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Dish Hopper whole-home DVR review
A new DVR with a never-before-seen feature doesn't come around every day, and if it's the sort of amenity that works in every room of the house, without compromise, then we just have to review it. What would make the list? Try the Dish Hopper whole-home DVR, which can record six shows at once. Of course, there are specs and marketing claims, and then there's real-world performance. Is this set-top box everything we could have dreamed of? There's only one way to find out: you'll have to meet us past the break and take a walk through our full review.
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.
TiVo Premiere Q and Preview multiroom DVR setup finally debuts from RCN
The new "whole home solution" from TiVo consisting of the four tuner Premiere Q DVR and Preview extender is finally available for the first time, from RCN. The initial rollout is taking place in the Washington D.C. area, marketed as the Whole Home Bundle consisting of one Premiere Q and one Preview for $29.99 monthly. Additional Preview extenders, which lack tuners and hard drives entirely, can be added for $9.99 per month. While DVR features like pausing live TV aren't currently available, Gizmo Lovers points out a DSLReports post by an RCN rep indicating that early next year it will gain the ability to start recordings on the Q remotely, so users can press record, then pause, rewind, or fast forward freely. The Preview box still has yet to hit retail, but those who need four tuners in their TiVo can always pick up the Premiere Elite which features a bigger hard drive than the Q. A press release with all the details is after the break, or you can check the forum post for more Q&A.
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 Nomad is ready to launch, transcodes DVRed shows for mobile viewing
It was just about a year ago that we initially heard rumors of the DirecTV Nomad, and after some lengthy intrigue it is finally ready to launch. While its product page on the company's website isn't live yet, the folks at DBSTalk have been testing it and already posted one of their detailed walkthroughs, revealing the box as a TiVoToGo-style transcoder. Plug the $149 box into your whole home DVR network and it snags recorded programs and prepares them for viewing on other devices. Currently that list includes PCs with 1.2GHz processors or higher (no Atom powered netbooks invited to this party) and iOS devices, although an app for Android is apparently on the way. Compared to Dish Network's Sling-powered TV Everywhere streaming approach, DirecTV's sideloading has the distinct benefit of offline viewing, but without access to live TV on the go. The iPhone app is already available in iTunes and some forum posters report they've already been able to preorder the unit, but check DBSTalk for their breakdown and the device's manual in PDF form before making a decision on your placeshifting future.
DirecTV iPad app upgrade adds easy multiroom DVR control, HDUI compatibility
A new update for DirecTV's official iPad app just showed up in iTunes, adding the ability to manage recordings on all of your connected HD DVRs. As seen in the screenshot above, v1.2.6 ties into the company's whole home DVR setup by letting a user control one box directly, then browse recordings stored elsewhere and play them in the room in the room where they are. Also new is the ability to delete DVR'd shows straight from the iPad, and readers tell us that after the upgrade the app has begun working with the revamped HDUI beta that DirecTV started testing a couple of weeks ago. Hit the source link below to grab it for yourself from iTunes. [Thanks, SV & Stuart]
Arris confirms the Shaw Gateway DVR's Moxi bloodlines, hints at more to come
The six tuner Shaw Gateway DVR we mentioned recently is built on Arris hardware, and now the company revealed more information about its Whole Home Solution setup at its core. The press release after the break details the specs used by Shaw's implementation (500GB hard drive, HD UI, four port router, MoCa and optional WiFi N) plus additional capabilities the Shaw Gateway hasn't taken advantage of yet (over the top video from the internet, VoIP, an integrated DOCSIS 3.0 modem and user media sharing). We spoke to Senior VP of Marketing and Development Stan Brovont and found out that this particular project has been under development for about a year now, and many of the features are in response to focus groups indicating that the number of tuners and hard drive space (the 500GB drive was up to Shaw) were among the most important features. While he did mention there were other partnerships not yet announced in the pipeline and couldn't comment on any potential return to retail for the Moxi-derived system, our friend Dave Zatz dug up a Multichannel News post mentioning a similar system coming to Oregon local provider BendBroadband. Check the Arris press release after the break for more details, we'll keep holding out hope for another retail DVR option in the marketplace.
