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Moxi's spring updates brings PlayOn, DLNA and a little home automation
In Digeo's latest move into the consumer DVR market it is rolling out first big update since the launch only a few months ago. The list of additions is pretty nice, but our most anticipated feature, the Moxi-mate, is still just "coming soon." Although all the new features are interesting, the most notable is the DLNA certification which allows your Moxi to play all kinds of media from your PC, including from a PlayOn server. What's even better is that Digeo is actually throwing in the PlayOn software -- famous for its Hulu and Netflix support -- for free with the update, which $40 normally. The other new Moxi features users will have access to within the next few days is an expansion of Moxi Net outside its walled garden, as well as a few new home automation tricks that'll let you take advantage of Z-Wave lights and various IP cameras -- also configured via Moxi Net. Believe it or not though, there is actually more, but rather than go on and on covering the Flickr improvements and Rhapsody support, we'll just provide the entire release after the break.
Moxi's 500GB HD DVR now available en masse
Moxi's 500GB HD DVR went on sale to a limited number of individuals back in December of last year, but after pumping itself up at CES, we're finally seeing the real-deal, bona fide launch party. As of now, anyone with a CableCARD can roll over to Amazon and lay down $799.99 for the company's subscription-less MR-1500T3 HD Digital Video Recorder, which can hold over 75 hours of high-def programming or over 300 hours of SD material. So, are you taking the plunge?Update: Moxi pinged us to say these have indeed been shipping beyond the limited first run.[Thanks, ganjagadget]Read - Moxi's websiteRead - Amazon order page
Video: Digeo Moxi DVR user interface tour
It's been years since TiVo has had any serious competition and although an HD DVR with a CableCARD tuner isn't the most mainstream of products, it is a god send for those who refuse to settle for the POS DVR your cable company will provide. The Moxi started shipping from Amazon about a month ago for $800 which isn't bad if you consider there aren't any subscription fees. The Moxi user interface is really nice and exposes how dated TiVo's 10 year old UI is, but the most interesting feature will be the Moxi Mate -- when it's released. This cool little fan-less box will let you enjoy your Moxi on another TV as if you were on the real DVR, and unlike TiVo's multi-room solution, it doesn't require an additional subscription fee. The only real complaint we have about the new Moxi is the fact that an ATSC tuner wasn't included. Sure, not everyone will use this but considering the cost to include such a feature is minimal, there's no reason not to include it. %Gallery-41666%
500GB Moxi HD DVR now available, really
Someone's on a roll, after starting out this year the wrong way with layoffs and product cuts, Digeo appears to have its second new DVR ready for your home theater. The Moxi HD DVR is now available, promising its 500GB, dual-tuner multistream CableCard support to anyone with $799.99 to spare. Why opt for this over the 1 TB TiVo HD XL? Hopefully the MR-1500T3's remote web scheduling, news & weather browsing, Flickr / Finetune support and DLNA access to your PC's stored MP3 collection can tip the balance in its direction. Congratulations Moxi, you've beaten the skeptics and made your product available, now to decide if it's time to jump on this or wait for tru2way.Update: Via Dave Zatz comes word that this is a soft launch with a limited number of boxes available on Amazon, and we should expect an official reveal next month at CES, so decide fast if you want one early or all the other kids will be telling you how great theirs is when they come back from break.[Thanks, Mike]
Charter nearly ready to deploy Digeo's 3012 HD DVR
While Digeo is still floundering around trying to find some solid footing, it has managed to secure two fine deals with cable providers. Charter Communications was scheduled to have Digeo's latest box out and about in its markets some time back, but recent reports suggest that the testing is simply taking longer than anticipated. The delay has had some people guessing that Charter was planning to call the whole deal off, but a company spokeswoman has chimed in to assert that it's in the "final stages" of testing the Moxi 3012 HD. We can't help but wonder how long this so-called final stage will take to work though, though.
