Boxee’s fantastic media centre software has always been just that: fantastic connected media player software. Today, the company says its going to announce hardware — a Boxee Box, even.

Boxee’s post on the box has nothing in the way of details yet, so I’m just going to have to take a WILD guess at what this thing will look like: It’ll be a box, with an Ion chipset, a medium-sized HDD, HDMI-out and a Boxee sticker. Just a theory!

We’ll get to see the box — assuming it’s not just this Boxee-compatible Myka number we saw a few days ago — come December 7, when it gets the full unveiling treatment. Also interesting, though probably a little aspirational:

* make it easy for users to consume and find content – no matter what the source
* give content owners, aggregators, and developers the tools to create unique experiences with a variety of business models
* enable CE companies to enhance their Connected devices

This will be the first connected device running Boxee, but the idea is to provide consumers with a way to get Boxee in their living rooms, no matter whether it’s on a Connected TV, game console, set-top box, BluRay player, computer, etc.

Multiple Boxee Boxes! Boxee Boxen! [Boxee]

The product page doesn’t mention the actual size of the screen, but you would surely burn to death trying to watch anything on this. Outside of that bizarre addition, the Poseidon from Chillchaser has a lot going for it. Features include: carbon fibre heating tubes that reduce power consumption and cut emissions by up to 50 per cent, standard 220V-240V electric supply instead of gas, 4m heating area at a 110-degree angle, replaceable elements that last up to 8000 hours, safety auto shut-off and durable all-weather construction.

Poseidon will set you back about $1500, but you could always forgo the useless media player and spend half that (or less) on Chillchaser’s other models. [Chillchaser via Appliancist]

[Seagate]

The goal here is simple: Play all the videos that I have ripped from DVD, downloaded from the web, shot with my own cameras or obtained in some other manner, no matter what the format. It sounds simple but Apple TV can’t do it. Video codecs and containers are a nightmare to keep track of, and even more of a nightmare to convert.

This isn’t about photos and music. Apple TV is better at both of those than any of this stuff. It’s also not about renting movies or buying movies, or even streaming movies. Roku has a nice cheap box for that, and Apple TV is suitable if you just want to live inside Steve Jobs’ media store. This is about playing non-DRM movies, pure and simple.

The names might be familiar to you: The Popcorn Hour C-200 by Syabas is quickly gaining cult status (and has its own hacker wiki), while the other four smaller boxes come from brands you probably have experience with, including WD, Seagate, Netgear and Patriot.

My two main tests were simple — I loaded PC and Mac formatted external hard drives with a variety of files ranging from H.264 MP4s to WMVs of several vintages, from raw AVCHD files in MTS wrappers to the hot new DivX 7 MKV. Then I browsed through my local network to a NAS that had a cache of similar files. Could I see them? Could I play them? These shouldn’t be issues, but they’re big issues.

Here’s a rundown of each machine and how they fared in testing:

As you can see, there were clear leaders given my criteria above, but what struck me was how each one differed. Truth is, depending on who you are, any one of these might be the best fit. Here’s what really separates them:

WD TV Live

I would have given this thing the solo spot at the top if it weren’t for a few dings that might very well be fixed in a firmware update: It won’t show you DVD menus on ripped DVD images, and when you play files with the suffix .m4v it won’t fast forward or rewind. Weird bug that can be fixed if you just change .m4v to .mp4, but since that’s the default file naming for Handbrake’s “Apple TV” profile it could be a problem for people, like me, who spent months ripping their entire DVD collection that way.

WD’s strengths include a friendly user-interface with handy video previews, some promising early online services (including Pandora), and the most reasonable photo and music handling I’ve seen in this cluster of gadgets.

Seagate FreeAgent Theater+

I loved this when I tested it a few weeks ago, despite its fugly interface, and it holds up under testing. It does better with ripped .ISO files than WD, doing both DVD menus and chapters (and it doesn’t have that weird .m4v bug either). Video was better, especially when running 1080p content.

The tradeoff is that the interface is bad, and there’s almost nothing in the way of online services. It gets points for making an attempt at sorting music and displaying photos, but if that’s a priority, WD is the better call.

