Two years after it was meant to go live, and with a list of backers that includes the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Arqiva, BT and TalkTalk, YouView today finally crashed the UK TV party. Available by the end of July with a selection of major retailers, the service is based around an all-in-one set-top box that you can use without a subscription, which includes 100 digital TV and radio channels… → Read More
A double-whammy in the digital video space today: Avail-TVN, a video services provider that works with companies like NBC, Univision, and brands like Mattel, has announced that it has picked up $100 million in financing led by the Carlyle Group, and it is using those funds to make an acquisition outside of the U.S., buying rival video service provider On Demand Group in the UK from its existing… → Read More
If you aren’t paying attention to the unfolding Aereo case, you should be. It will have industry-changing consequences — if not now, in the not-so-distant future. Why? For those unfamiliar, Aereo is a New York City-based startup that, at a rate of $12 a month, promises to stream over 20 channels of local, broadcast television to consumers in the New York area.
As to how this works? Aereo… → Read More
Today, MetroPCS has announced a partnership with the Mobile Content Venture (MCV) on a new service that will bring live digital television to the carrier’s customers. The service, called Dyle Mobile TV, will be available on phones that are pre-loaded with the Dyle application, starting first with unnamed, Android-based Samsung devices. → Read More
In Japan, it’s hard to find a cell phone that doesn’t come with a digital TV tuner nowadays. Some of them even have two (so you can watch one program and record another on your phone’s microSD). And some people in this country actually do use these tuners, which means the iPhone is at a disadvantage when compared to domestic phones.
Japanese customers could buy an iPhone-exclusive add-on, which … → Read More
You might ask who really needs a portable TV to view Blu-rays on it but obviously Panasonic doesn’t care. The company today announced the DMP-BV100 for the Japanese market [JP], a device that’s equipped with a Blu-ray player and not one but four built-in antennas for full digital TV goodness. Needless to say the device is the first of its kind in the world. → Read More
The FCC may not have done enough to promote next month’s transition to digital TV, but that doesn’t mean Your Government has given up on you! Congress has just asked for an additional $650 million to pay for more digital converter box vouchers. → Read More
Oh God, yes! Velocitystore.com has released the second video featuring America’s favorite person from one month ago, Joe The Plumber. It’s so great, I’m literally ready for a pap smear. “Joe” unboxes a DTV converter then installs it on a terrible TV. This is more absurd than anything else. Factual, but still absurd. Remember, everyone, apply, buy and try! → Read More
Hey, America, remember Joe the Plumber? He was the unlicensed handyman who John McCain foisted upon us as some sort of tax expert (even though he had back taxes). Well that didn’t exactly work out for him, so the man has a new gig that’s relevant to us here: he’s explaining the digital TV transition to America for some Web site. I mean, yeah, Matt already did that, in some… → Read More
Round of applause for Best Buy, which aims to educate you all about the upcoming digital TV transition. (Remember the big day: February 17, 2009.) The lastelectronics retailer left standing will hold a series of workshops at 25 of its stores to “educate consumers about the transition to digital television broadcasting and help them choose the best solution for their television needs.” Here… → Read More
Softbank Mobile today announced the release of a One-Seg digital TV tuner for the iPhone [JP] for the middle of December. One-Seg is a digital TV system only available in Japan and Brazil and usually stands for great picture and sound quality. The device makes it possible to watch digital TV via WiFi by converting TV signals into IP-based data. Buyers can use the TV tuner (weight: 80 grams)… → Read More
In the wake of record low viewership for last year’s Academy Awards ceremony, those involved with the show coming up in January are launching a pre-emptive strike to blame the switchover to digital TV as the reason nobody watches the show in 2009. The program will air five days after the initial switchover and some fear that confusion and/or procrastination could lead to a handful of old-timers… → Read More
Early reports indicate everything is gravy, but we won’t know for sure for another couple days. Anyone living in Wilmington, NC? → Read More
Sony Japan today added the XDV-W600 [JP], a mini TV (145×42×98mm, 302g) to their Bravia brand. The new device is waterproof and supports the Japanese digital TV standard One-Seg. The 4-inch LCD TV (16.7 million colors, 272×480 resolution) boasts an IPX7 and IPX6 waterproof rating, meaning that you can theoretically watch TV under water (at a depth of up to 1m) for around 30 minutes. After a… → Read More
What a novel idea; a battery-powered DTV converter box. I believe this is the first of it’s kind and I’m thankfully Winegard has developed the little bugger. With analog broadcasts going black on February 17, a lot of folks backup TVs are not going to work without a DTV box. The details are still a little grey on the converter itself, but it seems like there is going to be an option… → Read More
