Broadband equipment provider 2Wire is pitching an "intelligent home server" that promises to allow service providers to deliver remote video-access features similar to Sling Media's Slingbox.
The 2Wire MediaPortal platform allows providers to combine broadcast satellite or off-air TV programming with broadband services, delivered over digital subscriber line (DSL) connections.
The new intelligent home server from 2Wire provides network-attached storage, actively discovers content from other networked devices and aggregates it into categorized libraries. The server features a Web-based user interface, customizable by the service provider, for simple subscriber access and configuration on the provider's portal site, utilizing the subscriber's existing username and password.
Another new component, 2Wire Shifter, requires an adapter the size of a deck of cards. It enables Web-based remote access of any multimedia content, including live streaming television, to any content-capable device, such as a laptop computer or mobile phone.
