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Concept Enterprises reveals first Mobile DTV car tuner

by Darren Murph posted Nov 11th 2009 at 11:26AM

The Advanced Television System Committee just approved the Mobile DTV standard last month, and already Concept Enterprises is dishing out what looks to be the planet's first in-car tuner to support that very format. 'Course, only time will tell if this thing will actually be loved in the market; we've already seen AT&T halt its CruiseCast installations after only a few months of being ignored. At any rate, the minuscule box is engineered to work with any after-market / OEM monitor with conventional RCA outputs, and it only requires a 1-inch roof-mount antenna base along with a 6-inch antenna wire. There's no word on when the $499 box is expected to hit the market, but until your DMA becomes one of the markets where testing is going on, you're probably better off just not thinking about it.

Samsung develops first chip for US mobile digital TV transmission, provides no release date

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2009 at 9:33AM

Mmm, nothing like a pinch of predictability to wake us in the morning. Just days after the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) finally announced that a North American mobile DTV standard was struck, Samsung has jumped in with what it's calling the planet's first single chip solution designed to handle those very transmissions. All we're told is that the solution combines RF and "digital chip components" into one 65 nanometer chip, making it ideal for smaller devices such as smartphones, car-mounted televisions and portable media players. Of course, Sammy doesn't even bother to mention a mass production date, so we're guessing we all just rise awkwardly and start a roaring slow clap to celebrate the accomplishment.

US Mobile DTV standard finally approved

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 16th 2009 at 6:33PM

Well freaking finally. The Advanced Television System Committee just approved the Mobile DTV standard, meaning we're finally about to see for-real mobile television in the US. LG and Samsung have already made gear for the new standard, and the tech will be demoed later today before a rollout... sometime. Still, it's heartening news to hear that it's finally ready -- over 800 stations are signed up to broadcast the new signal, which makes use of existing 6MHz airwaves to do everything from straight TV to video-on-demand and targeted advertising. Cool, so now we're what, just a billion years behind DVB adoption?

Okoro OMS-BX300 goes for the 'you must be high' end

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 27th 2009 at 8:27AM

You know, with the PS3 slumming it in a lower weight class and $300 price point, you'd think it'd be hard to sell people on costlier "Blu-ray Digital Entertainment Systems," but that hasn't stopped Okoro from trying. Updating its BX300 unit with dual Blu-ray Lightscribe drives, a Core i7-920, 6GB of 1,333MHz DDR3, pair of hot swappable 2TB HDDs in RAID1, and a 64GB SSD for OS duties is all well and good (okay, it's kind of awesome), but -- even though it has come down some -- the price is still a loony $3,095. There are also dual NTSC / ATSC / QAM tuners and a CableCARD option to go along with an ATI Radeon HD 4850 -- and for an extra $800, you can get the slinkier touch pad remote-pimping version pictured on the right. Ah well, just another reason to envy rich people.

[Via ZDNet]

Dell adding Mini 10 TV tuner, passion purple color options today

by Ross Miller posted May 21st 2009 at 12:02AM

When Dell said its Mini 10 TV tuner was coming this summer, well, we didn't expect it to be so soon. The company's dropped us a line to say we should expect to see it as a customization option starting sometime today, presumably along with the external antenna that's needed when the signal's low. The cost is an extra $50 and it'll net you over-the-air ATSC -- that's the new HD format, for those who haven't been keeping track. Additionally, a seventh color, passion purple, is being added to the library, and if your heart's set on cherry red, you'll be happy to know they're now a part of the (PRODUCT) RED portfolio, meaning Dell will donate $5 to the Global Fund with each purchase. No pics of the new hue just yet, but if any of these new additions sound enticing, you might wanna hit cancel on that late-night order we caught you placing.