BendBroadband deploys Digeo's Moxi HD DVR 3012
Digeo never hit the home run it probably wanted to with its family of DVRs, but at least it's netting a few deals with MSOs. Last month, the outfit announced that some of its wares would be deployed by Charter, and it also mentioned that an elusive second provider would be following suit shortly. Enter BendBroadband, a smallish cable company in Oregon that will begin doling out the Moxi HD DVR 3012, which includes the Moxi Menu user interface, multi-stream CableCARD support, remote web scheduling, external storage options and twin tuners. Sadly, the box won't ever be down with tru2way, but those not deterred can get one of their own later in Q4.
Digeo readies two Moxi set-top-boxes for release
Are you ready to believe? While Digeo's road to the present has been laden with mishaps, the latest word has it that the company will indeed be rolling out two new products in the very near future. Of course, we've seen the plug pulled at the last minute before, but if everything holds up this time, we'll see a Moxi set-top-box arrive later this month on Charter. Additionally, "a second MSO" will be offering the unit in short order, and a retail box should ship in January. Sadly, that latter device won't have tru2way capability (though it will support a multistream CableCARD), but it should be noted that Digeo is also prepping a Moxi PC interface as well as wares that could tie into home automation setups. Hit the read link for the full spill -- just don't get your hopes up too high until we see a shipping confirmation.
The CableNET Booth tour at The Cable Show
All of the coolest stuff at The Cable Show was on display at the CableNet booth. The Motorola Tuning Adapter was there, but it was only one of about 30 small demos. The rest were from a entire range of companies showing off how cable can be the center of the connected home. There were software vendors showing off their tru2way award winning games -- which made us wonder if they were the only one -- Moxi's had its long overdue DVR for MSOs, GE and Next Alarm were hoping to help big cable get into the monitoring business, Sigma Designs had a triple HD tuner chipset, and finally Samsung was showing off its tru2way DVR and software called SeeNSearch which adds Internet links to the program guide and lets you access web pages directly from the guide for display on your TV, but interestingly, isn't tru2way.%Gallery-23233%
Digeo settles with Gemstar, new Moxi DVR on the way
The continuing saga of Digeo and its now you see it / now you don't DVRs at CES has taken another step, first by the company resolving a lawsuit with Gemstar-TV Guide. Courtesy of a multiyear licensing agreement, any problems with its "too similar" guide software should be in the past; a good thing since Light Reading noticed the Moxi HD DVD 3012, set to debut at next month's Cable Show with dual tuners, increased hard drive and CableCARD support. We'll keep an eye out for more details on the new hardware hidden among all that tru2way equipment.[Via ZatznotFunny]
Digeo lays off half of its employees, replaces CEO
Merely days ago, Digeo trumpeted a number of Moxi-related partnerships and simultaneously failed to give us any additional details as to when we could expect either of its standalone HD DVRs. Now, we could have a reason why. According to a breaking report from The Wall Street Journal, the firm is axing 50-percent of its staff (leaving 80 employees) and Mike Fidler, CEO, is handing over his position to Greg Gudorf, the company's current president and chief operating officer. As if that weren't enough, the report also claims that Digeo will "not release two digital media recorders that had been planned," and rather, it will "focus on a [single] next-generation consumer model." Notably, we aren't told whether or not said model is the HD DMR that's already out in beta testers' hands, but we suppose only time will tell. [Warning: read link requires subscription]Update: We've now learned that the oft delayed Moxi Multi-Room HD DMR and the Moxi Home Cinema Edition DMR will not be released. Additionally, we're told that details about the firm's upcoming consumer DMR (which will be released) will be "announced later in the year." Full release posted after the jump.
