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Media Television Entertainment

Boxee Box Pre-Orders Start At $229 266

Engadget is reporting that Boxee is taking pre-orders at $229 for their set-top box that is utterly guaranteed to not fit into any stereo component rack you might have. They also have switched chipsets from the Tegra 2 to the CE4100. I'm not sure about this thing, but I'd sure like to play with one as I lust for the day when every piece of media I have can be played from a single device. I suspect it'll never happen.
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Boxee Box Pre-Orders Start At $229

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  • by jeffmeden ( 135043 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:16AM (#33562092) Homepage Journal

    Why oh why would they make it so fiendishly hard to place one of these things? Is it really aesthetically pleasing to have to dedicate the whole cabinet under your TV (if you even have one) to this awkward device?

    I for one want to see more devices that stay 100% out-of-the-fucking-way. Let me hide it in a low profile cabinet. Let me mount it BEHIND my TV if I want. I bought the TV to look at the TV... I bought your device, TO KEEP LOOKING AT THE TV. Sigh.

    • by MozeeToby ( 1163751 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:22AM (#33562160)

      One of the advantages of the PS3's otherwise ridiculous use of Bluetooth for the DVD remote is that the whole console can be out of site. Mine sits vertically behind the TV which gives it lots of room to breath and since it does triple duty as media server, Blu-Ray player, and gaming console it means that I really don't have much cluttering up my entertainment center; just a cable box and a stereo receiver.

      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by Pojut ( 1027544 )

        TVersity [tversity.com] + PS3 (or Xbox 360) = unlimited entertainment.

        • by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 13, 2010 @12:24PM (#33562974)
          I prefer the open source PS3 Media Server [google.com] myself.
          • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

            by Fallingcow ( 213461 )

            I've found that it works better in some ways, but worse in others.

            Sometimes my PS3 has trouble finding it, while TVersity never has that problem. TVersity's use of bandwidth is also far more efficient, even if I crank the quality way the hell down on PS3MS--high quality standard-definition movies will halt frequently to buffer with PS3 Media Server over my 802.11G wireless network, while TVersity can usually play 720p over the same connection with only rare hiccups.

            On the other hand, TVersity doesn't alway

        • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

          by aztracker1 ( 702135 )
          I've got an HTPC setup myself... I use boxee mainly with an MCE remote, and a wireless keyboard (when needed). I've been considering switching out to a general device, and if it weren't for my utter despising of Sony, would probably go the PS3 + TVersity route. The 360 works too, but the PS3 adds BluRay. I've done 360 + TVersity, and it works pretty well. I do prefer Boxee over about everything else at this point, but do wish that some of the apps were a bit better consolidated, and the feeds worked a b
      • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

        the whole console can be out of site.

        Where in a rackmount in a datacenter? Ooooh, you mean "out of sight".

        That said, I'd like to have a bluetooth remote for my (future) HTPC... Can you get anything like it, I searched a bit but didn't find anything. Most seems to be infra-red and using a cellphone isn't ideal.

        • Yeah, I noticed my homophone slip up the instant I hit submit but by then it was too late.

          As for the remote, would something like this [amazon.com] work? I realize it's branded for Vista but I would think the drivers for a PC remote would be standardized by now. It's not Bluetooth but it is RF so you shouldn't need line of sight, I imagine there are similar solutions using RF out there, that's just the first one I found.

      • by Lumpy ( 12016 )

        All IR devices can be hidden. IR repeaters have been available for 30 years

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      Why oh why would they make it so fiendishly hard to place one of these things?

      how about ventilation issues with idiot consumers not heeding warnings about stacking devices, and then filing warranty claims when they break?

      • by rotide ( 1015173 )
        Perfect solution! If they don't purchase the device because it won't fit anywhere, it can't overheat!
      • by jeffmeden ( 135043 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:42AM (#33562452) Homepage Journal

        So you make a device that's stackable, and you know that a good number of customers prefer to put their equipment in a cabinet, and yet you blame the customers when they do so, the device creates enough heat to cook it, and it fails?

        Problem 1: not enough fans or vents / device designed for too low of a temperature envelope
        Problem 2: No hardware fail-safe / device can go into thermal run-away and not shut down before permanent damage is done

        I say that lack of very easy fixes for these two problems are *definitely* the manufacturer's fault.

    • by mevets ( 322601 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:27AM (#33562248)

      make it very big. medium size impresses no one. Think how important you will feel if you have to replace your TV stand just to accommodate this.....

