Inside CNET Labs Podcast

The new WD TV Live DH Media player shares the same shape and size with the previous model, the WD TV, but has a lot more to offer.

(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)

Awhile ago, Western Digital tackled the home entertainment arena with the WD TV, which turned out to be a success. Nonetheless, a lot of enthusiasts, including me, were turned off by the fact that the WD TV lacks support for networking and doesn't include the capability to decode DTS audio, which is popularly used in compressed high-def video formats.

It seems Western Digital took our complaints to heart as the company announced Tuesday the availability of the next generation of the device, the WD TV Live HD Media Player.

Outside, the WD TV Live has the same shape and size as the WD TV. However, on the back, apart from the USB, HDMI, and composite ports, you'll find the newly added 10/100 Ethernet port. This port opens the device to many possibilities, which, for now, include access to YouTube, Flickr, and Internet radio stations.

On the inside, the device now can decode both DTS and DTS 2.0 audio encoding and sports a faster processor.

Like the previous WD TV, the new WD TV Live supports playing back all kinds of video, audio, and photo formats, including the most popular high-def video formats such as Matroska (MKV) and DivX. In addition, it also has these new and improved features:

• Full-HD 1080p video playback with support for different sound tracks, subtitles (when available), and the capability to decode DTS audio
• Capability to play videos, music, photos, and radio from the Internet
• Ethernet port for wired connection to access digital content from other network devices
• Supports two USB mass storage devices at the same time, including external hard drives, digital cameras, camcorders, and portable media players

WD TV Live DH Media Player photos

I tried the unit out and it was indeed a much better experience than the WD TV.

On Tuesday, Netgear announced its new Internet-connected Digital Entertainer Live set-top box.

(Credit: Netgear)

If you're a fan of devices that play media from USB drives, such as the WD TV, you'll probably find the newest toy from Netgear interesting.

The company announced Tuesday the newest Internet-connected set-top box in its Digital Entertainer product family, the Digital Entertainer Live (model EVA2000). The device is similar to the WD TV as it also has two USB ports and supports playback of a long list of digital media files, including DivX and Matroska MKV, a popular compressed format for high-definition movies.

(Credit: Netgear)

The EVA2000 incorporates an Ethernet port that gives it access to Internet-based media options that let you view YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, and a wide range of other free content on HDTVs. Other than free content, the EVA2000 also supports pay-per-view movies, such as those from Roxio CinemaNow.

According to Netgear, the Digital Entertainer Live features a built-in search engine that can perform dynamic keyword searches of more than 100,000 Web sites for Internet videos. The search results are categorized by popular subjects and put into separate folders.

The Ethernet port can also be used to connect the EVA2000 to other network devices, such as other computers or network storage devices to play digital content stored on them.

For those who want to use the new set-top box with fewer wires, the EVA2000 has an optional Digital Entertainer Live Wireless USB Adapter (EVAW111) that connects the device via Wi-Fi. However, it's always better to connect it using a network cable if you want to smoothly stream high-definition content from a network storage device.

The EVA2000 comes with an HDMI port for HDTVs and composite cables for older TVs. It also has regular RCA jacks to support analog TVs.

The Netgear Digital Entertainer Live is available now and costs $150. Its optional Wi-Fi adapter is available for another $40.

The pattern on the bottom of the bezel tells a long-forgotten tale. I'm possibly wrong on that, though.

(Credit: Asus)

The line between HDTVs and computer monitors continued to thin out Monday as Asus announced a new line of what are either small TVs or normal-size monitors.

Asus unveiled its new TV Monitor T1 series, which comes in 21.5-, 23-, and 27-inch models. All support a 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1920x1080 resolution. Other specs include a 300 cd/m2 brightness, 20,000 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, a 5ms response time, and two 7W stereo speakers.

Connections options include two HDMIs, VGA, Component, S-Video, and Composite inputs. No DVI is included, though, according to the spec list.

I have good news and bad news about the TV tuners included in the monitors. The good news is that each supports DVB-T and PAL/SECAM. The bad news is that those are European standards, as the monitors have not been announced for the U.S. market as of yet--only for Europe.

With any luck, when the U.S. versions are announced, decent TV Tuner support will be announced along with them. In the meantime, check out our latest Asus monitor review and other monitor reviews.