Digeo announces Moxi-related partnerships, but not prices or release date
Unfortunately, the biggest news about Digeo's interesting Moxi DVR platform is that there are still no release dates or prices attached, which greatly overshadows their new content partnerships with Flickr, Finetune, Accedo and Cloverleaf. It seems that listening to indie bands, performing casual gaming on the TV, accessing web photos and menu overlays is a lot easier to do when the box is in our living room, as opposed to just on display -- again.[Via Tivo Lovers]
Moxi's HD DMR in the wild, ready to be beta tested
Housed within that package you see positioned above is indeed a Moxi Home Cinema HD DMR. Jealous? You shouldn't be -- it's not like you haven't had your chance to sign up to be one of those oh-so-lucky hardware beta testers. Of course, if you did your duty but still got rejected, we certainly sympathize, but regardless, Mr. Dave Zatz was apparently fortunate enough to receive one of the aforementioned boxes for testing. As of now, he hasn't been cleared to detail his experiences in the slightest, but here's to hoping all that changes soon enough.
Moxi opens doors for hardware, software beta testers
Did Zatz's hands-on approach with Moxi's forthcoming Home Cinema HD DMR leave you thirsty for more? Willing to take one into your own home for awhile? Believe it or not, Moxi is actually recruiting hardware beta testers to pore over the high-end Home Cinema HD Digital Media Recorder, which means that you'll actually get one of the units in your house to try out if you're selected. If that's not really your bag, you can also apply for access to its (software-based) Moxi TV for PC beta, which only works on Windows XP and specific tuner cards at the moment. Granted, you'll be expected to devote a minimum of two hours per week to testing and provide "on-going feedback" to the outfit, but what else were you planning on doing over the holiday break? Hit the links below to get your name in the hat.[Via ZatzNotFunny]Read - Moxi Home Cinema HD DMR beta testRead - Moxi TV for PC beta test
Moxi's CEDIA booth tour
Well, it seems like the Moxi HD DMR is progressing along just fine, you know, considering that the thing had an entire booth at CEDIA dedicated to it. According to the firm's website, everything is still scheduled for a "fall release," and while we're still not sure how much this stuff will run you, the demo stations looked might impressive, indeed. The hardware units all tout a sleek, stylish and simplistic enclosure, and the crystal clear interface was a sight to behold. Don't believe it? Check it out for yourself below.%Gallery-7062%
Zatz gets cozy with Moxi's forthcoming DVRs
Unfortunately, we can't fill you in on hard pricing or availability information on Moxi's impending DVR lineup just yet, but Mr. Dave Zatz was able to get a feel for what they'll be like when that time finally comes. Swinging through Digeo's office, he was able to spend a little time with the firm's Home Cinema HD DMR -- which sports both ATSC and NTSC tuners, an integrated 5.1 audio amplifier, and strangely lacks CableCARD support -- and the Multi-Room HD DMR (read: the impressive one). The latter unit is CableCARD-friendly, comes bundled with a Moxi Mate extender for multi-room viewing, and will support HD streaming via 1394 over coax. Both devices include a built-in CD / DVD drive (no high-definition options?), can interface with networked PCs, and even feature eSATA expansion ports for upping the storage. Of course, nothing official has been leaked, but Zatz got the impression that a "fall release" was in the realm of possibility. Tag the read link for more of the hands-on goodness.
Digeo plans to release two stand-alone HD DVRs
Digeo, the company that makes Moxi DVR software, announced back in September that they were planning to enter the retail market by selling a High Definition DVR directly to consumers, rather than take the path of least resistance and continue to make deals with cable networks. According to Zatz Not Funny! Digeo plans to show two prototype models at CES, both with integrated CD/DVD players, along with a PC streaming feature and that whole recording video thing that DVRs tend to do. The first Moxi prototype will be a multi-room device capable of providing HD recording and playback with an integrated CableCARD to several different rooms. The second prototype is centered around audio, and features a Linux OS and is based around the AMD Live! Home Cinema reference design. Apparently this model will also pack high-end audio features, although we'll have to wait until the start of the show to get the specifics. Unfortunately for Moxi fans, Digeo's plan is to have its Moxi retail offerings available in the second half of 2007, which -- by our reasoning -- is just under six months away, so check back here sometime around July to read about it ya' hear?
