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TiVo adds MLB.tv in the US today, nears IPTV launch in Sweden
TiVo announced its quarterly earnings yesterday, revealing a net loss for the quarter of $10.8 million. Despite that, its push to partner with cable companies seems to be going well: it recorded its largest growth in MSO customers in seven years, adding 277,000 subscriptions that way. More interesting to most users however, will be news that the MLB.tv app Zatz Not Funny mentioned in January launches today. Additionally, Scandinavian operator Com Hem is about to start offering an IPTV service built on TiVo's devices, and is accepting preregistrations to be an early tester. The Com Hem project will combine an internet TV service with the usual TiVo features -- including TiVoToGo -- and DVR capable of recording up to three HD channels at once. What we can see of the box looks very similar to the one offered by Virgin in the UK, we'll wait and see if any other operators look the company's way when/if they make the transition to IPTV service in the future. Update: The MLB.tv app is live, and TiVo has posted a screenshot on its blog, check it out after the break.
Free TiVo Desktop PC software disappears June 5th, $16 Plus version will remain
Windows-using TiVo owners should make a beeline for the TiVo Desktop download link below, because on June 5th its free edition is going away. This software allows user to bring their personal music and photos to the TiVo, and more notably, transfer recordings from the DVR to their PCs. The paid version that adds support for transferring videos to the TiVo and DVR recordings to mobile devices will still be available at a cost of $15.99, lowered from $24.99. As ZatzNotFunny points out, there have been indications that a replacement may be in the works, but nothing -- including updates for Windows 8 -- has been promised yet. The free Mac version is still kicking, but it's only good for pushing photos and music to the box, although Tech of the Hub notes several free alternatives (for both platforms) including kmttg, PyTiVo and iTivo. The current software hadn't seen many updates recently, so if this is just clearing the table for a version that ties into the TiVo Stream transcoder, it might be worthwhile.
Loewe Reference ID TV hits the UK in July with full customization and a 1TB DVR
Loewe has staked its success in the TV market on personalized designs, and it's taking that concept to its logical extreme with the upcoming Reference ID. First shown at IFA last year, the LCD set is now due to reach the UK in July with progressively wilder customization options. Owners will only have a choice of covers for the built-in 160W speaker at first, they'll get frame selections later in the summer, and full customization of materials and patterns this fall -- if they want a set housed in leather and gold, it can happen. Conformists might still be happy with the Reference ID between its 3D-ready 400Hz panel, media streaming and a dual-channel DVR with 1TB of space. Loewe's adaptable design won't be cheap for discerning Brits, however: 40-, 46- and 55-inch variants will respectively cost £4,500, £5,500 and £6,500 ($7,007, $8,564 and $10,121), and that's before applying a personal touch.
Boxee Cloud DVR reaches the San Francisco Bay Area in beta
Boxee Cloud DVR has been active in only eight markets since its inception as Boxee TV, but it's at last time for the platform to spread its wings. As of now, Boxee's live TV recording service is up and running in the San Francisco Bay Area in beta form; owners just need to update their firmware to start uploading shows. While the company hasn't outlined its plans for other markets just yet, its target of 26 cities by the end of 2013 means that other areas shouldn't be far behind.
DirecTV prepping voice search app for this summer
Help is on the way. DirecTV has been demoing a new app, due out in beta this summer, that will let you search using voice for your desired programs or movies. You can use an actor's name, a show title or just about anything that would identify a program. DirecTV has partnered with Nuance, the company behind Siri from Apple, for the voice recognition so the app is likely to work at least as well as Siri at recognizing your input. It's welcome news if you are suffering "death by typing" using the DirecTV remote, or even the current DTV iOS app. As we all know, Siri isn't perfect, but it is probably the best of breed in voice recognition. At any rate, saying things like "Show me Columbo episodes this weekend" or "Find some Bruce Willis movies" should work fine. The app works while you are away from home to set up items to record, and of course works from your comfy chair in front of the TV as well. When you are home, the search results will show up on your screen. DirecTV says the app will be in a "very wide beta" this summer with a final version coming later. Now if only Apple could only do something similar for the AppleTV... Even with the Apple Remote app, finding things to watch can be a pain. [via Engadget]
Boxee TV becomes Boxee Cloud DVR, adds free 'Basic' DVR service
Following the trend of everything accentuating its connection to the "cloud," Boxee has rebranded its new box as the Boxee Cloud DVR. GigaOm reports the company made the shift to emphasize its DVR features as a differentiator from other $99 set-tops like those offered by Roku and Apple. Other than the name change and a website redesign, one other new tack is a free "Basic" service package. Buyers still get the "All-access" $10 service tier free for a month upfront on a trial basis, which has unlimited storage and playback across different devices. Once that runs out however, they can opt for basic service where cloud-stored DVR recordings are limited to 5 hours of monthly playback on the box itself and expire after 90 days. While the DVR service's availability is still limited to eight markets, the plan is to expand to 26 by the end of this year. Once it rolls out to more areas and the DVR features come out of beta, we'll see if buyers are ready to give this second attempt at blending online and OTA video a shot.
