Digital TV Tuner
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Xbox One Digital TV Tuner hits the US and Canada today
The Xbox One is already an entertainment powerhouse. But, starting today, those of you in the US and Canada will have the chance to get even more out of it. Microsoft has announced that the official TV tuner for its Xbox One, which lets people watch over-the-air channels directly from the console, is now available in these two countries. As a refresher, this feature first hit Europe last year, so it's taken a decent amount for it to arrive in North America. You can get the Hauppauge Digital TV Tuner for $60, though you'll also need an HDTV antenna for it to work as intended.
Xbox One Digital TV Tuner reaches Europe
Coaxial cables won't stop European Xbox One owners from using the console's various media center capabilities thanks to the debut of the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner. Though the Xbox One is designed to augment and enhance a user's existing cable TV stream, in Europe many people still receive television through coaxial cables, which is a problem given that the console has no coaxial input. The Digital TV Tuner accepts a coaxial input, then outputs the cable TV stream into USB, which the console can more easily recognize. Once everything's connected, users will have full access to the Xbox One's voice commands and OneGuide program listing. The Xbox One Digital TV Tuner is now available for £25 in the UK, while Xbox One owners in France, Germany, Italy and Spain can pick up a Tuner for €30. There's currently no word on a potential North American launch. [Image: Microsoft]
Xbox One TV Tuner lets Europeans get their television fix
When Microsoft launched the Xbox One, prospective buyers outside of the US wondered how its TV features would work in countries, like most of Europe, that still predominantly used over-the-air transmissions. The long, slightly awkward silence that followed has now been broken, with the company producing the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner. The gear is reasonably simple, converting coaxial signals at one end to a USB port that connects to the console on the other. The gear will enable people who don't have HDMI-enabled cable boxes to watch HDTV, pause broadcasts and even use voice commands -- assuming, that is, that you have a Kinect. It'll launch towards the end of October, priced at £25 in the UK and €30 in France, Italy, Germany and Spain.
Xbox One Digital TV Tuner coming to Europe in October
Xbox One owners in Europe will soon be able to view live TV broadcasts through their consoles with the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner, a USB peripheral that offers an alternative way to view channels normally accessed via cable or a satellite set-top box. The accessory supports Xbox One dashboard features while active, letting users view TV content in Snap Mode while using other Xbox One applications. The Xbox One Digital TV Tuner additionally enables live TV pausing, TV listings via OneGuide, and voice-controlled channel navigation using Kinect. The Xbox One Digital TV Tuner will be available in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain in late October for €29.99. [Image: Microsoft]
TG Sambo announces trifecta of Full HD 16:9 monitors
TG Sambo is all set to refresh its display line with four new models, three of them proudly pimping full 1080p panels and making your 4:3 display look all the more tired and washed up. The 24-inch TGL 2400A, 23-inch 2300A and 21.6-inch 2250A all have an integrated digital TV tuner, 2ms response time, 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (which probably means real contrast is around 500:1), HDMI, DVI, VGA, and menu presets for internet, movie and gaming use. There's also a similarly outfitted 2000A version, which alas loses the 1920 x 1080 resolution. Only the price for the biggest 'un is known at present: 449,000 KRW ($336), but the PR indicates "the second half of the market strategy is to attack," so we'll go ahead and assume availability is coming shortly.[Via AVING]
Digital TV transition: 12 hours in, how are things going?
The day is finally here, after the pushback and staggered changeover, analog television broadcasts across the country are giving way to a future of digital TV and making room for new services to take over the airwaves soon. Still, after months of announcements, coupons sent and many dollars spent there are still millions who will be caught unawares as their television blinks off today. It's been an incredibly long time coming, so take a look back at some of our coverage of the run up to the digital TV switch, and why not drop us a line to let us know of any interesting local coverage in your area or experiences (procrastination-fueled runs on converter boxes, transition gaffes, mob violence) going on. A roundup of FCC links and national press coverage is after the break.Engadget's lead-up coverage: T-minus one year till the US analog shutoff: are you ready? The original DTV transition: what could've been President Obama signs DTV delay bill into law Digital TV transition spoof video is both informative and hilarious Wilmington, NC kills analog dead as broadcasters go all-digital
NEC intros comprehensive SoC for Japanese DTV converter boxes
Just because America is ditching analog in favor of digital this February doesn't mean that it's the only nation on the planet with transition on the brain. In July 2011, the same type of cutover will go down in Japan, leaving an estimated 35 million televisions unable to view digital broadcasts. NEC Electronics is already on the ball, cranking out a system-on-chip that puts everything necessary to convert digital signals for use on old school analog sets into a nice, compact chip. The result? In theory, we should see some pretty diminutive DTV converters, but we all know how these set-top-box makers love to pack loads of hot air within unnecessarily large enclosures.
Wilmington, NC plans one minute analog TV shutoff next week
In an effort to reduce the ZOMG surely to be experienced by whatever percentage of Wilmington, NC residents are unprepared for their early entry into a digital television-only world September 8, the city will perform a one minute Las Vegas-style "soft test" August 19 at 7:30 p.m., prompting customers with analog to upgrade their equipment to receive digital broadcasts. Readers have already reported seeing ads mentioning the upcoming early analog-shutoff, and it looks like the regions main broadcasters (WWAY, WECT, WILM and WSFX) appear to be doing all they can to get the word out, so everybody tell a friend, okay?
Cannon PC showcases Media Center with six CableCARDs
Ah, companies that don't just rest on their laurels. Not even a month after we heard that Cannon PC would be offering up dual- and quad-CableCARD rigs, in flies word that said company is demonstrating a machine capable of handling half a dozen CableCARDs. Yeah, six cards controlled simultaneously by one computer. For those curious, the devices in question were ATI's Digital Cable tuners, and while gloating about something is one thing, it's another to host a video up on the 'net for all to see. Six high-definition programs get recorded at once in the video just after the break -- c'mon, you know can't resist checking out such a feat out.
Zenith's ATSC Digital to Analog Converter Box gets priced
Apparently, Radio Shack isn't waiting around for the hordes of Americans out there to receive those $40 coupons to help purchase a DTV converter box, as a recent newsletter reportedly shows the Zenith ATSC Digital to Analog Converter Box (model number 150-0148) as being available in "mid-February" for $69.99. Granted, we couldn't recommend more that you actually hold your horses and await the coupon before snagging one of your own, but at least now you know that you'll need to scrounge up an extra $30 or so to take this particular model home.[Thanks, JGarcia]
LG's Zenith-branded DTT900 converter box gets pictured
It's not everyday that you see Zenith hanging out on the cutting-edge, but for those camping out under a rock since 1995, you should probably be informed that LG owns a majority share of the company. If you'll recall, LG was tooting its own horn just last week about having the first digital-to-analog converter box to be certified for the US Commerce Department's coupon program, and if two and two really equal four, the unit you see pictured above is indeed the device that was previously referenced. The DTT900 was developed and produced by LG, but it will apparently be sold under the Zenith brand name -- you know, so it'll blend in better with that 80s-era TV.
