InteractTV Debuts MyTellyHD Media Server

If you want a media center with 720p output, gigabit Ethernet, DVD upscaling, and DVD-saving capabilities - all under Linux - then MyTellyHD is for you.

A lot of the media center buzz is, of course, centered around Windows Media Center Edition and (soon) Vista-branded media center technology, but that doesn’t mean Redmond is the only town in the game. Interact-TV has just announced their MyTellyHD high-definition media center system built on Linux, with an impressive set of features sure to appeal to movie and TV show enthusiasts who maybe aren’t so keen on the Windows empire.

MyTellyHD is a futuristic slab designed to slip into existing home entertainment rigs, and offers subscription-free personal video recorder functionality, a built-in video library with DVD-save capabilities (video is saved to internal hard disk, available in 160 or 400 GB capacities), along with the ability to manage music and photo libraries. But that’s not all: MyTellyHD will upscale standard DVDs and 480i video to 720p, and offers S-Video and 720p component video output, gigabit Ethernet for shuttling media about the home, and S-Video, component, and co-ax inputs for hooking up your existing media sources. The front of the unit offers 2 USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, and headphone and mic jacks; the back of the unit sports four more USB 2.0 ports, PS2 mouse and keyboard inputs, serial, and VGA output; there’s even a PCI slot if you decided to get adventurous. Even better, the entire MyTellyHD is cooled without fans, so it’s super-quiet during those dramatic moments.

“The MyTellyHD Media Server with 720p Component video output is a great way for consumers to rediscover their DVD collection,” said Ken Fuhrman, CTO of Interact-TV. “Now consumers can truly take advantage of their new HD monitors with a system designed to handle HD. And upscaling recorded TV and regular DVDs from 480i to 720p lets consumers that don’t have access to HD programming get a complete HD experience at an unbeatable price point.”

MyTellyHD starts at $899 and is available from Interact-TV’s online store.