    • Maybe it's me but does anyone else think that the design might be off-putting to consumers. It looks like it's missing pieces. Remember consumers judge by first impressions more than technical specs. I remember one lady was flabbergasted that the original iMac wasn't just the monitor. She couldn't believe that it was the whole computer and thought it was magic even though many companies including Apple have been selling all-in-one desktops before.
      • by blair1q ( 305137 )

        Yes. It looks dorky and self-obsolescing.

        The solution: throw it behind the media center and run an IR-extender cable to it.

    • They just allow others to make money by selling a missing piece of the cube which will allow to align this shiny new piece with the rest of rectangular feng-shui of one's basement

      • Oops, I take my comment back. It has 3rd USB port sticking out at the "bottom" of the cube, so you cannot put it flat on it.

    • I thought everyone was being cruel to the design when I read about it. Having just looked at the design what were they thinking? Did they take some LSD and thought "hey, lets design the Boxee case now".

      Even the Nintendo Wii looks sane compared to this and that was a bit odd when standing upright in its base. Even the original PS3 bread bin looks attractive.

      Certainly one to pass on I think. My Mac Mini fits on a shelf and at times I forget its there.

  • We're used to seeing plenty of blatant advertising in article summaries, but this surprised me a bit to see on the front page:

    their set top box that is utterly guaranteed to not fit into any stereo component rack you might have

    Did someone from Boxee get in a fight with slashdot's corporate overlords?

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by SydShamino ( 547793 )

      Did you look at the picture?

  • by Lukano ( 50323 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:17AM (#33562110)

    Seriously, the 'all in one' solution you dream of exists - in XBMC. A cheap Atom/ION nettop for ~$200, install XBMC (live, ubuntu, win7, doesn't matter) and go to town.

    • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

      Not trolling, but how's 1080p x264 playback with that setup? I have a Popcorn Hour A100 (old-school) that does it all except DTS audio... :\

      • by FrYGuY101 ( 770432 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:44AM (#33562472) Journal

        Not trolling, but how's 1080p x264 playback with that setup? I have a Popcorn Hour A100 (old-school) that does it all except DTS audio... :\

        Fantastic.

        The important bit to note is the ION. If you have a NVidia GPU, you can use the Live or Linux (And at this point, I think the Windows version supports GPU acceleration) versions, and if you enable VDPAU (Or the Windows equivalent), and it will happily accelerate the video. I get full 1080p playback with no dropped frames or stuttering on a Asus AspireRevo that is almost completely silent.

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Radish03 ( 248960 )

          You are correct about the windows version, however currently only the new beta (and previous nightly builds) support GPU acceleration. The beta seems pretty solid and has yet to give me any problems. I'm presently running it with win7 on an acer revo 3610, and it's working very well.

      • by Lumpy ( 12016 )

        100%. Perfect. Ion. Chipsets. Rock

    • by rasjani ( 97395 )

      Well, boxee software is a fork of xbmc .. Aaand, it's just more "couch-friendly" compared to plain xbmc.

      And software is freely available so there's no real reason to get their hardware unless you actually want it..

    • Wasn't MythTV headed down this path for many years? The "all in one" solution...

      Is that project dead now, replaced by all these other alternatives? I've used MythTV successfully for about 4 or 5 years, but I was thinking it's time to reinvest in my setup. Just not sure what's the best solution.

      I don't think I'm looking to do anything too unconventional: DVR functionality, Music Jukebox, etc. Ideally it would be HD capable (mine isn't currently HD), and I like the idea of pulling stuff from the interne

      • by Dan667 ( 564390 )
        I still use MythTV and it is everything I need and other options don't offer many of the features. The killer feature is it automatically skips commercials without even needing a button press. And you can configure menu items to launch other applications like XBMC or a browser to launch netflix streaming. IMHO, still the best solution there is for HTPC.
    • Seriously, the 'all in one' solution you dream of exists - in XBMC

      Unless of course your "all" list includes an intelligently-designed UI
    • by Belial6 ( 794905 )
      Bingo. The solution already exists. Win7 is nice because the MediaCenter has a remote friendly Netflix client. I just have my remote set to be able to load XBMC, Hulu or MC based on what I want to watch. I put a cheap quite Gateway in the living room, but the Acer Revo that I have in my office works great. Both have HDMI out, so there is no fidgety problems with hooking up to the TV either.
  • My god. (Score:3, Funny)

    by Beelzebud ( 1361137 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:18AM (#33562114)
    Design Fail! They need to fire whoever green lit that design...
    • Re:My god. (Score:5, Funny)

      by ciderbrew ( 1860166 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:39AM (#33562388)
      I'm sure "they" asked for 3 designs. So the designer did just that.
      1st) Designer pretentious wank, (The one he loved).
      2nd) Standard Corporate Beige (the one they'll pick).
      3rd) An awful one (they'll never want this one).

