Zatz Not Funny!

Picture of the Hour: Hell Freezes Over (In Vegas)

Digeo Announces Two Stand-Alone HD DVRs

The press release drops tomorrow, but I’ve got the deets (and a sexy pic) today.

A few months back, Digeo announced they were ~~switching gears~~ expanding new markets by prepping a stand-alone HD DVR to be sold through electronics retailers. (Current Moxi boxes are distributed through cable providers, such as Charter, with 400,000 in circulation.) Turns out, there are at least two models coming down the pike.

At CES, Digeo will preview two prototypes of planned products for consumers. Both versions will feature the Emmy Award-winning Moxi interface, an integrated CD/DVD player, and features that allow users to watch, record and play high-definition programming, stream content from their PCs and support web scheduling. One prototype, the Moxi Multi-room HD DMR, will provide multi-room HD recording and playback with an integrated multi-stream CableCard (M-Card). A second prototype, the Moxi Home Cinema Edition HD DMR, is a Linux-based system leveraging the recently announced AMD LIVE! Home Cinema reference design that includes advanced audio features and is the ultimate device for home theatre enthusiasts. The Moxi retail product offerings are planned to be available in the second half of 2007.

I’m on the ground in Vegas… and the rumors are true: it’s a sight to behold. They say 2,700 companies are presenting, so I plan to cover them all! ;) Seriously, there’s no way a single person can hit all the big news. My plan is to focus on a few companies that interest me (and you) for publication here on ZNF, while also providing Netgear-specific and meta convention coverage over on Netgear’s site.

CES is not just about product announcements, it’s also about relationships and I intend to meet up with about two dozen people over the week including some of my blogging buddies — Though, it probably won’t get much ink. I’ve already run into Jeremy Toeman, the Capable Networks folks, Gizmos for Geeks, and even swung by Engadget‘s CES command center.

I’ve got a lot of a work to do and a full schedule, so my goal is to skip all parties and forgo the gambling. We’ll see how that works out. YES, Mari will be here too. She’s doing a little consulting for Motorola, but I begged her to write a bit if she can find the time.

Lastly, I’ve already got a few posts queued up and ready to go tonight as embargos lift… so you’ll probably want to check back. The announcements are particularly interesting: One is a little early and wireless, I expected it next year (someone jumped the gun, so I was cleared to post last night). One is little late and somewhat different, I expected it last year. One is right on time, but it’s really two. And NO, none of these are the iPhone and Microsoft didn’t give me a Ferrari laptop.

A few months back, I stumbled upon some patent applications by the Krikorian brothers (AKA Sling Media founders and execs) that alluded to a device designed to receive broadcasts — as opposed to the Slingbox which broadcasts your home television signals.

Apparently they liked my proposed name, as Sling’s newest device has been branded the SlingCatcher. As both a geeky consumer and someone who tracks this space, I feel confident saying this device is huge. The ability to control (it has a remote!) and broadcast my Series3 TiVo in the living room via Slingbox to my bedroom TV via SlingCatcher is awesome. All those digital channels (IFC, NFL, etc) and content stored on the S3 we have in the living room will be accessible in the bedroom. Or at a buddies house. Or in a hotel. Kick ass!

2007 In Preview: The CableCARD Cometh

Yesterday, we took a look back at 2006 and concluded high definition reaching a critical mass was the story of the year. For 2007, instead of forecasting the obvious (everyone gets HDTV – for less, digital media is everywhere) or making a bunch of wild predictions (Comcast buys TiVo), Dave and I wanted to focus on two notable dates.

Seven-Oh-Seven

If you’re not in the business of broadband or consumer electronics, you’re probably not focused on the upcoming July 1st (7/07) CableCARD deadline. The CableCARD issue is sort of a subtopic in the larger story around the analog-to-digital TV transition. Nonetheless, the de-coupling of embedded security from set-top boxes has its own interesting history, and is worth a quick rundown:

Cable Companies and CableCARD – Once Upon a Time
The difficult thing about making set-tops has traditionally been the embedded security features, called Conditional Access (CA). Two companies – Motorola and Scientific Atlanta – cornered the market on CA, and thus became the primary set-top manufacturers for cable operators large and small. The operators decided they wanted more vendor choices and so supported the idea of separating CA from set-top hardware. Separable security, i.e. the CableCARD was born.

2007 In Preview: All Digital, All The Time

March 1

Come March 1, all televisions and “TV receiver equipment” produced must include a digital (ATSC) tuner. The reason this date is more significant (and more intriguing) than last years deadline to include digital tuners in large TVs is because it encompasses DVRs and placeshifting devices. In 2002 the FCC first proposed staggered tuner deadlines as we transition to DTV and published the final order (PDF) in 2005:

By this action, the Commission is modifying its rules to advance the date on which new television receivers with screen sizes 13-24″ and certain other TV receiving devices such as VCRs and digital video recorders must include the capability to receive broadcast digital television signals from the current date of July 1, 2007 to March 1, 2007. The Commission is also amending its rules to apply the digital television reception capability requirement to new receivers with screen sizes smaller than 13″ on this same schedule. The DTV reception requirement, which also often is termed the “DTV tuner requirement,” is being implemented under an approach that applies it first to large screen receivers and then progressively to smaller screen receivers and other devices over a period of several years. The modifications made herein affect the final step of this phase-in plan. With these changes, the scheduled implementation plan will provide for all new TV receiver equipment to include digital reception capability as of March 1, 2007.

Now there may be some wiggle room in this mandate…

2006 In Review: Higher Definition

Obviously the consumer electronics industry is huge and quickly evolving, so there are numerous products, services, and trends to reflect upon for 2006. Sure we could talk about Apple adding movie downloads from iTunes, the various mergers and acquisitions, PDA phones for the masses, etc… But for me, the real momentum was in the realm of high definition. (And “You” are not the person of the year.)

The major development was the plummeting cost of large screen HDTVs. Plasmas, LCDs, and DLP rear-projection sets all dropped while we simultaneously grew more comfortable with higher price points. When non-geeks have larger, better units than I do (as observed in 2006), it’s safe to say this technology has gone mainstream. (Although, not everyone knows how to get HD programming.)

Also in 2006, the next generation of optical disc technology was released in the form of Blu-ray and HD-DVD. However, neither supplanted DVD last year and it isn’t likely they will in 2007 — due to high prices and a fragmented market. Perhaps hybrid disc technology, such as Warner’s Total HD or LG’s offering, will change the landscape… but not last year and probably not this year.

The Day The HDTV Died

As a die hard HDTV aficionado, I normally love reading about anything that has to do with the HDTV experience. With it’s crisp picture and it’s unmatched sound quality, HDTV has the power to make even bad television entertaining. Even when I’m not watching TV, I still love researching and learning about the technology, but when I came across a recent post by the Technology Evangelist, it sent shivers down my spine. (warning: link is not safe for TV enthusiasts)

It’s New Years eve. My wife and I are snuggled up on the couch watching the ball drop. 10! 9! 8! 7! KABLAM!!! Our micro-projection HD set turns off with a loud popping noise. Immediately I fear the lamp has shattered, but I think that maybe I just sat on the remote and shut it off. Looking at the remote on the table I realize my fear came true.

As someone who watches my fair share of TV, I worry about the day when my tube finally does give out. Reading through the post, I can’t help but imagine how horrible it must have felt to suddenly know that you can’t watch anymore TV without spending the time and money to get repairs done. Right now I’ve been living without my Xbox 360 for a few weeks while repairs are being made and that has been bad enough, without my daily fix of HDTV, I’d be a raving lunatic. (or at least more raving than normal )