Popcorn Hour C-200

Hardcore AV nerds love this thing, and I understand why. There are more ways to get at video content than in any other set-top box I’ve ever seen, and if you really know how to hack, there’s really not much it can’t do.

It’s a big ole thing — they call it a “network tank” and — despite reminding me of the far cooler ones in Tron — I get it. It has an internal BitTorrent client and you can plug in a Blu-ray drive, for god’s sake. I found very few video formats that it wouldn’t support (FLV was one) but I had to take major points off because for being so big, it has a lame interface, and it comes with an RF remote that only worked when I stood within 1m of it. They even mention that there might be problems with interference, and if people experience that they can buy the IR remote. Great, thanks.

My only question — and it’s not rhetorical — is why spend $US300/$AU599 on this (plus extra for the optional internal HDD and the IR remote) when you can just buy a home-theatre PC?

Patriot Box Office

This was the dark horse of the group, being a late entry by a company known only for computer memory. I was surprised at how well it held up. It actually could decode more tested formats than any other device in this lineup — it did Flash video (FLV), which the three above can’t render. Only the WD and the Patriot show you video previews, too. As small as it is, there’s space for a 2.5-inch SATA drive in there and even a BitTorrent client. You can copy files to and from different drives and the network, and it’s the cheapest of the lot at $US130.

So why did it come in a distant third? Unlike the three above, it can’t read Mac-formatted hard drives, and its video quality was noticeably the worst of the batch. That said, if you are a hacker sort and want something to play with that doesn’t cost as much as Popcorn, set your sights on this.

Netgear Digital Entertainer Live

As you can probably tell by now, Netgear had the most disappointing box of the lineup, despite its Apple TV ripoff look and feel. Lack of Mac media support and the inability to read key file formats — like DivX 7 and AVCHD — meant it couldn’t pass muster with real video fanatics. Its biggest point of woe was the fact that it didn’t support any file over 720p in resolution — whether that’s a software thing or a hardware thing, it’s sure not future-proof and probably best to stay away.

I also didn’t like the fact that its interface is laid out entirely for retail, like an Apple TV without the panache, or a Roku box that costs more and doesn’t do Netflix. Local files were not a priority, and despite the friendly interface, it doesn’t even make an attempt to differentiate photos and music. I did give it a gold star for online services, but only because it had the most in this group — if online services are what you love, buy a Roku, or a TiVo, or an Xbox, or a friggin’ Apple TV.

Still not sure what you’re looking for, check the spec comparisons here:

1. New Home Screen and Tweaked UI

The old home screen had a grid of categories, including Movies, TV, Music, Settings, etc. Now the home screen is horizontal, with all of those same categories running across. Besides mere orientation, the major difference is subtle: Apple TV anticipates what files you’re going to want fastest, and puts them above the category in Cover Flow. Click the up arrow to get to the speed rack. The rest of the “new user interface” doesn’t seem very new at all. Buffed a bit, shinier in places, but honestly, it’s not full revision’s worth of new user experience.

2. Genius DJ Playlists

My wife is a huge fan of the Genius option, because she doesn’t want to spend an hour making a playlist, but she also doesn’t want any of my unexpectedly angsty rock messing up her Beth Orton-fuelled revelry. Apple TV finally gets what a lot of Apple products have had for a while. Yippee.

3. Movie Extras and LP Compatibility

If you are so devoted to Apple’s music and movie retail operation that you care about Extras and LP, visual portals that lead to the main content plus some token extra stuff, then you probably already are excited that Apple TV has this. As much as I am not into it myself, I do admit LP and Extras look much cooler on a TV than they do on a computer.

4. Improved Syncing

iTunes 9 means that, like the iPhone and iPod, there’s more refined sync features — you could select particular movies before, but now you can select individual artists, specific TV episodes and iPhoto events as well as albums. This is closer to full manual control, but it’s not full manual control.