Jasper, my tour guide du jour, and a tracking device from his company, Skeye.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

Editor's note: CNET editor and Crave contributor Dong Ngo is spending several weeks in his homeland of Vietnam and will file occasional dispatches chronicling his adventures. To read stories from Dong's last visit, in December, click here.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam--Last December, I visited Ho Chi Minh City and discovered that while Wi-Fi was ubiquitous and the Internet was fast, it was incredibly hard to get across town.

Seven months later, the traffic here is still terrible. This time, however, I found that if you are in the right place, dealing with traffic isn't necessary at all.

The right place is District 1. Other than being the center of tourism with lots of hotels, famous landmarks, restaurants, and bars, D1 is also the site where you can get pretty much anything you need, especially when it comes to technology and digital entertainment. And it's all within a short walking distance.

I actually heard about this area during my last trip here. Jasper Waale, owner of Skeye, a GPS- and GSM-based tracking company operating in Vietnam and Laos--and an avid listener of the Inside CNET Labs podcast--insisted I check it out. I took a rain check till now.

Hung checks out my D80. (Just another example of how good I am with the iPhone camera.)

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

We met at Cafe Centro, a trendy yet casual coffeehouse located in the middle of D1's most bustling section. According to Jasper, this is a popular place for ex-pats to hang out for both fun and business. It offers reasonably priced refreshments and, of course, free Wi-Fi.

(By the way, there are lots of cafes in Ho Chi Minh City, and pretty much all of them offer free Wi-Fi. My other favorite is Cafe Da on Alexandre De Rhodes Street. Also in D1: the best ice milk coffee and smoothies I've ever had. If you go there, make sure you try the "Dong Tim" fruit shake. It's so good, it has my name on it!)

"You'll find me at Centro at least a couple of times a week," Jasper said. Then, in a slightly show-offy manner, he pulled out his brand-new-looking Nikon D300 camera.

"I just got a good deal on this one. I traded in my D80 and got about 80 percent of new value to put toward this new one. You'll have to come see this place," he said.

I was intrigued, partially because next to his D300, my 4-year-old D80 looked somewhat pathetic. I've considered upgrading my camera for a while, but anticipating the whole hassle of selling my D80 on eBay or Craigslist has stopped me.

He then took me to Thuong Xa Tax, a mini shopping mall that's just a five-minute walk from the cafe. "Mini" here, by the way, is according to American standards; this is actually one of the bigger trading centers here in Vietnam, and it is indeed very large.

As in most shopping malls here, you can find pretty much everything, but we walked straight to the Vinh Hung Camera shop. The owner, Hung, a friendly 40-something man, greeted Jasper like an old friend. He then took a quick look at my D80 and said, "I'll give you $600 for this one, body and lens." ... Read more

Ngaycuame.com's Web site offers suggestions for digitally celebrating Mother's Day, such as getting and sending e-cards.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

Editor's note: CNET editor and Crave contributor Dong Ngo is spending several weeks in his homeland of Vietnam and will file occasional dispatches chronicling his adventures. To read stories from Dong's last visit, in December, click here.

HANOI, Vietnam--I'm not a big fan of holidays. I don't mean the time off, of course, but the mass consumption that generally accompanies them.

For this reason, I've been sort of secretly happy that my parents live in Vietnam. This means that for years I haven't had to pay attention to Mother's Day or Father's Day. The Vietnamese, one would think, have no reason to even be aware of these American days. And for a long time, they weren't.

Thus, it was a revelation to me the other day, during a casual conversation at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, when a trendy-looking and friendly Vietnamese girl asked me if I had done anything for Father's Day.

Learning where I stand on the issue, the girl, Lan, expressed surprise. "I bought my dad a Gillette shaving set," she shared, "and he was very happy. You should have done something! I bought my mom a nice bouquet for Mother's Day a month ago, too."

Original American movies and TV programming with subtitles are popular in Vietnam.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

I was speechless. I live in America and my American friends have hardly ever asked me the same question. As it turned out, over the years I was away in America, American pop culture, via TV and the Internet, has sneaked into my home country in a big way.