Surewest adds Online DVR access, Caller ID on TV for IPTV customers in Sacramento
SureWest announced it would migrate its platform to Microsoft Mediaroom late last year starting with its Sacramento customers, and now its added a few more "advanced digital TV" features to go along with the Whole Home DVR and four tuner DVR features (not to mention lightning fast channel change times) launched in January. Now subscribers can log into the website and schedule edit, or delete recordings just like they were at home, while Caller ID on TV resolves that minor annoyance of having to actually see the phone to know who's calling. It's far from the first provider to add such features, but we're figuring Kevin Johnson and Tyreke Evans appreciate the effort. Now SureWest, let's talk about some Windows Media Center and Xbox 360 integration, ok?
DirecTV takes Whole Home DVR service nationwide
DirecTV has officially launched its multi-room viewing solution, now branded Whole Home DVR service, for customers looking to manage and view their recordings from more than one set-top box in the same house. ZatzNotFunny links to the a product page that breaks down what's available while also taking shots at its cable competition and even DISH's SlingLoaded boxes. The setup still seems a bit complex to us, but since it doesn't require any new hardware and only a $3 service charge it might be just the right thing for your home. Check the video on the page or embedded after the break.
Cox 'Plus Package' brings advanced Trio UI, 500GB multiroom DVR and more HD channels
Cox is ready to make a major leap forward in its user interface -- goodbye SARA and Passport, we won't miss you -- with the newly developed "Plus Package" rolling out in limited areas during Q2 and throughout its service area by the end of the year. For the hardware Cox is bringing a Whole Home DVR solution to bear based on a Cisco 8642 HD/DVR with 500GB (3x more than the sizes currently offered) of storage, and MoCA-connected 1642 HD receivers, which are also necessary to tune to the new HD channels on the way delivered over Switched Digital Video (SDV) in the 860-MHz band. The star of the show however is the new "Trio" program guide (video embedded after the break), a 16:9 interface that spaces out program info over three panes -- channels on the left, programs in the middle, details on the right. TV programs can also be sorted grid-style, by themes, HD-only or favorite channels, while VOD lists titles, box art and detailed info in the three window style. There's personalization for up to eight members of a household, as well as TiVo-style suggestions and related programming searches based on metadata. An exec told Multichannel News the new tru2way-built software started by realizing that "our guides were, in fact, broken" and this all-new approach is a step towards fixing that. Besides the TiVos and Moxis of the world, other service providers with similar setups include DirecTV, FiOS, Dish Network and U-verse and while we'd definitely like to see that middle pane expanded a bit to show more of each title, Cox could be the first cable company offering a set-top box that actually competes with any of them. %Gallery-92661%
AT&T Total Home DVR rollout reaches final ten markets, it's really over
Got U-Verse? Then you should have the Total Home DVR record on one box / stream to all functionality now that AT&T's rollout has finished ahead of schedule. Up in all 69 markets where the IPTV service has a foothold, the final ten markets launched today were: Bakersfield, Dayton, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Little Rock, Miami, South Bend, Tulsa, West Palm Beach and Wichita. Honestly, we're not sure what AT&T (or us for that matter) will do now that it's over, the leading candidates are a "Remember the Rollout" reunion tour in early '09, or the somewhat less likely possibility that confused AT&T techs start adding the functionality to random areas without U-Verse service.
