The TiVo HD DVR combines the TiVo service with DirecTV’s HD content in a seamless interface along with TiVo’s unique peanut remote and Swivel Search feature. It allows users to easily set Season Pass Recordings, create WishList Searches, get TiVo show suggestions, record up to 100 hours of HD programming, and record two shows at once.

Users can access more than 7,000 on-demand movies and shows from both HD shows and movies from DirecTV Cinema. The set-top box costs $199, but an additional $5 per month TiVo service fee is required along with a $10 HD Access fee and a $7 DVR fee.

[via MarketWatch]

Riding high on Android and with its expertise in search, Google should’ve swept the board when it first turned its hand to smart TV. Instead, Google TV was lambasted for its confusing interface, patchy functionality and ever-changing line up of content (made unpredictable by Google’s apparent refusal to pay for licensing deals but instead attempting to harness free online streams). With the second-gen system now ready for prime time, the search giant has managed to coax some big names back onboard, as well as tease gamers with the promise of OnLive for console-quality play without any extra hardware beyond a wireless controller.

Samsung, Sony, LG and Vizio were all expected to bring Google TV powered sets to the show, and all but Samsung delivered. LG spared us the heavy-duty specs, only saying that its two Google TV sets would drop later this year and use a homegrown quadcore ARM chipset. Like Vizio, which announced the R-Series of Google TVs, LG has reskinned the core Google UI to suit its own interface styling. Vizio also had two set-top boxes, one adding a Blu-ray drive, the VAP430 and VBR430, which promise to make Google TV more affordable.

Sony, meanwhile, took another approach, not bothering with fully-integrated Google TV HDTVs but instead looking to two new set-top boxes instead. It’s possible the company learned the hard way from its first-gen Google TV sets, though the new Network Media Player NSZ-GS7 and Blu-ray Disc Player NSZ-GP9 are arguably more useful given there are plenty of people content with their existing TV but still wanting a smart upgrade.

Finally, Marvell brought along its ARMADA 1500 chipset and a reference design Google TV STB to demonstrate it. The company is pushing the design to its hardware partners, along with a useful upscaling addition that promises to make lower-res content and UI look better on a 1080p Full HD display.

As for Samsung, it stuck with its homegrown smart TV platform for CES, though reiterated its support for Google TV and promised that “a forthcoming offering will deliver an entirely distinct experience in the category” later in 2012. That’s not to say its hardware this week has been underwhelming, however. Our playtime with Samsung’s 60-inch smart TV – which packs Kinect-style motion and voice control – suggested the non-traditional navigation may be gimmicky but the core software is very strong, while integrated DIRECTV support and the potential for hardware upgrades along the line shows services aren’t being left behind either.

LG may have had Google TVs to show off, but it also pushed ahead with its own platform, and some models ramped up the extras to stand out of the crowd. The Cinema Screen 3D HDTVs, for instance, can use their 3D screen technology for dual-view gaming, each player getting their own full-screen view simultaneously.

Vizio, too, used its own VIA smart TV software on some of its other models, echoing Philips’ push for true theater-aspect 21:9 screens with the new XVT CinemaWide line-up. You’ll need a big living room to accommodate them – and Vizio will need more luck than Philips, which eventually axed its range – but if you’re a keen movie buff they might be a solid alternative to a projector.

Lenovo isn’t a name generally associated with TV, so the company’s K91 entrant to the home entertainment segment came as something of a surprise. Headed to Lenovo’s home territory China first, but with broader international availability expected after that, the K91 actually runs Android but Ice Cream Sandwich rather than Google TV (v.2 of which is based on 3.x Honeycomb) and has a custom UI to suit sofa-bound users.

Finally, Canonical is hoping the hunger for Linux-based smart TV platforms will see its own embedded Ubuntu system picks up steam. We were impressed by the performance on the Ubuntu TV the team had prepared for CES, though Canonical wouldn’t say much on the “multiple manufactures” apparently in talks about using the system. It’ll go head to head with Google’s renewed Google TV drive, that’s for sure, and the search giant’s known brand and significantly improved second-gen software could prove difficult to beat.

Convinced by Smart TV? Considering buying one of these sets, or holding out for more new hardware later in the year? Let us know in the comments!

Samsung and DIRECTV are founding members of the RVU Alliance, which aims to optimize multi-room entertainment experiences for consumers. The companies introduced the RVU protocol last year, which is based on industry standards such as DLNA and UPnP. It allows a set-top box server to provide a complete, multi-room viewing experience, including DVR services, across all connected TVs through one set-top box.

Now, Samsung is embedding RVU in its entire Smart TV lineup, eliminating the need for a set-top box. DIRECTV has created the HR34 Home Media Center HD-DVR, which replicates the set-top box UI and other features to be directly displayed on a Samsung Smart TV. Users will continue to be able to enjoy features such as live pause on all screens in the home, picture-in-picture, record five shows at once, and store up to 200 hours of content. The new RVU-enabled Samsung Smart TVs are expected to be available in Spring 2012.