Apparently, a month ago, for the first time, Mother's Day was a big event in Vietnam. Newspapers talked about it, TV talked about it, teenagers blogged and made YouTube videos about it, and people went out to buy flowers and presents for moms.

The day was hyped so much some people even felt guilty because they hadn't known about it in previous years. Yet at the same time, most didn't know the origin of it. "I had never heard of it and all of a sudden everywhere people started talking about it," Lan told me honestly. "But I think it's meaningful to honor your parents. Don't you think?"

Though it might have seemed "all of a sudden," the introduction of Mother's Day marked a very deliberate attempt by businesses here to sell products. ... Read more

The LaCinema Classic Bridge.

(Credit: Lacie)

Following the success of the Western Digital WD TV, an accessory for USB external hard drives that plays multimedia content stored on the hard drive, LaCie announced on Monday its LaCinema Classic Bridge.

Awhile ago I said all HDMI cables are basically created equal, regardless of price. That's about to change.

HDMI Licensing, the body responsible for licensing the High-Definition Multimedia Interface specification (widely known as HDMI) announced Wednesday the features that will be incorporated in the upcoming HDMI 1.4 specification.

A regular HDMI cable.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

Among other advancements, the latest HDMI specification will offer networking capabilities with Ethernet connectivity and will add an Audio Return Channel to enable upstream audio connections via the HDMI cable.

According to HDMI Licensing, the detailed HDMI specification 1.4 will be available for download on its Web site no later than June 30. For now, you can read more about the new version here.

Personally, I'm most interested in the networking capability, which is said to cap at 100Mbps; not as fast as Gigabit Ethernet but still plenty fast for virtually any IP application.

It's safe to say that in the very near future, you'll be able to conveniently surf the Internet, as well as check e-mail and instant messaging with your TV. It also means your entertainment corner will be less cluttered, as this spares you from the need for a separate Ethernet cable, currently a must if you have a setup that allows for Internet access from your TV.

There's a downside, however: the new standard will require a new HDMI cable. Existing HDMI cables, including the Monster Cables that you paid hundreds of dollars for, will not be compatible with the new standard as they are designed to deliver sound and graphics only.

Even if the existing cable could handle the new standard, in many cases you will still need to get a new cable as HDMI 1.4 also comes with a new connector called Micro HDMI, which is about 50 percent smaller than the current connector. This new connector will be used in portable devices and support resolution up to 1080p.

New devices that support HDMI 1.4 are expected to be available by the end of the year.

Trendnet's cool IP camera monitor and photo frame, the TV-M7, which debuted at CES 2009, just got a little cooler. The company announced Tuesday a firmware update for the 7-inch, wireless unit that adds two new major features to make it even more IP camera-centric.

The TV-M7

(Credit: Trendnet)

The first new feature is extended customization for the device's log-in screen. For example, you can now set the monitor to go straight to the IP camera selection page when turned on. Previously, you needed to go through a few menu items to get there.

The second feature is more significant. The TV-M7 can now monitor up to four IP cameras over the Internet. Previously, you needed a computer to view streaming video from Internet security cameras. However, in most cases, this new feature will require setting up a dynamic DNS service and port forwarding with a router.

You can view brief instructions on how to do that at TrendnetTV.com.

All new TV-M7 monitors will come with the firmware. Existing customers can download and install it for free at Trendnet's support Web site. The TV-M7 monitor comes with a two-year, limited warranty and has a suggested retail price of $275.

The BeoVision 4...it's thinking.

(Credit: Bang & Olufsen)

As Americans, many of us believe we'll be rich one day. Seriously, many of us believe it's only a matter of time before our ship comes rolling in and we'll be jet-skiing with bikini-clad models like the best of the rich folk.

Now there's a new reason to hold out hope. Bang & Olufsen just launched the BeoVision 4-103. It's an $111,805, 584-pound, 103-inch plasma TV with a full HD resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels. A TV that says to the world, "Look what a huge tool I am, that I would spend over $100K on an f*****g TV." I think that may actually be engraved somewhere on the system.

Not to say B&O isn't throwing in the bells and whistles to get the hard sell for this TV. Other than the ginormous screen, there are a couple of features included that sound really cool.

First off, this is quite possibly the first and only TV with a built-in minicamera that evaluates your television every 100 hours, then automatically adjusts the color balance.