LIVEdigitally - EHX Fall 2004: DigitalDeck

DigitalDeck was founded in the late 90s with the original intent to build a platform for electronic-based trading card video games (like Magic the Gathering). Recognizing the opportunities in the "Digital Home", the company reinvented itself, leveraged much of its existing technology infrastructure, and developed a whole-home entertainment solution.

Over the course of the past few years, the company finished its technology, and decided to head down the path of building its own consumer brand, with the intent to develop and sell digital home entertainment products. At EHX, the company demonstrated its DigitalDeck "media server" and the eDeck "client" devices.

The DigitalDeck provides a multi-room PVR solution (imagine TiVo in every room of your house), with multiple sets of inputs, which allows you to hook up your cable box, DVD player, or other consumer electronics products.

The company's eDeck product is placed in any room where you want to watch content being recorded from the server. Also, the device is capable of streaming music, photos, and videos from a PC.

In general, the user interface was pretty clean and intuitive, although it was a little more "computer-ish" than I'd like to see for an entertainment device. The company recently announced they intend to sell products via SmartHome.

I like the fact that the company is taking the initiative to build a complete solution, and the offering does feel rather complete. I didn't get enough hands-on time with the system to really get a feel for how well it's all pieced together. I got the feeling from the company representatives that they do care a lot about their product, and intend to fulfill their promise: This is the system for the new millennium. . . a combination of sophistication and ease that renders other systems passé. High-tech addicts will find it irresistible: the coolest, most exciting entertainment network available.

Pictures of the products (click on the image for a full-screen view):
Their booth

DigitalDeck and eDeck units:

The (interim) remote control

NEXT... Epson (TV-based photo printing)