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LG's CES 2011 HD lineup: SmartTV platform, network Blu-ray players and HDTVs
Thanks to a couple of carefully planned slips over in South Korea, hardly anything about LG's CES 2011 is apt to take you fully by surprise. But if you just so happened to disconnect over the holidays, we'll break it all down below to ensure you remain firmly in the loop. For starters, the outfit seems pretty darn proud of its new SmartTV platform. Hinted at last month, this system enables HDTVs, Blu-ray players and other sources to access all sorts of streaming media, apps and even provides users with a way to surf the web. Four main sections are given -- TV Live, Premium Content, TV Apps and a Launch Bar -- and for TV models, owners will control things with a wave of the hand (read: Magic Remote). SmartTV picks up where NetCast left off, offering access to Vudu, Netflix, YouTube, CinemaNow, Hulu Plus, Amazon Video on Demand, NHL Gamecenter, NBA Game Live and MLB.tv. This here functionality is baked into quite a few of the outfit's 2011 HDTVs, but should own an older model... Then there's the all-new SmartTV upgrader! The ST600 is a minuscule set-top box that aims to transform any TV into a SmartTV. So long as your set has an HDMI input, you'll be able to access the content mentioned above. But, of course, it's on you to source your own Magic Remote. If it's an all-new TV you're after, the company is also revealing its 2011 LED and LCD HDTV line. Nary a one is different than those we heard about last week, but at least you can now rest easy knowing that the LW9500 and LW7700 Nano Full HD 3D models will indeed see a stateside release this month. The best news here is the use of polarizing glasses -- none of that headache-inducing active shutter mess. There are 13 new LED LCD models in all, with nine of 'em shipping with the SmartTV platform embedded. Unfortunately, LG's not dishing out pricing information on these bad boys just yet. Not so keen on picking up an LCD? Plasma still lives, you know! LG's rolling out its 1080p Infinia PZ950 and PZ750 lines here at CES, with both available in 50-inch and 60-inch class sizes. Both lines come equipped with the SmartTV platform, a gesture-based Magic Motion remote andl as a free Android / iPhone app if you'd rather use your phone as a remote. The 50- / 60-inch PZ550 is saddling with NetCast 1.0, but it -- along with the PW350, PZ950 and PZ750 lines -- can handle 3D imagery. Sadly, LG's also straying from providing pricing details on these. Wrapping things up, the company is debuting its 2011 line of networked Blu-ray players and home theater systems. The BD690 supports 3D BD playback and ships with an inbuilt 250GB HDD and the SmartTV platform. The majority of LG's line also includes WiFi, DLNA streaming support and a MusicID feature by Gracenote that enables consumers to play a song from a movie of TV show by mashing a single button on the remote. The BD670, BD650, BD640, BD630 and BD650 are also seeing the light of day, with the latter being LG's first portable BD deck. Finally, LG snuck in an image (seen above) of a 3D mobile TV prototype. We've no details whatsoever to go on, but you can rest assured we'll be scouring the show floor in search of just that. For more information on all of the goods here, head on past the break for the full releases. Don't expect to find any pricing information, though. %Gallery-112603%
Cisco joining connected TV party with updated cable boxes at CES
The battle for the connected living room is about to heat up in a big way: the Wall Street Journal reports that Cisco will announce a new series of connected cable boxes here at CES tomorrow, as part of a larger announcement that combines online video with recorded and live television. You scoff now, but keep in mind that Cisco owns Scientific Atlanta, which makes an absolutely huge number of cable boxes for providers like Time Warner and Comcast -- and if Big Cable embraces connected TV by distributing integrated Cisco hardware, well, we'd say upstarts like Apple and Google might just go home with their tails between their legs. On the other hand, the WSJ says "cable operators will be able to customize the software interface and decide on pricing" for Cisco's new boxes, so it's possible America's favorite corporations will completely bungle everything at the first opportunity. We'll be there live tomorrow, so we'll see what happens.
