“Networked Entertainment Gateway”

New category of media player from PRISMIQ:

Watch movies, listen to music, chat with friends, browse the Web – all from your TV. We bring the networked entertainment home of tomorrow to you today.

Using your Internet-connected home computer, the PRISMIQ system can:

• Play DVD-quality (MPEG2 and MPEG1) video
• Stream your library of MP3 files
• Browse the web
• Get live, personalized news, weather and stock info on your TV
• Connect over the Internet to chat with friends and family

All for $249.95.

LinuxDevices.com says:

Basically, the PRISMIQ MediaPlayer a is compact (9 x 1.5 x 5.25 in.) set-top box which connects via standard patch cables to the user’s TV and stereo systems, and communicates with the home network or PC by means of either wired Ethernet or wireless 802.11b (WiFi). Once installed, special software (the PRISMIQ MediaManager) running on the home PC transmits audio/video media files to the MediaPlayer which, in turn, delivers it to the TV and stereo systems.

….Supported media standards currently include MPEG2 and MPEG1 video, MP3 audio, and JPEG, GIF, PNG graphics. The company says it plans to add support for other codecs — including Windows Media files, DivX, and more — via a free software upgrade in the near future.

How does it work?

The MediaManager software scans your hard drive for all your media files and loads them in a menu for users to select, create playlists, and the like. Then, back at the TV, the list of songs, photos, or movies on the hard drive will be viewable. When you select one, it streams over the home network to the set-top box, where it is decoded and then played on the TV or through the entertainment center.

Your systems are starting to integrate – very cool.