AMD wanted to get out of the DTV market for a bit now and just found a buyer. Broadcom, maker of chips and bits inside of broadcast equipment, is paying $192.8 million in cash to acquire all of AMD’s assests for the digital television bisiness. AMD’s DTV assets include Xilleon integrated DTV processors and reference designs, NXT receiver ICs, the Theater 300 DTV processor, and a line… → Read More
In light of the end of analogue TV broadcasting in Japan in July 2011, the Japanese government today announced that it’s considering providing up to 1 million households on welfare in this country with digital TV tuners – for free. Another 15.8 million households consisting of elderly or disabled people may receive aid in the form of vouchers, cash, or free hardware. It is estimated… → Read More
Cable companies are excited about the impending switch to digital TV. It’s not just about broadcast, but also the elimination of analog signals via cable as well. That means the operators will require a set-top box for all customers, not just digital subscribers as it is now. This frees up much valuable bandwidth for more digital services, such as HD programming. Not only that, but many… → Read More
Flickr’d Post 900 about the upcoming transition to all-digital TV next February. Folks who live in apartment buildings with a shared, rooftop antenna should be concerned. Since the new digital transmissions will be going out over UHF—most rooftop antennae are VHF-only—they’re going to have to convince they’re landlord or building owner or whatever to make sure they… → Read More
We’ve covered the impending digital TV transition here much, but there’s a new twist that could make it more expensive than it should be to make the change. A small company called Rembrandt, Inc. is flexing its patent muscle by suing 14 companies, including the parent companies of many networks that will broadcast the digital TV signals. The American Antitrust Institute is asking the… → Read More
Have you switched over to digital TV yet? Well, you probably did, since you read tech blogs, but the average American? Not so much. Since the government started offering vouchers for analog-to-digital TV signals, about 5.3 million households have received at least one. The main bottleneck seems to be that manufacturers and retailers like Best But have been slow to roll out the actual converter… → Read More
Since January 1st you’ve been able to request your free $40 voucher for a digital-to-analog converter for grandma’s old CRT TV. Well, Crave is saying don’t act so fast. You still have plenty of time and market logic states that you’ll get a better converter for a lower price over the next year or so. Right now the choice is rather limited — I’ve seen a few… → Read More
[photopress:fiostv_multi.jpg,full,center] Verizon’s petitioning the FCC to make it easier for customers locked into cable monopolies to leave in favor of similar services offered by ISPs, such as Verizon itself. Verizon, AT&T, and others offer TV via data, an alternative to cable, and Verizon feels that customers much jump through too many hoops to switch as it is. In essense, Verizon… → Read More
[photopress:MobileTV.jpg,full,center] Motorola today announced its latest mobile TV, the DH02. The portable handset offers a 3.5-inch touchscreen that plays back video at 25 frames per second and includes PVR and timeshifting capabilities, as well as microSD for playing back downloadable content, GPS with maps, and HSDPA for 3G data. Really, its more like a PDA with video playback, but if Motorola… → Read More
Welcome, friends, to another edition of The Orientation. This week we’re going to be looking at digital TV. The switch is coming soon. Ok, not really. It’s still a year away, but let’s take a look at what it’s all about. What’s the difference between analog and digital? Should you care? Does it really matter? The answer to the last two are a resounding, yes. If anything, you can… → Read More
[photopress:Toshiba_gigabeat_V81_1.jpg,full,center] Toshiba’s Gigabeat was the foundation of the first Zune. Microsoft picked Toshiba’s offering because they’re solid PMPs, and in Japan they’re quite popular. Our Japanese readers will be happy to hear that the V series is getting upgraded hotness, the V81. Gone is the paltry 4GB storage, doubled to 8GB. It will also be… → Read More
Zenith has come out with an affordable digital-to-analog TV signal converter box, the DTT900. The box, which makes it debut at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, takes the digital TV signal that broadcasters are required to use come next year and converts them to an analog signal, useable on older TVs. The digital signal that broadcasters will have to use starting February… → Read More
While I’m sure this won’t effect most CG readers, hop online and get your $40 certificate for a digital to analog converter for Grandma’s old CRT TV or Dad’s TV in the garage. The Essentially, all analog television broadcasts will cease on February 17. 2009 and this box with convert digital signals to analog and many even add closed-captioning and other cool features that… → Read More
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