PrimeSense and ASUS team, bring Kinect-like Wavi Xtion to your living room TV (update)
PrimeSense provides some of the brains behind Microsoft's Kinect, and wants a bigger piece of the pie; ASUS has a reputation for announcing wonderfully wacky peripherals every year. At CES 2011, the Wavi Xtion will check off both boxes nicely. In a nutshell, the Xtion is a PrimeSense 3D depth camera built exclusively for PC, but with an important twist -- it connects to a pair of ASUS Wavi boxes, which wirelessly streams its data to your living room PC between your TV and a Windows PC over the 5GHz band. Oh, and should ASUS attract enough developers, it will even pull down applications from an Xtion online store. ASUS says we'll see the package commercially available around the world in Q2 of next year -- with a UI and selection of apps and games on board -- but they'll release an Xtion PRO developer kit in February to tempt all you Kinect hackers into coding magical things for the platform. No more details for now, but there's an event in Vegas this week where ASUS is all but guaranteed to show it off. PR after the break. Update: Did we say HTPC? Turns out it doesn't quite work that way -- the Wavi are actually a pair of boxes that wirelessly sling data between them. You put the Xtion sensor on top of your TV, connect it to Wavi #1, then plug Wavi #2 into a PC up to 25 meters away. Mind you, it looks like the Xtion may not be quite as capable as Microsoft's unit, as there's only infrared hardware inside -- it might be fine for gesture control, but don't expect any augmented reality lightsaber fights. See some mockups below! %Gallery-112375%
LG ST600 Smart TV Upgrader brings DLNA, apps, and a web browser to formerly dumb displays
If you buy any of LG's latest HDTVs, you're pretty much assured it'll have a big sticker saying "Smart TV" somewhere along its fascia assuring you of its internet connectivity and compatibility. But, if you're still rocking some old school piece of visual tech that isn't yet past its "watch by" date, you'll be needing a set-top box of some kind to get on the web without leaving your couch. Naturally, LG would like to be the one to Smarten up your viewing habits there too, and so it's just unveiled its new ST600 sidekick for older television sets. It adds DLNA connectivity for some wireless media transfer fun, grants access to a "vast range" of premium content as well as local programming, throws in a web browser, and finishes things off with LG's TV Apps selection. Of course, this is the week of the pre-CES announcement, hence we've no pricing to share yet, but the way the company's talking about it, the ST600 sounds like it might make an aggressive MSRP its standout feature. Sadly, that's a bit of a distant hope for now as this Upgrader isn't expected in shops until Q2 2011. Who knows if we'll even be watching TV by that time?
OnLive Game System review
We're still a little ways away from completely disposable laptops that do everything in the cloud, but if all you want is a completely virtual game console connected to your TV, you can buy one right now. Eight years after the Phantom slowly got laughed off the face of the planet, the OnLive MicroConsole fulfills the same basic promise: it's a box less than an inch tall that streams games from powerful remote servers. We already told you what to expect from the OnLive's Game System, but now that we've given it our all, we can help you find the answer to the only remaining question: is it worth your funds? %Gallery-107700%
Freebox v6 Revolution set-top box brings calling, TV and gaming together
Pay-TV operators have been tossing out "quadruple play" bundles for the better part of three years now, but we dare say that none of 'em have come close to nailing it like this. France's own Free, a well-known ISP in the nation, has just introduced the Freebox v6 Revolution, a newfangled set-top box designed by Philippe Starck and engineered to handle just about all of your home entertainment needs. It's stuffed with 250GB of hard drive space, an internal 802.11n WiFi module, Blu-ray drive, inbuilt web browser and Intel's Atom CE4100 media processor. It also ships with a motion-sensing remote, and in short, it's designed to provide live / streaming television options, internet (fiber or DSL is supported), gaming (via a streaming service similar to OnLive) and at-home calling to boot. Free's also planning to dabble in mobile telephony starting in 2012, hence the plans for a quadruple play offering in the not-too-distant future. We're told that a joystick (presumably for getting your game on) is thrown in, as are a pair of powerline adapters in order to easily network it through your abode's power network. The Revolution is up for pre-order now, and depending on how long you've had your current Free STB, it could cost as little as €59.99 or as much as €119.99. The "basic" Freebox service will run €29.99, and once Free goes mobile in 2012, you can add a mobile line for another €29.99. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Ask Engadget: best alternative to a cable company-issued set-top box?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Ozair, who is no longer down with forking out monthly for a subpar DVR experience. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "With the unveiling of (pricey) Google TV, what are the other, cheaper alternatives to setting up HDTV via a cable box rather than renting out Optimum / Cablevision's outdated and laggy set-top box? TiVo? Any other standalone DVRs? Something I'm not considering?" For those of you who've purchased a standalone DVR + CableCARD setup (or possibly even an HTPC + CableCARD setup), how are you enjoying it? Let this fellow know your optimal arrangement down in comments below -- make it quick, it's not like he can afford to miss this year's burning of the Yule Log in HD.
