In preparation of the approaching Google TV launch, Google has launched its Google TV web site and official blog sharing additional details on the content and application offerings we can expect. Google TV’s content offerings are comparable to what you expect from a mainstream HD media player like Roku (minus Hulu).

Several web sites including Blip.tv, TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and HBO are being optimized for viewing on Google TV’s WebKit-based Chrome browser. Much like Clicker.tv‘s couch-friendly interface, these sites will probably be HTML5. While the applications are obviously proprietary to the Android platform, the TV-friendly web sites are good news for HTPCs and media centers. For example, this opens up additional content to the Boxee Box whose (also WebKit-based) browser will make great use of these sites without the need for third-party apps.

A common and unfortunate misconception is that Google TV is all about accessing the Web using a web browser when in actuality it is about the Internet. Just like Android smartphones, over time we can expect lots of big screen apps and web sites designed with Google TV in mind. Among applications such as Pandora, CNBC Real-Time and NBA Game Time will be the usual video rental suspects: Netflix and Amazon VOD. Take a peak at some of the apps in the video below:

Great news indeed. Now if we can only get an official launch date for the Logitech Revue.

Read more at the Google TV Blog and check out the official Google TV web site.

Shortly after lowering prices on yesteryear’s models, Roku launches its new lineup of competitively-priced, streaming media players. The new players were first spotted in the FCC earlier this month toting Wireless-N, HDMI and composite connections. The models available (in order of awesomeness) are the $60 Roku HD which streams 720p content, the $80 Roku XD bringing 802.11n, and Instant Replay button and 1080p, and the $100 Roku XDS adding dual-band 802.11n, component video, optical audio and a USB port. A software update will be released for the XDS in November which will support the following file formats: mp4 and m4v (video); mp3, aac and m4a (audio); jpg and png (photos). Unfortunately, mkv is not among the supported video formats.

Still missing from the equation is the Netgear Roku XD Player which also showed up on the FCC filing with identical specs as the Roku XD. Perhaps a later announcement from Netgear will occur but at this time, there is no word on what this means.

As we draw near the November release of Boxee Box by D-Link, Boxee has announced that Amazon.com is now exclusively taking pre-orders ($199) for the Boxee Box. If you haven’t heard of the Boxee Box, I’ll give you a moment to crawl from under the rock you’ve been living under for the past year. The Boxee Box is a media player made by D-Link and Boxee which brings all the Internet TV and social networking goodness that Boxee provides straight to your TV in a simple, easy fashion.

Good news for folks around the world as well! Along with the US launch, D-Link has decided to launch the Boxee Box internationally to the following countries (for now): US, Canada, Australia and in Europe – Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

I’m definitely ordering one right now for my bedroom. If you also want 1080p playback, 5.1 surround sound, HDMI, 802.11n WiFi and a stupidly sweet two-sided remote with QWERTY keyboard, go on and pre-order your Boxee Box for $199 now!

Two new Roku players, the Roku XD (2050X) and Netgear Roku XD Player (NTV250), were submitted to the FCC on 9/2. What is clear from viewing the test reports is that both of these devices have identical descriptions: Ethernet, 802.11n, HDMI and RCA. Both devices were tested and submitted on the same day–one on behalf of Roku and the other by Netgear. Because of a confidentiality request restricting the public disclosure of the schematics and block diagram documents, we don’t have a clue on what the implications are of these two devices are.

Is Roku licensing their platform to hardware manufacturers while still selling their own set-top box through their own channels? We’ll have to see after October 23rd when the confidentiality is lifted.

After the HD200 being out of stock since June, SageTV not only has made the HD Theater available again, but has also provided an updated version that is smaller, more powerful and has more functionality. Meet the HD Theater 300. There is a lot of coverage on the web so I won’t go into details. Check out the following reviews or read the press release at the bottom for more details on the HD Theater 300.

Reviews (by People Who Know What They’re Talking About)

GeekTonic review - http://www.geektonic.com/2010/08/sagetv-hd300-hd-theater-geektonic.html
MissingRemote review - http://www.missingremote.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5120&Itemid=1

Press Release

SageTV Releases $149.95 SageTV HD Theater 300 for Full HD playback of home Video, Music & Photos

Fastest Full HD Networked Media Player also offers online video from YouTube and major networks

Inglewood, CA (August 31, 2010) — SageTV, LLC, today released SageTV HD Theater 300 for $149.95, that’s the fastest and latest generation networked media player from SageTV that lets you enjoy virtually any home video, music or photo from your home network in Full HD on your HDTV. You can also search, browse and play internet video from YouTube and many other popular online video services on the SageTV HD Theater 300. The SageTV HD Theater 300 supports the latest HD audio formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD/MA for bitstreaming to your HDMI 1.3 receiver as well as two channel decoding to provide full audio support on all TVs in your home.

Setup with the SageTV HD Theater 300 is really simple, connect the HD Theater 300 to your HDTV and connect to your home network and you’re ready to enjoy all your favorite digital entertainment. If you don’t have a home network near the TV, the optional USB wireless adapter ($29.95) is easy to use or any USB storage will work as well. Any NAS with Windows or Mac compatible networking or UPnP can also be used with the SageTV HD Theater 300.

