I was going to return this year, for CES 2012, but I was getting married on February 4th and I realized that I was crazy planning a trip to CES less than a month before my wedding! In retrospect I’m glad I didn’t go, there was plenty enough to do preparing for the wedding and honeymoon. Not to mention burning three weeks of PTO for the trip. But I still missed scratching that itch.

Now I’m hoping to return for 2013! Registration opened today and I just registered as Press. They’ve changed their requirements since 2009 and no longer have a dedicated ‘Blogger’ category, so hopefully they’ll still consider me a valid Press member. I’m hopeful; I think Gizmo Lovers meets all of their requirements for online media – it qualified before. But if they don’t accept me as Press I’ll register again as a standard attendee.

I’m looking forward to jumping back into the fray. The Cable Show was good, but there’s nothing quite like the zoo that is CES. It’s a consumer electronics geek mecca – information overload. As Stanley Spadowski said, “You get to drink from the fire hose!” I’m looking forward to it.

On today’s call Tom Rogers stated that the transcoding box would ship “later this year”, which I believe is the first firm public statement.

From a technical perspective, based on my conversations with TiVo, the unit that comes to market will probably resemble the unit previewed at CES, but it may not be exactly the same. It is planned to be an Ethernet only device, most likely installed near the router in the home. It will stream content from TiVo Premiere units using the same system as the Premiere-to-Premiere Multi-Room Streaming (MRS) available today. The content will then be transcoded to H.264 and forwarded to devices running TiVo’s client app – such as Android or iOS phones and tablets. Users will be able to view the streams in real time, or they can be saved on the device for later viewing – which is how side-loading is accomplished.

The hardware itself is powered by Zenverge, so it looks like my prior speculation was close to the mark. However, the unit is not planned to have MoCA. I asked Jim Denney about this and he said that MoCA was considered, but given the envisioned use case it was felt that the added cost wasn’t justified. And after discussing it with him, I see his point. Even if the TiVo units are on MoCA, that MoCA network will need to be connected to a non-MoCA network to reach the client devices. And that connection point is a logical place to connect the transcoding box. It doesn’t really make sense to connect it to the MoCA network when it’d have to send the transcoded signal back over the same network to eventually be bridged off to the client network. Keeping the unit dirt simple – just a power connection and Ethernet – keeps it small and keeps the component costs down.

From a capability standpoint, the unit can accept and transcode up to four streams simultaneously. And on today’s call Rogers made the interesting comment that it could be a recording, or LiveTV. I believe the latter is new. Today streaming is only between units that have their own tuners, either Premiere-to-Premiere or Premiere-to-Preview, so there isn’t a need to grab a tuner on the remote device for ‘live’ TV. But for those who want to watch live on a second screen device, it’d be a necessity. (As well as for another application that’s coming, but I’ll leave that for another post. )

I asked about the streaming technology – is it based on Sling Media or Monsoon Multimedia, or anyone else? It is not. It is an in-house implementation using Zenverge’s silicon and developer tools. So it is unique, and the clients will come from TiVo. That gives me some hope. While Sling & Monsoon Multimedia treat their clients as a revenue stream, TiVo has been giving away their client software. And since you need a TiVo with an active subscription to use this transcoding box they have that revenue stream to draw upon. Rather than milking the customer for anther payment, I’m hopeful they will continue to provide the client software for free, relying on the sales of the hardware, and the TiVo subscription, for revenue.

If they do this it also makes me hopeful that they might publish the client APIs for 3rd parties to build support, as well as create clients for other platforms that aren’t Android or iOS. But that might be a bridge too far since I’m sure they’ll need to protect the content to keep the content owners happy, and that means they couldn’t tell others how to decrypt.

From my conversation with Jessica & Jim, the current plan is for streaming within the home, with side-loading for ‘on the go’ viewing. But not for place shifting streaming content outside of the home. Jim & I talked about this for a while, since I’m a long time Slingbox user and for me streaming beats side-loading hands down. He made the valid point that side-loading has some popular use cases – the most obvious is for when streaming isn’t an option, such as on an airplane. I know parents also use it to load up a bunch of their kids’ favorite shows to whip out on demand to pacify them, etc. So I’m not going to argue against side loading. It isn’t a use case that really interests me, but I acknowledge that it is valid.

As far as streaming outside of the home, Jim was sure to stress that it has not been “designed out” of the product. It isn’t currently planned, but it is something that could be added if there is demand. A lot of the concern is over quality of the experience, bandwidth requirements, etc. I made the point that I’ve been using a Slingbox since I had 768kbps upstream ADSL and only 2.5G EDGE data on my phone, giving me maybe 200kbps if I was lucky, and it was usable even with 320×240 resolution. And these days I have a 5Mbps uplink and 4G LTE on my phone, which has a 720p screen and HDMI output capabilities.

I’ve streamed HD video from my Slingbox PRO-HD from Worcester, MA to Seattle, WA and viewed it on my laptop while I’m out there for work. Being able to access my personal content at home, in real time, while I’m on the road just can’t be matched by side-loading. So I’m strongly in favor of TiVo enabling remote streaming as well. I argued that bandwidth costs continue to drop as speeds continue to increase, and device capabilities have never been greater. Now more than ever before streaming is viable.

I felt it was a good discussion and that TiVo is very much open to feedback on this issue. So it’d be good to hear from the user base. Do you want remote streaming? Or does local streaming and side-loading meet your needs?

