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Toshiba enters 2014 with extra-bright 4K TVs, simpler streaming media hubs
Toshiba knows how to shine in the 4K TV space when there's a sea of competitors -- by making brighter 4K TVs, of course. Its 2014 Ultra HD TV lineup (not yet pictured) centers on 58- and 65-inch Premier L9400U models that both have extra-bright "Radiance" LED panels. They similarly share a third-generation 4K video-scaling engine, a 240Hz refresh rate, DirecTV RVU support and voice control. If brightness isn't what you're looking for, there are more conventional alternatives. The 84-inch L9450U relies on more conventional local-dimming LEDs while preserving the rest of the L9400U's features, and the 50- and 58-inch L8400U sets cut costs through both their smaller sizes and 120Hz panels. All three TV lines are poised to ship this summer, although Toshiba isn't ready to commit to pricing. The electronics giant is also launching a pair of next-generation Symbio set-top boxes, both of which combine Blu-ray with streaming media using a newly simplified, one-page interface that brings Smart TV Alliance app support. The BDX5500 leads the group with 4K upscaling and 3D playback, while the BDX3500 saves some cash by sticking to 2D. Toshiba doesn't yet have pricing for the new Symbio line, but it should grace store shelves in the first quarter of the year.
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%
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%
DirecTV Genie DVR and interface launch with advice for the indecisive
We got a peek at DirecTV's Genie system just a few weeks ago with promises of a system that would both suggest related shows and optionally record them unbidden. It's here, and it's being joined by some rebranding. The company's flagship HR34 DVR has been relabeled as the Genie and makes the new software its centerpiece, with those five tuners letting even the chronically uncommitted take new recommendations as seriously as they like. As before, simultaneous viewing is otherwise the biggest angle: there's support for up to eight RVU-capable TVs hooked up at once, two shows playing on one TV and up to four TVs watching the same show. You'll have to be a new subscriber to get the video recorder under the Genie moniker, although we don't see too many existing customers dropping everything to get that symbolic distinction.
DirecTV HR34 DVR 'Genie' recommendations and autorecording get previewed ahead of fall launch
DirecTV paired its HD interface with the five tuner, RVU ready HR34 Home Media Center DVR back in March, so what will it do next to take advantage of the multiroom boxes with five tuners and massive hard drives? The answer is Genie, a new feature / rebranding that should be very familiar to TiVo users, since its aim is to find other shows you might be interested in and store them on the DVR without being prompted. The folks at Solid Signal and DBSTalk have had an early preview of the fall software update that will enable it, and have both posted hands-on impressions. Once the user enables the feature, after a few hours it begins episodes of shows similar to the ones they already watch and recording them automatically. The feature uses hard drive space that's already reserved for DirecTV's video on-demand (so user accessible recording space is not impacted) and works in selections available from VOD. Watching a program at your leisure VOD-style, setting up a series recording for a new favorite or blasting it from your drive is just a click of the remote away on the DVR or one of its multiroom extenders. Helping viewers discover new content is a field suddenly filled with competition, from the social networking based to Dish Network's Hopper that records everything on primetime network TV and even filters out commercials. That Genie can let you watch already recorded episodes right away and pull from any broadcasts its finds may give it a leg up, but so far we haven't seen recommendation systems good enough to promote switching from one service to another. Hit the source links for more details on how it all works, along with a video preview, also embedded after the break.
Samsung shows off integrated TV streaming apps and DirecTV RVU... again
Time Warner, Comcast, DirecTV and Verizon FiOS TV all displayed ways we could enjoy their service without a set-top box tied to our TV during CES 2011. A year later, while tablet apps have launched, living room progress is limited o DirecTV's HR34 soft launch and a limited Verizon FiOS app on Xbox 360 . So, here we are at CES 2012 with all four lined up at the Samsung booth under the N Service banner, again. Despite our disappointment over the delays, Comcast's app was slick, though limited to VOD-only just like the Xbox 360. Time Warner Cable's port of TWCable TV was similarly well appointed, although it lacked the DVR tie-ins of its Panasonic counterpart we saw earlier. The Verizon FiOS beta app was very rough around the edges, but allowed for either live TV or VOD streaming via the internet. DirecTV clearly had the best showing, but mostly because its implementation is actually shipping, and now is supported on more TVs. From what we're told, it's largely legal department, not technical concerns that are holding up the apps from launching, but until they hit Smart TVs everywhere you can peruse the pics in the gallery below.
Verizon FiOS TV's new media server scheduled for late 2012
The fine folks at Verizon's Innovation Labs in Waltham, Massachusetts have posted a couple of videos of their efforts that include their vision of how Verizon plans to deliver TV to all the devices in your home, over both wired and wireless networks in HD, served off of a centralized media server. In addition to tablets, game consoles and computers, the media server will also serve content to smaller, more energy efficient thin clients at the other HDTVs in your home. Besides the obvious benefits of more content in more places, a centralized approach like this also offers the promise of being more user friendly by making the experience consistent across every screen -- no more walking to another room to schedule recordings. We're told the media server is expected to roll out late next year, but sadly, FiOS TV isn't exactly known for delivering new technologies when promised.