      Management/"they" didn't like the pretentious one; but didn't want to be seen playing safe with the 2nd one. So what could they pick? The 3rd mental design.
      Never design a "they'll never want this one" - They always want that one..
      • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

        by rigorrogue ( 894093 )
        A design so bad it's not even wrong, it looks like it's sinking into the floor in self-disgust.
    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by kimvette ( 919543 )

      No kidding. I have a lot of AV components - 5x240W AV receiver, DVD recorder, Cable DVR, VCR, VCR (both VCRs unplugged as they rarely see use now), cassette deck (unplugged for the same reason) and a blu-ray player. The blu-ray player is annoying as it isn't the standard 18" wide rectangular design - it's designed to either be wall-mounted or to sit at a slant on a stand, out in view (see http://www.gadgetreview.com/2009/04/samsung-bd-p6400-ultra-slim-blu-ray-player-now-available-at-best-buy.html [gadgetreview.com] and http:/ [disc-players.com]

  • Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:18AM (#33562120)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Price point (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Sonny Yatsen ( 603655 ) * on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:18AM (#33562122) Journal

    I've love to see the Boxee Box succeed, but its price point is pretty high compared to its competitors. The WD TV Live set-top is half the price, and the Roku HD player is even less. A netflix/youtube enabled BluRay player is comparable in price, but includes the BluRay functionalities. Ditto for a PS3. I realize that the Boxee may have other functionalities that set it apart from the others, but I'm not sure if the average user will realize that.

    • by MBCook ( 132727 )

      You can easily get a TiVo HD (maybe refurbished) for that much. Dual HD tuners, supports Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, and more. You get the DVR function which is big.

      A used PS3 would cost less than that, you'd get the BluRay/Netflix/Playstation Store/games.

      I think the Roku was, at $100, a great price point. If I hadn't had my TiVo (which could do NetFlix) I would have happily bought one to watch NetFlix on my TV. Since they've dropped the price, it's even better now. The Apple TV is $100 now too. And even th

  • You already can (Score:3, Informative)

    by Pojut ( 1027544 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:18AM (#33562128) Homepage

    I'd sure like to play with one as I lust for the day when every piece of media I have can be played from a single device. I suspect it'll never happen

    HTPC = every piece of media you have can be played from a single device.

    With the advent of how powerful (and inexpensively) you can build miniITX systems now, plus being able to buy 2TB hard drives for around the $100-$110 mark, building an HTPC has never been cheaper, easier, or smaller.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      this.

      I was an early adopter for the older popcorn hour boxes. they were what you needed about 2 or 3 yrs ago. but now, things are truly fanless (mini-itx asus ION gfx chipset ftw) and can play anything. the popcorn box has a hardware solution but its software, well, still sucks after 3 yrs and they refuse to truly fix annoying bugs in their software (or, they simply cannot; they are not very good programmers and refuse to open their platform and get proper help).

      set top boxes are 'get me by' boxes until

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by Overzeetop ( 214511 )

      Not even close for 99.99% of the population. Hell, I'm a tinkerer and have been for 30 years and I can't get a box to play everything that is also stable enough for my wife and daughter to use for more than a month or two without having to update or reset something.

      Setup linux without ever having used the OS? Good fucking luck - you'll end up buying $200 extra in compatible components because you're almost guaranteed to get a device that isn't compiled into the standard kernel on the first try out. Especial

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by jedidiah ( 1196 )

        > Setup linux without ever having used the OS? Good fucking luck - you'll end up buying $200 extra in compatible components

        Nonsense. You can get an entire box that is that much that is VERY Linux friendly.

        All it takes is a little research. You would need to it for a Windows based setup anyways because some hardware just isn't up to the job regardless of what OS you're running.

        Admittedly few consumers want to put any thought into what they buy (especially research).

