Hulu Comes to High-Perform­ance Media Servers from ReQuest

I think more and more content is becoming streamable. Is it the best quality no, but soon the novelty will wear off and the quality will go up. I think it is part of the future of our industry.

not sure what’s all the noise is about. We’ve been streaming YouTube and Hulu via Windows Media Center for months.
Yes, it’s free, but content is really not worth it in my opinion. you spend big $$$ on a fancy system and end up watching really low-res content.

The noise is that Request is the first vendor in the CE channel to integrate this type of free-tv aggregation service on its very high-perfomance multiroom media products.

Crestron has made similar investments for its forthcoming ADMS with “World Search”

So the question is: Is it a wise investment for Crestron, Request and others? Will buyers of high-end whole-house media systems care about a free TV feature that lets you watch video on demand, but at relatively low resolutions?

I think so.

In my opinion, such content doesn’t justify the high cost of closed platforms such as Crestron or ReQuest and therefore I am relactant to see the “great value” as suggested in the story.

Specially, when open platforms such Windows Media Center offers better opportunities for software developers around the world, to develop plug-ins which are in most cases available for free download.

This kind of architecture as opposed to the closed architecture of Crestron, ReQuest and alike, offers the user much better scalability and the flexibility to update the system - and it’s already available.

While, it’s a nice initiative, I doubt it would be a buying stimulus for someone who is about to spend $25K or more on such system.

My apologies for mistyping “relactant”

There’s a reason why YouTube and Hulu are such blockbuster platforms…it’s because people want freeform content that’s diverse and free.  The resolution may not the great (yet) but the fact is I’d rather browse Hulu or YouTube from my couch with a remote and watch it on my Bravia then sit at my PC.  I think this is huge, and the addition of Netflix and other providers will bring higher resolution content options for a price.  IMHO…this is game-changing technology and ReQuest is smart to take advantage of these next generation content outlets.  Kudos!

LittleDeer…in case you missed it, a proprietary “closed” system from Apple (iTunes/iPod/Apple TV,etc.) has pretty much crushed MrSofty in the media content arena.  Apple knows that to do things better you must own the total design and interface experience.  As far as I know, the market leaders in the CEDIA media server space like ReQuest and Kaleidescape are 100% proprietary.  The Apple template bodes well for a proprietary design approach.

Guys, hold your horses for one sec….

Please don’t get me wrong. I am all for free content and browsing these content inventories from the couch and the more the better.

My initial comment was referring to the article itself, presenting the ReQuest initiative as a breakthrough, while Windows Media Center has been doing so from the very begining.
MyNetflix for example, is a free plug-in for Windows Media Center that allows you to browse ans stream your movies from NetFlix (although you have to have an account with Netflix).

It’s definitely where the industry is going and it’s nice to see more manufacturers joining the age of digital content distribution.

On the other hand, if you prefer to spend big $$$ on HD TV just to watch youTube, knock yourself out. For me it would be a waste of a great piece of equipment.

There are other issues with providing HD content over the internet, besides legalities. for example, the highway pipeline cannot acommodate the required bandwidth to stream HD to 10,000,000 concurrent users. It’s just not there yet and the ISP’s needs to resolve this obstacle.

We’ve simply been cabling VGA to a primary TV’s and install a basic PC with a Gyration wireless keyboard and air-mouse. Hulu, YouTube,Internet, etc.

deep man.  I’ll have the creamy ranch on my word salad.  gotta run, black helicopters!