No pricing or specific release dates are available at this time, so I can’t comment on that. But if they can bring this to market at a decent price point I think this would be very attractive, especially if they add remote streaming. By way of comparison, the DirecTV Nomad is $149, but you also need to subscribe to the Nomad Mobile DVR Service. My impression of this TiVo unit is that it is a one-time purchase, so it may retail for more than the Nomad. By while the Nomad is strictly store-and-forward side-loading, with real-time transcoding, the TiVo unit does streaming and side-loading, and it sounds like it will transcode for side-loading in better than real time.

I, for one, would be very interested in getting my hands on one of these units.

The second is from the LA Times:

The EchoStar HD DuoDVR SlingLoaded ViP 922 won CNET’s “Best of CES” today, and two of G4’s judging panelists, Attack of the Show host Kevin Pereira and Wired’s Chris Hardwick, both picked EchoStar’s SlingLoaded 922 as their very favorite out of the entire 2009 CES. The EchoStar 922’s unique user interface and remote control were also selected as CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award honorees prior to the show.

More:

ECHOSTAR’S SLINGLOADED 922 WINS CNET’S ‘BEST OF CES’ AWARD FOR HOTTEST HOME VIDEO PRODUCT AT 2009 INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

Las Vegas, Jan. 10, 2009

Attention editors: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C. and Sling Media, subsidiaries of EchoStar Corporation, announced today that it won a “Best of CES” award from the editors of CNET (www.CNET.com) for its EchoStar SlingLoaded™ 922 HD DVR, the world’s first high definition digital video recorder that incorporates Sling Media’s patented placeshifting technology.

CNET, in cooperation with the Consumer Electronics Association, selected the EchoStar 922 SlingLoaded set-top box out of hundreds of entries from CES. The EchoStar 922 won in the home video category, besting the other finalists Panasonic and LG.

The EchoStar 922 is an entertainment centerpiece combining the best of video and IP technologies into a capacitive-touch set-top box. By integrating Sling Media’s Slingbox technology, the EchoStar 922 lets TV aficionados watch and control their favorite TV shows and sporting events from anywhere in the world via a broadband Internet connection on their laptop or mobile phone. Accessing multiple video sources, viewers will never run out of shows to watch. The EchoStar 922 features a massive 1 terabyte hard drive for up to 1,000 hours of storage and supports external hard drives.

The EchoStar 922 is a revolutionary departure from the traditional cable or satellite set-top box. Its touchpad remote control, which eliminates half the buttons of a standard remote control, gives users cursor-like navigation on their TV screen. With a slide of the thumb, viewers experience scroll-over activation of widget-like tiles and pop-up menus, all selectable by an underside index finger trigger.

The new user interface goes beyond traditional text-based user interfaces by using movie poster graphics, tiles or widget-based menus, and cursor-type navigation for a powerful yet simplified user experience that is highly adaptable to future applications.

EchoStar will deliver the EchoStar 922 to its first operator, DISH Network, in spring 2009 as the HD DuoDVR™ SlingLoaded™ ViP® 922, furnishing satellite TV customers with a break-through TV experience.

Selected by CNET’s unbiased expert editors, winners are recognized as having the hottest products in their respective technology categories for their unmatched innovation and creativity, and their ability to excite consumers and help them explore a world gone digital. CNET editors reviewed hundreds of entries, as well as scoured the 2009 International CES show floor for products to consider for the prestigious award.

The ten categories include car tech; cell phones and smart phones; computers and hardware; digital photo and video; gaming; GPS; home audio; home video; MP3 and portable video players; and televisions. A video of the winners and finalists showcasing their technologies can be found at http://www.cnet.com/ces.

For images of the 922 and its award winning remote control and user interface, please visit: http://www.slingmedia.com/go/press-downloads.

Disclaimer: Yes, I work for Sling Media, which is owned by EchoStar. I’m proud of my company winning this award and think this is a pretty cool product.

Yes, that’s me doing my day job.

Press release:

Jan 8, 2009 06:30 ET

Sonic Brings Hollywood Hits to Connected CE and PC Devices with CinemaNow Software and Services

New CinemaNow SDK Accelerates Time to Market for CE Vendors Seeking to Deliver Premium Content to the Digital Home

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC) , today announced the CinemaNow SDK to enable consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers to rapidly integrate and deploy movie sell-through and rental store services in their devices. Sonic also announced it is providing entertainment delivery services for a new array of connected CE devices and digital home platforms.

Video entertainment from Sonic’s CinemaNow will be available on new Network Blu-ray Disc players from LG Electronics, through the Fujisoft-enabled Nintendo Wii game console in Japan, and featured in the newly announced digital home services platform from Prodea Systems. CinemaNow content will also be available as part of the Widget Channel television application framework developed by Intel and Yahoo, which will bring Web-based services to a number of broadband-connected products from major CE original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Demonstrations of the CinemaNow ecosystem are available by appointment in Sonic’s private meeting room at the Renaissance Hotel (Copa Conference Suite A and B) during the Consumer Electronics Show, January 8-11, Las Vegas, NV.

“We are extremely pleased to be providing premium content services to a broad range of innovative new products that are helping to shape the future of digital home entertainment,” said David Cook, executive vice president and general manager of Sonic’s Premium Content Group. “These latest agreements, along with the release of a CinemaNow SDK, will help further our goal to provide consumers trouble-free access to ‘buy anytime, watch anywhere’ digital movies, TV shows and music videos.”

The CinemaNow SDK streamlines the integration of digital entertainment delivery and sell-through services. The SDK provides consumer electronics manufacturers with a cost-effective way to rapidly deploy content services on a range of devices such as Blu-ray Disc players, Web-connected televisions and set-top boxes. By featuring CinemaNow, manufacturers are able to provide customers with a flexible entertainment solution that offers a-la-carte purchase options as well as extended multi-device playback compatibility.

