Posts Tagged ‘Set-top Box’
It hasn't been much of a secret that Motorola is looking to
sell its set-top box business, and it looks like several potential suitors are already lining up to place bids on the division now that the company has put the word out in a slightly more formal manner. While everything is obviously still in the earliest stages,
Reuters reports that a number of major private equity firms -- including Bain Capital, TPG Capital, and the Blackstone Group -- have informed Motorola of their interest in the business, with other companies including equipment maker
Arris also said to be considering a bid. Details are otherwise a bit light, as you might expect, but at least some folks have valued the business as high as $4.5 billion -- although other "
sources familiar with the matter" say the bidding will likely stay under $4 billion.
Several bidders line up to buy Motorola's set-top box division originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The FCC has this week signaled its intent to snoop around set top boxes and how they may be improved. Prompted by “a lack of competition and innovation in this market,” the regulator will look into ways it can encourage the proliferation of broadband internet access provision as well as stimulating further advances. One potential solution may involve compelling cable and broadband providers to supply “bridge” network interface devices that’ll allow users to hook up their set top box to a modem and get groovy online. Whatever the final proposals are, and they’ll take more definite shape in February, we’re pleased to see the FCC take a proactive approach toward an industry it perceives to be stagnating. Our idea? Boxee Boxes for everyone!
FCC ponders opening set top boxes to broadband connections, greater competition originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Do you love funky proprietary software enough to force your loved ones to run it too? That's the question Cisco seems to be asking with the FlipShare TV, a new set-top box designed to help make sharing Flip videos super-simple for even the most basic user. Unfortunately, some puzzling design choices and big limitations combined with the less-than-wonderful FlipShare software make this seem like more of a hassle than it's worth. What do we mean? Read on for the full review.
Continue reading FlipShare TV review
FlipShare TV review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hope you weren't enjoying watching
YouTube on the television screen via
Popcorn Hour and other set-top boxes, as they have been given notice by the newly 1080p and network TV-friendly website that they are no longer welcome to access its content. The
new Hulu-ish Terms of Service (section II, item 10) restricts API clients from the ability to "use the YouTube API in connection with any API Client created for use on television set top boxes, television game consoles, or video screens packaged and marketed as television sets;" according to Popcorn Hour COO Alex Limberis this applies to all with the exception of "a few strategic partner's Google has singled out" -- PlayStation 3, Wii, TiVo, Panasonic, Samsung and other licensed hardware is safe.
Update: After speaking with Alex we've got a better view of the situation -- as is clear from the TOS, manufacturers streaming directly via the API as Popcorn Hour did are no longer welcome without cutting a seven figure check to license access. Google did offer to allow continued access via its
YouTube XL interface, but for devices like theirs not built around Flash, that possible solution proved to be technologically unfeasible. Obviously these changes apply to all, but as of yet we're not aware of anyone other than Popcorn Hour that has been contacted directly about it.
Update v2: After the break is Google's response, stating Popcorn Hour and the like have been in violation of the above TOS for over a year, from its perspective, this is a simple matter of defending its rights from "video scraping technology." As we mentioned above that means most are in no danger of losing access, but fans of these media streamers will have to live without it, until either YouTube can control the experience or the manufacturer pays up.
Continue reading YouTube pulls a Hulu -- yanking API access from Popcorn Hour (Update: Google responds)
YouTube pulls a Hulu -- yanking API access from Popcorn Hour (Update: Google responds) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It’s been over a year since we last heard from Sezmi—the company that promises to deliver a complete internet and broadcast entertainment solution through one set-top-box—but new developments indicate that this project alive, well, and on the way.
In case you forgot, Sezmi plans to roll up live broadcast and cable TV along with web videos, on demand-movies and DVR functionality in a single, easy to navigate set-top box. Needless to say, this is a tall order, and most of us probably relegated Sezmi to the vaporware bin. However, trials of the product have begun in LA and a $25 million cash infusion from investors has given the project new life. In fact, it seems that Sezmi spent the last year working out deals with the likes of Sony Pictures, MGM Studios, Paramount Studios, Warner Brothers, Lion’s Gate Entertainment and Universal Studios for on demand streaming, and ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, Turner, MTV Networks Discovery Channel, Telemundo and Univision for TV content.
Sezmi plans to offer a tiered pricing plan that starts with Sezmi Select, the entry tier, which will offer all local channels (in SD and HD) as well as access to on-demand content for $4.99 per month. Sezmi Supreme will include cable and local channels for $24.99 per month.