TiVo Premiere now free on contract for $20 monthly, as TiVo introduces (and enforces) tiered subsidies
Well, it seems we finally know why TiVo was waxing poetic about software in recent months -- it's the way the company primarily plans to charge for its DVR hardware from now on. Following a week-long experiment of free-on-contract DVRs conducted last month, TiVo's opening up subsidized and partially subsidized pricing tiers to the entire US for those willing to chain themselves to a pricier $20 monthly fee. You can now get a TiVo Premiere for $0 on a two-year contract or $100 with a one-year arrangement, or pick up a TiVo Premiere XL for $300 on a one-year deal -- the same price the regular old 45-hour TiVo Premiere cost originally. TiVo's also kept the original $12.95-a-month plans around in case you want to pay full price for your hardware, which would normally make better financial sense after about three years, if not for the fact that there are still lifetime subscriptions available for $400 if you're truly in it for the long haul. We're all for expanding our buying power in this arena, but there's one group of customers who are liable to get mighty pissed at the new arrangement -- the regular Joes and Janes headed to Best Buy right now to pick up a $99 TiVo Premiere "on sale." You see, retailers apparently didn't get the memo about the new tiered pricing and are advertising the arrangement as a $200 discount instead, which leaves TiVo's fine print the unenviable role of explaining that they're going to pony up $20 a month from now on. 2.1.2 When purchasing a TiVo Premiere box from a third party retailer at $99.99 (includes an instant $200 savings off MSRP) for the TiVo Premiere box or $299.99 (includes an instant $200 savings off MSRP) for the TiVo Premiere XL box, you may only subscribe to the TiVo Service on a monthly basis for $19.99 a month with a one (1) year commitment (renews monthly after one year). Choices, choices. [Thanks, Daniel and Chris R.]
Logitech Revue with Google TV torn down, netbook specs found within
There's a lot we already know about Logitech's Revue with Google TV, and after our walkthrough on Saturday's Engadget Show, we also know just how NSFW the search results can be. All jesting aside, we did notice some amount of stuttering during our testing, and now we know why: for all intents and purposes, it's a netbook. The knife wielding gurus over at iFixit tore into the Revue in order to see what kind of internals were powering it, and sure enough, a 1.2GHz Atom CPU was at the core. That's marginally faster than the 1GHz A4 housed in the newest Apple TV, but there's a lot more to process here than on Cupertino's darling. There's also 1GB of DDR3 memory as well as a grand total of 5GB NAND Flash (split between a Samsung and Hynix chip). Essentially, the hardware here is on par with netbooks from fall 2008 (the Dell Mini 9 is accurately mentioned), with "tons of open space" allowing the box to stay cool under pressure. So, you down with paying $300 for hardware you could've scored two years ago, or are you just now realizing that a basic HTPC isn't that hard to setup.
Apple TV jailbroken again with Greenpois0n, lets Shatter off the hook
The iOS dev community already shattered the new Apple TV, but now it's been poisoned, too. What does this mean for you? It means that there's still a chance your $99 set top box might be jailbroken to run apps, even though Shatter is gone. Now we'll just have to wait and see if someone figures the hard part out, and gets some apps installed. Those Angry Birds don't fling themselves, you know.
