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Well, I just got to work and wanted to look for some news/interesting stuff on the front of HTPCs. I found a couple, so I'll just get to the point then. The first thing I ran across this afternoon was the fact that Plextor has released some linux drivers for their ConvertX line of PVRs. Over at NewsForge they have got a small walkthrough on setup and use of the PX-TV402U. From the article:
The Plextor ConvertX, even at an early stage in its Linux support cycle, is a legitimate alternative to the Hauppage video capture cards that so many Linux users are using these days. Last March, Plextor announced the availability of a Linux software development kit for two of their personal video recorders: the ConvertX PVR model PX-TV402U and the ConvertX PX-M402U. I chose to evaluate the ConvertX PVR-PX-TV402U product because I wanted to find a suitable piece of hardware to use in a system that functions as a personal video recorder.
In another story that I ran across over at Tom's Hardware Guide, it looks as though Creative is working on releasing a brand spankin new sound card, the X-Fi. It is still early to say, but it definately looks like it will be a tasty addition to any HTPC. The Audigy series already have very good quality sound and it looks like this will be another step up for Creative. From their article:
In the audio field - as in many other areas - there's no shortage of announcements of pending revolutions and technologies that are supposed to usher you into a wondrous new world. It's often hard to distinguish between real advances, simple improvements on existing technologies, and pure marketing jive. We're pretty good at that here at THG, so rest assured that if we're telling you more about X-Fi, when products using it aren't even available yet, there's a good reason. We think that this new processor is indeed a kind of quantum leap in computer sound reproduction, whether for listening to music, screening video of all kinds, or playing games. And that applies whether you use headphones, stereo speakers, or a real surround-sound system.
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