“Our collaboration with Sonic on Blu-ray Disc players brings additional exciting digital entertainment options to consumers,” said Peter Reiner, senior vice president, marketing and strategy, LG Electronics USA. “With our premium 2009 line of Blu-ray Disc players, LG is bridging the gap between packaged media and video-on-demand services to provide entertainment solutions that fit consumers’ digital lifestyles and demand for broad variety of content.”

CinemaNow is at the forefront of digital video distribution, offering high-quality Hollywood movies, TV shows and music videos to users across multiple platforms. CinemaNow streamlines distribution and solves device interoperability at the time of delivery. CinemaNow has relationships with more than 250 content providers and a content portfolio of over 14,000 titles that includes entertainment from major Hollywood studios and independent distributors, broadcast and cable television shows, and music videos from major labels. CinemaNow supplies premium entertainment services to a host of PC and consumer electronics device manufacturers including ARCHOS, Dell, EchoStar Communications, Hewlett-Packard, Macrovision, Microsoft, Pioneer, Samsung, Technicolor and TiVo.

About Sonic Solutions

Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq: SNIC; http://www.sonic.com/) enables the creation, management, and enjoyment of premium and personal digital media content through its Hollywood to Home(TM) products, services, and technologies. Sonic’s products range from the advanced authoring systems used to produce Hollywood DVD and Blu-ray Disc titles to the award-winning Roxio®-branded photo, video, music, and digital-media management applications, field-proven SDKs and services. Sonic’s Premium Content Group, which includes CinemaNow, is helping provide consumers convenient access to Hollywood entertainment for download and enjoyment on a broad range of digital devices. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain forward looking statements that are based upon current expectations, including the launch, distribution, and market acceptance of the CinemaNow service and SDK. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in Sonic Solutions’ annual and quarterly reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with Sonic Solutions’ most recent annual report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contain a more detailed discussion of the Company’s business including risks and uncertainties that may affect future results. Sonic Solutions does not undertake to update any forward looking statements.

Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, Roxio, the Roxio logo, CinemaNow, Creator, Toast, Hollywood to Home, AuthorScript and Qflix are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by Sonic Solutions in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners and, in some cases, are used by Sonic Solutions under license. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.

Source: Sonic Solutions

CONTACT: Chris Taylor Sonic Solutions, +1-408-367-5231,
chris_taylor@sonic.com

Web Site: http://www.sonic.com/

It streams content from popular sites such as BBC.com, CNN.com, ESPN.com, EuroSport.com, NBC.com, PGATour and TMZ.com, as well as video powerhouses YouTube, Google Videos™, Yahoo Videos™ and MetaCafe™. NETGEAR’s Internet TV Player supports streaming of live TV broadcasts from Internet sites around the world, and premium, paid movies on demand such as CinemaNow.com, in addition to downloaded videos from sites such as BitTorrent®. Its superior VTap™ video search capabilities enable the intelligent search of Internet videos, including targeting video sites by country, topic of interest, person or popular website. Consumers are also able to play video, music, and photos from a local USB flash drive as well as from the NETGEAR ReadyNAS® family of storage solutions.

And it does all this with an MSRP of $199 – that’s sounds like a pretty good price for a box that does all of this, and I fully expect it to be updated with more content access. It is connected to your network via the built-in Ethernet port, or via a USB WiFi adapter. It will be available in early summer.

The other unit is higher end, the Digital Entertainer Elite EVA9150, slated for a February release with a $399 MSRP. For that higher price you get a built-in 500GB drive, easily user upgradable to larger capacities, and support for Blu-ray quality output at 1080p. It works simultaneously with Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs, as well as NAS devices. And it supports a wide array of formats and codecs:

— Video formats: AVI, DivX, Xvid WMV, MOV, M4V, MP4, VOB, MPG, MP1, MP2, MP4, ISO, IFO, MKV, TS and M2TS;
— Audio formats: MP1, MP2, MP3, WMA, WMA-Pro, AAC, FLAC, AIFF, WAV, LPCM, Dolby AC3 5.1 stereo downmix, Dolby AC3 5.1 passthrough, DTS 5.1 passthrough, Dolby TrueHD Downmix, Dolby+ Passthrough and DTS-HD Master Audio passthrough;
— Subtitle formats: SUB, SRT, SMI, SAMI, TXT and DVD Subpicture; and,
— Video codecs: MP1, MP2, MP4, Xvid, VC-1/WMV-9, H.264 and OpenDivX.

That’s quite an extensive list. It has an Ethernet port, but also built-in 802.11n wireless for high-speed WiFi connections. And it is dual-band – operating in both 2.4Ghz and 5GHz bands, which means you can get higher performance in areas saturated with 802.11b/g 2.4GHz signals. It sounds like a fairly impressive unit, I’d like to play with one.

Press release:

Jan 7, 2009 12:00 ET

NETGEAR Unveils Two New Internet-Connected Set-Top Products to Enrich TV Entertainment for Internet Families and Serious Media Enthusiasts

Bringing the World of Internet Videos, Live Internet TV, YouTube, Popular Websites, HD Media Collections, Family Photos, Music and More to the TV

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) opening today, NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTGR) , a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, introduced two new products that enable consumers to enjoy the world of Internet videos and digital entertainment content on their HDTV screens. Designed to enhance the connected lifestyles of Internet-generation families and serious media enthusiasts, the NETGEAR Internet TV Player (ITV2000) and the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150) will be demonstrated this week in the NETGEAR booth, 30769, in the South Hall 3 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. (See press release, “NETGEAR Delivers the Connected Lifestyle at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show.”)

