MediaPlayer
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Winamp plans a streaming-friendly revival in 2019
Winamp, a relic from the Wild West days of digital music, not only still exists but has a major update on the way for next year. Parent company Radionomy is planning to reboot the service as an all-in-one app that pulls podcasts, playlists, streaming radio stations—basically any sound you can fill your ears with—into a single platform. According to TechCrunch, the update is due out in 2019.
Plex can beam Live TV broadcasts on Roku
With the launch of Live TV and DVR in June, Plex took a big step toward becoming an all-round media replacement. Since then, it's wasted no time in introducing the feature to more platforms, including Android and Apple TV. Not to be left behind, Roku devices are now getting Plex Live TV, too. But there's a catch: You can't yet schedule recordings through Plex DVR on the streaming player. Plus, the perk is still reserved for Plex Pass subscribers (who pay $5 per month, $40 per year, or $120 lifetime for a bunch of extras). To soften the blow, Roku owners will be able to watch recordings from other supported platforms, including iOS, the Plex web app, Android, Android TV, Apple TV and iOS. The release is currently in beta, and is expected to roll out to all Plex Pass subscribers next week. All you need to get set up is a compatible tuner connected to a TV antenna or cable jack, and you can leave the rest to Plex.
Attackers can use video subtitles to hijack your devices
Be careful before you fire up media player software to play that foreign-language movie -- it might be a way for intruders to compromise your system. Check Point researchers have discovered an exploit that uses maliciously crafted subtitles to take control of your device, whether it's a PC, phone or smart TV. It's not picky about the program, either -- the researchers demonstrated the flaw in Kodi, PopcornTime, Stremio and VLC. The technique isn't particularly complicated, and relies on a tendency by developers to assume that subtitles are little more than innocuous text files.
PS4 Pro plays your 4K video files
So far, watching 4K video on a PS4 Pro has meant streaming from the likes of Netflix and YouTube. But what about all the 4K footage you shot on your phone? You should be covered after today. Sony is rolling out an update to the PS4 Pro's Media Player app that will let you play locally-stored 4K videos. They'll have to be encoded as MP4 files, but you can play them either from a USB drive or from a media server on your home network. And if you happen to own both a PlayStation VR headset and a Pro, you'll see support for 4K VR videos.
PS4 adds 360-degree videos and photos in time for PSVR
Now that the PSVR has finally been released to the public, Sony can now bring new PS4 features online that take advantage of the new peripheral. A few of these come in an update to the console's Media Player, which now lets users watch 360-degree video and photos when they don the headset. They've also added support for audio played in the high-definition FLAC format as well as boosting the quality of lossy music.
VLC media player hits Windows 10 today, Xbox One this summer
At last, VideoLAN's VLC media player has a universal Windows 10 app... and it definitely won't be confined to conventional Windows devices for long. The developer has released a Windows 10 beta that, on a base level, embraces Microsoft's modern OS on both PC and mobile. You'll get recent VLC staples like a media library, a network browser and a "full" player alongside Windows 10 perks like Cortana voice commands, live tiles and Continuum support when you dock your phone. However, the real fun might come later. VLC has teased the app's promised HoloLens and Xbox One support, and it's clear that it won't lose much (if anything) in translation -- the features and interface will be familiar whether you're watching on a console or an augmented reality headset.
VLC for Android now plays videos from your local network
VLC for Android just became much, much more useful if you like full control over how and where you play your videos. The newly released VLC 2.0 rolls in a few big features that you may well have missed, most notably network browsing. Yes, you can find that elusive movie on your home media server. The upgrade also brings a pop-up video window that's helpful for tablet owners eager to multitask.
VLC media player is coming to Xbox One
The promise of Windows apps on Xbox One has been hanging out there for quite a while, but now that it's really happening we're seeing some results. One of the big names that will arrive on the console this summer is VLC, a popular desktop media player that already has versions for other connected TV platforms. Maintainer Thomas Nigro says that making it a UWP app means a beta version will hit Windows 10 Mobile next week before its official debut in May and an official version for Windows 10 desktop is due in mid-May.