Nick,

Regarding your second comment, about AppleTV, there are a couple of points that you are missing:

1.  Apple always was and always will be a proprietary technology because they don’t want any completion, hence why you don’t see Mac-compatible computers in the market. It has nothing to do with doing things “right”
2.  There are numerous open source and open platform technologies that are used by many large enterprises all over the world in some of the most mission-critical applications such as financial, manufacturing, security etc. To name some: Linux (OS), Joomla (CMS), MySQL (Database), PHP (programming). Even MAC is actually running on Linux
3.  The advantages of an open source and open platform technologies are that you get developers from all over the world to improve and enhance the core product. This is far more robust resource base than any company could afford.
4.  Whether we like it or not, our industry is changing and the technology evolves faster than we can adapt. With the penetration of the PC based products to the living room and residential arena, our business model has to evolve along the technology.
5.  We no longer able to sell “black boxes” to our clients and charge them with custom price for the product. Our clients are getting more and more knowledgeable about the technology and their content consumption is changing as well. As a result, we are required to demonstrate extensive knowledge and creativity in both software and hardware for successful design and installation of computer-based systems to run the house. Your clients will gladly pay for your brain but not for the box.
6.  When it comes to ReQuest and the other so called “Media Servers”, there is a small limitation that sets them apart from Windows Media Center. All of them miss the traditional TV and DVR functionality. This means that for watching live TV or record shows from your local cable/satellite provider you need yet another box (DVR). In order to fill this gap, many of the vendors are searching other alternatives such as Hulu and YouTube.
7.  Although the industry is shifting towards full on-demand content consumption over the internet, the road is still long before we can see full blown content offered through this channel. Some of the limitations are technical and some are legal. In any case, many will still hold on to their cable/satellite providers.

Would Hulu plug-in make me want to buy this Media device when I know I can get the same and even more from another platform which is more open, such as Windows Media Center? You do the math…

1. Apple competes with MS, and wins in the media arena with elegant design.
2. Apple runs on OSX, formerly NeXt-Step, a Unix based OS. Linux is also Unix based but OSX is not Linux (open-source), its a proprietary kernel.
3. ReQuest is Linux based which certainly makes hardware support easy, but Serious Play is a tailored proprietary implementation versus plug-ins sitting atop Windows. It’s harder to develop a turnkey OS, but the results offer more flexibility to craft an elegant user experience.
4. I’ve been in this industry for 24 years, PC-based solution have come and gone, but proprietary solutions from companies like Crestron and ReQuest have stood the test.
5. Sounds like a sales problem. I used to sell Sony TVs for full retail plus installation. The client buys design expertise and installation craftsmanship…sell solutions, not boxes and technical BS.
6. This is not a problem whatsoever. Generally speaking, products that do everything are impossible for must folks to use. The ReQuest client doesn’t see boxes, they see a well thought out user interface that controls other sources as well.
7. ReQuest has nearly a decade of managing legacy media (CDs and now DVDs). What sets them apart is the ability to incorporate new online media in an elegant usable system that is built to do one thing well, deliver media to users via a well designed user interface. In this market, the user experience is is king, and ReQuest and Kaleidescape are the major kingdoms.

I would highly recommend you to play with Media Center. In terms of user experience, MS scored high in every are.

I’ve been working as a user experience expert for many digital content companies for more than 10 years. When it comes to this field, users would want a system that is extremely easy to use which only requires a very simple remote control. Any system that would offer a single unified user interface would be much easier to use than a system that is composed by multiple components with different UI’s. Sure you can use a sophisticated touch screen remote to overcome this, but it is still require some learning curve from anyone who wants to use it.

When it comes to Windows Media Center, so far it is the most robust solution in the market with the most intuitive UI (even more than apple). And with the support of Multi Touch in Windows 7 it becomes even more powerful UI.

LittleDeer, I’ll close by stating that Windows Media has a place in the market, mainly at the lower-end, do-it-yourself, and PC oriented client level. There is also a proven market for proprietary designs by companies like ReQuest and Kaleidescape (both INC 500 companies). As a former dealer who interacts with the top dealers in the country (CEPro 100 type), I assure you that ReQuest, Kaleidescape, & Crestron continue to lead this high-end market. In ReQuest’s case, mainly due to its ability to rapidly adapt its capabilities to meet dealer demands (NetSync for iTunes, ARQLink multi-location syncronization, Internet widgets, DVD archiving, and new media support - YouTube, Hulu, NetFlix, etc.) ReQuest isn’t limited by Windows OS to support new features. They have 100% control over the capabilities and evolution of the technology. At this stage, the majority of major dealers I know view this as a major advantage. ReQuest’s current feature set is a reflection of feedback from hundreds of dealers over many thousands of installs. A decade of expertise from the front lines is something Microsoft lacks. This expertise, and the ownership of ReQuest’s Serious Play operating system is a major competitive advantage. I’m glad to see Windows Media Center raising the competitive bar in the market. That said, you’re dismissal of ReQuest, Crestron, etc. as market leading innovators is just not credible.

