Helios Labs has released a software update for its Odyssey Media Hub that adds support for BitTorrent and ED2K (eMule) peer-to-peer file sharing protocols. The idea is that users can configure media downloads via a Web browser, and watch them at their convenience on their living room TV without the overhead (and noise) of a full-blown PC.
“With the Internet becoming more about media and entertainment, connecting the Web directly to the living room where your best media settings and sound systems are is an irrefutable [sic] step for us,” said Helios Labs CEO Jean Chen. “After all, the living room is the most comfortable and preferred platform for enjoying entertainment at home.”
The Odyssey Media Hub is designed to function as the centerpiece of digital entertainment in the living room, offering up to 1 TB of storage capacity and the capability to stream content to any UPnP-enabled Network Media Player or Helios Labs’ own X3000/X5000 media players. Helios Labs is offering special U.S. promotional pricing for the Odyssey Media Hub beginning today for $189; although the Odyssey doesn’t ship with a hard disk, it sports a 3.5-inch bay and support for SATA I/II hard drives, along with three USB 2.0 ports and 100BBase-T Ethernet. Helios Labs plans to introduce the Odyssey in Europe during the second quarter of 2008.