DirecTV's new five tuner HR34 Home Media Center DVR ready to launch December 8th?
After waiting years for someone to deliver the first RVU-capable multiroom DVR setup, info leaked to SatelliteGuys indicates we only have to hold out one more week for DirecTV's HR34 DVR. While DirecTV has yet to make an official announcement, retailer info states that it will be available starting Thursday for just $99 after rebate ($399 rack rate), bringing five tuners, 1TB of storage, whole home DVR service in up to four active rooms, and more. Of course, we'll need the RVU-compatible HDTVs mentioned (Samsung D6000, D6400, and D6420 series) released before we can ditch the extra satellite TV boxes for good, but this is the first step. Hit the source link for more details including a full spec sheet.
DirecTV's five tuner, RVU-ready HR34 DVR revealed
We've been waiting for more information on DirecTV's next generation multiroom DVR hub, and here it is, courtesy of the folks at DBSTalk. They've gotten an early look at the HR34 and all of its five-tuner RVU blasting capabilities and report it is just the HR24-on-steroids you'd thought it would be, with a 1TB hard drive and support for 100 Series Listings and 3 remote sessions, either RVU or whole-home DVR, at once. Of course, if we're really going to eliminate the cable / satellite box anytime soon then hardware is going to have to hit the streets, both form DirecTV and third parties like Samsung. Don't bother calling DirecTV to get one yet as they're in extremely limited release, but we'll let you know once they're widely available. In the meantime, hit the source link for a quick preview, and if you're looking for more info on the placeshifting Nomad box then you're in luck, since its product page is (finally) live on DirecTV's site.
DirecTV is field testing RVU, will offer satellite TV without individual receivers in October
We've been waiting since 2009 for the RVU Alliance to deliver on its promise of TV service controlled by a main server that streams content to any screen in the home without requiring any set-top boxes and it appears DirecTV is ready to make it so. A press release issued today indicates it has started field trials of the HR34 RVU server that will be the keystone in its Home Media Center, and plans to roll the service out nationwide in October. If you want to know when to start buying HDTVs like the Samsung D6000 series, it also mentions RVU certification for those and DirecTV's own C30 Home Media Clients (check out a video demo here) is expected to be finalized in June. There's been some delays but if you were also hoping that 2011 would be the year we can get rid of the cable box, the progress is looking very promising. [Thanks, Tyler]
Could this be the year we get to ditch the cable box?
We've been coming to CES for years looking at demos of technologies that will let us watch HDTV without a set-top box, and yet here we are years later with little choice but to find a place to put that box. The big failures have been CableCARD and then tru2way, both of which have had little impact to mainstream America. But despite all of our disappointment over the years, we came away from CES this year with the feeling that this might actually be the year. Of course, the allure of Vegas has yet to wear off, but when Time Warner Cable, Comcast, DirecTV and Verizon FiOS TV are at the same show sending almost the same message and showing demos, we have a hard time not taking our skeptical shield down a little. Sadly it wasn't exactly the same message, and if you click on through you might discover the true future of how TV will be delivered. %Gallery-113471%
Samsung launching RVU-compatible D6000 series TVs in March
Remember the RVU Alliance from last year? The idea is to use standard tech like DLNA and UPnP to move live TV and DVR'd content around the home and straight to your screens, instead of having to plug a separate set-top box into every television. Well, Samsung is about to ship the first TVs in the world that support the RVU protocol, the Samsung LED D6000, LED D6400 and LED D6420. When networked with DirecTV's RVU server (the first of its kind), the TVs will display the UI and features from the DirecTV box, with ability to pause live content, share DVR storage, and record up to five shows simultaneously. No word on cost for the sets, but can you really put a price on the future?
DirecTV Q1 results are great for profits, multi-room viewing and RVU -- but not DirecTiVo
It's not difficult to guess what's on the soundtrack around DirecTV's headquarters, with revenue and earnings results that beat analysts estimates for the first quarter. That's thanks to higher prices and increased HD and DVR revenue (DirecTiVo? Yeah right, according to the conference call, it could be pushed back until "maybe the end of this year, or maybe early next year,") while it also experienced a net increase of 100,000 subscribers over the period. Of course launching DirecTV 3D is a major focus for the rest of the year, as well as increased VOD with DirecTV Cinema, multi-room viewing (officially rolling out next week) and "connected home" initiatives. All the dirty details are in the reports and transcripts linked below, dive in as deeply as you dare.
DirecTV's new H24 HD receiver is one step closer to reality
We got a taste of DirecTV's new multi-room nirvana at CES but while we wait there is a new HD receiver. The H24 can act as both an HD satellite receiver but although it looks the same it isn't the same as HD DVR thin client via MoCA and RVU we saw at CES. Our friend Doug at DBSTalk.com had a chance to play with it and shared a first look with the world. The little guy is considerably smaller than its predecessors, is faster, and has DirecTV's flavor of MoCA called DECA (DirecTV Ethernet Coaxial Adapter) baked in -- regular MoCA isn't compatible with satellite. With coax networking built in one wire is all you need to use it as an HD receiver or to access internet enabled feature without running a CAT5 or depending on WiFi. One other item of note is that the new version of the ugly, cheesy, DirecTV remote now programs itself, useful for your mom, but not for you Harmony loving types. **UPDATE** The H24 will not be an RVU thin client, just a new HD reciever, so we updated the post for accuracy.