Plex comes to the new Apple TV for free
The Plex team just delivered the first version of its media streaming app for the new Apple TV. Now that there's an app store, Plex's media player is accessible without any jailbreaking or even AirPlay sidestepping necessary and better yet, it's free to use. All you'll need is one of the double-height media players and the latest version of Plex Media Server to give it a try -- no in-app purchases or PlexPass subscription necessary. At least for now, Plex says it's using TVML for the app instead of writing a fully native version, which enabled it to get up and running in just five weeks.
Plex's redesigned desktop media player comes with 4K support
Just as it did in 2012, Plex is once again bringing a new look to its desktop app for PCs. Back then the service focused on offering more of a living room-friendly experience, hence the application being renamed to Home Theater. Now, Plex Media Player intends to keep that going, but with an improved user interface that matches its various TV apps that will "leave all that original code behind." To help, it's switched the media playback engine to mpv, and hired the primary contributor from that open source project as a full timer to help out. Aside from the redesigned and speedier UI, which brings it in line with Plex's smart TV, console and set-top apps, there's support for a "true" 4K interface, multi-channel music tracks and improved compatibility with H.265 video files, among other things. PlexPass subscribers can try out an early preview of the app now, before it releases for everyone later on. According to Plex, Home Theater will continue to be available and open source, though the firm doesn't have any plans to continue developing for it.
Plex's media-playing iOS app finally got an overhaul
Plex has overhauled its iOS app, which it's also calling the poster child "for new feature support", that includes Plex Home, music features like multi-disc support and mixes and music videos and secure connections. Because it's all new, you'll need iOS 8.1 or higher, but you've got that right? The app's free to download today, and will even double up as a remote for Plex on the big screen. You can also share content from your camera roll straight to any Plex player. To get full-fat functionality, you'll have to send some dollars through an in=app payment, but that's where most of the new stuff comes in.
Plex's revamped Roku channel gives you a better look at your videos
To put it mildly, the Plex channel for Roku players is due an overhaul -- an interface full of dull squares doesn't exactly do justice to your extensive media collection. Thankfully, Plex is giving the channel the makeover it needs. The new version brings the Roku client up to snuff with what you get on other platforms, including rich cover art and a greater emphasis on discovering video content like movie trailers and behind-the-scenes footage. As with Plex's other recent upgrades, though, there are a few things missing at the moment. The revamped software will handle your movies, music and TV shows, but channels, photos and playlists are still "coming soon." Also, you may have to be patient. The redesigned front end is available today to Plex Pass subscribers as a preview, but you'll have to wait if you'd rather not cough up cash for early access. Update: Roku has also rolled out a faster YouTube experience with the new UI seen on Xbox One and other platforms for the Roku 3 and Roku Streaming Stick, while Roku TVs (TVs with Roku embedded) finally have access to WatchESPN.
VLC's Android media player is (mostly) finished
VideoLAN's multi-talented VLC media player has taken a while to reach Android in finished form -- long enough that the developers revived the iOS app in the meantime. At last, though, it appears to be ready for prime time. The team has updated VLC for Android (you may see the old version listed for a short while) to drop the beta tag, making it officially complete. That's not entirely true in practice, mind you. The version notes still talk about previous fixes for Android 5.0 Lollipop and devices using newer ARMv8 processors, and Chromecast streaming support (unveiled in June) still isn't here. This is more of a formality than a major update, then, but it's still an important milestone for one of the better-known audiovisual apps.
The Xbox One is getting major media updates: here's a breakdown
Microsoft has just kicked off Gamescom 2014 by announcing a plethora of new features coming to the Xbox One -- some you may have known about, and some not. First up is a much anticipated feature: a new app will soon turn the Xbox One into a media player, letting you stream movie and audio files from a USB key or DLNA network. Microsoft's Major Nelson has promised that the console will support many more media formats than the Xbox 360 did, including new file types like MPEG2 TS, animated GIF and MKV. A preview version of the app will arrive first with USB support, while DLNA and certain file formats like MKV won't come until later. (For a list of compatible file formats, check the source, and look after the break for a demo of the new features.)