“Internet video consumption is at an all-time high,” said Vivek Pathela, NETGEAR’s vice president and general manager of home/consumer products. “Just in the month of October 2008 alone, comScore® estimated that almost half of the total U.S. population viewed more than 13.5 billion online videos. That’s a large number of Internet videos that are viewed mostly on PCs, even though many people would rather watch them on their TVs.”

Pathela added, “Our new family of Internet-connected set-top products will, for the first time, enable users to benefit from viewing the broadest spectrum of Internet videos and digital content on their HDTVs, in the comfort of their living rooms. We’re offering a diverse line-up of networked entertainment products designed to suit the needs of various connected lifestyles, from the Internet family to the serious media enthusiast.”

Internet TV Player (ITV2000)

NETGEAR’s Internet TV Player (ITV2000) is a compact, easy-to-use, “plug in and go” Internet set-top device with a simple remote control that enables viewers to catch up on the world of Internet videos including YouTube™, live Internet TV, popular Internet video websites, premium video-on-demand and online video searches retrieving billions of Internet videos from a place it was previously unavailable — the TV in their living rooms. Rather than watching videos on PC screens in separate rooms, families can watch video from a variety of Internet sources on the TV together, in the comfort of their den or family room.

The Internet TV Player unlocks the value of new HDTVs as well as old analog TVs. It is ideal for the Internet families who enjoy online video, and for those who are geographically displaced from their preferred television content, such as international sporting events and Bollywood productions. It streams content from popular sites such as BBC.com, CNN.com, ESPN.com, EuroSport.com, NBC.com, PGATour and TMZ.com, as well as video powerhouses YouTube, Google Videos™, Yahoo Videos™ and MetaCafe™. NETGEAR’s Internet TV Player supports streaming of live TV broadcasts from Internet sites around the world, and premium, paid movies on demand such as CinemaNow.com, in addition to downloaded videos from sites such as BitTorrent®. Its superior VTap™ video search capabilities enable the intelligent search of Internet videos, including targeting video sites by country, topic of interest, person or popular website. Consumers are also able to play video, music, and photos from a local USB flash drive as well as from the NETGEAR ReadyNAS® family of storage solutions.

Slightly larger than a deck of cards, the compact Internet TV Player connects to the home network and the Internet via Ethernet or wireless USB adapter. It does not require a PC to play Internet video, nor does it require installing any PC software or setting up file sharing or firewall settings.

The NETGEAR Internet TV Player (ITV2000) is expected to be available in early Summer 2009 through leading retailers, e-commerce sites, and value-added resellers, at an MSRP in the U.S. of $199. More information can be found at (http://www.netgear.com/Products/Entertainment/DigitalMediaPlayers/itv2000.aspx).

Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150)

An ideal solution for serious media enthusiasts, NETGEAR’s Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150) is the most powerful and flexible digital media player available, incorporating the latest video, audio and wireless technologies to deliver an unparalleled living room experience. Its integrated 500GB hard drive, easily user-upgradeable to larger capacity disks, makes the Digital Entertainer Elite the world’s most powerful home video jukebox on the market. Consumers can play on their TVs Blu-Ray quality up to 1080p digital video, high-resolution digital photos, MP3s and recorded television shows from their PCs or storage on their network. They can also enjoy Internet content, such as YouTube, Internet radio, Flickr™, RSS feeds, and videos from popular websites. The Digital Entertainer Elite automatically finds all digital media files on the home network and organizes them into an easily accessible library.

The Digital Entertainer Elite is exceptional in that it works simultaneously with Windows®, Mac® and Linux computers, and Networked Attached Storage (NAS) devices, such as NETGEAR’s award-winning family of ReadyNAS® storage solutions. It supports an unmatched list of file formats, including:

— Video formats: AVI, DivX, Xvid WMV, MOV, M4V, MP4, VOB, MPG, MP1, MP2,
MP4, ISO, IFO, MKV, TS and M2TS;
— Audio formats: MP1, MP2, MP3, WMA, WMA-Pro, AAC, FLAC, AIFF, WAV,
LPCM, Dolby AC3 5.1 stereo downmix, Dolby AC3 5.1 passthrough, DTS 5.1
passthrough, Dolby TrueHD Downmix, Dolby+ Passthrough and DTS-HD
Master Audio passthrough;
— Subtitle formats: SUB, SRT, SMI, SAMI, TXT and DVD Subpicture; and,
— Video codecs: MP1, MP2, MP4, Xvid, VC-1/WMV-9, H.264 and OpenDivX.

The Digital Entertainer Elite’s two USB ports also enable instant access to content on a USB flash drive, digital camera, iPod® or other USB storage device. Three of NETGEAR’s exclusive RangeMax™ internal metamaterial antennas and Dual-Band wireless 802.11n give the Digital Entertainer Elite the best wireless performance of any digital media player on the market. More specifically, the Dual-Band wireless enables the Digital Entertainer Elite to pick from not only three 2.4GHz channels, crowded by 802.11g wireless networks in the neighborhood, but up to twenty clearer channels in the 5GHz band. Further, the Sigma Designs 8635 chip ensures the most powerful and flexible audio and video performance.

Multiple NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Elite units can work in concert throughout a house. Using “Follow Me,” consumers can pause a video in one room and resume it in another. While in “Party Mode,” they can synchronize music playback for whole-home listening.

The Digital Entertainer Elite also features NETGEAR’s award-winning Push ‘N’ Connect to seamlessly and securely connect wireless clients based on Wi-Fi Protected Set-up (WPS), eliminating the need to remember or input password keys. Further, NETGEAR’s Digital Entertainer Elite includes environmentally friendly features, such as an energy-efficient power supply and auto-sleep mode.