The Toshiba 55-inch 4K 3DTV is already available in Japan as the 55X3 and in Germany as the 55LZ2, launching back in December with a whopping price tag of a little over $10,000 worth in each country’s respective currencies. Hence, it’s safe to assume that the US version will be demanding a similar price, although CNET sources did not confirm exact pricing yet.

The glasses-free 3D technology in this TV creates the 3D illusion by showing separate views to your left and right eye. Since there could be many people watching TV at a time with each sitting at a different angle to the screen, the technology divides the viewing area into 9 separate regions so that everyone can get the 3D effect. It can also convert 2D to 3D, but 3D resolution is at 1,280 x 720 pixels instead of 4K.

The company is expected to show another prototype at CES next week that is dramatically improved from last year’s prototype and also slightly different from the commercial unit that will be launched early this year.

The forum post reveals that the new TiVo set-top box will be available only in the following ten major US cities: Chicago IL, Denver CO, Los Angeles CA, New York NY, Philadelphia PA, Phoenix AZ, Sacramento CA, San Francisco CA, Seattle WA, and Washington DC. A nationwide rollout for other markets is still being evaluated.

However, this new TiVo-powered DVR will carry a $5 per month TiVo service fee in addtion to the $7 DVR service fee and the $10 HD Access Fee. With the new TiVo box, users will be able to access all of DirecTV’s live, on-demand, and pay-per-view videos. Updates will be downloaded via satellite and remote DVR functions are supported.

[via CNET]

Another round of bids are expected next week with current bids reportedly ranging from as low as $500 million to as much as $2 billion. Google has been said to be willing to spend big in return for extended rights to content, although it’s not been confirmed whether they have already submitted a bid. Yahoo was one of the top runners, but its recent implosion with the firing of CEO Carol Bartz has it busy dealing with its own issues.

It’s believed that there’s a wide gap between the bids offered and what Hulu owners are willing to accept. Perhaps with Google’s significant figure on the table, Hulu owners are becoming more adamant about their asking price. But bidders are also questioning what they would get for their money, hence the sale process has overall slowed down.

Additionally, the issues of digital rights to the content is complicated. Hulu’s demands on content rights has been undermined by NBC’s recent offering of programs for free via an iPhone and iPad app without requiring cable subscription. The move may have also conflicted with Fox’s strategy of offering the latest TV shows to only paid subscribers.

[via Reuters]

The little Nomad box is expected to be able to take all the content that you have DVR’ed and shoot it out to your mobile devices. That is really all we know about the Nomad at this point, everything else is an unknown. It sounds a lot like the Slingbox to me. Reports claims that the nomad would work with iOS, which would make sense.

I would expect if the device launches that it would also support Android at some point. It would be great to be able to access my recorded shows using my iPhone. I wonder if the streaming would require WiFi or if 3G connectivity would work too.

[via TUAW]

Originally, the TiVo HD DVR for DirecTV was expected in 2009, but it never came to be. Sadly, the DVR that is coming next month sounds like it is packing tech from 2009. The DVR will reportedly be using the older DirecTV HR22-100 hardware and will use the old TiVo interface as well. The real deal killer for DVR fans on DirecTV is that the TiVo DVR will not be able to be used in the whole home DVR system.

The TiVo box is said to be unable to stream programming to other DirecTV DVRs on the same network. The existing DirecTV DVRs will also not be able to stream to the TiVo units. The price and fees associated with the TiVo units are also unknown. I want whole home and if this thing won’t work, I just don’t see a big market this side of users not interested in whole home DVR service. If the box has more tuners inside or a huge amount of storage, it would be more appealing.

[via Zats Not Funny]

DirecTV and Sony have announced that NFL Season Ticket is now available on the PS3 game console for subscribers and non-subscribers. I’m having a hard time figuring out if you are a subscriber why exactly you would need access on your PS3. I guess that would allow you to watch the game in a room that might not have a satellite receiver available.

The price for the package for subscribers is $50. If you are a non-subscriber, the price might give you more than a little sticker shock. You will need to shell out $339.95 to access the NFL Sunday Ticket on your PS3. That means a single season of the NFL will cost you more than you can get a new PS3 for.

However, theater owners are unimpressed with the proposal, concerned that premium VOD will eat away at attendance figures. “These plans fundamentally alter the economic relationship between exhibitors, filmmakers and producers, and the studios taking part in this misguided venture” the National Association of Theater Owners argues, though the studios behind Home Premiere have said they will delay any titles still performing well at the box office beyond the initial 60 day period.

On the other side, DirecTV and other providers have been arguing for even shorter periods between theatrical release and on-demand access, though at least one theater chain has supposedly threatened to not to screen films should that happen. Paramount is not taking part in Home Premiere over what is believed to be concerns over potential piracy.