Neil Young's music player for audiophiles reaches Kickstarter on March 15th
We now know how Neil Young plans to make his dreams of high-quality digital music come true: crowdfunding. The artist's company PonoMusic is launching a Kickstarter campaign on March 15th that will let you reserve the PonoPlayer, Young's long-teased, audiophile-grade portable jukebox. The 128GB device will set you back a whopping $399 when it goes on sale (less with the Kickstarter discount), but its creators are promising audio fidelity worthy of the price tag. The hardware will offer natural-sounding digital filtering from Ayre Acoustics, ESS' most advanced digital-to-analog converter and "perfectly flat" frequency response with most any set of headphones. As you might expect, there will be a matching online store that delivers high-resolution tunes. The PonoMusic team hasn't said just when its media player will reach your pocket, but it shouldn't be too long before you're listening to a pristine version of Harvest while on the move.
Plex multimedia app gets a new UI to match iOS 7
Plex might be a straggler in the iOS 7 app update parade, but as they say: better late than never. The refreshed app comes with a new look for Apple's latest mobile platform, but since it retains most of the old interface's elements, you can't exactly call it a complete overhaul. Other than this mostly skin-deep change, this release also brings a new video player, an "improved music player" and the ability to sniff out URLs from the clipboard for queuing to its myPlex cloud-synced platform. Finally, its creators peppered in a bunch of bug fixes, including ones for random freezes and syncing errors, to make version 3.3 more palatable and perhaps more worth its $5 price in the App Store.
VLC returns to iOS after two-year hiatus, brings AirPlay and Dropbox integration
VideoLAN's original VLC for iOS had a brief and rocky history: open source licensing quirks led to the media player being pulled from the App Store just months after launch. More than two years later, it's back with a compatible license -- and it's bringing a slew of new features in return for the wait. VLC 2.0 supports all the file formats of its desktop counterpart while throwing in AirPlay, background audio, network streaming and numerous smaller tweaks. It's also better suited to sharing with support for Dropbox, the iOS sharing prompt, web downloads and WiFi uploads. The revived VLC app is gradually rolling out now, and its source code should be available for tinkering by July 19th.
Slingbox 500 gets My Media feature, morphs into AV player
While the Slingbox 500 lets you place-shift and sync media from your iOS or Android devices, it's a shame it hasn't been able to play other media, too, since it's parked beside your TV. Slingbox thought so as well, and announced the My Media feature way back in January that would bring video and photo playback to that device and its Slingbox 350 cousin. It's finally arrived via a firmware update, and you'll now be able to check out video and images in most formats from FAT32 or NTFS drives under 3TB in size. Also included are better streaming via iOS devices, improved SlingSync transfer speeds and minor bug fixes. It should be arriving for the Slingbox 350 soon, so if you're hoping to declutter a bit, check your device to grab it.
Redray 4K player now shipping, UHDTV not included
4K televisions are all the rage right now, but they're still dogged by a slight problem: where's the content? Red has taken one step to rectify that, as it's finally started shipping it's Redray media player, which can send a native 4K (4,096 × 2,160) or up-converted HDTV signal to your UHDTV. It uses wavelet compression tech to play 4:2:2, 12-bit video over a relatively miniscule 2.5MB/s pipe, allowing up to 60 fps 4K video in 3D from a hard drive, USB key or other source. Red will also offer online 4K content via its Odemax.com network, though there's no word yet on when that'll launch. Meanwhile, those who pre-ordered the player for $1,450 last year (it's now $1,750 at Red's store) should be receiving it soon, along with an iOS app to control it, pending Apple's say-so. As for the Redray laser projector -- also promised earlier this year starting at $10,000 -- there's still no word on when it'll grace our eyes. Update: The original headline said Redray projector, but it's the Redray player that's shipping.
XBMC for Android's End User Friendly build gets stable release
Back in January, XBMC for Android trotted out what it called the first End User Friendly build of its mobile media center -- a release designed with compatibility in mind. Half a million downloads later, the team is ready for the custom build's first major update, releasing XBMC for Android's first stable End User Friendly version today. "This is the first and only truly End User Friendly release of XBMC available on the internet," writes the team on its project's blog. "We're hoping that it will in time bring XBMC to a whole new mainstream level." For the uninitiated, the release page gives new users a brief rundown of what XBMC is, explaining how the software snags streaming content from all over the web and serves it to the user in a single, easy to access place. Installation is a little more complicated than simply hitting up Google Play, but folks who tried the team's last release should be familiar with the process: sideload two APKs, and jump in. Check out the release for yourself at the source. Update: To be clear, XBMC for Android is in no way affiliated with the official build of XBMC.