Sort’a interesting discussion…and a bit funny how the whole debate developed with the article focusing on the high-end media centers, but then mentioning one of many Open Source projects like Boxee. 

Still don’t see the desire to have hulu or yt content, but I’m sure the kids want all that stuff, and most people dropping $ on ReQuests vs a handful of hacked AppleTVs tend to have young kids and larger incomes w/ less desire for DIY projects…so they need to keep the kids happy and I’m sure that’s were most of the demand comes from.

Most 30-ish single people I now that want this content on a plasma or non-computer screen tend to have the ability to hack a few appletvs together with Boxee or XBMC or just FireFox with flash…the open source devs have been offering this ability for awhile now…surprise Apple hasn’t redesigned the AppleTV with a meatier cpu/gpu and an available backend media storage server…but Apple seems to want to keep customers tied to iTunes for content (for the most part) vs. allowing the ATV to natively support web browsers and any online content w/ or w/o boxee, and that whole itunes model is going to come to an end eventually…sorry for digressing…

I just wish the ATV was a more viable install option since the they really work great and save valuable rack or cabinet space…not to mention power usage, price, and aesthetics.  With wireless N built in, it’s easy to hide these away and ipod touch or iphones make a decent control device.

I’m still amazed by how little progress there’s really been with media centers across the board.  I’m shocked to find people want there rooms junked up with wireless keyboards and such.  I guess there’s nothing like being interrupted in the middle of a movie with a flashing twitter message across your 130” screen.  Hopefully media centers and automation will catchup and drop in cost so that families everywhere can remain connected to the net at all times…sorry for the sarcasm.

I need to go fire up some hulu or there’s that great YT vid of the bulldog skateboarding w/ a monkey on his back juggling as they zoom down the pixelated street that I’ve already watched 5 times at the office today…looked ok on the phone, not great on the 22” LCD…boy, I’ll bet it’ll look awesome on the biggest screen I’ve got…and now ReQuest can take me there!

I never dismissed ReQuest and if my comments came accross this way, then please accept my apologies.

My argument is that I don’t think ReQuest is inventing anything that wasn’t already outthere.

As I mentioned before, the market is changing and so are the models for revenew generating businesses. NBC Universal and News Corp understands that their traditional business models are about to become obsolete and therefore they are working on evolving them like never before.

One of the issues is actually explained very well in your last comment, unintentionally: “...ReQuest’s current feature set is a reflection of feedback from hundreds of dealers over many thousands of installs…”
Does this means, this product is designed for dealers?
The CEDIA industry needs to grasp this change and move on to the next level in the evolution of technology and business development. The so called “high end” paradigm is targetting a niche market that is shrinking every year.
Anyone who is sticking to this model or insist to see the market from a dealer perspective, rather than from a customer point of view, will eventually find him/her self without sufficient client base to sustain their business.

To that extend, Windows Media Center is a major player because it can acommodate all levels of installations - from the very low DIY guys all the way to multimillion houses. The level of the integration is determined by the system integrator and the hardware that Media Center is running on.
I am not sure what you are basing your assessment that Windows Media Center is for lower-end customers. clearly, you did not spend enough time to explore this platform.
We have numerous installations of Windows Media Center based systems in the US as well as abroad in some very luxurius residencies. These systems are on 24/7 with 99% up time, including home control (1% is reserved for self maintenance).