The SageTV HD Theater 300 can also work as a whole home HDTV DVR solution by running SageTV Media Center software on any PC, Mac or Linux computer with a HDTV Tuner on the home network. With SageTV Media Center the SageTV HD Theater 300 works as a high performance HD Media Extender with providing a rich, animated whole home DVR and Media Center experience with full season recording. All the video, music and photos as well as TV Tuners and Internet video from the SageTV Media Center system are available when SageTV HD Theater 300 is used as a HD Media Extender.

Other notable features in SageTV HD Theater 300 include:

• Search for any content from USB, home network or Internet video.
• Works with flash or hard disk drive USB storage as well as UPnP, Windows and Mac compatible NAS or network storage.
• Access current weather and forecast with a touch of a remote button.
• Works with virtually any non-DRM video, music or photo format.
• Includes universal remote with programmable buttons and support for an optional external IR receiver.
• DVD and BluRay playback support (ISO, BDMV or VIDEO_TS)
• Very small footprint at only 5 1/16″ W x 1 1/2″ H x 4″ D

The SageTV HD Theater 300 provides an easy to setup way to enjoy your favorite home videos, music and photos and Internet video in Full HD at an affordable price. SageTV has been adding more and more new content and services to SageTV HD Theater 300 and SageTV Media Center and strives to deliver the best overall digital entertainment experience.

Specifications, Pricing and Availability

SageTV HD Theater 300 and all accessories are available at http://www.sagetv.com and costs $149.95. The optional USB Wireless g/n adapter is $29.95. The optional external IR receiver is $7.95. SageTV Media Center software, the DVR/Media Center software for Windows, Mac or Linux, costs $79.95. SageTV Placeshifter an add-on to SageTV Media Center allows live and recorded TV to be watched at home or anywhere over the internet, costs $29.95. Minimum system requirements for recording HD include a 3 Ghz processor or a lower cost processor in combination with a video card and decoder that support DXVA; Windows 98SE through Windows XP including XP MCE; 256Mb of RAM; and 60GB of available hard drive space to store recorded content.

About SageTV

SageTV, LLC is a pioneer in networked digital entertainment, dvr and home media center technologies that combine TV, video, music and related media into a complete, easy-to-use home media experience. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Inglewood, CA. For more information, visit http://www.sagetv.com

The reviewer was very pleased with the box as you can read in their summary:

I came to the Boxee offices expecting to see an early beta product – i.e., partial support for video formats, definitely not expecting such a pretty unit to be able to go and surpass the well established hoards of the media streaming world. I also didn´t expect to see a full Flash implementation, HD video hardware decoding et al. I really fell in love with this cute little box – it is not just pretty, but it definitely does the job without breaking sweat.

Head to hometheater.co.il to read the full review.

Update: Sold out as of 10:42 AM CST, however, you can use coupon code mp3tunes to get a brand new Roku HD for only $69.99 at Roku.com.

Woot’s deal of the day today is a refurbished Roku N1100 Wireless HD Media Player for $59.99 plus $5 shipping. The N1100 is what I consider the “silver” of the three Roku models available since it provides HD playback and WiFi unlike the SD, but doesn’t have Wireless N like the XD does.

This is a great deal considering the fact that the N1100 retails for $99.99 (without Roku’s current $89.99 limited time offer). And, for the wary, it also includes a 90 day warranty from Roku.

Don’t wait around because like all Woot deals this last for today only! Head to Woot if you want one.

The first Boxee Box by D-Link has been received by the Boxee team straight off the assembly line. Zach Klein, Boxee’s chief product officer, shows the media player in a brief video preview (see below). This is more of a look at the hardware than anything. No real details are provided other than a glimpse of the box, Boxee Box remote, splash screen and fingerprint resistant finish.

We can expect the Boxee Box some time in November per NewTeeVee. NOTE: Wheat Thins are not included!

Read more about the Boxee Box at http://boxee.tv/box.

SageTV has released two more firmware updates for the STP-HD200 since I last shared. These software versions are 20100713 0 and 20100716 0.

Changes for beta version 20100713 0 include:

1. Add 5 seconds timeout for pgs streams since they are sometime incomplete
2. Fix various pgs bugs
3. Try to improve output resolution detection compatibility
4. Add mkv chapter support in media player mode

Changes for beta version 20100716-0 include:

1. Fix dvd subpicture decoding
2. Add experimental dvb subpicture decoding in transport streams (Need server version at least 7.0.12 and reindexing)
3. Add forcergb option to custom video modes to force rgb colorspace output on hdmi.

Head over to the SageTV forums to download the newest beta and for instructions on how to install.

SageTV has released a new beta firmware update for their SageTV HD Theater (HD200) extender which contains the following changes:

1. Improve dts passthrough in mkv with slightly bad multiplexing.
2. Add pgs subtitle support in mkv
3. Fix connection to server issue that could cause hang or restart.
4. Use new output mode settings.
5. Update output resolutions code (fix issues from unannounced 20100709-0 firmware)

Media Player (Standalone) UI changes:

1. Added current online video version number to System Information screen.

Read more at the SageTV forums.