This page contains all the news items for all categories for the month of November 2009
Please select a date to view the news archive for this date:
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Free XBOX Live Gold This Weekend
Posted by: jmet, 12:23, November 21, 2009 |
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Viewed: 23 Times |
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Microsoft is kicking off a few FREE LIVE Weekends so that Silver members can get a free trial of all the Xbox LIVE features.
During the free LIVE Weekends, all Xbox LIVE Silver members can enjoy: online multi player, Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM, Netflix, Sky Player, Halo Waypoint and 1 v 100.
Here is the schedule of when the freeness starts for Silver Members:
For all Xbox LIVE regions except those in Europe, Xbox LIVE Silver members will have free access from November 20th from 12n ET /9a PT /17:00 GMT until November 23rd from 12n ET /9a PT /17:00 GMT.
For All European Xbox LIVE regions, Xbox LIVE Silver member will have free access from November 25th from 17:00 GMT until November 30th at 17:00 GMT
If you don’t have a free Xbox LIVE Gamertag, sign up for one now so you are ready for the weekend.
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PS3 to Get 3D Compatibility via Firmware Update
Posted by: jmet, 12:17, November 21, 2009 |
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Viewed: 30 Times |
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Sony is planning to roll out a firmware update that will add 3D functionality to the PlayStation 3 no later than the fall of 2010.
Sony says it will help develop 3D tools with their business partners so that they may begin making 3D games for the gaming console.
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YouTube Videos Get Subtitles
Posted by: jmet, 12:08, November 21, 2009 |
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Viewed: 22 Times |
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YouTube has announced that it is adding automatic subtitling to its videos thanks to automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology.
"Google hopes to make videos accessible everywhere (web, mobile, TV) and to everyone (other countries, languages, alternative access modes"
This will surely beat the manual and cumbersome process they currently have.
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Windows 7 Codec Package Updates to Version 2.1.5
Posted by: jmet, 14:09, November 20, 2009 |
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Viewed: 9676 Times |
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Win7Codecs Package is a codec pack for the Windows 7 operating system.
The Win7codecs package does not change or interfere with what Microsoft has going on concerning native codec support in Windows Media Player 12 and Media Center.
DXVA accelerated H264 playback is provided by the codec package for all other capable players.
The official change log for version 2.1.5 is as follows:
- minor bug fixes
- update ffdshow 3133
- update Gabests filters 1342
- update integrated MediaInfo 725
- change default settings for MKV's and AVI's
Downloads
Windows 7 Codecs
Windows 7 Codecs x64 Components
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Vista Codec Package Updates to Version 5.4.9
Posted by: jmet, 14:03, November 20, 2009 |
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Viewed: 5546 Times |
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Vista Codec Package is a free codec pack (freeware) for Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2003 and Windows NT. With Vista Codec Pack package installed, you won’t need to install any other codec or filter. The codec pack combines all the best and popular codecs available in the world. The author also tracks down the latest updates to the codecs used in the pack, and tests their functionality before been updated and included in the package, plus resolve all possible conflicts.
The official change log for version 5.4.9 is as follows:
You may download this updated version of Vista Codec Package here.
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DVD ReBuilder Pro Updates to Version 0.31.02
Posted by: jmet, 14:03, November 20, 2009 |
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Viewed: 2608 Times |
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DVD Rebuilder is a DVD backup tool for making high quality DVD backups. DVD Rebuilder only works with unprotected/unencrypted discs.
From the Readme:
Over the course of the past couple of years DVD back up techniques have changed dramatically. Newer "one click" programs have made backing up a DVD a fairly simple process... but there is a significant trade-off. The quality that can be attained by even the best of these programs is poor in comparison to original techniques that used Cinemacraft Encoder, TMPEGENC, or other top-notch encoders. The reason is simple. When using one of these encoders the picture is rebuilt from scratch and optimized for the resulting bitrate. One-touch transcoders usually drop DCT coefficients or change quantization info in order to lower the bitrate. This can result in pixelation and poor overall picture.
But, man, they sure are convenient.
That's where DVD ReBuilder (DVD-RB) comes in. This program was built to bridge the gap between the incredibly easy but limited "one-click" solutions and the incredibly complex but high-quality methods of DVD back up.
Another advantage of DVD-RB when compared to older methods is that it doesn't require access to an expensive authoring package. DVD-RB includes its own reauthoring engine that reconstructs the DVD in a way compatible with its original design.