Samsung's Series 6 / 8 plasma HDTVs are well connected

by Darren Murph posted Jan 7th 2009 at 5:00PM

We knew CES would deliver internet-lovin' HDTVs, but we had no idea Samsung would be bringing along so many. In case LCDs aren't really your bag, the company has also managed to bring along the Series 6 and Series 8 plasma sets. Both lines are hailed as the "greenest plasmas yet" thanks to their Energy Star 3.0 ratings, and they're also among the first TVs to be wireless DLNA-compliant. Both lines are obviously compatible with the Yahoo!-powered Internet@TV functionality, and the Series 8 checks in at just over an inch thick with an inbuilt ATSC tuner. Comically enough, Sammy doesn't even bother mentioning what sizes these things will arrive in (and definitely no price / release date), but it sure does stop to gloat about all this newfangled technology.

Gallery: Samsung's Series 6 / 8 plasma HDTVs are well connected

LG lauches a trio of 1080p monitors splattered with ATSC tuners, USB Multilink

by Thomas Ricker posted Jan 7th 2009 at 1:16PM

LG just announced a threesome of LCD monitors using its f-ENGINE image processing chip for those of you using your monitors as makeshift HDTVs. The flagship M237WD (pictured) features a 1080p, 16:9 aspect panel stretching 23-inches with a built-in ATSC tuner, 5ms refresh, 30,000:1 dynamic contrast, a vast array of A/V inputs (2x HDMI, 2x SCART, DVI, and plenty more), and a universal infrared remote control. The LG 53 series is available in 27-, 24-, 23-, and 22-inch models with a 1080p resolution or lesser 20- and 19-inch models. Key specs include a 2ms response, 50,000:1 dynamic contrast, HDMI input, touch panel controls and f-ENGINE processing. Also announced is the latest LG Multilink USB monitor (the 22-inch L226WU-PF) which daisy-chains up to 6 addition monitors over USB. It features a 1,680 x 1,050 rsolution, 5,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 2ms response and 16:10 aspect ratio. No word on what the resolution is when pushing data in a 6-up config. No pricing or availability either for that matter. Full press release after the break, images below.

Gallery: LG lauches a trio of 1080p monitors splattered with ATSC tuners, USB Multilink

Continue reading LG lauches a trio of 1080p monitors splattered with ATSC tuners, USB Multilink

ATSC gives initial thumbs-up to MPH mobile TV standard

by Darren Murph posted Nov 27th 2008 at 6:59AM

Merely weeks after a handful of TV broadcasters voiced their approval of the MPH mobile TV standard, the almighty ATSC has elevated its specification for Mobile Digital Television to Candidate Standard status. Or it will early next week, based on the futuristic December 1st date on the press release. Anywho, the thumbs-up brings the standard one huge step closer to actual implementation in the United States, though a final standard isn't apt to be agreed upon until late next year. Not that the delay is really a problem -- after all, a grand total of 19 people in this great nation even care about TV on the go, right?

[Via mocoNews]

ViewSonic's 22-inch N2201w LCD TV packs inbuilt DVD player, TV tuner

by Darren Murph posted Sep 24th 2008 at 8:27AM

We still haven't been able to shake the ViewSonic dragon from our memory, but we're attempting to move on with our lives by directing our attention (however briefly) to the N2201w. This so-called "3-in-1" LCD TV packs a 22-inch 1,680 x 1,050 resolution panel, a 5-millisecond response time, 1,000:1 contrast ratio and a built-in NTSC / ATSC / QAM TV tuner. You'll also find an integrated DVD player and an HDMI port, and just to prove it really is multifaceted, there's a PC input to boot. No telling if the picture quality is anything to write home about, but the $429 price tag sure is palatable.

[Via CEPro]

AMD's ATI All-in-Wonder HD gets reviewed

by Darren Murph posted Aug 19th 2008 at 8:41AM

Loyal All-in-Wonder users from years past have probably been watching the progression of AMD's revised version of the card with extreme interest. After such an absence, however, we understand the need to be cautious before snapping this up for your upcoming HTPC. HotHardware recently received one of these units for testing, and while it was only deemed "entry level" in the gaming department, the multimedia performance was smiled upon. To quote, "the [card] did an excellent job presenting digital video content in a quality manner without creating excessive power consumption in order to do so." As expected, the unit wasn't recommend for everyone (read: non-TV buffs), but those who'd utilize the built-in ClearQAM support probably can't go wrong for $199. Hit the read link for a whole gaggle of test results.