DirecTV’s app gives you more detailed information and customization over your programming like the cast names and parental ratings of shows. Or, you can follow your favorite sports teams and their schedules. The app has a customizable home screen with favorite channels and modules. You can select your favorite channels to show up first and see what’s playing, or find out the sports scores and events for your favorite team or league.

The only gripe so far is that the app does not let users stream content to their iPad like you can with the Slingbox. Users also cannot delete shows off the playlist. The app does work with HD DVRS on the home network.

[via Electronista]

Other channels that’ve appeared before this Xfinity 3D are ESPN 3D, n3D (a limited channel on DirecTV,) and 3net (another very similar channel that seems to be running many special presentations in the same manner as Omnimax theaters – those big fat domes at the science museum you went to as a kid.) This also isn’t the first time Comcast itself has offered 3D content, as they’ve shown the 2010 Masters Golf Tournament and the FIFA World Cup matches in such a format as well.

This makes us feel like 3D might not go away nearly as fast as it did in the 1980′s, this and the seemingly neverending array of video games, glasses, and devices that’ve been coming out for the past few years. Have a peek at our 3D portal to see what I mean. After that, if you need more convincing, have a peek at the post over on Android Community at a post by the name of Why These Two Android Phones will Change Everything – one of these two phones is dipped in the hot lead that is 3D capturing and sharing. Welcome to the 3D fun cooker.

[via Consumer Reports]

The first night’s lineup will consist of “China Revealed” and “Forgotten Planet”, both one-hour original programs, and IMAX’s “Into the Deep”. 3net will join DirecTV’s other two 3D channels n3D and ESPN3D and like n3D will broadcast content 24/7, ESPN3D starts their 24/7 broadcasting on Valentine’s Day.

The network says they will debut new content every night at 9:00PM and hopes to offer the largest library of native 3D content by 2011. So if you have the a 3D TV, the 3D glasses, and right antenna enjoy the added dimension.

[Via Discovery]

The 3D program will offer complete coverage for the title fight in the season finale with the fight coming down to Tanner Foust and Vaughn Gittin. The show will have interviews with the drivers from the series and tips from the drivers.

Faust is one of the drivers that I see everywhere with several shows he is part of on Speed network. The 3D coverage will begin at 8pm on February 4 on channel 103 and is sponsored by Panasonic.

The DirecTV deal will see Samsung integrate RVU chips into its LED D6000, LED D6400 and LED 6420 TV models, allowing each HDTV to receive streamed content from a single DirecTV server. They’ll go on sale in March 2011, offering DVR services, live pause on all screens in the home, 200hrs of shared storage, PiP and the ability to record up to five shows simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Samsung has also announced a deal to put Adobe AIR 2.5 on its smart TVs and Blu-ray players, together with adding Flash Player 10.1 support to the browser on its sets. Apps written in AIR will be cross-platform compatible with Samsung HDTVs just as they are on PCs, Macs and other platforms today.

Press Release:

Samsung and DIRECTV Partner to Deliver World’s First RVU-Compatible Production Television

DIRECTV and Samsung Showcase Multi-room DVR Technology On Samsung Smart TVs

2011 International CES
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today at the International Consumer Electronics Show, DIRECTV and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced they have partnered to present the world’s first RVU-compatible production televisions, which will provide more than 19.1 million DIRECTV subscribers with the ability to watch live broadcast and stored content from their DVR on Samsung smart TVs, without the need for additional set-top boxes. As founding members of the RVU Alliance, Samsung and DIRECTV are committed to providing a more seamless entertainment experience for consumers across multiple rooms and a variety of screens, through the use of standardized Remote User Interface (RUI) technology.

“Making DIRECTV features and content available to Samsung’s televisions through the RVU server allows consumers to enjoy our innovative service without the need for additional set-top boxes. We are pleased to see our successful partnership with Samsung expand to include support for RVU in their 2011 model range.”
The RVU protocol will be supported on Samsung’s LED D6000, LED D6400 and LED 6420 TV products that reflect the company’s commitment to delivering consumers high-quality, visually enhanced and connected entertainment experiences in their home. A RUI technology based on industry standards such as DLNA and UPnP, RVU allows a set-top box server to provide a multi-room, complete viewing experience that includes DVR services, without the need for additional set-top boxes in homes that have more than one connected TV.

“We are very happy to be working with an esteemed satellite provider like DIRECTV and provide the world first RVU service to consumers with Samsung TV,” said Boo-Keun Yoon, president of Samsung’s Visual Display Business. “Products developed on RVU standards, one of the major RUI standards, will help accelerate the development of features and applications that can provide our customers with a truly customizable, immersive entertainment experience that can be enjoyed from the comfort of the home.”

