All PVR

LG Electronics released an all-in-one home theater in South Korea.

With no word on a US release, you’ll just have to admire it from afar. This “Chocolate” inspired Theater-in-a-Box, has a touch screen along with 1000 watts of amplification for 5 of it’s 5.1 speaker system. The “.1″, or subwoofer, rates at 155 watts. The speakers may be somewhat bland for the home theater crowd, but the machine is refreshing.

Along with a touchscreen, here are some features:
1. Upscales videos to 1080p
2. Contains both HDMI and USB ports
3. Plays MP3s, WMAs, JPEGs, and DivX videos, as well as playing and burning capabilities of DVDs and CDs.

If LG can hit a certain price point in the US, it might do well. Unfortunately, all-in-one theaters don’t sell well in the arena of serious home theater lovers. What will the future hold for this boxed Chocolate Home Theater?

Found on Coolest-Gadgets

Also check out Athusa and Limited Edition Foods

From Teleglass comes the T4-N Limited Edition Video Glasses. The glasses create a simulated 45 inch screen (as if sitting from six feet away), with a resolution of 640 x 480. Coolness abound, you can focus and adjust each monitor to reduce eye strain. As you can see by the picture above the audio comes from frame-mounted earbuds.

Just connect any NTSC viseo player and enjoy. They look stylish, unlike the competition, and it’s hidden components reside in the frame and nose-piece. Word on the street is that they cost $1150 per pair, but you’ll have to hurry, because there’s only 500 available.

Pink Tentacle via Teleglass

And now for something completely different… Athusa and Backyard Birding

The “mythical” Traveling Terabyte Gear

In reference to an entry published on Sept. 23 (“Hacker Sends War-Tough Marines a Befitting PVR�?), I have received a generous update about the Traveling Terabyte Project. Go to www.travelingterabyte.org for all the official information.

This is an important project that connects us to our beloved Devil Dogs (Marines). It provides them a care-package that we can all share in to show support. Hopefully it gives the soldiers a bit of home when they’re abroad, and keeps them grounded when they’re in hell (Ooo-Rah!).

They are not yet taking donations (as this is a grassroots movement stemming from the generosity of one person, Deviant Ollam), though there should be something set up soon.

And, as a big fan of this project, I will also be posting updates and hopefully finding more supporters, at Athusa.net. Let make it work.

Very, very special thanks, and American gratitude to: AST Cell. As well as to all the people involved with this project.

In keeping up with this week’s “mini-theme”, Western Digital also offers a 500 GB DVR expander for Scientific Atlanta, models 8300 or 8300HD DVR’s. It stores 60 hours of HDTV or 300 hours of standard-def TV (SDTV). It’s plug-n-play, utilizing a SATA (eSATA) port. It’s also super quiet, designed with no fan and a quiet hard drive. The LED used is also low-light as not to be annoying when in use.

“Deviant Ollam” is a New Jersey hacker/network engineer who saw fit to create the Traveling Terabyte Project (TTB). A program in which he sends hard drives, filled with popular movies, television shows and music, in Pelican cases, to Marines in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan.

Deviant said this about his revelation, “I’ve got this extra storage and thought ‘what could I do with it?’. It didn’t really make sense to put the disks into my already hugely ridiculous raid array.�? So, why not send them to a few Leathernecks? Everyone needs a little inspiration (even tough-guys). But, shipping the drives to a war-torn country could’ve been an obstacle, “You can’t really put the drives in bubble wrap and throw them in the mail,�? So he instead packed the equipment into the olive-drab cases with international power adapters and USB cables.

Once Marines receive the cases they often add their own files customizing and personalizing their gifts (becoming a snapshot of our modern heroes lives). And, like any grassroots movement, these drives have become a small overseas urban-legend. Eventually being delivered to the American embassy in Dushanbe Tajikistan, just to prove they exist.

Hopefully the Traveling Terabyte Project will get legs. I’m still searching for a donation website. If anyone knows of one, please comment. Anything we can do to remedy some of the stress of being in a war zone, is something we should do. They’re heroes.

From one American cyber-geek to another, thank you, ‘Deviant Ollam’.

More thanks to TG Daily for getting the word out on this project.