WD Live TV Hub media streamer / NAS leaks out of Best Buy with gigabit ethernet, 1TB hard drive
Western Digital's got a few different media streamers to its name, but the only one with sizable internal storage was the pared-down Elements Play. No more, because the AVS Forums have stumbled upon a feature-packed alternative -- the WD TV Live Hub. Purchased at a Best Buy before the blue shirts realized their mistake, the slim new set-top comes with 1TB of storage, 1080p playback over HDMI 1.4, component and composite video out, optical S/PDIF, and all the internet connectivity you'd expect (including Netflix, Blockbuster, Pandora, YouTube and Facebook) over speedy gigabit ethernet. We don't know how robust the network-attached-storage functionality is, but the lucky owner of this box says it serves up iTunes and DLNA and can function as a network share, just like the My Book Live. Not too shabby for $229, eh? Find plenty more pics and a list of supported formats at our source link. [Thanks, Arjun]
AT&T U-verse customers can use Xbox 360 as a set-top box starting November 7th
If you'd given up hope of using your 360 to watch AT&T U-Verse after over three years of waiting, we wouldn't think any less of you; but for those still holding on to the dream of one less set-top box under the TV, this latest tip says the wait is all but over. As you can see from the internal memo above, a so-called Wired Release will roll out to AT&T U-Verse customers next Sunday, and it'll bring the long awaited feature with it (though you'll have to wait until November 7th for that particular aspect). This means AT&T U-verse customer's Xbox 360 will have a Dashboard app, and when launched, it'll let it function exactly like any other U-verse set-top. The only major catch is that it can't be the only set-top -- you'll need at least one DVR at another TV in the house to enjoy one of the four HD streams that could be funneled into your home. But hey, at least it's on the way, right? Update: A second anonymous tipster has chimed in with some interesting slides -- looks like your Xbox will need a hard drive! %Gallery-104584% [Thanks, Anonymous]
Trident and ARM get together to make smarter STBs, bring more of the web to your tube
While you're surely familiar with ARM and its suite of processors powering many a spicy mobile device, Trident is something of a more silent entity -- having a presence in half of the TVs sold worldwide but hardly making a mark when it comes to consumer perception. That could change with a new line of web-enabled set top boxes that will be powered by the ARM Cortex-A9 processor, which, even in its earliest incarnations, does a fine job of handling web duties and even decoding HD video. The goal is to deliver "the most advanced multimedia experiences into the home," and while we think that's perhaps a bit optimistic, the right players are involved here, with an "extensive ecosystem" being developed including Flash, Android, and Qt user elements. It remains to be seen whether this device will actually run Android, perhaps joining Google TV on the STB front, but there is talk of pushing content to mobile devices and matching a consistent user experience whether you're couch or coach-bound. When will all this come to pass? We think it's a bit too early to be troubled by such details.
Intel CE4200 ups its set-top game with 3D support and H.264 HD encoding
We're sitting here at Intel's IDF 2010 day two keynote, and the company just announced its evolution of the Atom CE series for set-top boxes. The aptly-titled the CE4200 (formerly codenamed "Groveland") is an evolution of the CE4100, based on 45nm Atom architecture and now capable of H.264 video encoding. Four partners have been announced, including Samsung, ADB, Sagemcom, and Technicolor. Of course, CE4100 is really just starting to take hold, and given it was announced at last year's IDF, we're not holding our breath on seeing these in the immediate future. %Gallery-102187%
Acer Revo 2 with RevoPad sports Intel CE4100, Windows Media Center Embedded, and a slide-out touchpad with disappearing keys (update: more video)
Yes, you could certainly accuse us of being easily pleased, but there's just something inherently awesome about hiding a giant touchpad remote in the otherwise boring box that controls your TV. At IDF 2010, we spotted a pair of new Intel CE4100 set-top boxes from ASUS and Acer respectively, running the brand-spanking-new Windows Media Center Embedded. Both were so early in development that they relied on external USB tuners to do their thing, but the Acer Revo 2 caught our eye when we saw the ThinkPad aesthetic of the RevoPad. It slides right out of a charging cradle in the front of the box to become a mousing alternative (and houses a large volume dial on the side), but with the press of a button the surface shines light through tiny perforations and it becomes a touchscreen keyboard instead. Aside from the remote, the Revo 2's fairly well-connected to boot, sporting HDMI, Ethernet, optical and analog audio ports, and three USB ports, along with an internal hard drive of unspecified capacity and a slimline optical bay. The ASUS, meanwhile, has no drives, but an ATSC antenna, component and composite video to its name. Both boxes are slated for the first half of next year, though representatives weren't willing to talk price just yet. We're headed back for more, but in the meantime, check out video of the hardware after the break. Update: We've got an expanded video walkthrough of Windows 7 Embedded now after the break!%Gallery-102060% %Gallery-102055%
ASUS' Intel CE4100 Companion Box with Windows Media Center Embedded, there and back (to the ether) again
Seriously, blink and you might've missed it. ASUS had its own Intel CE4100-powered companion box on display running what our memory recalls was Windows Media Center Embedded. We'd love to confirm for the 5 percent of our brain that's uncertain, but by the time we went back for pickup shots of the adjacent (and awesome) Acer box, it was already gone. (Did the RevoPad scare it of that badly?) At any rate, this ASUS device has no drives, but it does boast an ATSC antenna, component and composite video. It's slated for the first half of next year, though representatives weren't willing to talk price just yet. Some more pics in the gallery below. %Gallery-102066%
Viewsonic's NexTV VMP75 media streamer now shipping
Viewsonic wasn't being too specific with a launch date when it announced its NexTV VMP75 media streamer last month, but it looks like that little detail's now been cleared up -- the device is shipping now from both Amazon and Newegg. According to Review Horizon, however, the official release date is July 19th, although it seems possible you could receive it before then if you've already pre-ordered the device or get your order in soon. As for the device itself, it's still listed at $129.99, and will give you the usual Netflix streaming, and support for playback of content from either your home network or an attached drive.