DirecTV's new HR24 DVR to reach customers this quarter
We showed you a video demo from CES that looked pretty good and apparently the new HR24 DVR and H24 thin client from DirecTV is already in production and will be reaching customers by the end of the quarter. No prices and specifics just yet, but we do know that this DVR has somewhere between three and eight tuners, and you can connect up to eight H24 clients up via coax (thanks to MoCA) and watch recordings or live TV in up to three other rooms of the house at the same time. The best part is that since there's only one server, no matter what room you're in, you get the same exact experience. We also expect to hear that both Samsung and Sony have built the RVU client directly into their new TVs, and if so, then you wouldn't even need a set-top at the TV to watch the HD DVR. UPDATE: The above pictured DVR that sports RVU is the HMC30, not the HR24. Which is due this quarter but is much more like the HR21 except with MoCA built in.
A video demo of RVU extending a DirecTV DVR to another room
We've been exited about the multiroom capabilities of the new RVU protocol built on top of DLNA since the alliance was announced -- DirecTV let its intentions of releasing products in 2010 known at the same time. Up until now we haven't actually been able to see it in action, but today we caught a great demo at the Entropic's booth, and it's cool. The demo showed a totally new DirecTV DVR connected to multiple TVs. The first TV was connected via HDMI and thanks to the wonders of MoCA, the others via coax. What is cool is that they all have the exact same experience and you can use it in up to 8 rooms, but only four TVs at the same time (one on the DVR, three via coax). Any TV with RVU built in -- Samsung and Sony are both a part of the RVU Alliance -- works without a set-top box, but for everything there's a small client. The new DVR obvioulsy needs more than two tuners to support all these clients but that information isn't public yet, but we were told it would be more than two tuners -- our guess is between four and eight. We were impressed and admit that this and 3D are two reasons we'll be seriously considering DirecTV as our HD provider. %Gallery-82509%
Broadcom and RVU alliance tout new chips and demos
One of the great expectations we had for CES 2010 is an honest to goodness multi-room DVR. Sure others have what they call MRV, but in reality it doesn't give the same great experience at every TV in the house. Now we've heard about the RVU Alliance's lofty goals and impressive list of founders, but lets face it, it doesn't exist until you see it for yourself. According to a few recent press releases, not only will we be able to bring you hands-on and videos of the technology in action, but Broadcom has a couple of new system on a chips (SoC) that have RVU Alliance's Remote User Interface (RUI) technology built right in -- you know the pixel perfect remote user interface technology. Stay tunned for more as we have a chance to search out the show floor for demos.
RVU Alliance gets Motorola, Pace, Thomson and others to dream the multiroom dream
Chalk up a few more for the multiroom crowd, as the RVU Alliance (get familiar) has added some power names from the set-top box market to its roster as "Promoter" members. The new additions appear to set things up for compatible solutions from your cable or satellite provider arriving sooner rather than later, capable of streaming video and interfaces from set-tops to any screen in the house. Names like Motorola, Pace and Thomson have probably already graced your entertainment rack, while lesser known additions include Entropic Communications, maker of hardware for home entertainment networking, JetHead, focused on creating RVU client software, and set-top manufacturer NXP. Is hoping for a big splash at CES too much? We think not.
DirecTV's CEDIA booth was all about multi-room viewing
When we were walking around CEDIA this past week we noticed a thing or two that we would've missed if we just focused on reader press releases. One of those things was the emphasis DirecTV put on multi-room viewing. This is good news to us, because we think that MRV is one of the next big things in the world of HD and DVRs. Most consumers just want to be able to watch whatever they want, wherever they want, so having the exact same experience on every TV in the house is key. Specifically DirecTV was showing its vision of the future including how the next generation of DirecTV HD DVR would work. What's interesting is that although DirecTV does allow customers to download beta software for the current HD DVR that enables MRV features, that isn't what these pictures are of. The current technology also isn't using the new RVU Alliance's technology, of which DirecTV promised to deploy next year. Overall we'll be keeping a close eye on the progress, but we were disappointed to hear the booth representatives describe the system without mentioning the full experience on the thin clients.
The RVU Alliance picks up Verizon as a founding promoter
Obviously Verizon is all about delivering a whole home DVR solution, so it's no shocker that something like the RVU Alliance is right up its alley. But we are glad to see the fiber to the home provider doesn't shy away from adopting someone else's technology -- we say this because we all know how much Verizon loves, tru2way -- and ask much as we want to be able to have access to the same content in every room of our house, we're not big on the current Verizon solution. The bottom line is that we are on the same page with Verizon here are glad to hear the CTO say that Verizon wants to "lead the industry to an ever-simpler process for integrating consumer electronics." What we hope he means though, is that Verizon will be bring an RVU server to the party so we can enjoy all those HD channels on a Samsung HDTV without a STB.