6. No DivX

“This file was not transferred because it is unable to be played on Apple TV.” Steve Jobs once said that only 4 per cent of music on iPods came from iTunes. A lot of movies that would be nice to play on Apple TV simply don’t, while H.264 is an option on Handbrake and other personal-use DVD-encoding software, it’s not the only game in town.

7. Not NAS Friendly

Assuming I play by the rules and rip all of my personal DVD in H.264 format, I still have to leave them on my laptop, or transfer them to the Apple TV’s puny hard drive. Can I stick them on my 1TB NAS, or point the Apple TV to that same NAS to look for other compatible movies? Nope, I cannot.

8. USB Jack Still Unused

Speaking of terabytes, what the hell is that USB 2.0 drive for? It certainly isn’t for USB drives, because whenever I connect one, nothing happens. Laptop users don’t keep all their movies on their local drives, and many Apple TV drives are too damn small. I don’t honestly see how a USB slot could be used for anything evil, and yet three generations of ATV OS have passed without firing it up.

9. Hardware Sluggish and Hot

Even when doing nothing, the Apple TV is still remarkably warm to the touch — the 3.0 update doesn’t help that. What I did notice, though, was that the remote was sticky — I’d hear the little “bonk” when I’d push a button, but on many occasions, that was followed by a pause before the thing did anything. This led to several accidental double-taps. And that ain’t right.

10. No Netflix or Pandora

Or any other cool third-party services for that matter. YouTube is still there, along with MobileMe and Flickr. And I can understand the conflict of interest in embedding Amazon VOD or CinemaNow or Rhapsody or Napster. But why can’t we get some Netflix love? Or Pandora?

11. Too Much Emphasis on Spending Money

I have always felt that Apple TV’s insistence on paying for content was crass, given the fact that it is supposed to be the extension of your music and movies on your TV. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like that there’s a movie rental option on it (and it’s my understanding that many people who are drawn to Apple TV are excited because they don’t have as much media of their own). But on your computer, you make a deliberate choice to enter the iTunes Store. On Apple TV, you’re basically inside the store from the start.

12. Still Best for a 1:1 iTunes-to-TV Connection

I don’t use Apple TV regularly. I tried, I swear I did. But the shortcomings I mentioned above eventually drove me from it screaming. There are other simpler and cheaper devices that do what I want in a way that may not be as pretty, but is actually more functional. Returning to Apple TV now though, I recognise something Brian and I were chatting about earlier: If all you want is your iTunes experience quickly replicated on a TV, it’s the perfect device.

As you can see, Apple TV 3.0 isn’t some miracle that will suddenly make Apple TV more relevant. It’s really a 2.5 if you think about what it does to improve functionality. We asked Apple for a briefing today, in hopes we’d get some idea of what makes this revision special, and no one was available to chat. Guess we’ll have to wait for 3.0.1.

For about $US122, the HD8800 will play back your media in glorious HD on its 4.3-in. screen. Or on a TV, where you can boost the portable’s 800×480 image all the way up to true 1920×1080 HD.

The player supports *deep breath* RMVB, MOV, AVI, VOB, MKV, MP4, WMV, TS, TP, MPG, Flash, and can play MP3, WMA, FLAC and APE music files. [Ownta via PMP Today]

The kit includes a remote, 2.5-inch space for a you-provided HDD, three USB slots, Ethernet, and support for more than a few file formats. It launches, well, soon, as there’s no date and it’s currently in pre-order. [Amazon via The Gadget Site via Engadget]

The FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player leverages a docking system unique to Seagate FreeAgent Go(TM) portable drives and accessories, providing a quick and easy way to connect your external hard drive to your television or home entertainment centre. After loading the drive with your favourite movies, videos, music and pictures from the home PC, simply slide it into the FreeAgent Theater+ dock to get instant access to your digital media library. With the FreeAgent Theater+ player, you can just sit back, relax, point, click and enjoy as digitally captured memories and your favourite movies come to life in 1080p HD video, DTS(TM) 2.0 + Digital Out, or Dolby Digital technology. The interface is easily navigated with the included remote control, and you can choose from video, photos or music with the up/down arrows on the remote to make your selection.

The Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player includes two additional USB ports for connecting other USB attached storage devices. Also incorporated into FreeAgent Theater+ is an Ethernet port for network connectivity, which allows access to digital media through your home network. Seagate intends to launch a USB Wireless adaptor in October to enable this same access with 802.11n wireless connectivity to a home network. Enjoy it all, with the included new and improved remote control, from the comfort of your couch.

“There is so much media that is now being captured and created through various methods and stored on the PC, yet the computer is not the ideal way to enjoy these photos and videos,” said Terry Cunningham, senior vice president, Seagate Branded Solutions. “The FreeAgent theatre provides the easiest way to view and enjoy video and photos on your HDTV. Simply load up a Seagate FreeAgent Go(TM) hard drive and drop it into the FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player dock. It’s a behaviour we’ve all been familiar with for years with VHS and DVDs, but now with digital HD enjoyment.”

The new FreeAgent Theater+(TM) HD media player solution includes:

HDMI with 1080p HD video playback for high-definition content viewing
Dolby(R) Digital and DTS(TM) 2.0 + Digital Out audio support surround sound where available.
Unique docking system eliminates fumbling with cables and connections
Ethernet connection for accessing shared content on your network or streaming of content from the Internet
The optional wireless connectivity feature, expected to be available in October, will allow you to access stored content on any networked computer in the home at your fingertips
Two additional USB ports and one front-mounted port for digital cameras and additional storage devices
Simple sync software for PC and Mac(R) computers
Intuitive user interface with DVD-style navigation
Support for Windows(R) XP, Windows Vista(R), Windows(R) 7, and Mac OS(R) X operating systems, as well as NTFS, FAT, FAT32, HFS+ file support
Component video and Composite video support
Optical S/PDIF audio and Stereo RCA sound options
The software included with FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player is a rich media-specific synchronisation application that enables the automatic transfer and organisation of all photo, music, video and movie files stored on your computer.

Technical Specifications

The Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player now supports even more Audio/Video and sound formats including MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (VOB/ISO), MPEG-4 (DivX(R)/Xvid formats), DivX HD, Xvid HD, AVI, MOV, MKV, RMVB, AVC HD, H.264, WMV9, VC-1, M2TS, TS/TP/M2T, JPEG files up to 20 megapixels, BMP, GIF, PNG and TIFF. Audio formats supported include 5.1 channel surround sound, where available, and popular digital audio formats including: AAC, MP3, Dolby Digital, DTS, ASF, FLAC, WMA, LPCM, ADPCM, WAV and OGG. The FreeAgent Theater+ player also offers support for SAMI (smi), SRT and SUB subtitles. To download and transfer content to a Seagate FreeAgent Go portable drive using a Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 operated PC, a 256MB RAM and an available USB port is required. Mac computer users must be running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or 10.5.6 or later and have an available USB port. FreeAgent theatre connects to any TV with composite, component video or HDMI connection and stereo, optical S/PDIF or HDMI audio connection

Pricing and Availability

The Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player is available immediately via Seagate.com and other online retailers. It comes as a stand-alone unit for use with any USB storage device for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $US149.99, or bundled with a 500GB FreeAgent Go drive for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $US289.99. The FreeAgent Theater+ Wireless adaptor is expected to be available in October as a separate accessory through Seagate.com for $US69.99.

He also throws out one other tip: If you’re choosy about colours, don’t pre-order, because you’ll be stuck with black for the 16GB model or platinum for the 32GB one. If you wait until September 15, when you can pick the colour of your poison. Kind of a sad day—if Zune’s killing off the giant capacity model to go the HD route, it makes it seem more likely that the iPod classic could be getting the axe too. [WinSuperSite via ZuneSpring]

Not much further info was given, but shot in the dark: the specs will probably be similar to every other Chinese-made media player out there.

As far as I remember, the Sunview PMP was the first media player with a built-in projector; it claimed a 53-inch throw. The more recent Nikon S1000pj camera projects a 40-inch image.

As for the Mirage, sounds neat…but yeah, I think I’ll do fine with a battery-powered pico projector for the moment. [Yinlips via Cloned in China]