“The CES demonstration of the first RVU compliant television is exciting news for the industry and consumers who want a consistent, superior user experience throughout the home,” said Romulo Pontual, CTO of DIRECTV. “Making DIRECTV features and content available to Samsung’s televisions through the RVU server allows consumers to enjoy our innovative service without the need for additional set-top boxes. We are pleased to see our successful partnership with Samsung expand to include support for RVU in their 2011 model range.”

Capable of supporting multiple connected televisions, DIRECTV’s RVU server enables the UI and features to be displayed directly on those connected TVs. Under this partnership, Samsung will embed support for RVU in their smart TVs and provide its customers with the full DIRECTV experience, including DVR services, live pause abilities on all screens in the home, 200 hours worth of shared storage, picture-in-picture capabilities and the power to record up to five shows at once. Samsung’s RVU-compatible TVs will be available in March 2011.

More information on Samsung’s Smart TV strategy and Samsung’s new partnerships were announced during Mr. Boo-Keun Yoon’s keynote address, which can now be viewed at www.samsungces2011.com.

Press Release:

Samsung and Time Warner Cable Announce Collaboration for Smart TV Service and Multi-Room Solutions

Time Warner Cable App to be Available to the Company’s Subscribers on Samsung Smart TV and Samsung Galaxy Tab

2011 International CES
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Time Warner Cable shared the stage today at the International Consumer Electronics Show to announce a collaboration that will allow Time Warner Cable customers to access their cable subscriptions on the Samsung Smart TV and Samsung Galaxy Tab in their homes. Time Warner Cable Chairman and CEO Glenn Britt joined Samsung Visual Display President Boo-Keun Yoon on stage during Mr. Yoon’s keynote speech, where the two companies jointly announced the collaboration and demonstrated the services.

“The era of smart TV is here, and innovative partners like Time Warner Cable, that can utilize this ground-breaking technology to deliver new entertainment solutions to their consumers, will be the first to succeed.”
Available as an app within Samsung’s application storefront, the Time Warner Cable service ultimately will give Time Warner Cable’s subscribers access to all of their cable channels directly on Samsung smart TVs and Galaxy Tab in the home. All of the content can be consumed through Samsung’s award-winning LED, LCD and Plasma smart TV line-up, which delivers a high-quality, visual enhanced and connected entertainment experience to the home.

In addition to watching live TV on the Smart TV and Tab, Mr. Britt demonstrated the capability for Time Warner Cable customers to access recorded content from a DVR elsewhere in the home directly on the Samsung Smart TV, without the need for a connected set-top box. This creates a multi-room viewing experience that doesn’t require multiple set-top boxes in homes that have more than one connected TV.

“We are very excited to announce Time Warner Cable as our newest partner in delivering new smart TV experiences,” said Boo-Keun Yoon, president of Samsung’ Visual Display Business. “The era of smart TV is here, and innovative partners like Time Warner Cable, that can utilize this ground-breaking technology to deliver new entertainment solutions to their consumers, will be the first to succeed.”

“We’re excited to bring together Time Warner Cable’s high-value content and high-quality delivery with Samsung’s innovative products,” said Mr. Britt. “Time Warner Cable is committed to making it easier for our customers to watch what they want, when they want, on multiple devices. We’re giving customers more control than ever in ways that are simple and easy for them. Samsung’s leading technology and large base of consumers make the company the perfect partner as we deliver services that will change the way people watch TV.”

The Time Warner Cable applications will be demonstrated at the Samsung booth in the Central Hall at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Jan. 6-9, 2011.

Time Warner Cable anticipates beginning to offer the apps commercially on Samsung devices later this year.

Press Release:

Samsung and Comcast Partner to Transform TV Viewing on Smart Televisions and Tablets

New Comcast Xfinity TV Experience to Launch on Samsung Smart TVs and Tablets This Year

2011 International CES
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today at the International Consumer Electronics (CES) Show, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., and Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) jointly announced the companies’ partnership to continue to revolutionize the way consumers access content and watch TV. For the first time on a connected TV, the new Xfinity TV service will offer a rich, Web-like interface, enabling simpler navigation and the ability to seamlessly search across linear TV, DVR recordings, and video on demand among tens of thousands of content choices. A sleek graphics-rich display will guide the viewer to their favorite programming.

“As we begin this exciting new decade, Samsung is also launching a new era of TV technologies that will delight and amaze consumers unlike ever before”
The partnership also will deliver a customized and integrated multi-platform viewing experience on Samsung smart TVs and the Android™-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab. On the tablet, the Xfinity TV experience is a virtual television guide and a mobile video player all in one. Xfinity TV digital customers will be able to browse, discover and sort video content, change the channel on a Samsung smart TV in real time, and program DVRs. In addition, they can watch streaming TV programming and movies directly on the tablet, and access that content across multiple devices. The service’s roadmap includes the ability to begin watching a favorite movie on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, then pause the movie and resume watching it on a Samsung smart TV from the exact moment it was paused, and vice versa.

