Pinnacle Adds UPnP To Wireless DMA

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 12/3/2007

TEWKSBURY, MASS. — Pinnacle Systems launched its first wireless digital media adapter (DMA) with universal plug-and-play A/V (UPnP A/V) capability to connect automatically with UPnP-equipped PCs and network-attached storage (NAS) devices, said marketing VP Tanguy Leborgne.

The $199-suggested Showcenter 250HD will be available this month in stores including Best Buy, Fry's, and Amazon.com.

The device streams music, standard- and high-definition video, and photos to stereo systems and TVs from a media-serving PC or NAS device. Content can be streamed over wired Ethernet or wireless 802.11b/g. The 250HD, which features embedded 802.11b/g, is automatically detected by UPnP-equipped PCs and NAS devices. UPnP is incorporated in Windows Media Player 11, which is standard with Windows Vista OS PCs, and is supported by media server applications such as Allegro Media Server for use with Macs.

The device incorporates embedded audio, video and image decoders to free up resources on a network PC or NAS, enabling consumers to use other PC applications while streaming media to other locations in the house. Local decoding makes it possible to stream multiple media simultaneously to multiple 250HD devices, limited only by wireless bandwidth and HDD performance, the company said.

The DMA lacks hard drive but incorporates decoders for the following audio formats: MP3, protected and unprotected WMA, WMA Pro, WMA lossless, PCM and WAV. The video decoders are protected and unprotected WMV, Windows Media 9, Windows Media 9 HD, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX 3.11, DivX 4-6, DivX HD and XviD. Photo formats are JPEG, BMP and PNG.

Video outputs to a TV include 1080i-capable analog-component outputs. Audio outputs include digital coaxial and optical outputs.

The device also features detachable antenna and front-panel USB 2.0 port for playback of media stored in a USB storage device, including USB hard drives.