During beta development (software testing associated with this new product) the Pro version is only released to those who contribute to the development through donations of either their time (extensive testing and reporting) or a monetary donation. These "VIPs" receive regular automatic updates via e-mail as new versions of DVD-RB Pro are released. When DVD-RB Pro is released as a final product (version 1.00), VIPs who have donated at least $10.00 (or equivalent time and effort) will become members of the DVD Rebuilder charter team -- and will receive version updates for the life of the product. Those waiting until official release will be required to pay the $29.95 commercial price (happening very soon).
For your DVD Rebuilder questions, feel free to post it in our DVD Rebuilder Forum and let our resident experts answer them for you.
The official change log for version 0.31.02 is as follows:
- Removed FFMS2.DLL from the installation as a backupmethod when FFDSHOW was not being called.It seemsto have caused more problems than it solved.
- Added checks for necessary software installations atstartup to identify shortfalls and help prevent"failed encoding" errors.Note:You MUST haveHAALI, FFDSHOW, and AVISYNTH installed to run BD-RBnow -- there are too many issues when they are not.
- Added code to configure FFDSHOW as the preferredCODECs for DirectShow when not set correctly.BD-RBalso generates a file called "FF_RESET.BAT" in theBD-RB folder that will reset the original DirectShowpreferences (in case they need to be restored for somereason).A special thanks to Atak_Snajpera for hishelpful insight.
- Updated the included version of X264.EXE to thelatest release (r1342).
- Other minor corrections and cosmetic fixes.
You may download this updated version here.
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Lowest Blu-ray Player Price Ever
Posted by: jmet, 11:29, November 19, 2009 |
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Viewed: 198 Times |
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Wal-Mart's Black Friday ad has been leaked (thats a shocker), and it looks to be that the Blu-ray Disc player is among the many deals bargain shoppers can look forward to when they go bargain shopping.
Wal-Mart will be offering the Magnavox NB500MG1F BonusView (Profile v1.1) Blu-ray Disc player for only $78.
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New Catalyst Drivers Released
Posted by: jmet, 11:16, November 19, 2009 |
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Viewed: 108 Times |
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AMD has released a new set of Catalyst drivers that brings Flash 10.1 support and accelerated H.264 videos
AMD has shipped a new set of Catalyst drivers for Radeon graphics card owners running Windows 7, Vista, and XP in 32-bit and 64-bit variants that bring better Flash 10.1 and accelerated H.264 videos support.
The Catalyst 9.11 drivers will provide better compatibility for GPU accelerated H.264 videos using Adobe's latest Flash Player 10.1 Beta release, as well as improved support for their video converter tool.
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Silverlight 4 Beta Coming Soon
Posted by: jmet, 11:10, November 19, 2009 |
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Viewed: 99 Times |
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Today Microsoft announced the availability of Silverlight 4 Beta that provides more fluid animations, Webcam support, and up to %200 faster starting times.
One of the big capabilities of Silverlight 4 is its ability to take rich-media experiences outside the browser in client apps which will compete with Adobe AIR.
It was also sport a deep zoom feature and have multi-touch support.
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Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD 5.0 + Win Prizes!
Posted by: DVDGuy, 00:10, November 19, 2009 |
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Viewed: 181 Times |
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Womble has released the latest version of their MPEG Video Wizard DVD MPEG-1/2 editing software. A restructuring of their offerings has meant that the previously separate MPEG Video Wizard and MPEG-VCR has had their functionalities merged into MVW DVD to add even more value to the package.
Here's a summary of what else is new in the 5.0 version:
- MainConcept MPEG-2 video encoder
- DVD Reader tool
- Transition operator "Video Overlay" to emulate a limited version of two video tracks
- "Aspect ratio converter" filter for video format conversion
- a number of bug fixes.
And if you want to get yourself a free copy of this software, all you have to do is enter our Womble EasyDVD competition. There are five prizes in all, all including a copy of Womble EasyDVD, and the first prize also includes a copy of MPEG Video Wizard DVD 5.0. Good luck!
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PS3 Now Integrates with Facebook
Posted by: jmet, 13:01, November 18, 2009 |
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Viewed: 137 Times |
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Sony is going to release soon the new firmware 3.10 for the Sony PS3 which will allow you to link your PSN account with your Facebook account.
By linking your PlayStation Network account to your Facebook account, you will have the option for the Sony PS3 to automatically update your Facebook news feed with your current activity and achievements.
The new PS3 firmware will also revamp the Photo category on the XMB and allow you to choose a new color for your PSN ID.
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Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm Join XBOX Live
Posted by: jmet, 12:40, November 18, 2009 |
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Viewed: 124 Times |
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This years fall update for the XBOX Live service came out today bringing with it social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
The Twitter and Facebook tabs can be found in the My Community channel on the Xbox Live's dashboard.
