Dave Zatz, Author at Zatz Not Funny!

Sling TV Gets Local Channels Next Month via AirTV

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As I revealed in April, Echostar and DISH Network are collaborating on an audacious plan to pipe the national television networks into Sling TV without the headache and expense of franchine licensing. “AirTV” repurposes Slingbox M1/M2 hardware with over-the-air (OTA) antenna capabilities to stream NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and other locals into the various Sling TV client applications.

From a draft Amazon listing:

With AirTV and an HD antenna, you can stream live local programming, news and your local sports anywhere in your home using the free Sling TV app and its integrated program guide. No paid contracts-just free local TV on any compatible device. And if you want more channels, you can subscribe to paid Sling TV packages-all from the same app.

You can watch AirTV from the Sling TV app on Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV and Roku.

Compatible with antennas such as: Mohu Wine Gard RCA …and all others

Echostar Prevails In Slingbox Ad Lawsuit (Round 1)

Back in 2014, Echostar’s Sling Media began injecting ads into both the Slingbox client interface and into the video stream itself. As you might imagine, many of us were displeased. Also, as you might imagine, some decided to take this to court as a class-action lawsuit. Unfortunately for the plaintiffs, their legal team doesn’t appear to … Read more

TiVo Series 1 “Lifetime” Service Ceases September 29th

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The venerable TiVo Series 1 that started it all, way back in 1999, heads off into the sunset come September 29th. And, apparently, about 3500 of you still rock the single tuner, standard def DVR-pioneering anvil. While those owners will retain access to their recordings, TiVo’s presumably decided ongoing support is too expensive. As such, they haven’t invested in migrating this generation to Rovi guide data next month and are, instead, pulling the plug.

Certain TiVo products require a TiVo service subscription, and we currently offer three service plan options: monthly, annual, and an All-In Plan. (In prior versions of this user agreement, the All-In Plan was referred to as Product Lifetime service.)

With an All-In Plan subscription, (a) you pay just once (rather than monthly, annually, or in some other frequency) for your TiVo service subscription, (b) your subscription lasts for the lifetime of your TiVo device (not your lifetime), and (c) you cannot transfer your subscription to another TiVo device (except in cases of warranty repair or replacement under applicable warranty terms).

Remembering Blake

While others are better suited to pen a remembrance, I too have fond memories of Blake Krikorian – who most know as the guy behind the Slingbox. We first connected the summer of 2005 on AVS Forum… which is an unusual place to find a company CEO geeking out (and taking on trolls). I had a bone to pick since Windows XP … Read more

GoPro Hero 5 Packs GPS Into Smaller Action Camera

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Earlier this week the eagerly anticipated, yet somewhat overdue, GoPro Hero 5 made its first prelaunch appearance… packing a new touchscreen. And today, via the FCC, multiple “Hero5 Black” filings have surfaced indicating the presence of WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS capabilities for video location tagging – a first for the line. While you’d think these hardware updates might increase the action cam’s bulk, the GoPro Hero5 is somewhat slimmer the the GoPro Hero 4 Black and about 30 grams lighter. Of course, the downside to the redesign is you’ll be on the hook for new accessories should you upgrade to the incoming flagship GoPro camera later this year.

Philips Adds Motion Sensor To Hue Lighting Ecosystem

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Good news, folks! Motion sensing triggers will soon be available to further trick out our Philips Hue lighting installations, without complicating matters with yet another hub and ecosystem — like Smartthings. From the FCC submission, we glean the Philips Hue Motion Sensor (with ambient light sensor) is both battery-powered and Zigbee-endowed. While we’d typically expect an accessory like this to be fueled by a watch battery, an overseas retailer Alza indicates a pair of common AAA batteries will be required — conceivably reinforcing what looks to be a 2×2″ profile. Further, the description indicates a 100 degree field of view over 5 meters. And, if we use their pricing as a guide, we should expect the Hue Motion Sensor to land somewhere in the $40-60 range when it hits within the next few weeks.

DISH Hopper and Joey Get Voice Control Remote

DISH Hopper and Joey owners can now pick up a voice-controlled remote for $30. While we’ve yet to test its capabilities, voice interaction appears to be a highly successful initiative for Comcast and it’s certainly something I’ve periodically appreciated on Roku or Fire TV (and something we continue to wait on with TiVo). Roughly half the size of a … Read more

3 Outdoor Cameras Better Than Nest

After months of corporate drama, Nest attempts to reboot the conversation with their latest innovation — a $200 weatherproof, outdoor camera that the company expects to ship this fall. While it’s not entirely fair to pass judgement on a product that hasn’t yet been released, there’s no way I’ll be purchasing one. And, no, it’s not the $10 … Read more