Device brings remote control to PCs

SnapStream Media has figured out a way to get your PC in touch with its TV side.

The Houston-based components maker on Thursday plans to launch Firefly, a remote control that lets people manage the media and entertainment functions on their PCs. Shaped like a TV remote, Firefly lets people control TV tuning, DVD playback, streaming video, digital music players and photos.

The Firefly package includes the remote control, software to manage a computer's media applications, and a remote receiver that plugs into a USB (universal serial bus) drive. The product is compatible only with Windows XP and Windows 2000 PCs equipped with at least a 500MHz processor, 128MB of memory, 100MB of free hard disk space, and a CD or DVD drive. Firefly will cost $49.99.

The product can manage applications including Microsoft's Windows Media Player, Nullsoft's Winamp, Apple Computer's iTunes and QuickTime, and RealNetworks' RealPlayer.

Turning the PC into a home entertainment center has become a growing initiative among the industry's biggest players. Microsoft and Intel, in particular, have begun making noise about supporting technology that turns PCs into home entertainment hubs. The idea is to allow PCs to mirror functions found in consumer electronics components, such as digital video recorders, VCRs and home audio equipment.

SnapStream made its mark by making software that lets people record live TV shows off their computers, acting like a TiVo for the PC.

ATI All In Wonder + Remote

Interresting articles but not quite up-to-date in my opinion. You're talking about this mnaufacturer which provides a remote control on PC as a brand new features while ATI has been provided a similar product through their All In Wonder + Remote packages for a very long time.

This package allows you to control window through the remote control, provides plug-in for a multitude of software including MS Media player, Winamp, myHTPC, etc, but also provides ATI proprietary software for TV, pausing TV, playing DVDs, playing MP3, and an excellent TV Magazine which insers program information on the TV using a pretty cool design.

The HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer) has been designed by several hobbiest for a very long period of time. I've seen a first version of an HTPC at a friend in 1994, and I've been monitoring software for a very long amount of time. I can understand this becomes more of a "news" now that PC could be placed in the leaving room but I would have hopped you'd go deaper into where we stand on this design. Much more work has been done on this than you expressed in your article.

Final word to say that I'm very pleased with all your articles guys, very good stuff but I thought I'd react on this one this time.

Thanks for all,
J!