Twitter integration will allow gamers to post tweets through Xbox Live, but outside of actual games, while the Facebook add-on, can sync gamertags with their social-networking accounts, as well as share photos and in-game screen shots.
Friend updates will also be viewable through the Xbox Live dashboard.
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Trade Your DVDs for Blu-rays
Posted by: jmet, 12:30, November 18, 2009 |
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Viewed: 185 Times |
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Warner has announced a DVD to Blu-ray trade-in program called DVD2BLU that allows you to choose DVDs to trade in, you pay $8 or $10 a disc (plus $5 shipping if you order less than $25 worth), and you get Blu-Rays in return. (US only, allow 4-5 weeks to receive replacement.)
To make the trade, consumers must visit the Web site DVD2Blu.com, select their desired Blu-ray titles and mail in their standard DVD versions of the films. Warner promises to deliver the ordered Blu-ray titles within a short time frame.
For orders that are more than $25, Warner will grant free shipping. Be aware though that on some, its cheaper just to go buy the Blu-ray version.
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The Pirate Bay Tracker is No More
Posted by: jmet, 12:13, November 18, 2009 |
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Viewed: 159 Times |
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Today marks the end of an era, as The Pirate Bay team announces that the world’s largest BitTorrent tracker is shutting down for good.
The site will remain operational for now, although millions of BitTorrent users will lose the use of the pirate bay trackers.
“Now that the decentralized system for finding peers is so well developed, TPB has decided that there is no need to run a tracker anymore, so it will remain down! It’s the end of an era, but the era is no longer up2date. We have put a server in a museum already, and now the tracking can be put there as well,”
TorrentFreak has learned that behind the scenes the Pirate Bay operators are talking to other BitTorrent site owners to encourage them to follow suit and completely ditch torrents in the future. BitTorrent has reached a point where trackers and torrents are no longer needed to download files successfully.
The Pirate Bay has changed its tag line from “The world’s largest BitTorrent tracker” to “The world’s most resilient (magnetic) BitTorrent site.”
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TinyChat Launches Streaming Service
Posted by: jmet, 11:38, November 17, 2009 |
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Viewed: 108 Times |
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TinyChat used to be a little chat room type service, but now are following in the foot steps of UStream with their own video chat program.
Tinychat.tv pages are customizable, and bandwidth is free and unlimited, making Tinychat a great choice for anyone who wants to get started with live streaming.
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YouTube Strikes a Deal with Univision
Posted by: jmet, 11:28, November 17, 2009 |
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Viewed: 119 Times |
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YouTube is joining forces with Spanish-language media powerhouse Univision, which provides Spanish-language content.
The YouTube-Univision deal will bring Univision videos to YouTube, giving YouTube a crack at the growing Hispanic television-viewing audience.
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Sezmi's Alternative to Cable/Satellite TV
Posted by: jmet, 11:19, November 17, 2009 |
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Viewed: 130 Times |
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Sezmi has just gone live in LA offering its unique blend of premium OTA and internet delivered video for only $5 a month.
With that low price you will get whatever local networks you can pull in, basic IPTV (YouTube, OnNetworks, podcasts) and internet VOD (CinemaNow).
If your willing to throw in an extra $20, you can add up to 100 cable TV networks channels as well.
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New DVDs Last 1,000 Years
Posted by: jmet, 07:26, November 14, 2009 |
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Viewed: 269 Times |
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A new company called Cranberry is offering a new DVD disc that can store data for 1,000 years and still be readable.
What allows the new disc media to last so long is that the discs don't use dyes, adhesive layers, or reflective materials that can deteriorate over time. The discs can also stand up to temperatures as high as 176 degrees.
These discs can be read by any DVD player but, unfortunately they need a special DVD burner to burn them. The DVD burner needed for writing the special DVDs sells for $4,995 and includes 150 discs. (WOW! What a deal!)
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1080p Videos Now Supported by YouTube
Posted by: jmet, 05:59, November 14, 2009 |
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Viewed: 217 Times |
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YouTube now accepts uploading HD videos up to 1080p and will automatically re-encode them to full versions, meaning no black bars on the top and bottom and sides.
Perfect timing for Google's YouTube as HD camcorders will be a hot item on peoples Christmas lists around the world.
Eye candy city, here we come!
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Amazon *VS* Wal-Mart
Posted by: jmet, 05:50, November 14, 2009 |
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Viewed: 187 Times |
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Matching a recent move by Wal-Mart, Amazon.com has unveiled a new promotion on Research in Motion (RIM) BlackBerry phones, giving buyers of certain models who sign up for new 2-year plans free $100 e-gift cards.