AT&T's U-verse Total Home DVR arrives in Green Bay, WI
Just as it did in nearby Milwaukee, AT&T has activated its Total Home DVR software in Green Bay, Wisconsin without even telling a soul. As of now, fanatics gearing up for tomorrow's showdown in Minnesota can check out the spoils of watching any recorded SD / HD material on any connected TV anywhere in the house. Give it a go on your box and see just how magical network streaming can be.[Thanks, Matthew]
AT&T takes Total Home DVR to five more U-verse locales
Another day, another round of U-verse Total Home DVR rollouts. This time, the good news is being bestowed upon residents of Columbus, Flint, Kansas City, Lubbock and Oklahoma City, giving each of the areas the ability to watch HD / SD DVR recordings on other connected TVs in the home. Here's hoping AT&T takes care of the rest of y'all in short order -- we're eager for some more U-verse TV expansion, as nice as this update is and all.[Thanks, Anthony]
Columbus, Ohio becomes Total Home DVR's next victim
What's with all the silence, AT&T? Every other day now it seems that you're blessing another region of your slowly expanding U-verse footprint with Total Home DVR, yet users are left to discover the upgrade on their own. But yeah, there's nothing wrong with a good surprise every now and then, and that's exactly what U-verse subscribers in Columbus, Ohio received late last week. Who's got next? Or, should we say, who wants it bad enough?[Thanks, Matthew]
AT&T's U-verse Total Home DVR snakes into Kansas City unannounced
It isn't the first, and it probably won't be the last market we see AT&T gift with U-verse without a formal announcement -- though if we were betting men, we'd say that proclamation is coming soon. Total Home DVR, which has been sweeping across the carrier's footprints in order to give networked TVs the ability to watch recorded SD / HD programs, has finally hit Kansas City, Missouri, and we get the sense that locals couldn't be happier. So yeah, pop the cork and enjoy the new features.[Thanks, Paul]
AT&T talks Total Home DVR rollouts in seven new, not so new areas
We already know you love AT&T's Total Home DVR service, but for whatever reason the company's been less than forthcoming about where and when its hitting across the country. Likely spurred on by our coverage (or maybe not) the latest press release breaks down the seven markets currently feeling the joy of multiple HD stream recording and sharing wash over them like rain, or a particularly refreshing soda. U-verse users in Atlanta, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Reno and Sacramento should all have access to the free software upgrade as of today. Press release is after the break, any areas still missing from the official count?
AT&T's U-verse Total Home DVR shows up unannounced in Milwaukee, WI
AT&T hasn't made it official or anything, but one particular U-verse user in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is already enjoying the spoils of Total Home DVR. That's right -- Milwaukee residents subscribed to the provider's fiber-based TV service can now check out recorded programs on any connected TV, not just the main set in the den. Let us know if AT&T drops the new software in your locale, it's been pretty busy of late rolling it out.[Thanks, Ryan]
AT&T launches Total Home DVR in Cleveland, doesn't bother to tell anyone
AT&T's continuing to roll its Total Home DVR software out at a fairly regular pace, and the latest region to get gifted is Cleveland, Ohio. 'Course, the provider has yet to officially spill the beans or anything, but it's not totally unheard of for areas to get the updated functionality without any indication that it was coming. And hey, we can't imagine U-verse TV customers being upset that rollouts are happening faster than the outfit's PR team can pump out releases, right?[Thanks, Sean]
AT&T introduces U-verse Total Home DVR in San Antonio
San Antonio may have been one of the first locales to get U-verse TV service, but it's not quite the first to snag AT&T's Total Home DVR software. As the carrier continues to gift U-verse users with the ability to watch recorded programs on any connected TV in the house, this Texas town has become the latest to get loved. Where will AT&T head next with THDVR? Your guess is as good as ours.
AT&T slings Total Home DVR to Connecticut
Houston and San Diego -- hope you enjoyed your time at the top, as Connecticut has swooped in and stolen away the limelight. As of now, CT-based U-verse customers can take advantage of all the niceties that come with Total Home DVR. At this rate, we'd suspect that AT&T will have its entire US footprint covered with the software before the year's end, but we wouldn't recommend holding your breath or anything.[Thanks, Anthony]
