Getting Comfortable With Digital Entertainment (NAPSA)—Picture this: you can enjoy your digital photos, videos and music on the big screen of your television. If you’re like many PC owners, you would prefer to share your digital media with your family and friends from the comfort and convenience of the couch in the living room rather than on the PC screen. In fact, industry experts say that roughly half of PC owners with broadband Internet connections want to enjoy their digital media by connecting their PCs directly to TVs or stereos through their home entertainment center. Well now they’re in luck, because retailers are selling a growing number of new products—sometimes called “digital media receivers” or “media hubs”—that let them do just that. One such product lets users quickly and easily connect a PC to the TV through a home network to play digital content, as well as video or audio live from the Internet. Additionally, users can surf the Web, send and receive e-mail and chat with friendsvia the television. “Everything points to the fact that people want the option of taking Internet entertainment and stored personal photos, music and videos out of the confines of their homeoffices and into the comfort of their living rooms,” said Sam Klepper, general manager of Microsoft’s MSN TV division, offs Getthe big picture. New software lets you display digital photos on your television set. which created the new MSN TV 2 Internet and Media Player. From single purpose devices that play either audio or video downloaded from the Internet to video game boxes and high-end “media hub” PCs, consumers have their pick of ways to enjoy Internet entertainment—when, where and how they want. “Consumers don’t have to huddle in front of a computer screen to see or listen to digital content anymore,” said Klepper. “Digital media receivers make it easy for them to bring the compelling new entertainment available on the Internet—as well as personal photos and digital home movies—into the comfort of their living room, the traditional hub for enjoying entertainment. It’s an idea whose time has come.” Further information can be found at www.msntv.com.
