly seems wimpy. I don’t know how much Snapstream is charging, but if money grew on trees, I’d be all over this in a heartbeat.

With 10 tuners, one won’t worry about programming conflicts. And with 2 terrabytes of storage, it would mean that one can record 10 different channels, 24 hours a day for at least 8 days before worrying about archiving. Even, if one needed to save old content, the software enables video backup onto DVD.

While the specs had me drooling, the search capabilities were what I found most impressive. By taking advantage of the closed captioning system, SnapStream is able to search the transcripts of any program you record. This allows you to record a lot of junk and filter it for the information that you care about. Unlike the DVR in your living room, this isn’t limited to one monitor. SnapStream has designed the DVR to act as a server, allowing multiple users to search and stream videos from anywhere on a network.

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