The deal runs from November 14 through November 20. The gift cards will be mailed automatically 6 weeks after the phones are purchased.
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TV Guide for the Internet
Posted by: jmet, 14:06, November 13, 2009 |
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Viewed: 222 Times |
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Clicker Media has launched a programming guide to Internet TV, with more than 400,000 episodes indexed from TV shows to movies. Clicker.com offers a hub where consumers can discover what programming is available online and where to watch it.
"Clicker wants to be able to point to any content that's available online and let people know where it's available,"
Clicker.com indexes more than 400,000 full episodes from more than 1,200 sources and in more than 1,200 categories.
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Boxee to Release Standalone Set-top Box
Posted by: jmet, 13:26, November 13, 2009 |
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Viewed: 193 Times |
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Boxee has partnered with an unnamed home electronics company to make its own set-top box that should debut around December 7th.
Boxee is also assuring everyone that the device will still let users choose from a wide variety of sources rather than a narrow channel.
Boxee says you will still be able to view video via the internet but, now you will be able to view it on computers, Blu-ray players, TVs and other devices.
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Project Natal to Ship in One Year
Posted by: jmet, 13:17, November 12, 2009 |
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Viewed: 216 Times |
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Microsoft has finally revealed some details on its Project Natal hands-free camera like ship date, which its supposed to be shipping in November of 2010 and how many units will be ready on release day.
Microsoft is planning to have 5 million units made and ready for first day release. These units will be a mix of solo cameras, and cameras bundled with the Xbox 360 console.
Microsoft is hoping to have 14 games ready to utilize the new device at the time of the launch.
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Free 3D Games for Zune HD
Posted by: jmet, 12:54, November 12, 2009 |
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Viewed: 165 Times |
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Microsoft has released firmware version 4.3 for the Zune HD 4.3 bringing a host of new features and 3D support.
There are 3D games and apps now available at the Zune Marketplace for free of charge.
The games include:
- Project Gotham Racing Ferrari Edition
- Lucky Lanes Bowling
- Vans Sk8: Pool Service
- Piano
- Audiosurf Tilt
- Checkers
I can't tell you how long they will offer these free games, so if I were you I would get them while you can.
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Add-less YouTube Videos
Posted by: jmet, 12:23, November 12, 2009 |
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Viewed: 163 Times |
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Google is trying a new ad technique, by running ads at the beginning of its clips with a small "Skip" button next to it.
Click on “skip this ad” when the ad starts running and say bye bye to that annoying distraction.
YouTube should be able to charge more for ads users don’t avoid. They can also collect better statistics about each ad.
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K-Lite Codec Pack Updates to Version 5.4.4
Posted by: jmet, 11:32, November 12, 2009 |
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Viewed: 4185 Times |
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The K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of codecs and related tools. Codec is short for Compressor-Decompressor. Codecs are needed for encoding and decoding (playing) audio and video. The K-Lite Codec Pack is designed as a user-friendly solution for playing all your movie files. With the K-Lite Codec Pack you should be able to play all the popular movie formats and even some rare formats.
The K-Lite Codec Pack has a couple of major advantages compared to other codec packs:
* It it always very up-to-date with the latest versions of the codecs.
* It is very user-friendly and the installation is fully customizable, meaning that you can install only those components that you really want.
* It's easy to make an unattended installation.
* It has been very well tested, so that the package doesn't contain any conflicting codecs. It tries to avoid potential problems with existing codecs and even fixes some problems.
* It is a very complete package, containing everything you need to play your movies.
* There are different packages. From small to extra-large.
There are three versions of the K-Lite Codec Pack: Basic, Standard and Full.
Basic contains only the most essential things. It contains everything you need to be able to play the two most popular and widespread formats, DivX and XviD. It is small enough to fit on a single floppy. Also great for including on your movie cds.
Standard contains everything you need to play all the most commonly used formats. This package should be enough for the average user.
Full contains even more codecs. It also has encoding support for various formats. This package is for power users and people who do their own encodings.
There was also a Mega version of the codec pack with basically everything, including the Real Alternative pack.