        > Not even close for 99.99% of the po

    • Heck if you already have a decent PC and it's in the same room you can have a setup that plays everything for the price of a 25ft HDMI cable... (Studio apartments do have their advantages)
    • HTPC = every piece of media you have can be played from a single device.

      And DVR capabilities as well, with something like MythTV.

      ...well, almost. I have the following requirements: streaming Netflix, DVR capabilities, and playback of large-ish DVD rip collection (x264 encoded, stored in MKV container).

      A Linux-based HTPC (i.e. MythTV system) can do all of these, except Netflix. I have a PS3, which works for Netflix, but isn't as convenient (have to get up and put the Netflix disc in the PS3). Yeah, t

  • media box plug (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Kludge ( 13653 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:19AM (#33562132)

    I lust for the day when every piece of media I have can be played from a single device. I suspect it'll never happen.

    This one works for me.
    http://www.captiveworks.com/cw4000hd.php [captiveworks.com]

  • I find it supremely surprising that a 1.2GHz 45nm Atom processor with an integrated PowerVR SGX535 GPU can decode TWO 1080p full HD streams, something that a normal Atom CPU cannot achieve.... Anybody can shed some light here?
  • I've been waiting for this little guy since his first announcement.

    I once tried compiling Boxee to run along side my mythbox, but eventually I gave up. It's fairly hopeless to compile outside of a debian system it would seem. However, at the time I really just wanted the application for desktop hulu support. Eventually, Hulu released the desktop app and I simply integrated this into my myth setup.

    Now, the little unit is still somewhat appealing, but there are some fairly large flaws.

    Even though I have the r

    • by Cylix ( 55374 ) *

      To reply to myself...

      I just noticed the remote is a keyboard.

      Now, just need to make it look less like a modern art piece and more like a vanilla piece of av hardware.

  • Cutsie design (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Artifakt ( 700173 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:34AM (#33562318)

    The case is a box, with one corner lopped so it sits at an angle (hence the part in the summary about how it won't fit in a rack.). As if this weren't enough to make it call attention to itself, the default color scheme is carbon and acid green.
            The design is meant to sell to people who want to show off how they have one, and create consumer envy as a way of moving more units. The problem is, some customers will be turned off by that - for example, they want a device that blends with the others in their viewing room. The color scheme makes this effect worse - after a certain point, the Boxee Box is already distinctive, and has caught the attention of that market share that values gadgets standing out from the crowd - so more distinction will only cost them customers. Acid green is a color that came into style briefly a few years ago, and is now dated to the people who have strong interior decorator modes and really care about such trends - using it this late in the trend cycle comes off a little like making the device in the customer's choice of Almond, Harvest Gold or Avocado.
            If they had kept the price under 200$, all that might have flown, with sales to the college dorm crowd and the general youth market, but with the new price point, the design is aimed at a slightly older demographic, one that will actually care about this sort of thing.
            As final proof that the Boxee Box isn't going to sell well, I'd buy one, even at the new price. It triggers geeklust in me. The very last tech-thing I bought was a Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver replica (Matt Smith version). Does that sound like a real market exists?

    • They should have designed the case so that you had the option to balance it on its clipped corner or let it sit like a normal box. If they stick around long enough I expect that to happen in a future redesign. It's only a matter of time before they get sued by someone who's kid put their eye out on the sharp corner sticking up on the top.

    • by unix1 ( 1667411 )

      If they had kept the price under 200$

      But they did [amazon.com] - as of now it's listed at $199 w/free shipping, and an HDMI cable thrown in too.

  • Le Sigh (Score:3, Funny)

    by Conception ( 212279 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:35AM (#33562344)

    *glances at my popbox*

    *sighs*

  • by slapout ( 93640 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:36AM (#33562350)

    "Update: We just learned that Amazon will be selling it for $199, though the MSRP will remain $229.

    At a rendezvous in San Francisco, Avner Ronen told us the decision to abandon Tegra 2 was about performance and nothing more: "The major problem we had with the Tegra 2 was support for high-profile HD playback," he said. "You can do high-profile VC-1 with Tegra 2, but not H.264." It was a problem of bitrate, he told us, and while NVIDIA's dual-core Tegra T20 was apparently not up to the task, the team had internally tested Intel's CE4100 decoding streams at up to 90 megabits per second. The newly revamped Boxee Box is now capable of 1080p H.264 playback at 60fps, and... well, that's actually about it."

  • Which media can't my HTPC linux system play again? Oh yeah wait there isn't any.