Backed by a one-year warranty and full 24/7 technical support, the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Elite (EVA9150) is expected to be available in February through leading retailers, e-commerce sites, and value-added resellers at an MSRP in the U.S. of $399. More information can be found at (http://www.netgear.com/Products/Entertainment/DigitalMediaPlayers/eva9150.aspx).

“NETGEAR’s product introductions take advantage of two major trends that we are seeing with consumers — digital media and connectivity,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst of Parks Associates, which specializes in research and analysis for digital living technologies. “First, as digital media collections grow, we anticipate that the average broadband household will require a significant amount of additional storage and media centralization capabilities. Second, our Digital Media Evolution study finds high demand for connected CE experiences that can deliver premium Web content to the living room.”

About NETGEAR, Inc.

NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) designs innovative, branded technology solutions that address the specific networking, storage, and security needs of small- to medium-sized businesses and home users. The company offers an end-to-end networking product portfolio to enable users to share Internet access, peripherals, files, multimedia content, and applications among multiple computers and other Internet-enabled devices. Products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in over 29,000 retail locations around the globe, and via more than 41,000 value-added resellers. The company’s headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in 25 countries. NETGEAR is an ENERGY STAR® partner. More information is available by visiting www.netgear.com or calling (408) 907-8000.

(C) 2009 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR®, the NETGEAR logo, RangeMax and ReadyNAS are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

Note: Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary from maximum signal rates stipulated. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for NETGEAR, Inc.:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, statements concerning the expected performance characteristics, specifications, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses, user feedback and market position of NETGEAR’s products and technology are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price, performance and ease of use of NETGEAR’s products may not meet the price, performance and ease of use requirements of customers; product performance may be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of security features in NETGEAR’s products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products; and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its business are detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties listed in the section entitled “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors,” pages 31 through 44, in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 28, 2008, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 2008. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030730/NETGEARLOGO)
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030730/NETGEARLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com/

Source: NETGEAR, Inc.

CONTACT: Shira Frantzich of Sterling Communications, +1-408-884-5156,
sfrantzich@sterlingpr.com, for NETGEAR, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.netgear.com/

Clear as mud?

Short version – the cards will hold more and respond quicker. Of course, you’ll need new devices with SDXC support to take advantage of the new capabilities.

I do have to stop for a moment and just hold one of my SD cards and stare at it and think of something like that holding 2TB – and how my first hard drive was huge and held 40MB, 80MB with Stacker! (Hands up if you remember Stacker.)

Press release:

Jan 7, 2009 06:00 ET

SDXC Signals New Generation of Removable Memory With up to 2 Terabytes of Storage

SDXC Memory Cards Provide Consumers with Massive Storage, Incredible Speed in Familiar, De Facto Standard

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ — CES Booth South 3 #31277 — The next-generation SDXC (eXtended Capacity) memory card specification, announced today at the 2009 International CES, dramatically improves consumers’ digital lifestyles by providing the portable storage and speed needed to store weeks of high-definition video, years of photo collections and months of music to mobile phones, cameras and camcorders, and other consumer electronic devices. The new SDXC specification provides up to 2 terabytes storage capacity and accelerates SD interface read/write speeds to 104 megabytes per second this year, with a road map to 300 megabytes per second.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090107/AQW041)

The SDXC specification, developed by the SD Association, leapfrogs memory card interface speeds while retaining the world-leading SD interface. Specifications for the open standard will be released in the first quarter of 2009. SDHC, Embedded SD and SDIO specifications will also benefit from the new SD interface speeds.

“SDXC combines a higher capacity roadmap with faster transfer speeds as a means to exploit NAND flash memory technology as a compelling choice for portable memory storage and interoperability,” said Joseph Unsworth, research director, NAND Flash Semiconductors, at Gartner. “With industry support, SDXC presents manufacturers with the opportunity to kindle consumer demand for more advanced handset features and functionality in consumer electronics behind the ubiquitous SD interface.”

Turning mobile phones into media centers

SDXC allows users to enjoy more from their mobile phones. Larger capacity and faster transfer speeds allow for expanded entertainment and data storage. A 2TB SDXC memory card can store 100 HD movies, 60 hours of HD recording or 17,000 fine-grade photos.

“With SDXC, consumers can quickly download higher quality content to their phones, including games, video and music — giving consumers a richer media and content experience,” said James Taylor, president of the SD Association. “The SD interface already has proven itself valuable in mobile phones. Now, SDXC memory card capabilities will spur further handset sophistication and boost consumer content demand.”

Shooting pictures at the speed of life

SDXC is also the first memory card specification to provide 2TB storage without hindering the high-speed performance necessary for high-end photography. It will provide maximum speeds even when the SDXC specification achieves its maximum 2TB storage capacity.

“SDXC is a large-capacity card that can store more than 4,000 RAW images, which is the uncompressed mode professionals use, and 17,000 of the fine-mode most consumers use. That capacity, combined with the exFAT file system, increases movie recording time and reduces starting time to improve photo-capturing opportunities,” said Shigeto Kanda, general manager at Canon. “Improvements in interface speed allow further increases in continuous shooting speed and higher resolution movie recordings. As a memory card well suited to small-sized user-friendly digital cameras, the SDXC specification will help consumers realize the full potential of our cameras.”

SDXC will enable camcorders to provide longer, professional level HD video recording with a small form factor.

The SDXC specification uses Microsoft’s exFAT file system to support its large capacity and interoperability in a broad range of PCs, consumer electronics and mobile phones. The exFAT system was designed for increased compatibility with flash media, from portability of data to interoperability with multiple platforms and devices on removable media.