Gemstar sues Moxi over guide
Gemstar-TV Guide has filed a federal patent infringement lawsuit against Diego's Moxi program guide, alleging that their TV listings are too similar to their own. Of course, Moxi has also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Gemstar. As usual, Gemstar wanted Moxi to license the program guide tech from them, and when Moxi refused, lawyers entered the picture, echoing TiVO v. Echostar on the lawsuit front. Because Charter is one of the major cable providers using Moxi technology, they are included in the lawsuit -- although surely not just to get some bigger bucks out of any potential settlement. We'll keep you updated on the lawsuit as we know more.
Moxi prepping HD DVR for retail
TiVo's great and all, but we sure wouldn't mind a bit of competition in the retail HD DVR space all the same, and it looks like Moxi is getting ready to deliver in 2007. Their upcoming set-top-box -- which they're planning on showing at the upcoming CES -- should be packing CableCARD 2.0 for some single card multi-stream action, compared to the multiple CableCARDs required by Series3 to serve up multiple simultaneous feeds. Moxi is also boasting of the ability to stream video to your other TVs, but unfortunately that signal is downconverted to SD. This box is supposed to be going for around $1,000, which isn't a terrible price for multi-stream HD DVR right now, but probably won't be looking so hot when this hits the market in fall 2007. All the same, we're looking forward to the Moxi offering -- a little DVR deathmatch does the body good.[Via Engadget HD]
Moxi announces plans to go retail with HD DVR
We always say competition is good for consumers and in the world of HD DVRs that can record HD Cable where competition is nil, the Moxi will be very welcomed. The Moxi is currently only available to certain cable subscribers throughout the country, until now, err next year anyways. A couple execs from Digeo; Mike Fidler and Greg Gudorf, said they will show the retail STB at CES in January to be priced at around $1,000 and they hope to get the box to market by Fall 2007. They go on to talk about all the great features and compare the box to the recently released Series3, but the details get a little muddy from there. One thing they mention is Multi-stream CableCARDs and support for VOD, hmmm, plus they say that the latest Series3 isn't Multi-stream CableCARD compliant, which it is. I think the execs got confused and mixed up Multi-Stream with CableCARD 2.0, an innocent mistake that many made last year at CES when visiting the TiVo both. We wonder when this device will make it to market, when some don't even think CC 2.0 will be finalized by then never the less deployed. Where not sure what else could make this thing worth twice as much as a Series3, assuming the Series3 is down to $500 in a year. [ Via Zatznotfunny.com]
Does Charter do DVI?
HD Beat reader Chris wrote us about a problem he is having trying to connect his cable box via DVI, and found that it was not enabled."Just thought i would send a little experience your way tonight. I just spent half an hour on the phone with charter cable. I have all my services through them and through the 8 months we have had service with them, they have been great. Until today. I just ordered a DVI cable and received it. My wife and I get home to hook it up, snuggle and bask in the DVI HD glory in our home. But wait, it isn't working. What??!?!? that isn't right it wouldn't work. I contacted charter for a little assistance and they tell me that the DVI option is locked out on all the boxes because no one uses them. How the hell do they know that? They don't give anyone a chance to try it out! I spoke with several folks about this because i was ticked. I love HD. with the component cable hooked up, but I was just plain excited with the idea of hooking it up with DVI and now Charter has shot it down. Charter claims they have to pay a third party to unlock that feature on the box. what a crock! After searching the web, it turns out other folks have run into this also!"Chris is in the St. Louis area and has a Motorola BMC9012 Moxi DVR. This review of the box noted that several featues (including DVI) are disabled, but an update provided that capability if your provider chooses to enable it. This thread on AVS Forums provides some more insight, hopefully the update will be rolled out soon. Any other HD Beat readers run into a similar situation with their cable provider or know of a way to get that perfectly good digital output working?