    Transcode anything it doesn't understand. Simples really. Stupid post ftw.

    • Which media can't my HTPC linux system play again? Oh yeah wait there isn't any.

      Netflix

      • by BobMcD ( 601576 )

        Which media can't my HTPC linux system play again? Oh yeah wait there isn't any.

        Netflix

        Though, to be fair, Boxee made both Netflix and Hulu worse than just using their 'native' interfaces. (On my livingroom PC, anyway.)

        Maybe this box is magical, but I'd need to know just why this is so before springing for one. As others have said, you can get a cheap PC for that kind of money these days.

  • I guess connecting a PC to your TV is simply too complicated? Those HDMI cables can be a real pain, can't they?!

    I'll know what someone will say, the mouse and keyboard is too clunky for the living room.

    First, you don't need a keyboard for day-to-day use.

    Second, a mouse is infinitely better in your living room than a remote.

    I have my media mapped as drives. So I can access hundreds of movies or shows with only a few mouse clicks. Using Media Player Classic's scroll-bar I can instantly jump to any portion of

    • by UnknowingFool ( 672806 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:55AM (#33562604)

      Second, a mouse is infinitely better in your living room than a remote.

      I think many people would disagree with "better". A mouse is better at a computer interface than a remote but most people don't want a computer interface when dealing with a media center. If you're watching a show and you decide to fast forward, how do you do that with a mouse? Program alternate buttons? Also with a mouse you need some sort of surface. Some people don't have coffee tables or end tables and that's how they like it. Most consumers use remotes because it's rather simplified. A mouse while workable isn't what they want.

      • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

        by Anita Coney ( 648748 )

        "A mouse is better at a computer interface than a remote but most people don't want a computer interface when dealing with a media center"

        But a computer in your living room necessarily is a computer interface. So what's the problem. And I don't care what "most people" think or want. Most people are idiots.

        "If you're watching a show and you decide to fast forward, how do you do that with a mouse?"

        God, can't you read?! I specifically addressed that. You use the scroll bar feature on the bottom of Media P

        • I'm marked "troll" because I succinctly defended my opinions? Is this what Slashdot has been reduced to?! God, I miss the old days before Digg.

          • No.

            I don't care what "most people" think or want. Most people are idiots.

            is most likely why you were modded Troll. I am guessing that "most people" apparently don't like to be called idiots.

        • But a computer in your living room necessarily is a computer interface. So what's the problem. And I don't care what "most people" think or want. Most people are idiots.

          A consumer device needs to cater to consumers, not you specifically. Remember most people can't tell the difference between xfs and X Windows. And they don't care. Technically the best efficient computer UI for me is a command line for me. But I don't think that is the best for everyone.

          God, can't you read?! I specifically addressed that. You use the scroll bar feature on the bottom of Media Player Classic.

          I didn't see that but can you see how most people don't want to do that?

          I've already explained how using a mouse is more simple. I can double click an icon on my "desktop" it opens and I have access to hundreds of movies. I then use the scroll wheel to find the one I want, double click it, and I'm watching. I can quickly skip through using the scroll bar on the button and not have to waste time fast forwarding or rewinding.

          Many people abhor computers. Putting a desktop on their TV is only going to turn them away from it. It might be less efficient that using a deskto

          • "A consumer device needs to cater to consumers, not you specifically."

            But I've already shown how a mouse is better. The fact that people don't recognize that is irrelevant.

            "I didn't see that but can you see how most people don't want to do that?"

            Why would most people not want to do that. With a remote you have to look at it and find the fast forward button, click it, and then wait and wait and wait.

            With a mouse and scroll bar you just move the mouse to where you want to be and then click. You're instantl

    • You're such a geek. I am too, but I have a family of non-geeks - techincally savvy, but non-geeks nonetheless. Do you have a power button on your mouse for the amplifier and TV? To switch sources (say, to a DirecTV box)? Is your volume button labeled for your guests (grandma, the babysitter?). IS the scroll button ALWAYS the volume, or does it change when your program focus changes? If it does, is there an indication how to get volume focus back?

      And because I'm using a PC, I can play any format the world gives me and not have to pray and wait for some firmware update.

      That's my favorite. Really? I've never had a PC that can play

  • by Theoboley ( 1226542 ) <theoboley@nOsPam.hotmail.com> on Monday September 13, 2010 @11:43AM (#33562462) Homepage

    It's a box right? You don't want it sitting slanted to one side?? Turn it on its side. NOW it'll fit into your AV Cabinet.