“The SD Association is committed to answering and anticipating consumer demand for easy-to-use memory card storage that is interoperable in any device with a matching SD slot,” Taylor said. “The SDXC card gives consumers a new, yet familiar, high-performance card that will be used in hundreds of manufacturers’ device offerings.”

SD Association

The SD Association is a global ecosystem of more than 1,100 technology companies charged with setting interoperable SD standards. The association encourages the development of consumer electronic, wireless communication, digital imaging and networking products that utilize market-leading SD technology. The SD standard is the number one choice for consumers and has earned nearly 80 percent of the memory card market with its reliable interoperability and its easy-to-use format. Today, mobile phones, Blu-ray players, HDTVs, audio players, automotive multimedia systems, handheld PCs, cameras and camcorders feature SD interoperability. For more information about SDA or to join, please visit the association’s web site, http://www.sdcard.org/.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090107/AQW041
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN7
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: SD Association

CONTACT: Alisa Hicks of SD Association, +1-775-720-5071,
media@sdcard.org

Web site: http://www.sdcard.org/

And while I do work for Sling Media I wasn’t aware of this until I saw this press release come across the wire from SRS Labs. I did confirm it is accurate.

Sling has been making a number of announcements around CES, but since I work there and act as blogger liaison I haven’t been posting them since it wouldn’t be cool to ‘scoop’ other sites. I may post a summary later – unless Mark jumps in with more posts in the meantime.

Press release:

Jan 7, 2009 08:00 ET

SRS Labs Optimizes Audio Playback Experience for Slingbox Users

Sling Media licenses the popular SRS WOW HD™ audio solution to enable top quality playback of live and recorded TV programs

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — SRS Labs (NASDAQ:SRSL) , the industry leader in surround sound, audio, and voice technologies, announced today that Sling Media Inc., a leading digital lifestyle products company, has licensed the SRS WOW HD for use in their SlingPlayer™ for Windows software in order to enrich the users audio entertainment experience. In conjunction with the Slingbox™, SlingPlayer allows consumers to watch and control their home TV or DVR on their Windows® computer, just as if they were in their living room, from around the home or around the world.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070322/LATH036LOGO)

SRS WOW HD is a patented, state-of-the-art audio solution that makes a remarkable improvement in the sound quality of any digital media. By detecting and restoring audio cues buried in the original audio source material, SRS WOW HD makes a demonstrable difference in the overall entertainment experience — content sounds more natural, with renewed depth and clarity. SRS WOW HD provides an immersive 3D audio experience with ultra-clear high-frequency definition and deep, rich bass, breathing new life into any TV show, movie, or video.

Sling Media produces a wide range of networked media products, including hardware, software, mobile software, backend web services and the recently announced Sling.com website. The Emmy® award-winning Slingbox is a small piece of hardware, which when connected in their home, allows a customer to watch and control their TV and/or DVR, through a home network or over the Internet, from any of the SlingPlayer software applications. The SlingPlayer for Windows software, now utilizing SRS WOW HD, works hand-in-hand with the Slingbox hardware back at home, making the entire living room TV viewing experience available on the laptop or desktop computer — anywhere. Users can view their favorite live sporting events and recorded programs when they are away from home, with full control of multiple entertainment devices, including DVRs, cable or satellite set-top boxes, and even DVD players.

“As new convergence products and product categories are created, the demand for audio performance and optimization becomes even greater,” said Allen Gharapetian, Vice President of Marketing for SRS Labs. “The broad range of SRS technologies provides solutions for any digital audio application, especially those associated with the rapid growth of television viewing on computers over the internet. Working with an industry leader like Sling Media is a natural partnership, and we are pleased to help them deliver a premium audio experience to the consumers in this growing and popular new market.”

SRS WOW HD, when integrated into the SlingPlayer for Windows software, will provide users with premium sound through the remote computer’s built-in speakers, separate desktop speakers, or headphones. The upgraded SlingPlayer software, available to customers in the first quarter of 2009, will be provided initially to Slingbox PRO-HD owners. Sling Media expects to support other Slingbox owners in subsequent releases. Existing customers will be able to upgrade their systems to add SRS WOW HD through the automatic update process built into the SlingPlayer software.

“With a goal of delivering the best possible picture and sound quality to Slingbox owners, making the decision to integrate advanced audio technologies from SRS was an easy one,” said Ted Malone, Vice President of Product Marketing and Product Management for Sling Media. “SRS is the recognized authority in the audio processing space, with a strong track record in both the television and broadcast fields. We are very excited to partner with them in order to deliver improved sound quality to our customers.”

About SRS Labs, Inc.

Founded in 1993, SRS Labs is the industry leader in audio signal processing for consumer electronics. Beginning with the audio technologies originally developed at Hughes Aircraft, SRS Labs holds over 150 worldwide patents and is recognized by the industry as the foremost authority in research and application of human auditory principals. Through partnerships with leading global CE companies, semiconductor manufacturers and software partners, SRS audio, surround sound and voice processing technologies have been included in over one billion electronic products sold worldwide including HDTVs, mobile phones, portable media devices, PCs and automotive entertainment. In fact, SRS Labs is the de-facto standard of HDTV audio processing with nine of the top ten name brand flat panel TVs featuring SRS technology. Additionally, SRS Labs surround sound solutions provide the professional broadcast and recording industries with high-performance production, back-haul, storage, and transmission capability. SRS Labs supports manufacturers worldwide with offices in the US, China, Europe, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. For more information, visit http://www.srslabs.com/.