The official change log for version 5.4.4 is as follows:
- Updated Media Player Classic Home Cinema to version 1.3.1333.0
- Updated ffdshow to revision 3130
- Updated Gabest splitters to version 1.3.1333.0
- Updated Codec Tweak Tool to version 4.0.4
- Fixed an installation issue with AC3Filter on some systems
- Added option to install AC3Filter as a secondary filter
- Fixed a Runtime Error that a few people got when running the installer
- Minor changes and fixes
K-Lite Codec Pack
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack
K-Lite Codec Pack 64-Bit
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TMPGEnc Authoring Works Updates to Version 4.0.7.32
Posted by: jmet, 11:32, November 12, 2009 |
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Viewed: 2312 Times |
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Whether you’re young or old, beginner or professional, TMPGEnc Authoring Works 4 is the easy way to author your own DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, and DivX® ULTRA video. Import most video formats, edit out commercials or unwanted scenes, add spectacular transition effects, make your own subtitles, create professional-looking menus, and much, much more.
Changelog for version 4.0.7.32:
- Added Support for the AAC 5.1 channel format. (Allows the importation of AAC audio up to 5.1 channels when included in an MPEG-2 TS file). A new option in the Clip Audio properties allows you to manually specify the number of audio channels when importing AAC audio.
- Fixed Importation: MPEG files with an invalid trailer would not be imported.
- Fixed Importation: The MPEG demultiplexer's valid header search range has been doubled, allowing some unreadable files to be imported.
- Fixed Menu: When in DivX Ultra output mode, the Menu Wizard would be set to the "Track menu only" option even when the project contained several tracks.
- Fixed Menu: When displaying the Global menu settings window in the Menu editor, the menu display would change from List mode to Editor mode. This correction prevents the menu display from changing.
- Fixed Menu: When changing the Chapter display in the Global menu settings window of the Menu editor, the thumbnail picture in the Menu page list would not update properly.
- Fixed Menu: In the Global menu settings, changed content would not update properly depending on the local menu settings and the user control restriction settings.
- Fixed Menu: An error would sometime arise when enabling/disabling the menu display in the Chapter display setting of the Global menu settings.
- Fixed DVD-Video timecode recording method changed for better precision. Correct players would display a playback duration up to 0.1% longer. (Player correctly processing the timecode displays a playback duration 0.1% lower)
- Fixed When copying a clip from a DVD-Video target to a BDMV target by using the clipboard, the audio error protection settings would not perform correctly, and would then become a verifier error later.
- Fixed In BDMV target mode, when moving a clip by dragging and dropping to an empty track, the MPEG profile would not be copied correctly, making the track settings become invalid.
- Fixed In the DivX default settings of the Preferences, the MPEG-3 audio bitrate could not be specified properly.
- Fixed The help file could not be displayed from the Options menu of the Batch authoring tool.
- Fixed In the clip Cut editor stage, the range and seek bar's cursor positions would shift after setting a clip range then displaying the Audio filter settings window.
- Fixed In the clip Cut editor stage, after setting a clip range and then displaying the Audio filter settings window, changing the Time tone reduction filter settings would somtimes provoke a deadlock.
- Fixed Other minor fixes.
Download this updated version of TMPGEnc Authoring Works here.
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Black Friday 2009
Posted by: jmet, 07:37, November 11, 2009 |
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Viewed: 395 Times |
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Black Friday is a term for the Friday after Thanksgiving which is pretty much the biggest shopping day of the entire year and the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season.
On Black Friday you can find the best deals on virtually everything from LCD TVs to Boxer briefs. Usually electronics are the most sought after items on Black Friday as most stores deplete their entire inventory of those items in just minutes after opening the doors.
There are people who literally pitch a tent days before the official sale starts just to get good place in the long lines. Its not unheard of for people to get seriously injured or killed by the stampeding shoppers racing to get in the door first (Last year two people were shot and killed in a Toys R Us).
This year, the Black Friday shopping extravaganza has changed. Many of the stores are now doing "Pre Black Friday" sales such as Wal-Mart & Sears, who will have Black Friday prices every Saturday until their inventory for that product is all gone (ie. The XBOX 360 for $99).
Most people say "I wouldn't do that just to save money..." but, saving money is only one side of peoples intent. A large portion of them resell the items online for a large profit.
As of right now K-Mart, Lowe's, Old Navy, Sam's, Sears, Toys R' Us and a few more stores have already leaked out their Black Friday ads/circulars in hopes to build up the Black Friday hype to raise the profit margin from the red (negative sales) to the black (positive sales).
Click here to see more Black Friday deals.
(I am wondering if the "Pre Black Friday" prices will be the same as actual Black Friday prices or if the actual Black Friday price will be even lower than what they are advertising now?)
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WalMart Has Pre BlackFriday Sales Again
Posted by: jmet, 13:01, November 10, 2009 |
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Viewed: 376 Times |
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Last Saturday Walmart had their first round of early Black Friday deals which included a $100 XBOX and a $298 Windows 7 HP notebook.