    • uh... so I turn it on its side, what did that gain me exactly?

      Its a cube. It is also taller than many other components in most TV stands which are modeled to hold dvd players; most are slim; and receivers/av which stack nicely with other components.

      This device is just odd for odd's sake. At least the new Apple TV is black meaning I no longer have to work to hide it, it blends now.

      There just is no point in making this device in the shape it is. Its more gimmick than anything else.

      Oh, Amazon sells it for

  • If you mean digital media, I suggest you look at the one I got -- HV335T. Got mine from New Egg. Awesome device. If I were to complain about it, though, it would be the really plain and really slow user interface. It doesn't play music back randomly. (Seriously, who doesn't turn on the shuffle/random when playing back MP3s?) I get the feeling this thing has a rather weak processor and low amounts of RAM... but it explains the sub $100 price tag (without hard drive). (I still hold out hope that some L

    • (Seriously, who doesn't turn on the shuffle/random when playing back MP3s?)

      I don't... but then I tend to listen to music by choosing albums. If I want to hear a particular song I'll just start the album at that song. I have tried doing the random thing before; I just like to have more control over what I listen to I guess. Sometimes I create playlists that would seem random to others, but I choose songs based on certain criteria to group together (kind of like a good album but with multiple artists).

      That said, I'm being a little facetious because I know most people like random, an

  • I lust for the day when every piece of media I have can be played from a single device. I suspect it'll never happen.

    Especially because device makers insist on treating interactive media as fundamentally different from books, music, and video.

  • This device's technical specs or price or whether it would fit in your cabinet are all completely irrelevant when it's so damn ugly. Who would look at one and say "I want to put one of those in my living room"?
  • Does anyone know if I can use the Boxee Box as a torrent seedbox? It'd be nice to have it download torrents and let me powerdown my laptop overnight. I'd also like to use it as a NAS so I can plug in a couple of 1TB drives and access the media from my laptop and maybe even an Apple Airplay device.

  • I'd really like to see Plex [plexapp.com] hacked onto this device myself. Not all that keen on the boxee interface,but the Plex and XBMC interfaces are much nicer, esp with the skins available. Of course, with plex's recent announcement [plexapp.com] of a partnership with LG, maybe we'll see a dedicated box from LG too? david
    • While I'm not an A/V genius, I've been quite successful/content with my LG BD570 player. No it's not the total geek-out experience but it does Netflix, Vudu, YouTube, .avi, .mp4 - rarely refuses to play anything I've downloaded. If it does, I transcode with VLC and life goes on.

      It streams from my NAS hanging off of Airport router, streams off of various Win XP and Win7 boxes. Does it all wirelessly (player is wireless, Win boxes are wireless)

      User interface is adequate - not up to Apple's standards bu

  • Lust for the day? (Score:3, Informative)

    by LanMan04 ( 790429 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @12:25PM (#33562978)

    I lust for the day when every piece of media I have can be played from a single device. I suspect it'll never happen.

    Um, I bought a Mac Mini in 2006 that does exactly that.

  • So, if my memory serves me, the CE4100 is basically a single core atom, fairly low clocked, paired with a GMA500-ish IGP for high definition video acceleration. Intel's driver support for the GMA500 absolutely sucks a mountain of ass through capillary tubing, since they didn't actually design the thing or get the rights to make an OSS driver for it on any reasonable timescale. The GMA950 and later are minimally capable; but at least X works.

    At $229, The Boxee Box is starting to compare dangerously poorly
  • still buggy? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Triv ( 181010 ) on Monday September 13, 2010 @12:28PM (#33563038) Journal

    I tried to use Boxee on the Mini attached to my TV for a good month before giving up in frustration - it was buggy as hell, crashed daily, refused to recognize any of my media without them being named in a maddeningly specific way and without them being organized in a manner that IMDB would be able to parse without any manual override. Practically every fix required a keyboard and mouse to implement which completely defeats my assumption of how a media center is supposed to work.

    I'm assuming they've fixed these problems? Because as it stands, you'd be flat-out nuts to lay down 200 bucks for something like that.

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • I keep seeing stuff that was supposed to use it postponed, cancelled, switching SOCs... Is there a big flaw, a resistant bug, a big customer who bought all the supply ?

    I smell a rat. And dirty SOCs.

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