SageTV back with HD Theater media extender

SageTV has launched a new HD extender over the weekend, called the HD Theater or HD200. The HD200 has many of the same functions of the HD100 it replaces, including the same video and audio format support. The HD200 will connect to home networks or directly to PCs preloaded with software that makes them DHCP servers via an Ethernet jack. It has a rear- and front-panel USB port for connecting external drives or USB flash drives for local streaming to users' HDTVs.

SageTV offers users a choice of user interfaces via downloadable STVs and applications it calls STVi, or SageTV Imports, that include plug-ins that will play Internet audio streams or cable-box-like program reminders, among others.

The HD200 will support AVI, VOB, MPEG1, 2 and 4 video files, along with 1080p H.264 and WMV9/VC-1 formats. Audio support consists of MP2, MP3, AAC, WMA, stereo-only Ogg Vorbis, stereo down-mix/pass-through AC3, FLAC and pass-through DTS. A fanless design makes the operation of the HD200 silent.

Video connections include one each of an HDMI, component, composite and S-video ports while audio outputs are composed of one pair of RCAs and an optical jack. Via an optional SageTV Version 6 software and HDTV tuner, users can watch, pause and record live HDTV programming.

The HD200 is priced at just shy of $200, or the same price as the outgoing HD100, despite being smaller, sporting a faster processor and holding more memory. [viaGeektonic]