SnapStream launches Beyond Media
Snapstream's Beyond Media launches today. It's an extension of their excellent (my review from last year) PVR software to include all the other common home theater PC functionality you'd want like streaming music, photos, movies, as well as connected PC things like fetching the weather. This basically brings Snapstream's product up to equal something like Microsoft's Media Center, and it looks like a pretty impressive product from a small startup.
I'm tapping a friend to do a full review here soon, since I don't really have an easy HTPC setup at home anymore.
(Obvious disclaimer: they're an advertiser here, but I'm not pimping them for that reason.)
Unless they offer BeyondTV and Beyond Media together for the price they're asking for one, it's not a very compelling product. When a new Tivo is $99 after rebate, paying $120 for software (forget the hardware) that doesn't do that much more doesn't sound like a very good deal at all. Especially with the open-source $0 options available.
Posted by: Tim | December 02, 2004 at 04:36 PM
I think that Tim is right. Perhaps Beyond Media should be an upgrade to Beyond TV; especially since you pay $70 for BTV.
Posted by: Charles | December 02, 2004 at 10:29 PM
I wish it were more integrated with beyond tv. It's clearly a separate module/application. Still, it's a great first version, but yes, it's a little pricey.
Posted by: andrew | December 04, 2004 at 12:10 AM
I suppose it's reasonably smart to compare a 1-yr 0r 2-yr cost of ownership between PC-based solutions and subscription services like TiVo.
Posted by: charlie | January 08, 2005 at 12:19 PM