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Dish adds dual tuners to AirTV Player through an adapter
Dish's AirTV Player is an intriguing mix of an over-the-air player with streaming services, but that single tuner has made it difficult to recommend if you want to both record and watch live broadcasts. You won't have to make that compromise from now on, though, if you're willing to pay. The company has launched a dual tuner adapter that enables simultaneous recording and viewing, or recording for two channels if there are two must-see shows you're going to miss.
Fire TV Recast offers both DVR and streaming on the go
At Amazon's launch event today in Seattle the company announced its first DVR called the Fire TV Recast. There's no cable TV tuner built-in, so the channels available will be the ones you can access with a connected over-the-air antenna (like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS or the CW). Also, since the Recast doesn't plug directly into a TV, you can place it anywhere in your house to get the best reception, which the app can also help you determine. It then beams your recorded shows or live TV anywhere through your home to an Echo Show, Fire tablet, mobile device (iOS or Android with the Fire TV app) or a Fire TV device. You can also take your recordings on-the-go with the Fire TV app.
Tablo launches more affordable over-the-air DVR with cloud storage
Nuvvyo's over-the-air Tablo DVRs are potentially big bargains if you want the convenience of recording shows without a pricey cable package, but the up front cost (dictated in part by the built-in storage) can make them daunting. The company has a simple solution to that: release a DVR that lets you pick your own drive. Its newly launched Tablo Dual Lite includes the same dual-tuner recording as before, but ditches the 64GB of built-in storage in favor of a lower $140 price (down from $220) that lets you get only the USB drive you want. And importantly, that local storage will soon be optional.
All Ford vehicles will have built-in 4G LTE by 2020
Ford's vision for the future is electric, connectivity and assisted driving. For the Blue Oval company, that means by 2020 its entire lineup will have 4G LTE connectivity and offer Waze navigation by way of AppLink and Sync 3. The former means that all aspects of a vehicle can be updated over the air rather than just the Sync platform. The latter is a bid to make the road safer by decreasing distracted driving that's caused by fumbling with your phone while behind the wheel; all cars with Sync 3 can start using Waze next month. And after studying how people use their trucks, the F-150 will have an available bed-mounted generator for the folks who need to export power on the job-site -- an idea Chevy experimented with on its ZH2 concept truck for the military.
Exploit attacks your smart TV through over-the-air signals
Worries that someone could hijack your TV with a broadcast have been present for decades (ever see The Outer Limits?), and it's clear that they're not going away any time soon. Oneconsult security researcher Rafael Scheel has outlined an attack that can control smart TVs by embedding code into digital (specifically, DVB-T) over-the-air broadcasts. The intrusion takes advantage of flaws in a set's web browser to get root-level access and issue virtually any command. You only need to have a transmission powerful enough to reach compatible TVs, and at least one attack will work without revealing that something is wrong.
AirTV is shipping to customers without its biggest feature (updated)
Back at CES, we were quite smitten with AirTV's ability to put all of your streaming services and over-the-air channels in the same place. Well, it looks like the set-top box is shipping to customers without its key feature. AirTV doesn't currently integrate OTA channels inside the Sling guide alongside streaming options like we saw in Vegas, instead there's a button that provides access to those local channels.
AirTV conveniently pairs streaming with over-the-air channels
With the plethora of TV-streaming options, getting all of your content in one place can be a chore. At CES this week, Dish unveiled the AirTV: a 4K set-top box that handles Sling TV, Netflix, Android TV for other streaming apps and over-the-air channels. The $130 device also uses the Sling TV guide to organize all of that content. It also includes a remote with dedicated buttons for those aforementioned streaming libraries. I spent some time with the AirTV on the show floor to see how well it really works.
Engadget giveaway: Win an HD DVR package courtesy of Plex!
So you've cut the cord, but want to catch a few shows on major networks without adding a new paid TV subscription. If you splurge on a digital tuner (or cable card) and antenna, you're free to enjoy uncompressed HD broadcasts from most of the majors like ABC, NBC, CBS and more -- at no charge. Add to that Plex's recent DVR feature, which lets you record shows when they air and save them to your Plex server. It's the perfect pairing, allowing you access to both your own media and Plex DVR content anywhere you want using the app. To help celebrate this recent addition, Plex has given us two complete setups for pulling in free HD TV, recording shows and streaming them. That includes an HDHomeRun Connect dual digital tuner, an HD antenna and a free lifetime Plex Pass, for unmitigated access to all of Plex's best features. Just head on down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this economical HD TV package! Winners: Congratulations to Tom B. of Waterford, VA and Jonathan S. of Bellevue, WA!