Need an external hard drive for movie storage? Look no further, Western Digital has come to the rescue. Introducing “My Book Essential Edition 2.0″, a hard drive the size of a paperback book. Contained within it’s cover is 1 TB of disk space, and a 2.0 USB port. It’s a plug-n-store device for all your PVR needs, and it costs $349.

The Diamani DUO line of LCD’s from Viewsonic has been launched. It’s a unique hybrid of TV and computer monitor. There’s a 19″ version for $349 and a 22″ version $399. Both sporting slim, sexy HDMI inputs, as well as HD tuners. They’re also equipped with VGA inputs. And to address your analog desires, there’s component, RCA, and S-video inputs. It’s the “be all to end all” of TV’s… I mean monitors… I mean… where was I? Oh yeah, It’s fine time someone tried to invent something useful for the practical man.

Electronista

At HGTV Marketplace, they’re offering a 4 seat spa with a motorized 61″ LCD HDTV. It’s a custom order through Catalina Spas, so there is no price listed. But, I’m sure if you have a vivid imagination you could conjure up a price close enough to what they’re asking. Who says the US economy is bad?

Cable Companies, like Al Capone, think they can muscle you into submission by cutting off your ability to use analog TV signals. Well, according to the FCC, 40 million Americans still use “rabbit ears” and analog TV’s, and they think those people should have choices. Elliot Ness would be proud.

Originally slated for February 2009, the FCC’s “digital transition” has been reviewed and extended to 2012. “Digital transition” means that the use of analog (over the air) broadcast signals will be eliminated, and replaced with digital broadcasts (over cable). All consumers will require a digital TV or converter box to watch their favorite programs. No more rabbit-ears. It hasn’t been decided yet whether the cable companies will have to convert a signal before it leaves the station, or whether they will need to send all relevant customers converter boxes. Either way it could be expensive for them (which, in turn, could be expensive for us). It’s really anyone’s guess what the future holds.

In 2012, the FCC will review the stats again and make another determination. If they decide that America is ready, they will only require cable companies to broadcast in Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD), instead of SD, HD, and Analog signals.

Whatever… I say it’s good news for all of you “old-school technology” lovers out there (like me, you remember 8-track tapes and own AM radios). Long live VCRs and “floor TVs”!

Thanks to: arstechnica.com

According to Gizmodo, the TiVo Series 3 DVR (including TiVo HD) will have Multi-room viewing and TiVo-To-Go; available in November.

Also announced for the Series 3 DVR, is the addition of a Crestron touch-panel. Be like Captain James T. Kirk, and control all of your electronic devices from one throne.

According to the New York Times today, Time Warner Cable will offer a free “DVR-like” service to it’s customers, called Look Back.

The good news? There’s no extra monthly fee.
The bad news? You can’t fast-forward commercials. And…you can’t save the shows, and, you have to watch the programs on the same day, before midnight (almost sounds like a Time Warner “Gremlin”).

Starting in October, in South Carolina, and working it’s way across the country, Look Back will be a tested in different markets to see if it takes flight. At the moment they’re still shopping around for channels that will take part.

The reason Time Warner created this service is because they believe that advertisers and consumers have similar interests. Peter Stern, executive VP for new product development said “Many customers do fast-forward through commercials when given the choice, and that is an obvious and undeniable benefit of a digital video recorder. But the digital video recorder is principally about enabling customers to watch what they want, when they want. It returns control to customers over the television schedule.�? Basically, you’ll watch commercials if you have control over what you watch.

Well…it is free “time-shift viewing”. It’s genuine competition for companies like TiVo and Comcast. Jeffrey L. Bewkes (president of Time Warner Inc.) said in July, “People are used to advertising. A good number of people like the advertising. Our research and our in-market tests show people would rather have free everything you want, when you want.�?

Maybe they’re right, maybe they’re wrong. It’s all up to you, Americans!

Comcast is reporting a 72% jump in HDTV and DVR subscriptions. I think doesn’t surprise anyone, and with continued fall of HDTV sets the trend will no-doubt continue.

For some odd reason, Comcast doesn’t count non-DVR HD subscribers versus HD-DVR subscribers, but I am sure people moving to HD are most likely getting HD-DVR receiver and not just any old HD cable box.

The transition to Digital TV is only likely to accelerate, now that Analog over the Air transmissions end is fast approaching.