Boxee TV update brings DLNA access, on device DVR management and more
Boxee's second box is getting a fresh round of updates, as GigaOm points out software version 2.1.0.7781 has been detailed and is rolling out. It includes features that appeal to classic Boxee fans like support for DLNA rendering that lets it browse and play files from PCs or other devices on the same network and DMR that lets users push media to it from apps like Skifta. For more traditional viewers, the update also brings a standard TV guide users can pull up by selecting "TV" on the home screen, the ability to schedule and manage DVR recordings from antenna on the box itself (previously only possible via webpage for the still-in-beta feature), notifications for upcoming recordings and even 3D support in the Vudu app. Boxee co-founder Idan Cohen joined us at Expand and mentioned some of the other updates the team is working on, we'll see if oft-requested features like the ability to pause live TV are added any time soon. Hit the source link for the full list of changes, current owners should see the new software arrive over the next few days.
TiVo Mini review
TiVo fans who want to be able to watch whatever they want, in any room that they want can finally stop waiting. Sure, some have been satisfied with TiVo's Multi-Room Viewing even though it required multiple DVRs with the multiple Now Playing lists and multiple ToDo lists that go with them. But for those TiVo fans who want a single whole-home DVR, the TiVo Mini is available to order for $99.99 plus a $6-per-month subscription, or $249 for the device with lifetime service. This is less than the cost of another TiVo, but more than most set-top boxes available at retail. Of course the Mini can do what most less expensive retail boxes cannot; take the place of a DVR and deliver the most popular programming source in America, premium cable TV. Exactly how well it extends the TiVo experience to another room is what you'll find out if you click through.%Gallery-180671%
KDDI Remote TV delivers Blu-ray DVR video to PCs and smartphones
Sure, it's possible to get remote access to home theater devices through raw methods like a Slingbox, but KDDI has a slightly more elegant solution for those living in Japan. Its tiny Remote TV box puts a Blu-ray DVR on the local WiFi network to both schedule recordings while away and stream the video itself. Locals can watch from a Mac, Windows PC or Android device, although they'll be limited to 480p when they're outside of the home. iOS support is coming soon, the carrier says. KDDI ships the device on February 23rd for an estimated ¥19,800 ($213) and is keen to note that it doesn't require a subscription -- it sees Remote TV more as an incentive to splurge on smartphone data, which just might work for commuters wanting to catch up on their shows.
Comcast grows in Q4, buys the rest of NBCUniversal and rolls out more new DVRs
It's been a busy day for Comcast, so we'll catch you up on the key points. First, it announced today that it's buying the 49 percent of NBCUniversal that it didn't already own from General Electric in a deal worth about $16.7 billion, plus 30 Rockefeller Plaza and CNBC's New Jersey headquarters for an additional $1.4 billion. That's an acceleration of the original schedule, which gave Comcast the option to expand its ownership starting in 2014. In other news, Comcast reported its Q4 earnings, noting that while it still lost around 7,000 cable TV customers in Q4, the total number of video, internet and phone subscribers rose by 503,000 to a total of 51.3 million, up 3 percent from last year. In other news, Comcast announced expansions in its rollout of the new X1 DVR platform. Already live in areas of Georgia, New Jersey, Boston, Tennessee, San Francisco and Philadelphia, it's recently launched in Colorado Springs, CO with more promised in the coming months. It also locked down a deal with Fox that covers local broadcasts, cable TV networks and brings a number of the network's shows to Xfinity streaming apps and services on other platforms. That deal also reveals that Fox will soon add TV Everywhere authenticated streaming to its Fox Now apps, which Comcast customers will be able to access. There's an earnings call tomorrow where we may find out more details, for now you can look after the break and at the links below for the full press releases.