If you are interested in participating in the trial, you can apply for the LA pilot here. If you are lucky enough to get in, the equipment and the service will be free of charge for three months, after which you will be offered a discounted price on the DVR and tuners which normally runs $300. [Sezmi via Variety and Zats]
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It's been
almost a full year since we heard a peep from the fine folks at
Myka, but it looks like we could be talking about 'em a lot more often judging by the specs list on its latest contraption. The simply-titled ION is an Atom-based media PC that relies on NVIDIA's
Ion graphics set and a customized interface that brings
Hulu,
Boxee and pretty much any other web content you can stumble upon to your television. Within, you'll find a 1.6GHz dual-core Atom 330 CPU, up to 4GB of RAM, ten USB 2.0 ports, VGA / DVI / HDMI outputs, an eSATA connector, Ethernet and plenty of audio outputs. The fanless design ensures that things remain quiet, and for those oozing cash, a Blu-ray drive, HDD and WiFi module can be implanted. It's up for order right now starting at $379, but you'll be stuck waiting four to six weeks for delivery.
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Myka ION brings Hulu, Boxee and other web content to your TV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hard though it may be to believe, the
Roku has been rockin' the lives of
Netflix fanatics for
nearly 1.5 years, and if you were thinking an updated version was in order, you'd be on the right train of thought. Images delivered to us today prove that a refreshed iteration is on the horizon, with the Roku XR (model number N1101) retaining the same overall look and feel as the original but adding in niceties like 802.11n wireless support, a USB socket (presumably for loading up media locally) and a 2.5A power input (as opposed to 1.5A). You can also see that the dedicated reset button has been yanked and the bundled remote is exactly the same; in fact, we're told that the old remote controls the Roku XR sans issue. There's no word yet on a price or release date, but we're guessing we'll know significantly more prior to Christmas. Oh, and yeah -- you're not the only one thinking this is quite the underwhelming update, but hey, maybe it'll street for $9.99.
[Thanks, Anonymous]
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Roku XR adds 802.11n, USB port and a longing for something more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hope you didn't spend your well-earned shekels on a
WD TV Mini -- it turns out that the HD-less wonder was just a waypoint to Western Digital's latest. The WD TV Live HD media player is an unassuming sort that doesn't really offer any surprises: 1080p video playback, support for all your favorite codecs, both Pandora and Live365 Internet radio apps, WiFi, two USB ports for external storage, HDMI, composite and component video outputs, SPDIF audio output, and more. No big whoop, right? All this can be yours for an MSRP of $149.99, but we hear that
Best Buy has 'em for $119 -- and we wouldn't want you to pay any more than that. PR after the break.
Continue reading Western Digital WD TV Live HD media player gets official
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Western Digital WD TV Live HD media player gets official originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We'd been hearing that Western Digital was about to update its
WD TV set-top media player lineup, and it looks like that leaked
WD TV-2 has turned into the WD TV Live on the way to Best Buy. Nothing here too out of the ordinary -- wide codec support, Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, HDMI out, and an Ethernet jack for DLNA streaming and accessing YouTube, Flickr, and Pandora make this one a solid buy at $119 if you need it, but it's not going to blow up the world, you know? We're still saving up for monster Windows 7 / CableCARD Media Center rig.
[Thanks, Keith D.]
Filed under: Home Entertainment
New Western Digital WD TV Live media player hits Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Popcorn Hour's latest all-accessing all-playing media device has finally made its way into our hands, and while we haven't had nearly enough time to put the
C-200 completely through its paces, we did spare a moment to take some pictures and play a movie or two. Other than using
RF (no line of sight needed here) the remote is mostly unchanged from the earlier
A-110, though we have had some issues with the box not responding to inputs, tightening the antenna seems to have made things better for now. Slipping a SATA hard drive in requires only the lightest tug on the drive bay door, it really couldn't be easier -- we'll have to see how a Blu-ray drive fits soon. With the exception of slight noise from the HDD we put in, the C-200 is nearly silent in operation, and home theater nuts will be glad to know that bright blue display up front can be dimmed all the way to off. An extra USB port front and back hasn't hurt usability either, though it would have been nice if it recognized a keyboard when we were setting up new RSS feeds. Thanks to DLNA support, Windows 7 Play To functionality worked sufficiently playing media, but we couldn't get the titles to display properly on the C-200 whether initiated from the PC or on the box itself. So far it's played everything we've thrown at it, from legitimately downloaded trailers to less MPAA-authorized material. Anything you want to see tested as part of our full review? Leave ideas in the comments while you check out the pictures.
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Popcorn Hour C-200 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It’s been over a year since we last heard from Sezmi—the company that promises to deliver a complete internet and broadcast entertainment solution through one set-top-box—but new developments indicate that this project alive, well, and on the way.
