So I have been visiting the many PS3, Xbox360, and Wii forums to try to figure out how to garner interest for beta users of our new game console product (I blogged about here)...and I have realized that I am SO not a gamer! The lingo, the avatars, the passion for games and game consoles - it's intimidating! I LOVE video (ok, mildly addicted) and the internet has the best library around -- so Active-TV really appeals to me. I think folks who have PS3s/Xboxs/Wiis will be psyched to use them to play internet video on their TVs, but the fact of the matter is - I really don't know how to talk to them. So - if you know of a way to get in front of a bunch of gamers or want to help out -- let me know!

Some of the gamer forums I have come across include: gamepro, ps3forums, boardsus.playstation.com, psu.com, and playfire. If you know of others -- let me know as well!

tracy@themediamall.com

The Active-TV movement -- the ecosystem that is developing in support of a PC-assisted methodology for getting Internet-based content to your TV -- has a big supporter and resource in Daniel Mann. His recent post shows why PC-assist is a stronger technology than other proposed options. It is inexpensive -- it can be built into almost any networked STB or TV for a negligible increase to the Bill of Materials (BOM), and it is built for the future -- what I mean is that whatever new technologies are used on the Web to support video and other applications, Active-TV can handle them. Since Active-TV leverages the PC's processing power, and PC's can keep up with the new web technologies, it is an elegant solution to the problem. The other options don't offer affordability or sustainability. One option is to offer an expensive incremental STB, but many folks don't want another set-top, much less spend hundreds of dollars on it. Or, you can attempt to build it right into the TV, but in that case the technology will never be able to keep up with the web given the useful life of a TV is 8 yrs -- think about what video formats we were using 8 years ago, in 2000.... I didn't even watch video on the web back then. The fact that they are expensive and not "built to last" leads me to believe they are simply less elegant solutions. But, there is also lots of hesitancy around the Active-TV solution. PC-assist worries TV OEMs. They don't want the proper operation of their TV to depend on another device -- the PC. But -- they need to get over it. The PC is an asset, not a liability, and it can make the TV significantly more functional, opening the door to more content than we ever dreamed we'd be able to consume on our TVs.

Jeff Gedgaud just did a product review of the D-Link DSM-520 MediaPlayer (the first device powered by MediaMall).  They call the MediaMall feature ActiveTV, and his review of the DSM-520 was as follows:

Ease of Use, Performance: 23/25, Look & Feel: 23/25,
Features 25/25, How much I enjoy 24/25

Total: 95/100

And his review of MediaMall:

"The system is very easy to use and the additional software I installed went automatically to install the Active TV setup and the system had the most up to datefirmware. Active TV is a service provider that adds a section on your media player that has movies, videos and audio like You Tube, MovieLink and VH1 VSpot. You can also get several other pay per view providers such as CinemaNow and Movielink where you can rent or buy full length movies from current release hits to older movies.

These pay per view or monthly subscription services are all available through your PC as well as the media player so you can watch them on your TV or PC. That is one feature that is really nice, especially for finding videos on sites like You Tube, you can browse on your PC to find the content you want and then save it for later viewing. Using the media player to browse for videos is not exactly user friendly so finding them on your PC may be a bit easier. "

Yes - we know the ActiveTV YouTube page is not the best for browsing and searching.  We need to add some features to it -- like an on-screen keyboard and some better browsing features.  It is on the list ;).  We are hoping that YouTube itself will create and manage a great 10-foot UI page, but we're not holding our breath.

I have a question for editors writing about the DSM-520.  Why does MediaMall never get mentioned as the service provider of this great ActiveTV feature?  Is the MediaMall name bad?  Should we call the product Active-TV Player or something like that?  Or is our PR department just really bad (ha! we don't have one -- isn't that obvious?)  We're open to suggestions!

Laptop magazine recently rated the D-Link DSM-520 with Active TV Technology (which is powered by MediaMall) as one of the best new devices in 2008. Laptop Magazine's special edition showcases the "Best Gear of the New Year" and the DSM-520 with Active Tv was in the top 5 -- along with Apple TV, Linksys Media Center Extender DMA 2100 and the SlingCatcher from Sling Media. We are honored to be placed among these leading edge devices and technologies. You can see the review yourself here: Best Gear for the New Year

We are excited to launch our blog. We will focus on the Broadband Video industry as well as give you a glimpse of what is going on inside MediaMall Technology's virtual walls. To introduce myself -- I am one of the Founders of MMT (MediaMall Technologies) -- and you can find out the boring stuff about me elsewhere. Here, I want to focus on the interesting stuff -- like why my 14 month old son LOVES MMT. We have a D-Link DSM-520 that enables us to easily watch YouTube on our TV (powered by MediaMall's Active TV technology). My son can watch his favorite YouTube video -- Rhino -- over and over while I work on my computer without a nagging son trying to crawl in my lap saying "Rhino, Rhino, Rhino" over and over. If you have kids, you really get the "over and over" part. It is nice for him to be able to watch Internet videos without sitting in front of the computer screen (and for me to be able to work simultaneously).

Last time I checked, Amazon had the best price on the DSM 520. And -- we are working on getting MediaMall integrated into lots of other devices to enable more folks to use it! Stay tuned.