Dish ships Hopper with Sling DVR to livestreamers across the US
Dish didn't quite make the January release target for the Hopper with Sling, but we'll take a slight delay for such a tangible upgrade. As of today, subscribers across the US can pick up the remote streaming DVR if they're willing to pay the $10 monthly whole-home DVR fee; new subscribers who pick at least the $50 Top 120 channel bundle won't have to pay anything up front for the 2TB set-top box. Of course, the real savings theoretically come from skipping the need for a discrete Slingbox -- instead, viewers only need the Dish Anywhere app to stream live and recorded shows, and they can travel with offline copies of their recordings through Hopper Transfers. If you're the sort to see TV as a pay once and watch anywhere service, the Sling-equipped Hopper might justify the longer wait.
TiVo Mini DVR extender launches on Suddenlink, gets rental pricing
The TiVo Mini has yet to make its retail debut, but cable provider Suddenlink is now serving up the DVR extender for use with its own services. According to Zatz Not Funny, the outfit is pricing rentals of the boxes between $6 and $12 depending on a customer's location, and presumably their service package as well. That rental fee nabs users the privilege of slinging live TV from a TiVo Premiere DVR on their network to another television set, in addition to searching for and watching recorded shows. While dynamic tuner allocation is on the hardware's roadmap, it doesn't appear to be switched on just yet. Waiting to pick up the hardware from retail shelves rather than take Suddenlink up on its offer? TiVo's pint-sized offering is slated to ship this spring.
Boxee TV web app gets autocompleting searches, revamped recordings view
When there's a sea of shows to dig through in Boxee TV's web interface, finding one won't always be easy without knowing the exact name. A range of updates hitting the servers should put an end to the guesswork while throwing in a few extras at the same time. The freshened portal brings an autocompleting search box that should speed up finding shows in the guide and, eventually, cloud DVR recordings. Viewers with a load of archived episodes aren't left out to dry, either -- the recording viewer now stuffs TV shows and movies into a more compact grid view, and offers a quick recording override if there's suddenly a more important show in the same time slot. While deeper, firmware-based updates are still on the way, it's nice to have the web update as a prelude.
Google Maps and TiVo integration on Nintendo Wii U delayed beyond January
Nintendo's Wii U was supposed to get TVii when the console launched back in late November. That did not happen. Then, when it did launch in late December, two key features were missing: TiVo and Netflix. Despite insistence that the former would arrive in January 2013, Nintendo tells us that both are delayed beyond January to an unknown point in "early 2013." The company specifically notes that said integration is planned for the United States. Google Maps and Street View, custom-tailored for the Wii U's tablet-like GamePad, were also given a January 2013 launch window when we first heard back in early December that they were headed to the Wii U. As it turns out, those are also delayed, albeit to a more precise "first quarter of 2013." This news comes on the heels of below expectation Wii U console sales, and word of not one, but two console updates coming later this year aimed at optimizing the hardware -- an issue we struggled with during our review of the console last year. Update: Nintendo added the following statements: "Mr. Iwata recently confirmed that NCL [Nintendo Company Limited] will delay the release date of Wii Street U in Japan from late January to mid-February to spend some more time on final development work. As NOA announced in a Nintendo Direct on 12/5/2012, Wii Street U will be available for download from the Nintendo eShop in the United States in the first quarter of 2013." Per Netflix / TiVo: "Further integration with Netflix subscriptions and TiVo are expected in early 2013 in the United States."
XBMC 12 Frodo launches in finished form with support for Android, live TV
XBMC 12 Frodo has spent enough time in beta that you'd think it was walking to Mordor. Whatever prompted the long trek, it's at last over: the finished version of XBMC 12 is hitting the servers. As promised, the completed edition significantly expands the media center app's universe to include initial support for Android and Raspberry Pi, as well as live TV and DVR functionality. Sticklers for quality may like the upgrade as well, as there's new support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio processing on top of 10-bit H.264 video decoding. There's considerably more on tap with the completed Frodo build than what we can list here, so hit the download link if you want to see what two months of testing delivers.