The Xfinity TV service was unveiled today at the International Consumer Electronics Show by Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts during a keynote speech by Boo-Keun Yoon, president of Samsung’s Visual Display Business, and will also be demonstrated at the Samsung booth in the Central Hall.

“As we begin this exciting new decade, Samsung is also launching a new era of TV technologies that will delight and amaze consumers unlike ever before,” said Boo-Keun Yoon, president of Samsung’s Visual Display Business. “To partner with the renowned Comcast brand enables us to deliver on our promise of giving consumers greater variety, easy access and control of the content they discover and deliver a more immersive and entertaining experience to Comcast customers.”

Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Comcast Corporation, said, “Our partnership with an industry leader like Samsung is another important step in Comcast’s plan to totally reinvent how consumers watch television wherever and whenever they want. We have the technology framework in place to deliver new features to Comcast customers faster than ever, including on connected TVs, tablets and multiple devices, which is core to our strategy and a key facet of the future of television.”

The Xfinity TV experience will be distributed later this year on the Samsung smart TVs and on the application store for the Galaxy products interacting through the Comcast set-top box, giving consumers yet another access point for discovering and connecting to Comcast Xfinity TV services. Content can be watched through Samsung’s award-winning LED, LCD and PDP TV products that reflect the company’s commitment to delivering consumers high-quality, visually enhanced and connected entertainment experiences in their home.

More information on Samsung’s smart TV strategy and Samsung’s partnership with Comcast were shared during Mr. Boo-Keun Yoon’s keynote address, which can now be viewed at www.samsungces2011.com.

Press Release:

Samsung and Adobe Bring Adobe AIR to Smart TVs

Samsung Becomes First to Integrate Adobe AIR 2.5 into Televisions and Blu-ray Players; Announces Plans to Bring Adobe Flash Player 10.1 to Smart TVs

2011 International CES
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Adobe announced that Samsung’s Smart TV platform will be the first to integrate support for Adobe® AIR® 2.5 for TV, making it easy for developers to build, distribute and monetize standalone applications through Samsung’s Smart TV applications store, Samsung Apps. The integration of AIR for TV with Samsung’s Smart TV platform will create new opportunities for a growing community of more than three million Adobe Flash® Platform developers who can use Adobe Creative Suite 5 to author content for AIR for TV. All of Samsung’s 2011 Smart TVs and Smart Blu-ray players will include support for Adobe AIR for TV.

“Adobe is a key partner for Samsung and we are thrilled to be the first TV manufacturer to support Adobe AIR across the Samsung Smart TV platform”
Samsung also announced plans to bring Adobe Flash Player 10.1 to its Smart TV browser, extending the company’s current support for Flash Player 10.1 on Samsung smartphones and tablets. With the addition of Flash Player 10.1, users will enjoy a more complete web browsing experience on the TV, with access to millions of websites with rich videos, games and other multimedia content.

“Adobe is a key partner for Samsung and we are thrilled to be the first TV manufacturer to support Adobe AIR across the Samsung Smart TV platform,” said Boo-Keun Yoon, President of Samsung’s Visual Display Business. “Together, Samsung and Adobe are transforming the ways in which consumers interact with devices and content, providing rich, interactive applications built with industry-leading, cross platform tools.”

“Content publishers want to extend their reach from smartphones to the largest screen in the home – all without sacrificing the unique context and experience of each screen,” said Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO of Adobe. “Samsung is the first device manufacturer to embrace Adobe AIR for TV, and together we will enable developers to extend media applications, social games and other forms of rich content to televisions and a wide range of Samsung devices.”

With Samsung’s Smart TV platform and Adobe AIR for TV, developers are able to leverage existing code to create and deliver standalone applications across devices and platforms. The Samsung Smart TV platform was built with the developer in mind, enabling content creators to develop applications on an open platform, using common web standards like Javascript and XML and now support for Adobe AIR. The platform uses a single Software Developer Kit (SDK) for Apps that runs across HDTVs, Blu-ray players and Blu-ray Home Theater systems so developers can write once and deploy apps across several platforms. This gives developers the opportunity for more versatile monetization and enables a consistent and intuitive experience for consumers.

More information about Samsung’s Smart TV strategy and Samsung’s new partnerships was announced during Mr. Boo-Keun Yoon’s keynote address, which can now be viewed at www.samsungces2011.com. For more information about Adobe AIR for TV visit http://www.adobe.com/devnet/devices/flash_platform_tv.html

The 3D matches will be offered nationwide via the DirecTV dedicated 3D channel n|3D Powered by Panasonic otherwise known as channel 103. The semifinal and finals of the tournament will be shown in 3D on DirecTV and can be seen in Best Buy stores as well.

The 3D broadcast will reportedly use six camera rigs each having a pair of HD cameras, a pair of special 3D production trucks, and a special 3D broadcast team. The 3D cameras are placed lower on the courts than the other cameras filming the tournament to get up close action.

