Those who’ve been reading ZNF since my early TiVoToGo tutorial days should remember my fondness for the Dr. DivX video conversion utility. I’m not sure what led the DivX folks to kill the original app, but every now and then I find a use for the re-released open source version.

At work, we’re hooking up with Simply Wireless in the DC region and we’ve apparently had a difficult time getting promotional video clips running on some inherited kiosks. I offered to swing by and check out the gear since I’m local… My intention had been to feed some suggestions to those heading up this initiative, but a quick transcode of two unidentified MPEG variants and a WMV file using Dr. DivX was all it took to enable video playback. Do I get the rest of the day off?

Of course, I’m biased. In fact, I may actually have been the guy who named this product - prior to joining Sling. Whereas a Slingbox is desgined to transmit video content, the SlingCatcher is designed to receive video… and display it on your TV. No mere media extender, Catcher is the only product that will receive a Slingbox feed and display it on a television (locally or remotely) with no computer in the mix. We’ll also stream audio/video from your PC, such as Netflix Watch Now or Hulu, to the TV. At CES, our product manager Matt Feinstein described SlingCatcher on camera quite a few times. So check out some of those videos and come back with your questions.

• Sling Community
• Engadget + Mahalo Daily
• Technology Evangelist

I haven’t made it to the hotel yet, but I’m here at the Sands checking out our Sling booth as it goes up. So, do I win the award for first live, on-site CES blogging? (more…)

In case you haven’t caught the news ’round the blogosphere, we’ve just announced the Slingbox PRO-HD and SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry. Both will be available for purchase later this year and both will be on display at CES in Las Vegas next week.

The Slingbox PRO-HD ($399.99) will stream high-def video at up to 1080i and with 5.1 digital audio. Hopefully Ben Drawbaugh (of EngadgetHD) will finally stop sending me hate mail, as we’re incorporating a digital tuner for ATSC and clear QAM content! Like the PRO before it, the PRO-HD will have multiple inputs (and outputs) - supporting a variety of HD and SD sources. Not only will we be able to placeshift HD to a computer, the PRO-HD can ship that high-def content off to another HDTV via the forthcoming SlingCatcher.

SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry ($29.99) will bring the same placeshifting functionality currently available on select Windows Mobile, Palm OS, and Symbian handsets to RIM’s platform later this year. We’re trying something a little new with the interface to take advantage of the BlackBerry trackball, and I’m really digging the “carousel.” Keep an eye on our Sling Community Channel Beta blog for an upcoming opportunity…

As you may have surmised from the BlackBerry Pearl 8120 pic above, I’m at the airport headed to Vegas. Talk to you on the other side.

It’s time to look back on the year that was, and perhaps speculate a bit into 2008. Overall, 2007 was evolutionary in the consumer electronics space… More folks upgraded to digital HD televisions, embraced DVRs, and downloaded content (legally or otherwise). There wasn’t much new in the way of technology or trends that really moved me.

The only game changing hardware has been the iPhone. Apple’s success proves there’s a market for thoughtfully designed convergence devices. They’ve also proved smart phones need not be limited to the business and geek crowds - the mainstream is willing to partake (despite the cost). Apple has also done a nice job educating the market as to what more advanced handsets offer — good for all players. Once they fully commit to the Apple TV platform, I expect similar success (for them and that segment) next year.

As far as game changing trends, some the major labels (EMI, Warner) have started to line up behind DRM-free music — perhaps to address the cries of their (former and potential) customers, perhaps to stop the bleeding. Probably both. I expect we’ll see more of this next year… in audio. Video is a different sort of animal and that model won’t work. However, Hulu has also broken new ground - by bringing together many studios in one place to offer free-with-commercial-advertisement cross-browser web streaming of both current and classic (not always in the good sense) television shows. We’ll see both of these trends continue in 2008, as the studios and networks more fully embrace the digital marketplace. To protect and monetize their assets.

Unfortunately, 2007 brought no clarity to the next-gen high definition optical disk battle. For a few months, it appeared Blu-ray might be taking a commanding lead. However, the HD DVD camp bought relationships with two additional studios (to the tune of $150 million) and sharply discounted hardware pricing. So I’m back to my original theory that both formats will coexist indefinitely - studios intent on maximizing their earning potential will ultimately produce titles in both formats. And the slow adoption of players will continue until they do.

On the interesting tech front, the Amazon Kindle and Eye-Fi got my attention. Though, it’s yet to be seen what sort of long-term impact these products may have.

Personally, 2007 was notable for both Mari and I. Early in the year, she launched Motorola’s Connected Home 2 Go blog and I joined Sling Media.

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

• Motorola and Marriott Link Up: Connected Home 2 Go
• CEO Roberts on Comcast: Connected Home 2 Go
• Marketing Fiber to the Home (RFOG): Connected Home 2 Go
• Salvaging Fox Business News’ Online Reputation: Davis Freeberg

As you might imagine (given my day job), quite a few Sling Media products make their way through my home for testing, demos, etc. So I’d like to share the love. Just a few hours ago, this Slingbox PRO with HD Connect was placeshifting my TiVo Series3, Xbox 360, and analog cable… And now it can be yours.

If you want in, please leave one comment. The catch is that you must provide a link to another comment you’ve left on ZNF, excluding contest posts. (The comment date stamp is your permalink.) And if you’ve never left a comment, you have some incentive going forward.