These deals are actually valid until November 13th, as long as your local Wal-Mart store still has them in stock.
Besides the two previous deals, here is a small list of what else is selling for low low prices:
- 42-inch Sharp 1080p HDTV for $498
- 46-inch Sharp 1080p 120Hz HDTV for $698
- 52-inch Sharp 1080p 120Hz HDTV for $898
- Panasonic 46-inch 1080p plasma HDTV for $788
- Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray player for $148
I am curious to find out what kind of deals they will have on the actual BlackFriday shopping day.
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RadioShack to Sell iPhones
Posted by: jmet, 12:49, November 10, 2009 |
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Viewed: 175 Times |
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RadioShack will begin selling the iPhone this month in their Dallas-Forth Worth and New York City stores.
The rest of the United States will be able to buy the Apple smartphone in their local RadioShack sometime in 2010.
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ZillionTV Partners with Paramount
Posted by: jmet, 12:37, November 10, 2009 |
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Viewed: 163 Times |
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Paramount pictures was the last of the six major movie studios to sigh a distribution deal with ZillionTV giving them access to blockbuster hits, such as "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" & "Iron Man".
ZillionTV customers would pay a one-time fee of $99 for a thin ‘Z’ bar that fits on to a TV and brings content to the screen via the Internet.
ZillionTV is also in talks with consumer electronics companies in order to have its technology embedded in set-top boxes and HDTVs.
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HD Radio Coming to the iPhone
Posted by: jmet, 12:26, November 10, 2009 |
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Viewed: 209 Times |
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The iPod Touch & the iPhone will soon get HD radio thanks to the new application from iBiquity Digital.
The HD Radio app for the iPhone may be a free iPhone app but, to make it work properly isn’t cheap.
It requires a Gigaware HD Radio receiver accessory, which costs $80 and is only available at Radio Shack and headphones that will also dub as a antennae for the receiver.
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Myka's New Linux Based Net-Top Box
Posted by: jmet, 12:53, November 7, 2009 |
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Viewed: 267 Times |
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Myka goes beyond Hulu and Boxee allowing you to browse to any web site and play video content directly onto your TV.
Given the fact it runs on Ubuntu Linux, I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of BitTorrent application for it soon.
The base model ION is available now for $379 (Wireless-N and Blu-ray add ons bring it to $644).
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Sony Brings HD recording to the PS3
Posted by: jmet, 12:40, November 7, 2009 |
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Viewed: 278 Times |
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Sony has updated the firmware for PlayTV to version 1.21 allowing it to record free to air HD channels.
PlayTV is a recording add on for the PS3 which will give the PS3 the ability to record and play another channel simultaneously, both in high definition.
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Funny or Die Gets YouTube Channel
Posted by: jmet, 12:35, November 7, 2009 |
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Viewed: 198 Times |
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Funnyordie.com, which was created by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay, will now have its own YouTube channel showing all of its comedy soaked hits.
“We are very excited to distribute a subset of our videos through YouTube,” said Dick Glover. “As one of the premier names in comedy, it seemed like the right time to launch a Funny or Die branded channel,”
All Funny or Die produced videos will continue to be shown first on its proprietary Web site and will soon be made available on the Funny or Die YouTube channel for a limited time.
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New Release DVDs for Just $10
Posted by: jmet, 12:42, November 6, 2009 |
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Viewed: 241 Times |
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Wal-Mart is offering its top 10 pre-order DVD movie titles at just $10 and free home delivery on DVD and Blu-ray titles in move to jump start the holiday sales.
Star Trek XI is the first movie to see a release on November 17th so I assume that’s when the offer will end, or Wal-Mart may continue to update the list.
The entire list of $10 pre-order DVD titles is available on walmart.com/movies .
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Streaming Netflix on the PS3 Available Tomorrow
Posted by: jmet, 12:28, November 6, 2009 |
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Viewed: 235 Times |
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Many PS3 owners that also have a membership to Netflix will be receiving the "Streaming installation disc" to make this all possible.
The streaming disc is merely a band-aid solution to quickly bring Netflix to PS3 users. According to Netflix, full integration with the PS3 XMB is coming next year.
The PS3 will then join the Xbox 360, the Roku, TiVo DVRs, some standalone Blu-ray players and of course the PC as devices which can access streaming video
through Netflix.
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Google Dashboard Launched
Posted by: jmet, 11:35, November 6, 2009 |
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Viewed: 224 Times |
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Google has launched the Google Dashboard, allowing for a better overview of data attached to your Google account and more control of your information.
