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TV Time Shifters

Digital video recorders gained fame with TiVo. New competitors range from rented boxes to Media Center PCs--and our TV addict tried them all.

Lincoln Spector

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Orb: The Free Way to Share Media

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Orb Networks' Orb sends media over the Internet from your PC to any connected computer--for free. When you install the Orb program, it turns your Windows computer into a restricted Internet media server. You can use another PC or certain PDAs and smart phones to access your music, photos, videos, or television signal, if your host PC has a TV tuner. All the receiving device needs is broadband Internet access, a browser, and a media player.

Orb also works as a software DVR, and the programs you record are then available to anybody who logs in to your computer.

Orb isn't a perfect solution. Your PC must be booted up at home for you to be entertained from afar. And the video is far from TV quality. What's more, Orb can't play copy-protected media, such as songs you buy from ITunes or Napster, even if you can play them on the PC running Orb. On the other hand...it's free.

Lincoln Spector is a contributing editor for PC World.

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