Xbox One gets over-the-air DVR through a set-top box
Just because Microsoft has ruled out an Xbox One DVR feature doesn't mean that you're without choices. Nuvyyo has introduced an Xbox One (and Windows 10 Anniversary Update) version of its Tablo app, letting you watch and record over-the-air TV streamed from the company's networked set-top box. You'll get the "majority" of features you see on other platforms, including a TV guide as well as options to pause live shows and skip ads.
Tablo gives your Apple TV a DVR for live video
By itself, the new Apple TV's full-fledged app support only partly fulfills cord-cutting dreams. You can subscribe to loads of streaming services, but you can't quite recreate the experience of watching live broadcasts. However, the makers of the Tablo DVR have an answer to that dilemma. They've unveiled a version of their streaming app for the Apple TV, giving you a way to both watch live over-the-air TV and record it for posterity. This solution isn't cheap -- you're looking at a minimum $200 for the box, and that's before the subscription ($5 per month, $50 per year or $150 lifetime) you'll need if you want programming guide data. Nonetheless, the app will probably be your best bet at unifying internet and OTA TV when it shows up this spring.
Test run paves the way for over-the-air 4K TV
You may not have to pony up for a streaming video service (or any service, for that matter) to get 4K video on your TV in the future. GatesAir, LG and Zenith have started field-testing Futurecast, a system that promises to drag over-the-air TV into the modern era. Thanks to HEVC video compression as well as boosts to overall throughput, the technology can stuff both 4K and two mobile broadcasts into a relatively small 6MHz frequency range. With enough bandwidth, you'd only need a set of rabbit ears to watch at least a few basic channels in Ultra HD.
TiVo gives ex-Aereo customers a break on its cord-cutter DVR
TiVo made no bones about wanting to scoop up Aereo's former cord-cutter TV business, and that apparently includes many of its viewers. The DVR provider has launched a promo for ex-Aereo customers that gives you a Roamio OTA box, a TiVo Stream and two years of service for no money down and $20 per month. It's not the hugest deal in the world, and it won't exactly match what you got under Aereo, but it could help if you're still hunting for an easy way to watch over-the-air broadcasts on your own terms.
Your smart TV can be hacked over the air, but it's not likely
It only makes sense that putting a TV online theoretically exposes it to hackers, but it's now clear that those hacks don't have to go through conventional internet pipelines. A team of Columbia University researchers has published details of a vulnerability in an interactive TV standard (HbbTV) that lets evildoers hijack your smart TV and other devices in your home network so long as you tune into a specific over-the-air digital channel. Attacks can run undetected in the background, and the nature of the broadcasts makes it difficult or impossible to trace the culprit. Reportedly, the only surefire remedies are to cut off broadcast-based web content altogether, monitor for unusual spikes in network activity or notify users when apps launch.
Tablo streaming DVR now available for pre-order, ships in February for $219
Nuvyyo promised that its internet-savvy Tablo DVR would arrive early in the new year, and it's making good on its word by launching pre-orders. You can now buy two- and four-tuner versions of the streaming video hub at respective prices of $219 and $250; the lower-end model ships in February, while the more advanced edition ships in the spring. Either set-top box will let you record over-the-air TV to your choice of USB storage without having to pay extra fees, although dedicated viewers will want to shell out for a programming guide subscription at $5 per month, $50 per year or $150 for life. Tablo may not be the cheapest way to wean yourself off of cable or satellite, then, but it's potentially a big bargain if you don't want to give up timely access to TV shows just because you've cut the cord.
MLB and NFL endorse legal battle against Aereo, threaten to limit sports broadcasts
It's not just major broadcasters who are willing to take their fight against Aereo to the Supreme Court. The MLB and the NFL have jointly filed an amicus brief supporting the existing court case, arguing that the streaming TV service jeopardizes their licensing deals. Aereo's ability to offer sports programming at no extra cost undermines the point of exclusive (and very lucrative) broadcasting arrangements, according to the brief. The leagues are prepared to back up their words with deeds -- they claim that they'll have to move their games to cable and satellite channels if Aereo wins. There's no guarantee that the Supreme Court will sympathize with this supposed plight, but it's clearer than ever that Aereo faces stiff opposition from the broadcasting industry's status quo.
