Get TV on your Pocket PC with SDIO tuner
By Marc Perton 
posted Jan 13th 2006 5:45PM
posted Jan 13th 2006 5:45PM
Given that we've seen plenty of PMPs with displays smaller
than those on most cellphones, it seems only logical that you might want to catch some TV on the massive (by comparison,
at least) display on most Windows Media PDAs. So, it's good to see that Eopstech is finally coming out with their Pocket
PC SDIO TV tuner, a mere two years after they first announced it. The tuner is NTSC and PAL compatible, and is designed
to pick up terrestrial analog broadcasts. Yeah, it's not HD or even cable. But if you just can't bear to miss the
latest "Dancing with the Stars," this could be just the thing for you.[Via MSMobileNews]
I'll just get Slingbox mobile instead!!
Kinda does't seem worth it.. If it only picks up Analog Antena signals then it isnt gunna do anything after Feb 2009..
Then I ask myself why would they launch this when the Goverment made it final on use of the Analog spectrum..
I pulled up the specs (PDF) and a video... the idea is nice, the implementation is kind of lame. There is an external battery pack (which also outputs the audio -- none through the PDA itself) they expect you to velcro to the back of your PDA... you can also use a DC adapter.
PDF is here:
http://www.eopstech.com/eops/img/pdf/SDIO_TV_spec_1_0_2a.pdf
I am really surprised that it doesn't support HD over-the-air singles. Granted it is only an SD card but remember with this device you have to have additional power for the unit. Actually, more like massive power because you need a 1200 mAh battery just to run it for 2.5 hours! I guess the battery is also for the external soundcard...why video and audio can't both make it across the SD bus...
So, why would anyone buy such an expensive add on, that only outputs audio from itself, requires a fairly large battery pack and antenna, and will only receive analog signals?
Orb on your home pc can stream standard and HD content right off your tv tuner and can even transcode your previously recorded content on the fly for viewing on your pocket pc and smartphone. Slingbox offers a standalone solution that gives nearly the same results. And with EDGE, EV-DO, and HSDPA either rolling out or deployed, most power users (which this device seems to target) can already receive a fairly high-bitrate stream from either of the two previously mentioned sources.
"it strikes me as totally ridiculous that American markets, unlike Japan and Korea, don't have viable portable LCD televisions"
Where were you back in the 1980s? Portable televisions were sold then, but they fizzled. My wife has one that she rescued from a trash can sometime in the early 1990s. It was working, but apparently the previous owner just didn't want it any more. My wife turned it on once, and never used it again. I, who am much more gadget-oriented than she, have seen it around the house for going on ten years now, and never once had the impulse to try it out. It's just not that interesting.
#7, Damon:
She's using the HTC Magician (aka i-mate Jam, Qtek S100, ...).
Oh this reminds me of the GameGear TV Adapter. I remember that analog broadcasts delivers terrible content. I would be impressed if it picks up satellite TV :P
Do you get flat rate data billing plan for EDGE, EV-DO, and HSDPA in the USA? I live in UK and 3G mobile operators charge about US$4.5 for the first 5MB and then US$3.5 per MB above the 5MB allowance. So my wallet will (more loudly) shout 'NOOO' to video streaming.
and I Quote, "Sega Game Gear had an Add on tuner back in the day,but technology has advanced so far that now we have the SONY PSP with a 16:9 widescreen. Why doesn't SONY make a cheaper version of the PSP that is simply a TV and UMD player?
Posted at 6:15PM on Jan 13th 2006 by HUSTLE SIMMONS."
There is a cheaper way of doing just that. PSP2TV by teamxtender.com, the one of which I won in their contest, lets you play it on tv's of all brands. It's really neat, considering I've been playing video games for atleast 30 years now. Finally somebody came out with a great idea. If Sony had of thought about it, and saw it in a real money making idea. Well, it would probably cost twice what it does now. Sony should have come out with an addon, that sends through wifi (via Ad-Hoc). Kinda like location free but different.
I've been able to watch live streaming television on my treo for quite some time. The screen is better at 320x320 than windows device which only support 240.