Logitech Revue gets official: Google TV companion box coming this Fall
Well, lookie here -- Logitech's Revue is official, and it's coming this Fall to make your HDTV even smarter. We knew from day one that Logi had been tapped to produce one of the first Google TV set-top boxes ever, and details on the little guy have been trickling out ever since. Described as a "Google TV companion box," the device is expected to "combine everything on the web, cable and satellite [with] apps, video calling and more." We're told to be patient for specs and further deets, so we suppose we'll do just that. While pouting. [Thanks, Tom]
ViewSonic streams Netflix, other stuff with NexTV VMP75 networked media player
The world needs another network media player like it needs another eight billion barrels of oil floating around in the Gulf of Mexico, but if you're somehow still struggling to decide on one of the many, many options available to you, ViewSonic has an alternative up for consideration. The new NexTV VMP75 is a rather compact set-top box, donning a glossy black finish and proud support for streaming Netflix Watch Instantly content. You'll also get local and network playback of whatever content you've got laying around on your nearby hard drives, and around back, you'll find an Ethernet socket (WiFi is optional), eSATA / USB combo port, a dedicated USB socket (for connecting thumb drives and external HDDs), a S/PDIF audio port, HDMI output and an AV aux plug. ViewSonic claims that you can also stream content from YouTube, SHOUTcast, Flickr and Live365.com, and there's even an inbuilt web browser if you take pleasure in (presumably) torturous experiences. All you? If so, it's up for pre-order right now at Amazon and Newegg for $129.99.
Bonux's Android set-top box is pretty much Google TV lite... really lite (video)
No patience left to wait for Google TV? Tough luck, bubs -- 'cause Bonux's Android set-top box ain't shipping till the year's end, either. Tucked away in a small corner of Computex was the gem you see above: an Android 2.1-based set-top box designed to bring... well, Android to your television. The white mockup box was strictly in place to demonstrate the software, and the inability to find a live internet connection on the floor crushed their desires to demonstrate connected extras. Essentially, this STB would scale a mobile OS up to TV size, which isn't exactly the most elegant of solutions. That said, it does "work," and the idea of using Android to pull in local media and web content may tempt those who aren't willing to deal with the expense and complications of snagging a full-blown HTPC. We were told that the box could play back nearly every major file format known to man, and the HDMI output ensures broad compatibility with practically every HDTV ever sold. When speaking with company representatives at its booth, they asserted that their goal was to shrink the white box down to the size of the black unit sitting beside it, or something barely larger than a deck of cards. If all goes to plan, they should be shipping worldwide by the end of this year, but they stated that it would be awhile before Froyo (Android 2.2) was supported given the intrinsic need for more potent hardware. Speaking of which, they've yet to actually nail down a final processor, and they're still debating whether they'll have WiFi as an option. In the end, consumers should expect "between one and three" variants (including one with an integrated TV tuner, possibly), and a retail starting price of around "$120 to $130." So, found that patience you were looking for yet? Per usual, a video demonstration awaits you after the break. %Gallery-94354%