Elgato EyeTV Mobile ships to the US, brings Dyle live TV tuning to data cap-dodging iOS users
We've only seen periodic attempts at melding live ATSC-Mobile TV with iOS devices; more often than not, internet-free broadcasting to American smartphones and tablets has been the domain of Android. Elgato is seeking some balance by shipping one of the few peripherals delivering over-the-air US TV to our iPhones and iPads. The new version of the EyeTV Mobile dongle gives iOS devices with 30-pin connectors (or an adapter) access to live TV stations under Dyle Mobile TV's service umbrella, including some local Fox and NBC channels. A free EyeTV Mobile app is part and parcel of the strategy with an option to pause live shows as well as a programming guide. The add-on is in US stores now for $100, although it could pay for itself in an era when carriers want to stifle unlimited data and make streaming TV an expensive proposition.
Aereo opens its streaming TV to Mac and Windows web browsers
If you'd wanted to watch Aereo's unique antenna-to-internet TV streaming until today, you had to tune in from an iOS device or Roku box. That's not a lot of choice for placeshifting, is it? A fresh update to the company's streaming service has widened the choices considerably for New Yorkers to include all the major browsers on Macs and Windows PCs. As long as you're using a recent version of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera or Safari, you can catch up on Ion or Telemundo while you're checking email. About the only restrictions left are the continued lack of Android support and occasional lawsuits from traditionalist broadcasters.
Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S start receiving Android 4.1.2 over the air
When Android 4.1.2 hit the airwaves for upgrades, it was limited to a very exclusive club of Nexus 7 owners. Google has widened the gates considerably as of today: we're receiving multiple reports of GSM-based Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S owners getting the new Jelly Bean build through official, over-the-air channels. Upgrades here aren't as noticeable as they are on the reference Android tablet; besides fixes, we've mostly heard that it's now possible to expand a notification with a single finger. Those with CDMA-based phones are left out so far, but if you discover any surprise extras before 4.1.2 hits our own devices, be sure to leave us a tip. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)
You may be familiar with EchoStar's satellite-based (Dish Network) and Sling Media (Slingbox) products, but the company also manufactures set-top boxes for third-party providers, as well as free-to-air services in the UK. It's this last grouping that'll be able to take advantage of the Android-based device we saw today, assuming it does in fact make its way to market. The HDX-410 runs native Ice Cream Sandwich, and is available in two versions -- one supports IP content and local storage exclusively, while a second can also accept terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) programming, letting you play back live TV shows in addition to content from a local server, pulled from the web or stored on attached media or an inserted microSD card. It connects to the web using Ethernet or WiFi, and includes USB ports on both the front and the rear, Bluetooth, HDMI out, digital audio out and a standard-definition connection. It's also paired with a QWERTY keyboard-equipped remote manufactured by Philips with gyroscopic or directional-pad curser control, along with pinch/zoom gesture capability. We had a chance to check out the ICS box at EchoStar's IBC booth today, where the device was running Android 4.0.4 and an early version of the company's hybrid app, which groups "favorited" content alongside terrestrial channels, letting you use the standard channel up/down button to navigate through stored TV shows, IP content or live programming quite seamlessly, as if all of the media was playing from the same source. It's clearly not yet ready for primetime, but the interface was sleek and speedy -- the set-top box performed very well overall. EchoStar reps were unable to confirm whether or not the HDX-410 would be coming to market at all, but they did add that the solution may be made available to third-parties in the future. Click past the break to take a closer look in our hands-on video.%Gallery-164692%
T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 lands Ice Cream Sandwich update
After more than a month of waiting, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 for T-Mobile has finally joined some of its brethren with an Ice Cream Sandwich update. Big Magenta has posted the Android 4.0.4 download for those who'd like to install the OS manually via Samsung Kies. While the carrier says the Android flavor won't be delivered over-the-air, TmoNews reports that some users have loaded up their hardware with an OTA update. Ready to hop on the ICS bandwagon? Check your slate for an upgrade notice or hit the source link below for instructions and the appropriate download.