DirecTV HR44 whole-home Genie HD DVR hands-on
The HR34 hasn't been around that long, but DirecTV is showing the replacement at CES, the HR44. The new box does just about everything the HR34 does, including record five HD shows at once to a 1TB hard drive, but in a smaller package. The small package also happens to be almost fan less -- there is an emergency fan that is designed to only turn on in extreme cases -- and has a faster chip. This speed improvement is noticeable on both the main TV in your house, as well as on the various clients. Speaking of which, in addition to the DirecTV C31 set-top box and 2012 Samsung HDTVs, the new 2013 Samsung and Sony HDTVs -- as well as the PS3 -- can also connect directly to the HR44 (and older HR34) and deliver the entire DirecTV Genie experience. Inside you'll find integrated WiFi, but no internal power supply. We're told that an external power supply helps keep the heat down inside, and you can see in the images below, there are large heat sinks either side and a heat pump to cool the processor. No word on price, but we'd suspect it'll be the same as the HR34 -- free for new customers, up to $300 for existing -- and we could only nail them down to "this year" in regards to availability. In what could even be called a bigger change, is the new remote. A new simpler design, it fits perfectly in the hand. We have to say it is a sight for sore eyes to see a remote with less buttons, but we're sure more than a few people will complain about missing their favorite button. The volume and channel rockers are very small and notable. They actually click as they are pushed up and down proving great feedback, even when you aren't looking at it. We'll have to wait until we can use it for more than a moment before we're ready to say this simpler design is actually superior, but we like the direction they're going here. %Gallery-175409%
Boxee tag teams with Sigma Designs to get its cloud streaming into Smart TVs
Right down to its name, Boxee has always been about the set-top boxes, but now it's teaming with system-on-chip specialist Sigma Designs to get its streaming services inside Smart TVs. According to the pair, that'll give panel makers an easy way to integrate Boxee's cloud-based DVR, Web Servies, TV channels like ABC, NBC, CBS or PBS, social networking and on-screen programming. For its part, Boxee has been playing catchup with the likes of Roku and Google, and after baking its hardware and services into Sigma's UXL SoC, will no doubt be keen to enlist as many TV manufacturers as possible to its flavor of cloud streaming entertainment. It'll be showing the new chip in action later this week at CES 2013 where we'll try to get our hands on it, but meanwhile, check out the PR after the break.
Dish Explorer for iPad steers Hopper DVRs, tells TV watchers what's trending
Dish was quick to take advantage of its Sling Media integration with remote live TV, but it hasn't put as much of an emphasis on what happens when we're still sitting comfortably in our living rooms. It's filling that hole with the launch of its Explorer app for the iPad. Viewers with a Hopper DVR can control their set-top box directly from the tablet, as you'd expect, but they'll also get a companion to whatever they're watching, whether it's live or recorded. Explorer catches the buzz around a show on Facebook and Twitter, including rankings if you'd like to see what shows are the hottest; it also builds in Thuuz sports stats and ratings to identify what's likely to be the big game for the day, even as it's happening. The app doesn't officially reach the App Store until Monday, and there's no word of an Android port, but we'll be sure to share our first-hand experiences as soon as possible. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
DirecTV Genie whole-home DVR review
We're very happy that 2012 ended up being the year of whole-home DVRs. We reviewed Dish Network's Hopper earlier this year and now we've spent some quality time with DirecTV's Genie -- can't say we expected the cute names. Capable of serving up to eight rooms in your house (but only four at once), the Genie system works with a variety of setups, including being built into some newer Samsung TVs. Only available as part of DirecTV service, the Genie can be had for free by some new DirecTV customers who are willing to sign a term agreement and select the right package, and available to existing customers as an upgrade for $300 depending on the circumstances. If DirecTV didn't already have you at five tuners, 1TB and up to eight rooms, then click through for a full rundown on the latest the original direct satellite broadcast TV provider has to offer.%Gallery-173956%
Nintendo TVii gets TiVo support in January, hoping to support other DVRs 'in the future'
Nintendo TVii is scheduled for arrival on North American Wii U consoles at some point today, but it's lacking a few key features Nintendo promised when the service was first revealed back in September. Most notably, TiVo support was delayed until "early 2013," though Nintendo of America Director of Network Business Zach Fountain reveals a January launch in the first ever "Reggie Asks" (headlined by ... you guessed it, Nintendo of America president / interviewer Reggie Fils-Aime). Nintendo TVii's co-developer i.TV, represented in the interview by company head Brad Pelo, confirms our fear that TiVo DVRs will be the only supported DVR in the near future on the Wii U. Pelo thankfully adds, "In the future, of course, we hope to add support for other DVRs." The group also discusses a main feature of TVii's second screen integration: "TV Tags." Beyond just viewing shows on the Wii U's GamePad controller, many shows (starting with "the top 100 shows in the US market," including sports, and evolving to integrate "what Nintendo TVii thinks is hot, what we think has momentum, and what we think our audience might find interesting") will feature social interaction and rich content (think: Miiverse-esque chat and stats for sports). Should TVii be as successful as Nintendo believes it will be, Pelo sees producers of popular television shows working with Nintendo to speak to their show's audience more directly. We're just hoping for a chance to talk about those crazy outfits Cee-Lo wears on The Voice in real time on the Wii U -- let's make it happen, people!