"It's important for people to be aware of what data they have online and to be able to manage that data- Google Dashboard should help to make this a reality."
The Dashboard allows you to view all facets of your Google life like your Gmail, Google Calendar, web history, what mobile phones are syncing with your account, YouTube, and more.
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ConvertXtoDVD Updates to Version 4.0.3.313
Posted by: jmet, 08:16, November 6, 2009 |
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Viewed: 5335 Times |
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With ConvertXtoDVD, video conversion software, you can convert and burn all your videos and convert Avi to DVD! Backup and transfer your movies to DVD and enjoy watching them on any home DVD player. All in one conversion and burning software.
This award-winning divx to dvd video converter software supports most video and audio formats for video conversion (avi, mpg, mov, wmv, mkv, ogm and more) and even handles DVD to DVD copy!
Features:
- Video formats supported: avi, divx, xvid, mov, mkv, flv, mpeg-1, mpeg2-, mpeg-4, nsv, dvr-ms, tivo, ts, ifo, vob, asf, wmv, realmedia, rm, rmvb, ogm, existing files from digital camcorders, TV/Sat, capture cards, etc. No external codecs needed like avi codec download
- Create DVD menus with different templates available, possibility to add background video, image or audio, have chapter and audio/subtitle menus
- Conversion advisor wizard, control of the conversion speed vs. quality
- Fast and quality encoder, typically less than 1 hour for converting 1 movie, and supports Multi-Core processors!
- Included burning engine with burn speed control choice of SAO or packet writing methods, supports all DVD formats
- Custom and or automatic chapter creation with markers and preview window
- Advanced file merging possibilities
- Audio formats supported internal and external: AC3, DTS, PCM, OGG, MP3, WMA and more...
- Subtitles files supported internal and external: SRT, .SUB/IDX, .SSA with color and font selection, and supports tags like italic, bold
- Video output for video standard (NTSC, PAL), TV Screen (Widescreen 16:9, Fullscreen 4:3) and DVD Resolution (Full D1, Boradcast D1, Half D1, SIF), or choose automatic for all choices listed above. Also convert video from NTSC to PAL or PAL to NTSC
- Video post processing settings like video resize-pad/cropping and de-interlacing options
- Multilingual support available languages...
- Optimized for Windows 2000 / XP / Vista
The official change log for version 4.0.3.313 is as follows:
- internal key list updated
Go here to download the new version of ConvertXtoDVD.
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XBOX Live Rewards Program
Posted by: jmet, 13:38, November 4, 2009 |
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Viewed: 268 Times |
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Microsoft unveils invite-only program that lets XBL Gold subscribers get MS points for renewing subscriptions, taking surveys, buying items on XBL Marketplace.
Called the Xbox Live Rewards Squad, the program is invite-only, and participants began receiving invitations on November 2.
It will continue through the end of April 2010.
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Best Buy & Roxio Team Up
Posted by: jmet, 13:25, November 4, 2009 |
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Viewed: 200 Times |
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Best Buy today announced an on-demand movie and entertainment service that will be powered by Sonic's Roxio CinemaNow and will allow consumers to have access to buy or rent a vast library of premium content.
Best Buy intends to embed the Roxio CinemaNow technology on a wide array of devices - web-connected television sets, portable media players, PCs, Blu-ray Disc players, set-top boxes, and mobile phones
It expects to provide access to new movies, independent films, and older catalog movies, with some new titles available on the same day as the comparable DVD goes on sale.
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Wal-Mart Rumors
Posted by: jmet, 13:16, November 4, 2009 |
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Viewed: 282 Times |
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Wal-Mart is rumored to be selling the Xbox 360 Arcade edition for $199 bundled with a $100 gift card starting this Saturday.
If this rumor turns out to be true, it would be the best deal ever made for the XBOX 360.
It is also rumored that Wal-Mart will be selling a 42" TV for under $500 and a HP notebook for $298.
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What to Know Before Buying an HDTV
Posted by: jmet, 14:48, November 3, 2009 |
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Viewed: 528 Times |
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There are a few important things to consider before buying a HDTV, find out the basics you need to know to make the best decision and get the most for your money.
When you got to your local electronics store, don't be fooled by the picture quality of all the different TVs. Don't get me wrong, yes some are better than others but, most if not all of the TVs settings are modified for the low light showroom environment. What may look like a good picture there, may not look quite as good when you get it home.
Another aspect to keep in mind is the display size. The display screen size for a Wide Screen HDTV is smaller than the screen size of your CRT TV, if you still own one of those. A good rule of thumb is to buy one size larger than your current screen size (CRT = LCD/Plasma) for it to look the same.
