11 months after blowing up their prior destined-for-retail DVR(s), Digeo’s web site and Amazon have spilled the beans on the for-real model that’ll be available for sale… shortly? While they’ve published all sorts of specs (500GB hard drive, multistream CableCARD, no OTA support, Flickr, and expandable storage), we don’t yet know Moxi HD DVR release timing or pricing… and if the hardware will be burdened with service fees (à la TiVo). I’ve got a call into their (new) PR firm and will report back. (Thanks, Nate!)
Update: After speaking with Digeo’s PR firm, it sounds like this is a soft launch with a limited number of units available via Amazon – $800, without service fees. The “official” unveiling is still scheduled for CES next month, but I’m seeing what I can do to get more info and a loaner unit.
Wow, this box looks amazing. Just read all of the features and looked over the screen caps over at http://www.moxi.com I see it on Amazon.com for $799 and Diego claims there are no service fees like Tivo does. It’s a big upfront cost, but perhaps the no monthly fees help pay for it. Look at all the features! It blows away my Comcast DCH-3416 DVR! If Comcast’s own guide was as beautiful and had so many features like this new Moxi, I wouldn’t think about Fios if I could. How can Comcast or Macrovision/Guideworks look at that interface and not get a little jealous? I know if I created a product and my competitor came out with a much nicer one, I would be a little jealous and maybe more compelled to try and beat them at their game.
I just downloaded the Moxi user guide. I’ll peruse through it. I really want one of these boxes. Only caveat would be loosing VOD/HD-VOD and Caller ID on screen. But with everything else it can do, (and I’m sure it can even do native HD resolution pass through as well as 1080p upconversion) we might have to have a Motorola HD box side along side of a Moxi for our VOD needs (and record two shows while watching a third).
Just spoke to their PR firm… sounds like this is a very soft launch of a very limited number of units and the $800 price is about right. Unfortunately, I probably won’t know more until their official unveiling with a CES press conference. I’ll keep pushing for info and hardware, though.
The unit sure looks sharper (and possibly more compact than the previous unlaunched generation), other than the dropped LCD. Also, MCard makes much more sense than single stream cards.
For price comparisons, the TiVo HD runs about $250 (albeit, smaller drive than Moxi) and Lifetime service is $300. So the Moxi price of entry is more – however, their interface has been more advanced for some time plus it looks like this new unit retains the info ticker (think ESPN scrolling scores) and also adds commercial skipping. A hands on is in order…
They are too late. Needs access to online video store and/or streaming video sources.
Ivan, this box was originally described as DLNA-capable. If so, that opens the door for some interesting localcasting. But given TiVo’s Amazon, Netflix, CinemaNow/Disney, and Jaman options I agree Digeo needs to move in this direction.
Does this box support SDV. I’m sure it can since there is a USB port. That would be awesome if it could work with a tuning resolver.
Agreed. At $800, this needs to be more than a set top box. It should be able to run software like Boxee.TV and provide access to Cable and Internet video sources like Hulu plus Netflix.
Wow…I never thought it would actually come out. Since the new TiVo UI still is just a rumor, the Moxi interface looks tons more attractive. They’ve already made one mistake in designing the hardware, though — there’s still a lot of confusion about CableCards out there, and only leaving one M-Card slot seems like a bad idea. It was like pulling teeth to get two S-Cards out of TWC here, and none of the techs I spoke to knew what an M-Card was.
As I’ve posted before, the Moxi UI interface is very cool and had I no reliability prolems apparently common with other cable company provided boxes. I especially liked being able to keep tabs on the game while searching the menu.
I did give up my rented Moxi for a Series 3 and an external 1TB hard drive. The Moxi I had only provided about 14 hours of HD recording.
For someone who wants an alternative to Tivo’s tired UI I recommend Moxi wholeheartedly. Of course, Tivo now has quite a few extra bells and whistles that the Moxi lacks, i.e., ability to transfer shows to other computers/tivos, netfilix, amazon movies, etc.
Competition can only be good for Tivo. Although at $800, I don’t think it’s much of a threat unless it adds the web based content that people have suggested. However, there seem to be a lot of people, myself included (and anyone who had their box killed by a tivo update and been asked to pay for a repair), who are just looking for an alternative to Tivo.
Hopefully they’ve figured out most (all) of the issues that made my beta unit unusable the last time around. Hottest running CE product I have ever had the pleasure of being scorched by. Are they look for any beta testers this time around?
My TimeWarner Cable cablecards have been rendered useless when TWC moved all but four HD channels to Switched Digital Video (SDV). And TWC keeps trying to get me to turn in my cablecards for two HD boxes. In fact, I had to demand that they sent two out with an installer. The TWC CSR continued to tell me that the cablecards won’t work. They have finally “ordered” a tuning resolver but that was only after tons of email and letters on my part. And, of course, I don’t have it, one year after buying my HD Tivo.
Until Tivo and Digio distribute the tuning resolvers (the cablecos are just going to drag their feet), having an HD Tivo or Digio Moxie will only mean lots of SD video from a pricey box.
Terrie, you should call the local authority overseeing your cable franchise, such as county government. The FCC has already started levying fines…
Dave,
It was apparent this past summer that someone had, in fact, leaned on TWC. After two letters during the summer that outlined all of the channels going to SDV and the instructions to turn in your cablecards, one finally came that mentioned the tuning resolver. They also included a disclaimer that the tuning resolver would not work with all cablecard devices.
I had waited until the FCC was enforcing the cablecard mandate to purchase my Series 3 Tivo. But as the TWC CRS pointed out, they are only required to provide cablecards. “We don’t have to provide cablecards that work,” she said.
Anyone who didn’t know the law or believed the cable provider most likely boxed up their Tivo and sent it back. That is lost business that won’t be easy to reverse. Tivo (and Digeo) need to push the cablecard agenda in court.
Terrie
cox cable in fairfax VA. just got tuning adapters in. I was given one free of charge and it seems to work ok so far.
I bought the new Moxi, and I’m using it now as my primary DVR now on RCN Cable in D.C. Overall, I’m very satisfied. Two big limitations: can’t set default options for all series recordings up front and can’t get video on or off the thing. But as a general household DVR, it’s a great device. I have a complete write-up at http://www.theworldaccordingtorichard.com/2009/01/ive-got-moxi.html.
This box currently does not support SDV (switched digital video) so if you have digital cable you will be missing almost over a hundred channels. as for tivo they currently have a SDV adaptor madeby cisco.
peter, the amount of programming delivered via SDV varies by market. My Comcast neighborhood has zero. Regarding SDV tuning adapters, both Motorola and Cisco make them – your cable provider determines which you get (free to “rent” in all cases, that I know of). Lastly, Digeo tells me SDV support is on the way. No idea when, though.
Most cable companies have over a hundred SDV channels and with the launch of more HD channels cable providers will put HD channels on SDV. so all cable companies that offer more than 20 HD channels will HAVE to switch channels in order to make room for more HD bandwidth, therefore cisco makes a adaptor whether Moxi will run it will be up to the software which will allow it to work via usb
Can you cite the source of your data? I’m on Comcast with over 20 HD channels and zero switched. You are correct that Cisco and Motorola make tuning adapters, however Moxi has yet to enable support. I hear it’s coming.