DirecTv with a ton of great announcements....
01-07-05, 09:47 AM
#1
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DirecTv with a ton of great announcements....
First 12 markets to receive OTA HD locals: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005A
New Advanced TV services: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005B
First MPEG-4 HD transmission: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005C
New HD video recorder: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005E
New home media networking stuff: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005D
Big news on couple of these announcements. The MPEG-4 stuff is huge b/c once that switchover is made, that paves the way for a ton more HD channels. Can't wait to see their verson of the the DVR and the media center.
New Advanced TV services: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005B
First MPEG-4 HD transmission: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005C
New HD video recorder: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005E
New home media networking stuff: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005D
Big news on couple of these announcements. The MPEG-4 stuff is huge b/c once that switchover is made, that paves the way for a ton more HD channels. Can't wait to see their verson of the the DVR and the media center.
01-07-05, 09:53 AM
#2
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Nice.. the homenetworking stuff is what I was wanting.
Though I don't know if it will interact with standalone tivo units.
I have a tivo 80 hour unit that has a dvd player in as well(gift and actually a really nice unit for the bedroom).
I want to be able to watch the shows from that in the living room where my directivo sits and visa versa.
I'll have to read that article.
But good news coming out.
Though I don't know if it will interact with standalone tivo units.
I have a tivo 80 hour unit that has a dvd player in as well(gift and actually a really nice unit for the bedroom).
I want to be able to watch the shows from that in the living room where my directivo sits and visa versa.
I'll have to read that article.
But good news coming out.
01-07-05, 10:07 AM
#4
DVD Talk Special Edition
Originally Posted by CharlesC
I hope their HD dvr will help drop the price on them. The HD Tivos are still $999. Once they drop down to about $300 I'll be all over it.
01-07-05, 10:39 AM
#8
DVD Talk Special Edition
yeah, nothing has officially been announced by DirecTv on how they plan on handling current HDTivo owners if it's not just a simple software update (the general consensus seems to be that it's not that simple). Rumors persist that DirecTv will continue to stream some HD in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 for a few years, but the new LiL HD will likely be only MPEG-4, which the HDTivo can't handle in its current form. Whether DirecTv will offer a free box swap remains to be seen.
I've only read a few things on the other forums, but that's the consensus I'm getting.
I've only read a few things on the other forums, but that's the consensus I'm getting.
01-07-05, 10:54 AM
#9
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by das Monkey
I stumbled on those Mix channels the other day, and they weren't that bad. It's not my kind of thing, but I can see how they'd be useful.
das
das
01-07-05, 10:54 AM
#10
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
Also, I saw an announcement on the addition of ESPN2 to the HD content for DirecTv, that was supposed to go live last night, but I couldn't find the channel. Not sure when that will happen.
01-07-05, 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Deftones
By HD on this one, do you mean Hard Drive, or Hi Definition? I'm asking because I didn't see anything about HiDef in that press release, and now for some reason I can't get back to it.
01-07-05, 03:13 PM
#13
DVD Talk Gold Edition
The problem with all these networked settops that claim to display video is that most of them offer no explanation on whether they'll be able to handle frequent upgrades on codecs. If a settop box can't display any of my DivX files, XVid or whatever, then it's no use to me. Standard official MPEG codecs tend to be obsolete pretty quickly, or at least in disuse.
01-07-05, 03:27 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by nevermind
By HD on this one, do you mean Hard Drive, or Hi Definition? I'm asking because I didn't see anything about HiDef in that press release, and now for some reason I can't get back to it.
01-07-05, 08:04 PM
#15
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I don't see anything in the article stating that the DVR can record High Definition either. This would be a big selling point for me. Is it confirmed that this unit will record HD?
01-07-05, 09:11 PM
#16
DVD Talk Limited Edition
This is all pretty good news. Hopefully I'll get some use out of my HD Tivo before they convert to MPEG-4. I also hope their next HD DVR is as good as the Tivo.
01-07-05, 09:12 PM
#17
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I didn't read anything about Hi-Def in that article either.
*sigh* I love my DirecTivo, but the 100 hours of record time, 90-min buffer and all the other bells and whistles of the DirecTV DVR probably means the end of my Tivo ownership.
*sigh* I love my DirecTivo, but the 100 hours of record time, 90-min buffer and all the other bells and whistles of the DirecTV DVR probably means the end of my Tivo ownership.
01-09-05, 06:35 AM
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The old ones will not be capable of processing MPEG-4. Direct does have a pretty good history of trading out hardware though. Not sure what they'll do with the HD Direct Tivos.
01-09-05, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by djbrown
yeah, nothing has officially been announced by DirecTv on how they plan on handling current HDTivo owners if it's not just a simple software update (the general consensus seems to be that it's not that simple). Rumors persist that DirecTv will continue to stream some HD in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 for a few years, but the new LiL HD will likely be only MPEG-4, which the HDTivo can't handle in its current form. Whether DirecTv will offer a free box swap remains to be seen.
I've only read a few things on the other forums, but that's the consensus I'm getting.
I've only read a few things on the other forums, but that's the consensus I'm getting.