HD looks best on a large TV, so buy the biggest set you can afford, but make sure it fits the space. A 37-inch screen may work best in a bedroom, but a 60-inch screen is ideal in a large entertainment center.
The new rave is hanging the TV's on the wall. I personally haven't done it yet, as I would need to buy an additional piece of furniture to house all of my audio & video equipment (DVD Player, DISH Receiver, Surround Sound, etc.) But, it sure does look good!
Make sure the TV you buy is a "Widescreen" TV, as all HD programming is in the widescreen aspect ratio (16X9). This really isn't a problem because most HDTVs are widescreen compatible but, just had to tell you.
You will need a HD DVR or HD TiVo to record HD programming and play it back in HD (on a HDTV of course). Standard definition programming on a HDTV looks pretty bad. At first you say its not that bad (trust me I said it) but, eventually you come to grips with reality, its bad.
If I could recommend anything, buy a HDTV that is capable of displaying a 1080p signal. They are not that much more than a 720p HDTV (I regret buying my 720p HDTV).
As far as warranties are concerned, I usually don't buy them as every time I do, its been a disaster trying to get them to fix it or they want an outrageous amount to ship it back to them and if I never need to use them, it just makes me mad I spent the extra money.
Take some notes of what you currently have (audio & video devices), and how you want to connect them (HDMI cable, Component cable, etc.) and make sure your new TV has all the inputs you need.
With a little research, you can find the best HDTV for your home that will meet all your needs!
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Kingston to Sell Paramount Movies on Flash Drives
Posted by: jmet, 12:10, November 3, 2009 |
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Viewed: 207 Times |
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Kingston and Paramount announced an unexpected deal today that will see the newly released movies also made available on SD cards and
"As more and more movies are viewed on computers and other portable devices, Kingston will become increasingly important to Paramount."
Kingston and Paramount announced an unexpected deal today that will see the newly released movies also made available on SD cards and USB flash drives.
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Nintendo Wii 2 Rumors
Posted by: jmet, 11:59, November 3, 2009 |
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Viewed: 222 Times |
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A rumor has been floating around that the new Nintendo Wii, the Wii 2, will have an internal Blu-Ray drive that supports 1080p games and movies.
The Blu-ray Wii rumor was started by a Nintendo of France marketing employee and also said that it should be out by the third quarter of 2010.
Another rumor (that I don't think is true), is that consumers will have the option to trade in old Wii's for "Wii 2" consoles.
Here is a current list of Nintendo Wii 2 rumors:
- The Wii2 system will feature a Blu-Ray drive with a secondary aim of stopping piracy
- 1080P and lower resolutions will be supported, for Blu-ray movies and games
- The release date is scheduled for third quarter of 2010
- The release will be worldwide and on the same day for all countries
- A scheme will be available in which it is possible to trade in the original Wii for a cheaper price on the new Wii 2
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$30 a Month for TV Programming
Posted by: jmet, 11:49, November 3, 2009 |
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Viewed: 233 Times |
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Apple announces a new monthly subscription service through iTunes that will rival your current cable TV for just $30 per month.
Its rumored that the key difference in this new service and cable TV, is that you only pay for the channels you want. If this is true, I can really see this becoming very popular as most TV packages contain a lot of channels you never watch.
The biggest question that comes to my mind is how the TV industry feels about this whole TV by broadband delivery.
Only time will tell...
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CDBurnerXP Pro Updates to Version 4.2.7.1801
Posted by: jmet, 05:50, November 3, 2009 |
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Viewed: 1489 Times |
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Writes all kind of mediums apart from double-layer DVD (follows in next version). Burning video-DVDs is limited. Burn audio-CDs with and without gaps between tracks Burn on the fly / Burn-proof Supports most IDE, USB, Firewire and SCSI drives CDBurnerXP Pro is a free CD/DVD burning solution. With this software you can burn CD-R, CD-RW DVD+R/RW DVD-R/RW discs.
Features:
- Rip Audio-CDs to harddrive, obtain track-information (ID3-tags) from Internet
- Burn and create ISO-files
- Customizeable with many settings
- Data verification after burn, create bootable discs (will be) available in multiple languages
- 100% freeware - no adware or restrictions
- bin/nrg->ISO converter, simple cover printing and much more!
The official change log for version 4.2.7.1801 is as follows:
- ! Fixed a possible crash after burning an audio disc
- ! Fixed missing files/folders when adding a second session
- ! Fixed a crash after burning an ISO file
- ! Fixed: Wrong speed indicated when burning a second disc
You may download this updated version here.
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November 2009 News Archive