Hmm, analog TV when analog TV will be shut down in the U.S. by 2009.
I was wondering the same thing: Why no HDTV support?
It'll be pretty much useless without that in a few years.
Now, if it had HDTV support, I'd consider it, but since I don't watch that much TV to begin with, it's not worth it.
Victor,
In the USA, most mobile providers are offering "all you can eat" data plans. T-Mobile (which is my provider) allows for a $20 a-month all your can eat data plan that includes unlimited usage of their EDGE network.
Verizon also offers a similar (but higher priced) plan on their EV-DO network. Cingular as well, and as yet Cingular is the only provider rolling out HSDPA.
Presumably, T-Mobile will increase the price of their unlimited service when they begin to roll out UMTS in the larger metropolitan locations.
ian, the adapter hustle is referring to allows you to watch tv on the portable device -- the opposite of the psp2tv
why in the hell would anyone want a pocket pc blech
Nick - if you go to T-Mobile's site, the 'unlimited' plans for $20 are keyed to Blackberry and Sidekick devices. The real 'unlimited' plan is $50/mo data only (ie: you'll need to purchase a phone plan as well or pay 20c/min for voice phone).
Also, most of these 'unlimited' plans aren't really unlimited. They're based around a typical max use of around 50MB/month and in many cases, if you check the EULA you'll find the clause which limits you to that.
However, I can't find any explicit limits or restrictions on T-Mobile's data service.
As for all the 'analog TV is dead in 2009'... I seem to recall that until recently, we were being told analog TV is dead in 2007.
Until TVs and VCRs (yes, most people still buy VHS tape recorders) come with digital TV tuners built in at a price equivalent to analog tuners, it's not gonna happen.
So while the Koreans watch DVD-ish quality Digital DMB Broadcasts, you guys watch TV with this thing. wow. cool.
Oh, the power of novelty. Just because it CAN be done, doesn't mean there's a serious market for it, other than the cattle that run out and upgrade for the latest must-have but trivially incremental feature.
Its like how FM was the "OMG we must have it" [subtext: because the iPod doesn't and we wan't to look incrementally better] feature in the DAP market. But honestly (editor: read 'poll') how many of you DAP geeks actually USING your FM radio?
That's like having an HD only TV where you have all the content in the world, but "OMG I *must* be able to pick up local low-definition OTA broadcasts" [subtext: because those momma's boy Mac users with their MacHD sets with no OTA support think they're SOOOO good.]
Notice all the "in use" shots on the manufacturer's website? How many of those do you think she looks comfortable in? Hunched over watching a tiny display?
Cable content is sketchy at best, and if I'm the type of prosumer to be able to afford such a novelty piece, I'm probably not likely to be sitting on a park bench watching tooth-whitening commercials on my expensive PDA. At least, not until I declare Chapter 11 and am sitting there smelling of my own urine with my last worldly gadget possession.
There's going to be a retort "but when I'm on a long commute on the subway or the bus or the train" -- well, then you've got bigger problems with your lifestyle, career or community choices than keeping occupied on a commute.
Wondering if there is one for iPod Video too..
ian power - Do you actually read what you quote and respond to? Or do you type without thinking?
#18,
This's why I want my pocketpc:
1) Voice navigation. It tell me direction whenever I go to a new place. Never have to ask for direction again. I always know where I'm at and which crossroad is ahead even at night. It's even smaller than those gps units-a lot smaller.
2) I can listen to my music at the same time or anytime.
3) I can play games-lot of games while waiting for the wife at the mall or the boring shops that she goes to and I have to tag along.
4) Its alarms remind me of all those birthdays or occasions that I always forget- Also keep track of all the adresses.
5) Last but not least you haven't seen my cellphone (XDA mini the same phone as the one in the picture above but I though mine is a lot smaller? The US is way behind the world in cell handsets so I have to get mine in Asia) because IT IS also the pocketpc that you don't want. Mine is doing a lot of duties including cell phone in one small unit. I'm never out of reach.
So your question is now like who the hell want a cell phone? Which I think has beed answer by the whole wide world.