Monsoon Bows TV Place Shifter
By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 1/29/2007
SAN MATEO, CALIF. — Monsoon Multimedia introduced its HAVA Gold HD, video streaming, "place- and time-shifting" device that allows users to access and control their home video and TV systems over a broadband connection from anywhere in the world using a PC.
The system is said to use "next-generation" video-streaming technology called VBooster, affording full personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, Microsoft Vista and HD support and compatibility with Microsoft Media Center Edition PCs.
Monsoon is selling the HAVA platform to OEM customers as well as direct to consumers for $129 and at www.snappymultimedia.com for $99.
HAVA Gold HD enables high-quality MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 streaming and recording of video content from any video source, including live TV, DVD players and TiVo, to multiple PCs.
The HAVA will allow users to simultaneously connect to the HAVA from any location over an Internet connection to access TV and video content from the home.
HAVA also enables the PC to operate as a PVR with pause, fast-forward, rewind and record functions and allows TV content on the PC to be stored and burned onto DVDs. Windows XP Media Center Edition and Vista PC users can use HAVA as a TV tuner and add full multimedia capabilities to their PCs.
Unusual for the category, is the addition of HD video support (1,080i, 720p, 480p/576p) via component video connections.