What you get for that extra $3 is the ability to record DVR programs on one DVR and then play them back on any TV in your home. You can have up to 15 other rooms and TVs connected to the system for playback. The coolest part is if you are like me and someone in your home likes to record tons of kids programs or girly programs that overlap with stuff you want, you can connect an additional DVR in another room and play that content back on any of the TVs as well.

With two DVRs in your home, you can record up to four programs at one time and watch up to two additional recorded programs at once across your entire network. That is very cool. Each TV on the network can get its own parental controls and any room in the home can manage the DVR playlist. If you lack the DVR receiver, it will set you back $199 and each room needs a standard HD receiver to work.

DirecTV has announced that it will be the first broadcaster to offer viewers 3D Major League Baseball games. DirecTV will be offering these games in conjunction with YES Network and FSN Network. There are a couple caveats to the 3D broadcasts.

You have to be within the YES “home team footprint” to be able to view the 3D game, which will be broadcast from Safeco Field in Seattle. That home footprint covers all of New York State and Connecticut, Central New Jersey, and northeast Pennsylvania. Viewers in the FSN Northwest viewing areas of Washington, Oregon, Alaska and some parts of Montana and Idaho will also be able to see the 3D game. The game will air on Saturday, July 10 at 10pm ET and again on Sunday the 11 at 4pm. You will need 3D compatible TV and glasses to view the game along with a free software update for DirecTV HD customers.

The TV shows they are a-streaming…

In the first few weeks of this experiment, I came to find out that 90% of the TV shows my wife and I watched on a regular basis were available online from either the networks’ websites themselves or from Hulu. What suffered however was live sports and shows for our kids, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as kids probably get enough TV as it is.

Since I am a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan, though, it was very difficult for me to not be able to watch a single game the entire season from the comfort of my own home. I tried connecting to hacked streams; I tried watching them through my dad’s SlingBox; I even tried MLB.TV, but since I am in the Giants local market the games were blocked out. Nothing came close to watching the game in HD on my big screen. Which leads to a conclusion with live events being that they still have a long way to go when it comes to an equally or more compelling offering through the Internet.

For most other shows that were not available online I found that iTunes had season and individual episodes for sale. For example, things like Discovery channel episodes are not streamed, but were available in iTunes.

One other observation was how cumbersome the process was to find the show we wanted to watch. Bookmarking each show’s portal was the most efficient way to quickly watch each show. What is really missing in the world of online streaming is something akin to the guide or EPG provided by network service providers. Boxee made an attempt but I still found their user interface awkward and unintuitive, allthough it has improved. In both the online world of TV as well as the service provider world a more efficient way to quickly find what you want watch or discover something to watch is yet to be solved. Another frustration was that each new episode would appear online generally 24 hours after it aired and in some cases 48 hours — which made talking about the latest episodes with my friends a little awkward since I wouldn’t be able to chime in on the conversation until several days after it aired. It seems as though the trend in connected TV shown at CES this year may take steps in addressing some of this weaknesses.

Connected TV and Streaming Services

One of the big trends we see coming to new TVs in 2010 is the integration of streaming services. We see momentum by TV manufacturers to integrate services like Netflix, Amazon “Unbox”, Hulu, and more directly to the TV or set top box. If you have seen the VIZIO commercials for their connected TV you get the picture. Research from The Diffusion Group anticipates that by 2014 there will be 360 million connected TV’s or Set Top boxes worldwide. The broadband services delivered to these connected devices may come in the way of applications or simply a “walled garden” portal with each service, but consumers will decide which services if any they choose to “install.” This is of course extremely valuable to the content providers providing streaming services, but also to consumers who may already subscribe or pay for those services and want to enjoy that content on their TV as well as their PC or mobile device.

Another element of connectivity coming to the PC is by way of “web apps” for lack of a better term. Things like Yahoo’s Widget channel and even TV applications being developed by service providers like DirecTV are demonstrating what a simple application connected to the Internet for quick information can do for consumers. Quick access on your TV to things like sports scores, weather or stock information, as well as integration with applications like Flickr and Facebook can offer consumers “information snacking” with the services they are interested in without ever having to open a web browser or check them on a mobile device.

TV manufacturers are showing increased interest in adding more intelligence to their TV sets so that they can capitalize on connectivity and streaming services. We are seeing more and more very powerful CPU’s getting integrated into these next generation TV sets and set top boxes that inevitably will move the TV from a simple dumb display into an intelligent screen in your home that can now be a platform to develop new and innovative services or applications.

