Envive Updates TheaterStation Server, Streamer

Who wouldn't want access to their entire media library — movies and music — at the press of a button?

Oh, and be able to scroll through choices while looking at movie and CD artwork on the TV? And stream things, including Blu-ray, to multiple rooms in the house?

OK, that screeching halt you just heard came from that last request. We know Blu-ray and media server aren't exactly peanut butter and jelly friendly right now. But Envive was presenting its take on the whole Blu-ray ripping-to-media-server dilemma during CES 2010.

The company's updated TheaterStation and TheaterStation Client will not rip Blu-ray movies from the Hollywood studios to the multi-terabyte servers, let's get that straight. Even copy-protected standard DVDs can't be ripped.

But if 1080p movies from a camcorder are uploaded to a PC, the files can be dragged and dropped into the TheaterStation and accessed throughout the house.

As part of the software update with its latest version, the TheaterStation, which acts as a big storage drive on a networked entertainment system, added the playback support for MTS and M2TS containers, which include file extensions common with Blu-ray media. The primary aspect here is that the containers support the extensions for high-definition video camera/camcorder recording. Since they are home movies, there is no worry about copyright infringement.

But as computer users have gotten more savvy, and certain software has hit the market, some consumers have discovered ways to rip and compress Blu-ray discs on their own. So once the file is on the computer, theoretically it would be streamable in a TheaterStation system.

"Over time, consumers end up with content in a bunch of file formats stored on their home computers. Our job is to provide consumers with a great experience for storing, accessing, and enjoying that content," says CEO Chris Bortner. "TheaterStation is mapped as a network drive, enabling you to copy and paste your music, movies, home movies, or iTunes, onto the system. If you take a copy-protected DVD [or Blu-ray disc] we won't play it or copy it."

Simple enough — download or rip to the PC at your own risk. It's just a file type to Envive.

As for the rest of TheaterStation and TheaterStation Client benefits, there are many. The latest update has brought a cleaner, brushed black aluminum look for those seeking minimalism from electronics. Inside the boxes are upgraded processing and video cards, plus the drag-and-drop ease of adding media that was introduced back at CEDIA Expo 2009.

TheaterStation comes in 1-, 2- and 4-TB models good for 300 to 1,000 hours (or more, depending on file size) of video and 2,600 to 10,400 albums. (With an asterisk, as the company explicitly states: Envive doesn't promote, encourage, or condone the violation of copyright or circumvention laws in your country. The term "media collection" is only meant to include media not protected by access-control or copy-control technology.)

TheaterStation's metadata allows you to store and sort alphabetically by genre, year and more via remote. With CDs you'll get cover art, and movies generally have poster art attached to them.

Wireless support is expected soon, but right now you can chain up to five rooms of playback for a distributed media system with the TS Clients, and TheaterStation is expandable to create even more unique zones in larger homes.

The company offers backup devices as well so all that precious media won't be lost.


Envive CEO Chris Bortner at CES 2010