Except for historical information contained in this release, statements in this release, including those by Mr. Gharapetian, may constitute forward- looking statements regarding our assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events that are based on management’s belief, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. While the Company believes that its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurances that the Company’s goals and strategy will be realized. Numerous factors, including risks and uncertainties, may affect the Company’s actual results and may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Some of these factors include the acceptance of new SRS Labs’ products and technologies, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the timely development and release of technologies by the Company, general business and economic conditions, especially in Asia, and other factors detailed in the Company’s Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed with the SEC. SRS Labs specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

SRS Labs, Inc. Contact:
Cyndee Pelino, Sr. Marketing Manager
949-442-5518
cyndeep@srslabs.com

Press Contact:
Chuck Back, Noyd Communications Inc.
310-614-2358
chuck.back@noydcom.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover, Liolios Group, Inc.
949-574-3860
info@liolios.com

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070322/LATH036LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: SRS Labs, Inc.

CONTACT: Cyndee Pelino, Sr. Marketing Manager of SRS Labs, Inc.,
+1-949-442-5518, cyndeep@srslabs.com; or Press, Chuck Back of Noyd
Communications Inc., +1-310-614-2358, chuck.back@noydcom.com, or Investor
Relations, Matt Glover of Liolios Group, Inc., +1-949-574-3860,
info@liolios.com, both for SRS Labs, Inc.

Web site: http://www.srslabs.com/

Well, would you look at that, TiVo just unveiled an all new search interface – but astute readers will recognize it immediately as a variation of the interface design which leaked back in September. TiVo was kind enough to give me a sneak peak ahead of the embargo lifting so I could grab a few screen shots. I’m already in Las Vegas, so I did this using SlingPlayer from my Slingbox PRO-HD back home. You’ve got to love technology. I certainly didn’t cover all of the possible permutations in the interface, but it is very nice indeed. It is the first real interface which takes advantage of high-definition. I hope more of the TiVo interface is re-written like this, it really looks sharp and the functionality is very nice. I can’t wait to get home and play with it on my 61″ DLP and not just in a SlingPlayer window.

Lots more behind the cut:

Press release:

TIVO TRANSFORMS THE TV WORLD ONCE AGAIN BY OFFERING A NEW WAY TO SEARCH & DISCOVER CONTENT

Introduction of New TiVo Search Means Channel Surfing is a Now Thing of the Past Find What You’ve Been Missing

LAS VEGAS, NV. January 7, 2009 -TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today showed the future of television, unveiling a redesigned TiVo Search feature that offers improved search results with a completely new High Definition design, all at no additional charge. TiVo Search brings users the power of choice, offering millions of pieces of content not available via cable or satellite, along with thousands of linear TV choices. Delivered via broadband, TiVo Search combines a graphics rich experience with simplicity and relevancy that makes it a truly revolutionary way to get more out of your TV.

“What Google did for the Internet, TiVo is now doing for the TV, bringing people a combination of excellent search results and innovative discovery that can’t be found anywhere else,” said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo Inc. “TiVo has always been known as the best way to watch what you want, when you want it. Now we’re taking that to a new level, using TiVo technology to find just the right program from hundreds of channels and thousands of broadband options, all in seconds. It is clear TiVo is leading the way in providing more choice, and also leading the way in finding content quickly. TiVo Search is a new way to find what you’ve been missing.”

TiVo Search takes advantage of extra screen size afforded by high definition televisions by showing more details about a highlighted program than ever before, eliminating the need to dig down into each and every program to learn what it is about. It ensures the most important information is surfaced right up to the screen you’re already on, equaling less navigation and quick, accurate results.

“One of the best things about the new TiVo Search feature is how it works as a discovery engine, helping users find content they didn’t even know they could get,” said Jim Denney, Vice President of Product Marketing at TiVo Inc. “We’ve added a new discovery bar that gives a quick guide to relevant content, and the search experience incorporates content from broadband sources like Amazon Video on Demand and YouTube. The newly tuned search engine also displays the most popular search results of the day automatically, even when typing only a single letter. Searches work not with just the first word of a title, but any word of the program, which is especially handy when looking for programs with specific search words.”

The new interface not only displays in high definition, it has a focus on finding high definition television content. TiVo search automatically recommends high definition television channels and episodes when users schedule a program to record. Additionally, users can now browse shows season by season and select any episode they want utilizing a robust episode guide. Depending on availability users may record content from cable/antenna, download it from Amazon Video on Demand, or use WishList searches to record it the next time the content is broadcast.

Seeing equals believing, and the new TiVo Search is no exception. Starting today broadband connected TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, and HD XL subscribers can experience a beta version of the feature on their TiVo DVR, which can be found under Music, Photos, and Showcases. For an online preview and to provide your comments and feedback on this new search tool to TiVo visit www.tivo.com/tivosearch.

TiVo Search will be on display at the TiVo Inc Booth at the Consumer Electronics Tradeshow, Room N202 running January 8th – 11th.

# # #

About TiVo Inc.

Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo’s DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass™ recordings, WishList® searches and TiVo KidZone have elevated its popularity among consumers and have created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo’s DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features such as, TiVoToGo™ and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing “TiVo, TV your way.” The TiVo® service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research.