The Challenge Ahead

One of my key takeaways in exploring the world of Internet TV and streaming services was that the mainstream TV networks are at a major crossroads. Down one road they have their traditional distribution methods through the cable and satellite service providers who pay them large up-front sums of money for their network content. Down the other road is the world of Internet distribution through their own sites and in collaboration through Hulu.com. This road offers them a more direct relationship with their customers and the ability to benefit directly from the advertising spends, but has steep up-front costs associated with it. This is why there is speculation that Hulu.com will offer a paid service or a subscription model so that the networks can benefit from this model in a way similar to the service provider model where money changes hands up-front. This road, however, poses a challenge to their deeply vested service provider model and the networks are extremely cautious not to do anything that aggravates their service provider partners since they represent such a large chunk of their business.

Balancing this world of broadband vs. broadcast content will be one of the more interesting things to keep your eye on. Whether or not a service like Hulu.com and the network content on that service can benefit from a freemium model is yet to be determined. However an interesting model presented by Epix HD could prove to be worth paying attention to. In essence, Epix HD is a premium cable channel that will offer its subscribers free access to epixhd.com, where consumers can stream on-demand movies and other content offered by the service from any PC web browser. This model works because the online streaming service is a perk for being a subscriber to their premium channel. HBO as also announced something similar. This model makes the likes of Comcast happy because they are getting revenue from their broadcast infrastructure as well as creating more demand for their broadband infrastructure. Bringing the value of their broadband to more then the PC is a major initiative for many service providers.

Another key challenge is around the debate about where this intelligence I speak of should end up. Should it be in the TV or does it make more sense for all the horsepower to move into the set top box either provided by the service provider or bought at retail with the ability to connect to a service providers service.

We believe that we are at the very beginning of some shifting consumer behavior where the three screen, TV-PC-Mobile device, experience begin to blend and offer seamless entertainment experiences. Each major screen in consumers lives represents a different consumption experience and each have a role in this ecosystem. Content owners and service providers are going to have to begin to experiment with what it means to offer both broadcast and broadband content and wrestle with how that content may be complimentary, provide elements of convenience to consumers to discover and enable consumers to consume their content in ways they could not before on whatever screen they happen to desire to view it with.

Where did I land?

My grand conclusion is that for the foreseeable future the standalone “Internet tv” offering is truncated and isolated at best. It is not, by itself, an all encompassing experience and is instead a fraction of the overall experience to come. Because of things like the lack of a guide, effective discovery tools, and live programming all led me back to “selling out” and signing up with a service provider again. Besides, many of my friends and family were getting tired of me inviting myself over to watch college and NFL football games. Luckily I got all hooked up just before the San Francisco Giants season starts. After much research I choose DirecTV for three Reasons:

1. Out of all the service offerings I liked their remote access / programming remotely features. They have an iPhone app as well as a very good online UI to remotely program my DVRs, both of which will evolve and include many interesting features. I also know they have enough technology in the hardware in their latest box to make remote viewing and access to my recorded content, similar to SlingBox, possible.

2. They offer free software to connect any PC in my home remotely to my main DVR and stream recorded shows in SD or HD to any computer in my house. Since I have a computer elegantly connected to one of my TV’s, it now acts as a second set top box allowing anyone to watch a recorded or recording program even as the DVR is currently viewing or recording something else. I am also doing this wirelessly and am having very good success streaming my DVR content in HD wirelessly to my PCs.

3. The DirecTV latest generation DVR’s are software upgradeable to HDMI 1.4 making them 3D-capable when they are updated. DirecTV has one of the only boxes on the market capable of this whereas customers of Comcast, DISH and others will need to upgrade their hardware if they want 3D.

We heard early last week that the screen for that long rumored Apple tablet will be coming from Innolux according to sources. The same sources claim the device is set for a Q1 release. The specs for the Google Chrome netbook were revealed last week. I can’t wait to see how well the thing performs and if Chrome turns out to be as popular as Android Microsoft should be worried.

DirecTV announced this week that with the launch of its new satellite it would be adding more nationwide HD channels for its users. The best news is that one of the channels will be 3D all the time. Grumblings that the PS4 may ditch the cell CPU in the PS3 and go with a multi-core CPU turned up this week. I suspect we are still a long way out from the release of the nest console from Sony.

The interesting NorhTech Gecko Edubook got the hands on treatment this week. The machine is powered by AA batteries and is said to be too small for comfortable use by adults. The GSM encryption standard used by some mobile providers was cracked. The companies say that the cracking of the encryption does not mean that voice calls are vulnerable.

Ford announced this week that it would be offering iTunes tagging and HD receivers on some of its vehicles release din2010. The tech lets users tag a song they hear on the radio to buy later. The coolest racecar simulator in the world was revealed this week called the Cruden Hexatech. I want one so bad it hurts.

Google announced that it was holding a press conference at its Mountain View compound on January 5. We figure that the conference is to unveil the new Nexus One we keep hearing about. We will be attending the Google press event and livecast it on http://live.slashgear.com. Coby Electronics is set to unveil a 3D-audio sound bar at CES. The thing is supposed to produce sound that seems to come from everywhere in the room.

