Logitech Revue gets official: Google TV companion box coming this Fall
By Darren Murph 
posted June 18th 2010 2:11PM
posted June 18th 2010 2:11PM
[Thanks, Tom]
posted June 18th 2010 2:11PM
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Awesome!
@NitOxYs
So what's in the box?
Is it just the Google TV OS to pull together other boxes, or does it get the web content itself?
And UK availability?
@NitOxYs I incorrectly assumed there was going to be only ONE Google TV box. But based on the fact it's called Revue I guess it's safe to assume that this is just the 1st of many by many different manufacturers a'la Android. I've lost just a little excitement. I want ONE box, one implanted service that'll be the be all end all fix for me & will recieve hardware updates every couple years. This isn't it.
@Tuan X
I don't want to upgrade my hardware every couple of years -- I'd rather buy something that will work for the next 10, and will have software updates with new features frequently.
@Tuan X
You guys are missing the point of Android then.
There are going to be hundreds of these things. Everyone hopping on the Android Train.
Just like the Phones and soon-to-be tablets.
@NitOxYs
Yeah, but does it play H264 from inside MKV and pass through dts/dd?
If not, let's wait for v2.0
@gfar Me too, but eventually hardware becomes outdated.
@NitOxYs
Yeah, awesome idea. If only they had teamed up with a better hardware supplier. My Logitech support experiences have been terrible.
Good thing Android is open source and other hardware vendors will hop on board.
@NitOxYs: one word: sweet!
@NitOxYs Guys there are NOT going to be a lot of boxes like this. The way Google TV will be successful IF AT ALL is by getting built into other boxes and TVs. Now I don't personally want something where the technology is changing rapidly to be integrated into my $X,000 TV and become obsolete rapidly but maybe they'll avoid this somehow. This box with its HDMI chaining, IR blasters, interface on top of interface, inability to tell what is recorded on your DVR, etc is not going to be a product that most people will accept. You and me *might* buy one to get Hulu on our TVs, but the average person won't go near it. While if there was just a Google TV button on their TV or their Tivo they might use that feature. Yes there might be Google TV in some future Dish STB (sounds like no) or some Blu-Ray player (nothing announced so far) so it might be in some STBs as well as the Sony TV's announced so far (though several TV vendors skipped on it citing cost issues).
Still not sold on Google TV but I'll keep my eye on it.
looks good
I hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
@CadmarHuxtable
I doubt it will; but when its grandchildren take over the world; you'll regret giving them ideas.
@CadmarHuxtable logitech price little remotes at $150, so I think this one will be at least $200.
Can't wait to see specs and more details.
Now I will just wait for root, then consider it bought :D
CANT WAIT!!!!!
My guess is it would cost about $149 with a year contract from DishTV or $249 without the contract. Just a guess. I could be wrong.
@R2D2 The droid: It's not a set-top box replacement. It more like a hub, so there wouldn't be a contract.
I really think Google TV has a legit chance of changing TV. GoogleTV will also have a phone app available that will make it 10x better than sitting on your couch with a keyboard.
I call dibs.
very interesting space to be in. nobody has properly captured the living room yet. more and more tech-savvy folk want to bring a well-executed web experience to their HDTV and tie everything (shows/movies (tivo), music, games, calling, chatting, surfing, etc.) together with a killer interface. as much as i want to see AppleTV go radically forward when the next rev surfaces. i am pretty psyched by what i've seen from the early stages of GoogleTV. i predict the next wave of devices to hit will focus on this space. after the iPad hit... 'tablet-mania' arrived. and i think the same will play-out here.
$$ Logitech Revenue $$
@jayayess1190
I read it as that. I thought it was a refreshingly frank and honest product name.
Nice but how much ?
Yeah no thanks, I'll use my media center pc, or xbox 360 for my web content and tv viewing. Google tv has a poor interface and is a generation 1 product; google has no experience in products that integrate with tv's. Thanks but no thanks google; put your ads somewhere else I don't need more on my tv.
I wish it would connect to my media center w/TV tuner and play recoded shows over my network, but considering one is Microsoft and the other is Google i doubt it. and yes I know the XBOX can do it, but the Google TV looks so cool.
Not very interested in the box. However, I am very interested in the remote for this!
I'll buy it as long as i dont have to purchase an additional service like comcast or something.
Will this thing support the Tivo as an external DVR?
@quentin i'd also like to know this. how does it interact with DVRs and do those DVRs need to enable support for a google tv box?
@bigpatky They said at Google I/O that current DVR communication is through a new protocol they developed with DISH Networks to talk to DVR's, But the protocol will be open sourced for other DVR companies to adopt. Also since its Android Based I'm sure there will be apps that integrate DirecTV and other Cable companies Over-the-Web Programming ability into the native menu.
announce without pricing might as well don't announce
If this is anything over $100 (and, it WILL be over $100), it's going to be a failure. Sorry guys. I'm calling it now.
So does this do everything the upcoming Popbox and Boxee Box are supposed to do or only a subset, or am I going to need two more boxes?? OYE!!!!
@pbusardo This effectively kills the Boxee Box, which now is delayed until November or (probably) later.
I'll take mine with XBMC please
Sony needs to integrate Google TV into the PS3. I don't need another set-top box.
The cake is a lie.
Yes, like I'll ever bye a 1st gen product ever again.
I still don't understand what this does. Can it download mkv and play 1080p movies? if not, then whats the use?
@Hydra
I'd expect it to support mkv and web>m at least.
@Hydra web on the tv. watch videos on the internet on your tv instead of a laptop or computer screen. its also a full chrome web browser and not a crappy one like on ps3, which is nice. it's useful for people who dont need a computer because all they do is browse the web. you can also use one remote through the google tv for all your electronics. and theres apps and stuff.
its what you make of it.
I'm probably going the HTPC route, but Google + Logitech sounds like a good idea.
How would the google tv be able to do video overlay? It is my understanding that the HDCP and HDMI specs says the HDMI signal cannot be modified in any way by a pass-thru device, which means no on screen menus. And how would it control a cable or sat box? Is there something new on, say, the Dish 922 where it could be plugged into a usb port? Because IR blasters are very unreliable and can end up not turning on the tuner or changing to the wrong channel.
@Jak Crow I don't know if it is allowed to modify the HDMI signal or not, but it clearly IS modifying the signal. HDMI cable in, HDMI cable out with sometimes overlay. Part of the reason its expensive.
How does it control your DVR? Either via IP commands if your STB (like Dish's) supports Googles protocol, or via IR blasters (which suck of course, and can't tell the Google TV box what is recorded on your DVR).
Who will implement the Google TV protocol? Dunno. You can assume I think that Motorola and Scientific Atlanta STBs from your cable company will NOT since they would rather you get your TV stuff from them and pay more for it. Will Tivo? Dunno. Nothing announced yet.
@Jak Crow
Receivers can overlay HDMI, don't think HDCP prevents overlays just copying etc.
Great!