I’m no expert in these little home media boxes, but I suspect they are excellent investments for those of you with too much money. Certainly the abilities of a Vista Media Center type setup are enviable, but for $2000 you could have put another 10 inches on that screen and built a media box yourself. But I digress (and am probably wrong). This FUZEbox has up to 2TB of space, does DVR and basic media stuff, and networks itself into your home (360 support coming) — if you know how to do that or are willing to pay.

Interestingly, in the press release it promises “The capability to back up and distribute DVDs and Blu-Rays to various video zones,” but in the FAQ it helpfully states “There are a multitude of software options available for individuals to purchase that allow archiving of DVD content to their personal computers.” In other words, you’re on your own — but we won’t ask any questions. A safe position, I guess, but it would have been nice to have that capability on board. Watch the demo video here if you’re curious.

Windows Media Center is an awesome way to stream all your content over your network, but you are going to need Media Center Extenders to access the info on other TVs. This Linksys model isn’t the top of the line, but it seems to be one of the least expensive on the market and will get the job done if all you want to do is access your media files. Other models may offer more peppy CPUs or optical drives, but for only $99, the wireless DMA2100 would work great for a secondary TV.

Newegg via Gizmodo

MediaLive accessory introduced by Samsung allows for the streaming of digital content to most 2008 Samsung HDTV’s. Using Windows Media Center, photos, music and movies can be streamed in real-time. It has the capability to connect via an existing wireless network or using old–fashioned wires.

With access to online content providers such as Vongo, MovieLink, Showtime TV, XM Radio, and FOX Sports, consumers will be able to view a wide variety of entertainment. In the U.S., Windows Media Center features the Internet TV beta program, which offers access to viral videos, news stories, movie trailers, sports clips, cast interviews, movie concerts and more.

Available in August for an estimated $200 street price, the MediaLive will play H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and WMV videos along with familiar audio formats and jpeg pictures.

Want to watch 3,400 movies on Windows Media Center? Well, you now can. CinemaNow is now a direct plug-in to WMC, allowing you to download and play first-run titles like Juno (you go girl!). Pay-per-view titles costs $2.99-3.99 while download-to-own costs $9.99-$19.99. You should be able to add the new feature in the WMC dashboard.

Keyspan has announced that the RF remote for Windows Vista is now shipping. That’s right, it’s using radio frequency rather than infrared, because it you don’t need to be standing in front of the paired device for it to work, the signal is far greater (up to 90ft) and it functions through walls, but I digress. One more point about RF and we can move on. Because the remote works through walls or furniture for that matter, you have the option of hiding your PC or AV equipment in a different room (not very smart, but it’s an option) or you can enclose everything into a cabinet. Would be burglars or guests will be amazed at your non-existent home theater. I apologize for that tangent, but I felt it necessary.

Anyways, the Keyspan remote operates your Windows Vista Media enabled devices for the low, low price of $49. Keyspan’s RF Remote is Certified for Windows Vista and works with Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate.

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Makayama Interactive [company site]