Spring Design is going to unveil its Alex eReader at a press conference at CES. This is the reader that Spring Design claims Barnes & Noble ripped off for its Nook. A cool hummingbird robot was unveiled this week that is designed to fight crime and save lives. The bot can hover by fluttering its wings very quickly.

The Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus were confirmed as heading to Verizon. The FCC approval for the devices was spied this week. The Asus Eee 1001P was tipped for debut on Jan 6. The machine is another N450 packing machine from Asus.

The Sony Vaio TT was re-launched this week as a CULV notebook. The T series was killed off a while back. Word surfaced that an HTC Android Tablet would be shown in private meetings at CES. The machine is thought to be a Chrome OS machine.

Mophie is set to unveil a new credit card reader for the iPhone that looks like the companies Juice Pack battery line. The device is intended for use by people who need to capture credit card info outside an office. The Google Nexus One smartphone tipped up in a video showing the handset getting a 3D benchmark. The phone looks to be an impressive gaming platform.

A rather creepy looking robot was spied late in the week called the Omnitread. The thing looks like a snake to me and is designed to make it over just about any obstacle. The Motorola Shadow 9.9mm 1080p smartphone leaked this week. The thin phone looks really cool. Thanks for reading the first week in review of 2010! Have a great New Year!

HDGuru reports that DirecTV is set to offer the first broadcast 3D channel in America in 2010. The new channel will be courtesy of the new satellite that is scheduled to launch. The channel will offer a hodgepodge of sports, movies, and other content in full HD 3D quality.

Of course, you will probably need a new converter to enjoy the 3D programming and you will certainly need a new 3D display. The 3D display should be taken care of with a glut being unveiled at CES in a week or so. I can’t wait for 3D to come home!

However, TiVo execs did confirm that DirecTV had been delivering lower revenues throughout the quarter, and that the company is having to cut back on marketing.  They are also only just finalizing relationships with partners like Comcast, describing the situation as “in a nascent stage”.

Meanwhile the call also revealed that TiVo are developing for the tru2way platform of interactive digital cable services.  However no specific details of how that will interact with TiVo services have been revealed.

“We are working with Comcast to develop a TiVo application that is truly compatible with the tru2way stack, which is somewhat different than the current middleware that we are operating on in the Boston and New England market[...], the fact that Comcast’s R&D activity with us involved upgrading TiVo’s application to their tru2way middleware stack.” Tom Rogers, TiVo

[via Zatz Not Funny]

Specifically, DirecTV will become associated with three sports channels and the Game Show Network. Not much will change at DirecTV itself, with all executives keeping their jobs, however John Malone, the founder of Liberty Media will remain in charge.

The entire merger is expected to be finished by year’s end. This venture follows the grab up of Sirius XM by Liberty Media. At the moment, it is not foreseeable how Liberty Entertainment’s stake in DirecTV will affect their stake in Sirius.

Good news for Tivo fans stuck in Cable mode. The country largest satellite service provider with 17.1- million subscribers, DIRECTV has announced today that they are teaming up with TIVO to develop a new DIRECTV HD DVR featuring TiVo’s recording service. The new TiVo-DirecTV DVR is expected to be available in the second half of 2009. It will support both companies’ features and services but subscriber’s pricing and packaging for the high-definition TiVo-DirecTV product has yet to be determined.

Go! Tivo
[via forbes]

Marketed for high end HD enthusiasts, Tenlab’s Tenbox has built in anti-vibration material and features 3 fan operating mode for noise sensitive crowd. The aluminum alloy enclosure also helps fastest heat dissipation. It supports dual drives setup and provides USB 2.0 and SATA 1 & II via ESATA interface with capacity ranges from 1TB, 1.5TB to 2TB. The greater than 1TB is achieved by SATA RAID controller with Plug-n-Play capability that’s compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. The 3 sizes Terabytes boxes are MSRP at $1,199, $1,499 and $1,999 and come with 1 year part and labor warranty and 3 years on the hard drives.

The DirecTV Plus HD DVR Program Storage Solution

ReplayTV was acquired by SONICblue in 2001, later went bankrupt and sold to D&M Holdings and now ends up with nation’s largest satellite provider DirectTV. No financial terms of the deal were disclosed but D&M Holdings will remain the operator of the existing service contracts for current ReplayTV subscribers. DirecTV will assume most of the other assets of the brand company.

UPDATE 1-Japan’s D&M sells ReplayTV business to DirecTV

It will support 1080p output, through its pretty Optical HDMI port. There is a whole slew of ports pictured on the back, but none of them are OTA antenna connectors for recording HD over the air.

The price is as yet unknown, however the release date is rumored to be sometime in November. If you have a rack-mount entertainment system, and have been looking to replace your old DVR or get one to begin with, I think you now have something to look forward to, chances are that if you have a rack-mount home theater system, you know what this level of quality of a component usually goes for, so be prepared.

Directv hr21 pro hd dvr image leaked [via technabob]