Malaysia-based Syabas this week revealed its upcoming networked media player, the Popcorn Hour A-400. The most significant upgrade compared to the previous A-300 media player is the ability to playback 3D video content, though a Blu-ray drive isn't present. It also gets advanced features like detail enhancement and debanding.
Syabas has taken the wraps off the Popcorn Hour A-300, its third-generation media streamer. The company has used its user forums to launch the device and post a whole series of screenshots from its updated interface that will also launch with the device. The new A-300 will also ship with an aluminum enclosure and is also fanless for quiet operation.
Syabas mentioned today that both the Popbox and Popcorn Hour can once again stream YouTube videos. The networked media hubs had lost the ability to play the clips in the fall but now have access again courtesy of a change in YouTube's terms of service. What prompted the change wasn't evident.
Syabas, maker of the Popcorn Hour and its upcoming successor the Popbox, has now released a Popapp Software Development Kit (SDK) for developers for the yet-to-be-released device. The SDK will bring with it the ability to view Adobe Flash apps on the Popbox, while third party developers can create apps that play videos, music and photos, read and write metadata content and access data on connected drives or networks, as well as media from the web.
Popcorn Hour has introduced its latest media device, the A-200 Networked Media Tank. The Tank allows users to stream digital content from a wide variety of devices such as computers, network-attached storage, digital cameras, or USB-attached storage. The Flash Lite interface also provides options to stream web-based content from sites such as Videocast, CBS, and CNN, among others.
Syabas on Monday added a new functionality to its Popcorn Hour A-110 and C-200 network media hubs, allowing them to access AOL’s free SHOUTcast Radio Directory. This will let users access over 32,000 MP3-based radio stations using their Popcorn Hour remote controls, bringing it to their home theater set-ups or living rooms on their TVs. The two Popcorn Hour hubs already support a wide range of digital audio and video files, and can stream audio and video content from partners that include Vuze, CNET TV, CBS, CNN and others.
YouTube drew controversy with word this week that it has begun limiting the use of its native video API on devices. Reflecting new terms of service, any device that connects to a TV must have a license from YouTube to get fully native video support. The move will ban smaller-scale devices like the Popcorn Hour C-200 from directly accessing YouTube videos, although it will still allow them access using Flash.
Syabas Technology on Tuesday released a couple of photos and announced the specifications of its latest Popcorn Hour network media hub, the C-200. Compared to the company's existing products, such as the A-110, the C-200 has front-panel mounted 3.5-inch drive bay that can house a Blu-ray drive; it also gets a gigabit Ethernet connection.
Popcorn Hour has revamped its network media hub today with the release of the A-110. Aside from a switch to a home theater-friendly black, the A-110 now supports HDMI 1.3a output to pipe through advanced and lossless surround formats such as Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD Master Audio, and related formats in a form that can be decoded by a receiver. It also introduces support for both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hard drives, optical SPDIF for audio output, and moves a USB port to the back for owners who keep connections hidden from view.
On Friday, Popcorn Hour announced its sole product, the Popcorn Hour A-100 digital media streaming device, can now be pre-ordered on the company's web store. The A-100 allows for streaming digital media from users' PCs via a wide range of connectivity options, digital cameras or USB mass storage devices or directly from the Internet via its integrated Media Service Portal. The A-100 supports high-bitrate video formats, including DivX and Matroska, as well as subtitle files, with firmware upgradeable to future codecs.