[via TVPredictions.com]

comcast, hd-dvr

Joost is a new P2P service coming soon from the good folks that brought you Skype VoIP revolution, and it continues to generate buzz. It promises instant streaming Peer-2-Peer TV, and if the Internet doesn’t collapse under it, should be able to deliver near HD digital quality playback on your computer.
While Joost is still in closed beta, somewhat simplified service in this space, called Pando, is already live and kicking! Pando is designed to download Video Casts, usually in High or HD quality, onto your computer, automatically. Right now it only has few channels, but more will get added, I’m sure.

But, onto the big announcement - Joost struck a deal with CBS ! Yes, big time shows, like the Excellent CSI series, NCIS, Numb3rs and other prime time favorites will be available on Joost !! This is a huge win for all of us, and once it materializes, I predict the shift to the Internet TV will grip hold of everyone, like a wild fire spreading.

So take this weekend to reflect on the following burning questions:

1. Will CSI, Numb3rs and other prime-time shows be free via Joost? Or will they try to nickel and dime us for shows that are otherwise freely broadcast in HD over the air?
2. Will you still need your Cable or Satellite provider after this? Maybe just keep Cable around, for their high-speed Internet only?
3. Why keep a DVR at all, if you can watch with Pause/Play via the Internet at your leisure?
4. Do you have a PC connected to your TV yet? If you did, would this news take on different light for you?

Not ready to ponder these questions just yet? Then click through to official CBS/Joost press release instead.

webtv, joost, pando, internet video, dvr, cbs

Woke up on this wonderful (albeit cold, 35 Fahrenheit in Georgia in April?!) Saturday morning to the news that Comcast has added Advertisements to their DVR boxes.

Disregard for a moment that it took more precious real-estate room from already overcrowded guide screen, and lets not worry about aprox. 1/8th of that precious hard-drive space on the device that got used up… I think we all should be happy to put up with advertisements. After all, they pay for majority of shows that we all enjoy, especially on excellent Over-the-Air channels.

And that got me thinking - Who exactly gets paid for these advertisements?

• Is it the Networks and Channels - Probably not, I don’t see how they could figure out breakdown to which network pay what
• Is it Tivo - Since it’s mentioned as Tivo functionality, maybe… But isn’t Tivo paid enough for their guide services via Dvr Fee and their direct subscribers?
• Is it Comcast - Probably. Those poor folks are hardly getting paid at all by their subscribers, so it’s only fair…;-)

Anyways, just my 2 cents. Let me know in the comments if you have specific details on these business practices.

comcast, HD DVR, tivo

The partnership between Tivo and Comcast has important implications for Tivo. If successful, it can show that Tivo software can be used in third party hardware.

This can open up a new revenue stream for Tivo and keep it from becoming extinct.

DVR functionality is definitely becoming mainstream and turning into a commodity. Already, many set-top box manufacturers are including basic DVR functions, like pause, rewind and fast forwarding. So the big way that Tivo can differentiate itself is through its branded extras, like “Season Pass”, “Guru Guides” and “Wishlist”. As well as its user interface, with the sounds, graphics and little TV logo.

Much like Apple, Tivo knows how to leverage its marketing and design in order to create a successful product. Tivo also knows what users like and what features are important. Other DVR manufacturers are just playing catch-up when it comes to extra features.

Tivo also wins by integrating the DVR with cable functions, like pay per view ordering and on-demand Comcast content. Integrating the cable box with the DVR will be so common in a few years, that stand-alone DVRs will become a thing of the past.

And that’s why I believe that many Comcast users will switch to Tivo-enabled boxes in droves. Pay a little extra per month, get rid of Comcast’s DVR and get Tivo instead.

If Tivo succeeds with the Comcast partnership, then it point to this success in trying to convince other satellite and cable partners–like AT&T, Dish Networks or maybe even DirecTV–that they can integrate their software into other DVRs.

Already, Tivo is branching out from selling Tivo boxes and subscriptions into other lines of business including:

* Advertising
* DVR Ratings
* DVR Software Integration

Tivo must continue to expand, find more business opportunities and innovate. Otherwise, any other company can come along and topple Tivo from the top.

Tivo, DVR, PVR, digital video recorder, Comcast