Seagate Free Agent Theater

Seagate Free Agent Theater

Details: Category: DVD and DVR; Written by Rich McComas

Rather than re-invent yet another home theater experience, Seagate has built on the Free Agent GO portable hard drive product to develop a simple home media solution that almost anyone can understand and implement. To create a slide show, simply copy the images and audio into a directory on the drive.

The Free Agent Theater product provides 1080i output and connects to the TV using component, s-video, or xxx outputs. The interface is similar to your computer -- just browse the files on the removeable hard drive till you find the directory you want to use, and press the play button on the remote.

For those relatives that don't know much about technology, you can record family movies and photos to the drive from a PC, and then just send them the drive to plug into the theater unit.

The product also includes a docking station for your computer, so that you can copy data files over using a USB connection. It reads standard DVD movie formats as well as other video formats.

Also, while the display is only 1080i, if you have larger images, you can zoom in and with each zoom level, the picture reloads, so you will see the highest resolution possible.

Who are the Gadget Gurus?

Gadget Gurus technology reviews are heard and read by millions of people across the United States, including more than a dozen print publications, dozens of tier-one radio stations, on third-party websites, and more than ever, online at our own website.

NEWS: This year, you will see a number of exciting announcements from Gadget Gurus, including podcasts, our syndicated "Gadgets-in-a-Minute" broadcasts, and our ever-expanding "Best Of" lists. Also, you will be seeing our portfolio of magazine "gadget pages" growing into a number of vertical markets.

TECH2 LAKE HOUSE

UPDATE - The exterior of the Technology Lake House is complete and we are now working on interior finishing and electronics. Last year, San Francisco's Channel 7 ABC News ran a special video report on the construction progress of the Technology Lake House, and we expect them back for a follow-up soon. Click HERE for a DLINK Live Video Feed with pan and zoom features (userid=user, no password, daylight hours only).

Ron Rosberg's current project home, the Technology Lake House, is currently under construction on the shores of Clearlake in Northern California. Even though the house is a wireless demo house, we have installed more than seven miles of wires in the walls for dozens of flat panel TVs, speakers, control panels, and sophisticated lighting. So far, more than a dozen technology and fixture manufacturers have agreed to sponsor this project, which has been simmering in Ron's head since he attended the first CES show in New York in 1967. The 7,500 square foot project (plus three existing rustic cabin guest houses) is being built on a five-acre Honeymoon Cove resort with 500 feet of beach directly across from Konocti Harbor Resort. This summer retreat will host technology gatherings annually, inviting Western states home builders, contractors, and technology consultants for a live open house showcasing the latest in home technologies. There is room to park plenty of boats, so plan on coming up for some lake fun after the project is complete. For more info, send email to ronald@usa.net, or call 707-995-2683. To see the latest photos, visit Ron's Flickr gallery.

We are currently looking for products to evaluate in these areas:

Home automation: lighting, security, and entertainment
A/V technology for the 500 SF home theater media demo room

Hot News on Cool New Features: The ENTIRE front of the home is made of 21 sliding NanaWall glass panels that fold into the walls, opening the entire home up to the lake during demo days.