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Comcast's X1 set-top box helps you buy concert tickets
Comcast isn't stopping at offering movie tickets through the X1. It's using Ticketmaster's platform to sell Kelly Clarkson tickets with the help of its set-top box. Say "Kelly Clarkson Tour" to the remote and you'll go to a promo screen that will show you nearby concert dates and start the ticket purchasing process if you just have to see a show. Unfortunately, you can't complete the purchase on your TV -- you'll instead receive a text code on your phone that you use to finish the process. Still, it might be easier to browse on the big screen if you've already been curled up on the couch.
Alexa now controls your FiOS TV set-top box
Verizon's FiOS TV boxes haven't lived on the cutting edge of technology, but they're catching up in an important way: voice control. Big Red has quietly introduced an Alexa skill for its FiOS Video Media Server set-tops, letting you change the channel (by name or number) and steer DVR playback with spoken commands. You'll need Multi-Room DVR Enhanced or Premium service, but this makes life a little easier if you happen to have an Echo speaker (or any Alexa device) and would rather not find the remote buried between the couch cushions.
Comcast's Xfinity X1 finally streams Netflix in 4K
Netflix has offered 4K streaming on seemingly every platform under the Sun by this point, but not Comcast's Xfinity X1. You've had to settle for 1080p if your TV, console or digital media player somehow wasn't up to the job. No more: Comcast has made 4K streaming available on the X1. You'll need an XG1v4 box, a Netflix Premium subscription and (of course) a 4K TV, but you too can watch Stranger Things or Narcos without missing a pixel.
AT&T is making an Android-powered DirecTV streaming hub
AT&T might not rely solely on other companies' devices to pipe DirecTV Now and other forms of internet-only video into your home. Variety has unearthed a new FCC filing for an Android TV-powered set-top box dubbed the "AT&T/DirecTV Wireless 4K OTT Client." Just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? The hardware isn't much to look at, but the manual talks about a voice-guided remote with touchpad as well as full access to Google Play. In other words, this is really a general-purpose Android media player that happens to be focused on services like DirecTV. You could just as easily use it to watch Hulu or Netflix, if that's your inclination. And no, there's no connectors to plug into DirecTV's satellite services.
Roku made a 4K streaming stick
Fresh off a successful IPO, Roku is keen to keep the momentum going. And what better way to do that than to launch a set of new devices, packed with a bunch of free (ad-supported) channels. The company tends to refresh its line-up in the fall, and this year is no exception. As rumored, there's a 4K streaming stick, but that's not all. Roku is also upgrading its budget line-up, slashing the price of its top-tier device (the Roku Ultra), and giving its Roku OS a fresh coat of paint.
YouTube meets cable on Comcast's X1 boxes
Last year Comcast plugged Netflix streaming into the X1 setup and starting today it's rolling out YouTube access nationwide. Just as the company announced earlier this year, the service's videos will be available via the YouTube app, or in Comcast's video on-demand section. According to YouTube exec Robert Kyncl, "The living room is YouTube's fastest growing platform. We are excited to supercharge our distribution there and bring Xfinity X1 users a seamless way to consume all of the content they love. Voice is a key enabler to discovery and we are looking forward to bringing it to Xfinity X1 users."
Kodi boxes 'threaten to undermine' the UK's anti-piracy efforts
Media centre software Kodi is once again taking flak for its role in facilitating digital piracy today. An announcement from the UK's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has praised "innovative" services like Netflix and Spotify for keeping Brits on the straight and narrow, but notes that the scale of online piracy remains "stable" -- which is just a positive way of saying no gains have been made in tackling infringement over the past 12 months, following several years of decline. While not mentioning Kodi specifically (which isn't unusual), the IPO states that "illicitly adapted set-top boxes" are partly to blame for this, and "threaten to undermine recent progress."
Tablo's new Dual DVR is ready to record right out of the box
The original Tablo box debuted in 2013, pitched as a DVR for cord-cutters that could stream TV nearly anywhere, and now the company is back with a second generation version. The Tablo Dual is redesigned to fit everything in a smaller case with no fans for quieter operation, and also manages to squeeze in 64GB of memory. That means new users can start recording TV right away, without needing to plug in extra storage (although it does support to 8TB).
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.
Sling TV accidentally reveals its set-top box for cord cutters
The Sling TV team has inadvertently spilled the beans on its previously leaked media hub for cord cutters. Zatz Not Funny discovered a briefly available landing website for the AirTV Player, and it's clearer than ever that Sling (read: Dish) is catering to those determined to leave cable and satellite behind. The set-top box will revolve around a home screen that merges over-the-air TV tuning with not only Sling TV, but Netflix -- you won't have to jump between apps or devices to watch both your local news and the latest season of Black Mirror. And since this is an Android device (notice the "G" button on the remote), there's a good chance that other online services will be available as well.