By the way, I’m sure you read this article - http://www.cepro.com/article/controlling_media_center_through_amx_crestron_hai/

I agree that the Hulu content needs to improve. I’ve been downloading “The Simpsons” from Hulu on to my iPod, but until the service starts offering episodes of “David Cassidy: Man Under Cover” I won’t be a dedicated user!!

I would totally disagree about your comments Little Deer regarding the custom market’s need to adapt because the high end market is shrinking.

At this point nearly every market is shrinking, but this market is able to compete because its target consumer still has disposable income to spend. This consumer may be more discrete about his or her spending, but they are still spending while the rest of the consumer market has pulled back on its spending. 

I think this is a big year for Media Center in terms of whether it makes it or not as a long-term solution that competes against AMX and Crestron.

We do know one thing about Media Center is that installers are wary of it and that traditional manufacturers like Crestron are still preferred.

We also know that given the consumer preference for Apple products like the iPod, iPhone and Apple TV if the company ever launched a media management device with more power and flexibiity they would probably dominate the market fairly quickly based on the pull of its other products and name recognition.

Robert: What I meant by “Shrinking” was more of shifting. As new generation of wealthy customers replaces the older generation, these customers are more knowledgeable about the technology and therefore better aware of their needs.

Such customers likes to get more involved in the design process of a system for their home. In this case, if the installer is unable to demonstrate extensive knowledge with new technologies, he or she may find themselves in a problem. The same may apply to the manufacturers.

There is a fundamental difference between the new digital media server technology and the traditional whole house audio and video. While using the traditional you transfer the analog signal (or digital in the case of HDMI) to the end location from a centralized source rack. The content is processed and played at the source. In order to play a different music in each room, you need as many sources as the number of rooms you have.

On the other hand, with Media Center architecture, the actual content file is transmitted over a network to the remote location and is processed and played in that location. This architecture, allows the users to play different content in each room although the content is originated from the same “source”

Attempting to apply the traditional architecture by using a media server as a source, without utilizing the power of extending the server to the remote locations would defeat the design of a media server. This difference, requires a change of mind from the integrator in the way he/she design and architect the system. I believe this would requires some of the vendors to adopt the new technology and modify their products to successfully integrate with this new architecture.

I also believe this change of mind, is one of the main reasons that many installers are hesitant to dive into the Media Center technology. I spoke with several installers and their arguments supported this assumption directly and indirectly.
Making all this technology more friendly to the installer, will definitely play a major role in the acceptance rate. however I think installers needs to step up as well.

As for AppleTV, I am not sure I would compare it to Windows Media Center or ReQuest. AppleTV is an extender that brings your content from your computer to your TV, much like the Windows Media Center Extender. I would compare it to XBOX360, Linksys DMA2200 etc…

I can definitely see your point in speculating that mass consumers may be more energized about an Apple based media management server based on the market share and popularity of previous products. One may argue that selling small gadgets is one thing but selling a whole media management system is a whole different game.
I guess time will tell.

So much passion, so many sockpuppets (so there will be trolls 2 I am sure) and so little collusion/team work…  Maybe I am missing something here, but is there a working group that brings ALL PC centric (Apple, Microsoft and Linux) hardware, content and service providers together to promote the computer/digital Entertainment and Automation industry and ecosystem solutions to consumers?  I think we all need to get on the same hymn page here vs. debating doctrine/policy/technology difference   Oh and re the convergence (federation), Please tell me it is NOT Cedia . 

Also, given all the energy expended in these threads, ad nausea, wouldn’t the energy be better spent on getting this stuff out of the hands of only those in the IVY towers (the “elite”) and hands of the hobbyist (“the workers”) and into the homes of consumers and paying customers? Maybe the winning wedge is makeing cable compaies our “enemy”...

Wouldn’t we all win in that scenario? Vs. constant spy vs. spy dialog/actions?  P.s.  Big thumbs up to u “Nick Carter” for not using an avatar or made up name avatar!

RayC