01-14-05, 08:49 AM
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Found this article at pcmag.com:
http://www.pcmag.com/print_article2/...=142158,00.asp
So it sounds like the initial box (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005E )will not be HD.
The remote units on the Home Media Center sound cool though
http://www.pcmag.com/print_article2/...=142158,00.asp
DirecTV Launches Own Branded DVR
ARTICLE DATE: 01.06.05
By Jim Louderback, ExtremeTech
LAS VEGAS—DirecTV rolled out its own home-grown DVR strategy, with products due to debut in mid-2005. The DirecTV DVR will initially support SD video only, and will save up to 100 hours of TV. The DVR is also part of a new interactive DirecTV push that will offer video on demand, and other services. The DIRECTV DVR will compete head on with TiVo-based DirecTV branded DVRs. The company will continue to offer both "for the foreseeable future", claimed a rep at the company's booth.
DirecTV's unit will add features not found in its current TiVo offering, including:
A 90 minute live-TV buffer, compared to 30 in the TiVo unit.
Viewmarks, which let users place bookmarks inside a show, and then jump directly to them later for viewing favorite scenes.
On-screen caller ID
Support for DirecTV's interactive channels, like Mix, Sunday Ticket and Active.
A new guide that allows users to keep watching the current channel while surfing through other services.
Although the software isn't done, company reps insisted it would offer everything TiVo now does and more. The company was not ready to discuss pricing, except to say that it would not cost more than the equivalent TiVo box.
Even though the company's first DVR will not record HD programming, the back of the unit had component outputs, along with two traditional composite connectons.
But an HD DVR is in DirecTV's future. The company also rolled out a networked home strategy that puts an HD DVR at the center of an Ethernet video distribution system.
The Home Media Center will feature a 320 gigabyte hard drive, four DirecTV tuners and two ATSC tuners for over the air HDTV. It will be an MPEG4 box only – the company is transitioning from MPEG2 over the next year. MPEG delivers four times more HD video per gigabyte, which means 100 hours or more of HD programming can be saved for later viewing.
New remote units, essentially video decoders in a box, will connect up to the main unit via Ethernet. Wireless is a possibility, according to an engineer I spoke with, but for now it's a wired solution only. The remote units will play SD video only, streamed from the main box. In essence the box will support one HD set, and multiple SD sets around the house.
Pricing and other details have not been set. And although the company is considering building HD remote receivers as well, those will not be available at launch.
Overall, DirecTV is following the lead of Dish Network and the cable companies, by building and selling its own DVRs. And although TiVo products will continue to be offered for the foreseeable future, the move to MPEG4—due to be completed in 2007—could signal a TiVo-less future for the popular satellite hardware company.
ARTICLE DATE: 01.06.05
By Jim Louderback, ExtremeTech
LAS VEGAS—DirecTV rolled out its own home-grown DVR strategy, with products due to debut in mid-2005. The DirecTV DVR will initially support SD video only, and will save up to 100 hours of TV. The DVR is also part of a new interactive DirecTV push that will offer video on demand, and other services. The DIRECTV DVR will compete head on with TiVo-based DirecTV branded DVRs. The company will continue to offer both "for the foreseeable future", claimed a rep at the company's booth.
DirecTV's unit will add features not found in its current TiVo offering, including:
A 90 minute live-TV buffer, compared to 30 in the TiVo unit.
Viewmarks, which let users place bookmarks inside a show, and then jump directly to them later for viewing favorite scenes.
On-screen caller ID
Support for DirecTV's interactive channels, like Mix, Sunday Ticket and Active.
A new guide that allows users to keep watching the current channel while surfing through other services.
Although the software isn't done, company reps insisted it would offer everything TiVo now does and more. The company was not ready to discuss pricing, except to say that it would not cost more than the equivalent TiVo box.
Even though the company's first DVR will not record HD programming, the back of the unit had component outputs, along with two traditional composite connectons.
But an HD DVR is in DirecTV's future. The company also rolled out a networked home strategy that puts an HD DVR at the center of an Ethernet video distribution system.
The Home Media Center will feature a 320 gigabyte hard drive, four DirecTV tuners and two ATSC tuners for over the air HDTV. It will be an MPEG4 box only – the company is transitioning from MPEG2 over the next year. MPEG delivers four times more HD video per gigabyte, which means 100 hours or more of HD programming can be saved for later viewing.
New remote units, essentially video decoders in a box, will connect up to the main unit via Ethernet. Wireless is a possibility, according to an engineer I spoke with, but for now it's a wired solution only. The remote units will play SD video only, streamed from the main box. In essence the box will support one HD set, and multiple SD sets around the house.
Pricing and other details have not been set. And although the company is considering building HD remote receivers as well, those will not be available at launch.
Overall, DirecTV is following the lead of Dish Network and the cable companies, by building and selling its own DVRs. And although TiVo products will continue to be offered for the foreseeable future, the move to MPEG4—due to be completed in 2007—could signal a TiVo-less future for the popular satellite hardware company.
So it sounds like the initial box (http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutu...id=01-06-2005E )will not be HD.
The remote units on the Home Media Center sound cool though