Comcast set-top boxes now offer detailed stats for more sports
Did you like the abundance of stats while watching the Rio Olympics on Comcast? If so, you're in for a treat from now on. Comcast is rolling out those same on-screen stats for every sport its X1 set-top box app covers. If you want to see where a basketball team has taken most of its shots, or want to know how well your favorite hockey player is doing, the info is just a short hop away. Finding that data should be easier, too.
Virgin Media TiVo update adds smarter Series Link+ feature
While we wait for more details on Virgin Media's new V6 set-top box and the 4K service arriving with it, the company's showing it hasn't yet forgotten about those aging HD TiVos currently sitting beneath TVs across the UK. Several new features are being bestowed upon these boxes as part of a platform update, the most notable of which being Series Link+. This not only tells your TiVo to record every subsequent episode of a series, as you'd expect, but also searches on-demand platforms (including Netflix) for any episode of the same show, collating it all in the one folder in the My Shows tab -- should you need to start from the very beginning, say.
Apple TV's new iPhone remote control app talks to Siri
As promised, you no longer need to use the new Apple TV's standard remote control to take advantage of all the media hub's features. Apple has released a brand new Apple TV Remote app that drags its iOS interface into the modern era. You can not only use the same touch-based control as on the hardware remote, but talk to Siri -- handy if you lost the physical controller between the couch cushions. It also supports motion controls for games, and there's even a Game Mode that strips things down.
NBC lays out its streaming plans for Rio 2016
NBC dropped a few more details on its streaming plans for the Summer Olympics, but it's important to first note what won't be streaming live: the Opening Ceremony. The broadcaster revealed that both TV and online will be on one hour broadcast delay (more on the west coast), and justified the decision by saying it wouldn't need to cut any countries out of the intro to fit commercials. As far as the actual sports, they will all be ready for viewing live, on TV or online. If you don't have cable TV you can expect 30 minutes of streaming access on your first visit before being prompted to login, and after that five minutes without logging in (maybe try clearing those cookies).
Comcast will put Netflix on its cable set-top boxes
Comcast and Netflix have usually been bitter enemies, to put it mildly, but it looks like they can find some common ground. The two have announced a deal that will put Netflix on Comcast's X1 set-top boxes sometime later in 2016. The terms of the pact aren't public, but Recode tipsters understand that it'll be similar to the arrangements Netflix has been making with other cable providers for years. You'll hear more closer to launch, the companies say.
Republican budget proposal would gut net neutrality
It's no secret that the Republican Party hates net neutrality regulation, but it's now ready to raise the stakes. House GOP members have drafted a 2017 budget proposal that would neuter some of the FCC's bigger telecom initiatives, at least for a while. On top of cutting the FCC's budget by $69 million, it would prevent the FCC from enforcing its net neutrality rules until some court cases wind down -- which, knowing the legal system, could take years. You could also forget about short-term attempts to open up competition for TV set-top boxes, as the legislation would prevent the FCC from taking action on its set-top rule until a study finishes.
Google stops selling the Nexus Player
The writing has been on the wall for a while, but it finally happened: Google has stopped selling the ASUS-made Nexus Player through its own store. Google hasn't said what prompted the move, but it tells us that you'll have to go to the handful of third-party retailers still stocking the Android TV box if you just have to get the official experience. Otherwise, you'll have to either get a third-party device like the NVIDIA Shield or a TV set.
FCC pushes #unlockthebox campaign to fix cable TV
Cable TV has many issues that frustrate its customers -- channel bundles, poor customer service, high prices and more -- but so many of them track back directly to its antiquated and troublesome set-top boxes. As it has for many years, the FCC is again pushing for changes to the traditional model, and Chairman Tom Wheeler laid out the points for his plan (PDF) as well as authored an op-ed on Re/code earlier today. We detailed the issues and what the FCC is trying to do earlier, but what's clear now is that after years of pushing AllVid with little to show for it, the agency is trying a new tack.
Your new Apple TV finally works with the Remote app
Ask owners about their biggest gripes with the new Apple TV and they'll probably mention the text input. Given that the Remote app hasn't worked with the box since launch, you've been forced to enter account info and text searches very... very... slowly. At last, however, relief is in sight: a new Apple TV update brings support for the Remote app on both your iOS devices and the Apple Watch (through the equally new watchOS 2.1). You can now break out your iPhone the next time a streaming video app wants your password.
Razer's Android TV box quietly leaves Google's store
You may have thought that Razer's Forge TV was hot stuff back at CES, but it's not clear that the buying public felt the same way. Google has quietly stopped selling the Android TV set-top on its official store -- swing by its product page and you'll find that it's "no longer available for purchase." It's not certain that Razer has discontinued the media hub altogether, but things don't look good when its own store only lets you sign-up for in-stock alerts. We've reached out to Razer to get the full scoop on this disappearance.
