PC media center and extension device for a home entertainment system
First Claim
1. A media center extension device, wherein the media center extension device is connected to a set top box, a personal computer media center, a remote control device, and a display device, and wherein the media center extension device is to receive a first media signal directly from the set top box having a tuner used to tune to the first media signal, the media center extension device comprising:
- an input to receive the first media signal tuned to by the set top box directly from the set top box;
an encoder within the media center extension device coupled to the input of the media center extension to encode the first media signal received directly from and tuned to by the set top box into a first media stream;
a network interface coupled to the encoder to send the first media stream via a home network from the media center extension to the personal computer media center;
a decoder coupled to the network interface to decode a second media stream into a second media signal, the second media stream being received via the home network from the personal computer media center on the network interface; and
a display interface to render the second media signal on the display device.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Within a media center extension device, a first media signal is received from a media source and encoded into a first media stream, which is sent via a network to a personal computer media center. Within the personal computer media center, the first media stream is stored within a storage device, such as a hard disk drive. Also within the personal computer media center, a second media stream is retrieved from the storage device, which is sent via the network to the media center extension device. Within the media center extension device, the second media stream is decoded into a second media signal, which is rendered for display on a display device.
-
Citations
58 Claims
-
1. A media center extension device, wherein the media center extension device is connected to a set top box, a personal computer media center, a remote control device, and a display device, and wherein the media center extension device is to receive a first media signal directly from the set top box having a tuner used to tune to the first media signal, the media center extension device comprising:
-
an input to receive the first media signal tuned to by the set top box directly from the set top box; an encoder within the media center extension device coupled to the input of the media center extension to encode the first media signal received directly from and tuned to by the set top box into a first media stream; a network interface coupled to the encoder to send the first media stream via a home network from the media center extension to the personal computer media center; a decoder coupled to the network interface to decode a second media stream into a second media signal, the second media stream being received via the home network from the personal computer media center on the network interface; and a display interface to render the second media signal on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method comprising:
-
tuning to a first media signal from a media source using a tuner at a set top box; transmitting the first media signal directly from the set top box to a media center extension device, wherein the media center extension device is connected to a set top box, a personal computer media center, a remote control, and a display device; encoding the first media signal received directly from and tuned to by the set top box into a first media stream at the media center extension device; sending the first media stream via a home network from the media center extension device to the personal computer media center; receiving a second media stream from the personal computer media center at the media center extension device via the home network; decoding the second media stream into a second media signal at the media center extension device; and providing the second media signal from the media center extension device for display and rendering on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. An entertainment system comprising:
-
a personal computer media center comprising; a network interface to send and receive media streams through a home network; and a storage device to store media streams; a set top box comprising a tuner to tune to a first media signal from a media source; and a media center extension device lacking a tuner, wherein the media center extension device is connected to a set top box, the personal computer media center, a remote control, and a display device, and wherein the media center extension device comprises; an input to receive the first media signal directly from the set top box; an encoder within the media center extension device coupled to the input of the media center extension device to encode the first media signal received directly from and tuned to by the set top box into a first media stream; a network interface coupled to the encoder to send the first media stream via a home network from the media center extension to the personal computer media center; a decoder coupled to the network interface to decode a second media stream into a second media signal, the second media stream having been received from the network interface; and a display interface to render the second media signal on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
-
-
53. An entertainment system comprising:
-
a personal computer media center comprising; a network interface to send and receive media streams through a network; and a storage device to store media streams; and a plurality of media center extension devices coupled to the personal computer media center through the network, each media center extension device comprising; an input to receive a first media signal from a media source; an encoder coupled to the input to encode the first media signal into a first media stream; a network interface coupled to the encoder to send the first media stream via a network to the personal computer media center; a decoder coupled to the network interface to decode a second media stream into a second media signal, the second media stream being received via the network from the personal computer media center on the network interface; and a display interface to render the second media signal on a display device, wherein each media center extension device is coupled to a separate display device.
-
-
54. A method for providing a home entertainment system comprising:
-
connecting a media center extension device to a set top box, a remote control, a display device, and to a personal computer media center using a home network; using an encoder within the media center extension device, encoding a signal received by the media center extension device from the set top box into a stream of data, wherein the signal received by the media center extension device was tuned to using the set top box; transporting the data stream from the media center extension device to the personal computer media center using the home network; recording the data stream onto a storage medium in the personal computer media center; reading the data stream from the storage medium in response to a first user request; transporting the retrieved data stream via the home network to the media center extension device; transforming the retrieved data stream back into a new signal; and rendering the new signal for display on a display device coupled with the media center extension device. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
-
-
57. A media center extension device, wherein the media center extension device is connected to a set top box, a personal computer media center, a remote control, and a display device, and wherein the media center extension device comprises:
-
means for receiving a first media signal tuned to by a set top box directly from the set top box; means within the media center extension device for encoding the first media signal into a first media stream; means for sending the first media stream via a home network from the media center extension device to a personal computer media center; means for receiving a second media stream from the personal computer media center via the home network; means for decoding the second media stream into a second media signal; and means for rendering the second media signal for display on a display device.
-
-
58. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program instructions that cause a computer to implement a method within a media center extension device for displaying media signals, wherein the media center extension device is connected to a set top box, a personal computer media center, a remote control, and a display device, and wherein the method comprises:
-
receiving a first media signal directly from a set top box, wherein the first media signal was tuned to by the set top box; encoding the first media signal using an encoder within the media center extension device into a first media stream; sending the first media stream via a home network from the media center extension device to a personal computer media center; receiving a second media stream from the personal computer media center via the home network; decoding the second media stream into a second media signal; and providing the second media signal for display on a display device.
-
Specification