Sharp intros entry-level SB series of 1080p LCD HDTVs

by Darren Murph posted Aug 5th 2008 at 3:22PM

Oh sure, Sharp's doing the whole OLED thing because of societal pressures, but it's no secret where its passion lies. The outfit best known for its AQUOS brand has just introduced a trio of newcomers aimed at those looking for an "entry-level" HDTV: the 42-inch LC-42SB45U, 46-inch LC-46SB54U and the 52-inch LC-52SB55U. Each of the LCD HDTVs boast a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution panel, glossy piano-black finish, a pair of component jacks, a dedicated PC input and built-in NTSC / ATSC / ClearQAM tuners to boot. As for HDMI sockets, you'll find four on the big fellow, two on the 46-incher and three on the "little guy." The pain? Try $2,299.99 for the LC-52SB55U (available now), $1,699.99 for the LC-46SB54U (also ready to snatch right away) and $1,399.99 for the September-bound LC-42SB45U.

VIZIO does 'em cheap: 32-inch VP322 / 42-inch VP422 plasmas under $800

by Darren Murph posted Jun 25th 2008 at 8:31AM

If VIZIO's brand new XVT Series is a bit rich for your blood, how's about a pair of plasmas for under eight bones? Yep, the 32-inch VP322 and 42-inch VP422 -- which were announced at CES at $689 and $999, respectively -- are now available in Wal-Mart locations across America, and they're selling for even less than that. Right now, those longing to hop in the HDTV game without breaking the bank can secure the VP322 for just $599, while the VP422 will set you back just $799. Both sets possess a 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 720p panel, 3 HDMI sockets (along with component / VGA) and a built-in ATSC digital tuner with ClearQAM support. Not too shabby for the price, wouldn't you agree? [Warning: PDF read link]

Gallery: VIZIO does 'em cheap: 32-inch VP322 / 42-inch VP422 plasmas under $800

LG and Samsung team-up against Qualcomm in fight for US mobile TV standard

by Thomas Ricker posted May 14th 2008 at 2:37AM

In a case of oh shiznit, LG and Samsung are combining forces to protect their mobile TV interests in the US. With Qualcomm's proprietary MediaFLO digital broadcast technology rapidly gaining a mobile TV foothold in the US (thanks to AT&T and Verizon) and Europe standardizing on DVB-H, it seems that LG and Samsung (the once proud and gloating parents of the DMB standard) have little choice but to support the ATSC's attempt to create the ATSC-M/H standard in the US... about three years too late. Of course, the ultimate victor will have very little to do with what's best for the consumer and everything to do with who is most successful at lobbying the government. Oh, did that sound bitter? Good.

equinux offers up TubeStick hybrid USB TV tuner

by Darren Murph posted Jan 25th 2008 at 8:24AM

If neither of Elgato's latest from Macworld tickled your fancy, there's a decent shot you may like what equinux has going on instead. The TubeStick hybrid is the firm's newly announced USB TV tuner, which is housed in a diminutive chassis that won't block nearby ports and offers up OTA reception of NTSC, ATSC and digital (QAM) signals. Furthermore, the unit comes wearing the whitest of white outfits and also touts an external antenna and a one-month trial of the TubeToGo software. Yes, this critter will play nice with Windows machines as well, but we hear it tries to avoid such predicaments whenever possible. Ready to snag your own? Catch one next month for $129.

[Via The Mac Observer]

DirecTV intros dual ATSC tuner AM21 to piggyback HR21

by Steven Kim posted Jan 9th 2008 at 2:32AM

DirecTV intros two ATSC tuner AM21 to piggyback HR21

If your DirecTV HR21 leaves you feeling empty because you ~~want~~ need to streamline your over-the-air ATSC side of the house, listen up. DirecTV's AM21 is your answer. For $59, you can pick one up, stack it above or below your HR21, connect it via USB, and bask in the glow of dual tuner ATSC programming (integrated with your OSG, to boot). It's not a bad looking little black box at all, and the price is reasonable. It's being shown off at CES, and you can expect it to be available at the end of February.