The company is based in Alviso, Calif. TiVo, TiVoCast, ‘TiVo, TV your way.’ Season Pass, WishList, TiVoToGo and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. and its subsidiaries worldwide. © 2008 TiVo Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to, among other things, TiVo’s future business and growth strategies including TiVo’s mass distribution strategy and retail bundling efforts, profitability and financial guidance, distribution of the TiVo service domestically with Comcast, DIRECTV, and Cox and internationally, growth and innovation in TiVo’s advertising and audience research measurement business, the timing and availability of broadband content, the results of TiVo’s litigation with EchoStar, how TiVo intends to exploit its intellectual property, TiVo’s future marketing spend and related activities, and financial performance. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “estimate,” “continue,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include delays in development, competitive service offerings and lack of market acceptance, as well as the other potential factors described under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2008, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal periods ended April 30, 2008 and July 31, 2008, and our Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. TiVo disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

The first four SoCs to be Flash-enabled are the BCM3549, BCM3556, BCM7400 and BCM7405. I find this intriguing as the BCM7405 looks like a newer generation of the BCM7401 which is the main chip in the TiVo HD. It has basically the same features – plus more: Flash support, DivX support, faster CPU core (400Mhz vs. 300MHz), etc. Makes me wonder if maybe this could be used in TiVo’s rumored ‘Series4′ model. But that’s just idle speculation.

With the announcements from LG, Samsung, Roku, and now this, I think one of the major trends this year is getting Internet/broadband content onto the TV screen.

The press releases:

Jan 6, 2009 08:00 ET

Adobe and Broadcom Bring the Adobe Flash Platform to TVs

Collaboration Extends Flash Platform Ecosystem to Digital TVs and Set-Top Boxes

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — 2009 International CES — Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM) and Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: ADBE) today announced the integration of the Adobe® Flash® Platform into Broadcom’s latest digital television (DTV) and set-top box (STB) system-on-a-chip (SoC) platforms. The collaboration paves the way for rich Flash based entertainment experiences on televisions that offer viewers new options for accessing web content on their TVs.

With Adobe Flash Lite™ 3 software supported in the Broadcom® BCM3549, BCM3556, BCM7400 and BCM7405 SoC solutions, TV viewers will be able to view Flash based content and applications from popular online providers and entertainment sites. Broadcom DTV and STB platforms with integrated Adobe Flash support are expected to be available to manufacturers in the first half of 2009. Broadcom will demonstrate Adobe Flash support on its BCM7405 and BCM3549 solutions at this week’s 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show.

The technology collaboration between Broadcom and Adobe will further accelerate the transition to high definition (HD) web-based video on televisions, fortifying the TV as the main entertainment hub within the home. With Adobe Flash as the number one video format on the web, coupled with Broadcom’s leadership position in digital television and set-top box platforms, the collaboration will enable a consistent viewing experience across TV screens, addressing format fragmentation and authoring challenges that exist today. As online video viewing shifts from the PC to the TV, the number of worldwide viewers will reach nearly one billion by 2013, according to a study by ABI Research. The dramatic increase of free and premium online video content, and the emerging trend of watching web-based video on televisions, will help drive its overall adoption according to ABI.

“Consumers with broadband Internet access increasingly enjoy viewing the wide array of video content available to them and it is clear that they want to watch their favorite online video content on their televisions for the best viewing experience,” said Dan Marotta, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom’s Broadband Communications Group. “By integrating Adobe Flash support in our latest portfolio of digital television and set-top box solutions, Broadcom will pave the way for an exciting new entertainment experience in the home.”

“Consumers want to experience rich and consistent applications and web content across devices and screens,” said David Wadhwani, General Manager & Vice President, platform business unit at Adobe. “Broadcom’s leadership in designing highly integrated and advanced TV and STB platforms provides an ideal stage for the over one million Flash developers to showcase their content. We look forward to our continued efforts with Broadcom to broaden the availability of great multi-screen experiences.”

Broadcom is a recognized leader in the set-top box market with 161 million set-top box chipsets shipped to date. The company’s recent acquisition of the AMD digital TV business expands the number of TV brands utilizing its highly integrated silicon solutions. Broadcom’s ongoing commitment and significant contribution to connected home technologies, such as the Digital Living Network AllianceSM (DLNA®), furthers the quest for seamless content distribution and connectivity – changing the way that consumers interact and share content in the next generation digital home.

Adobe Flash is the most widely distributed technology on the web, enabling virtually anyone to view and interact with a vast selection of rich content. With Adobe Flash Player supporting all major operating systems and browsers, Flash technology has become the number one video format on the web. Ninety-nine percent of Internet-connected desktops have Adobe Flash Player installed and more than 800 million mobile devices have shipped to date with Flash Lite, Adobe’s Flash Player for mobile phones and devices. Adobe Flash Player is a key component of the Adobe Flash Platform, a complete system of integrated tools, frameworks, clients and servers to develop Web applications, content and videos. For more information about the Adobe Flash Platform, visit www.adobe.com/flashplatform.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

About Broadcom’s Broadband Communications Group

Broadcom offers manufacturers a range of broadband communications and consumer electronics system-on-a-chip solutions that enable voice, video, data and multimedia services over residential wired and wireless networks. These highly integrated silicon solutions continue to enable the most advanced system solutions on the market, which include digital cable, satellite and IP set-top boxes and media servers, broadband modems and residential gateways, high definition and digital televisions, Blu-ray Disc® players and recorders and personal video recorders.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. It provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support Broadcom’s core mission: Connecting everything®.

Broadcom is one of the world’s largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2007 revenue of $3.78 billion, and holds over 3,000 U.S. and over 1,300 foreign patents, more than 7,500 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data and multimedia.

Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.

Cautions regarding Forward Looking Statements:

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our respective current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management’s beliefs, and certain assumptions made by Broadcom and Adobe Systems, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the ability of the collaboration between Adobe and Broadcom to further accelerate the transition to high definition (HD) web-based video on televisions and to enable a consistent viewing experience across TV screens, the availability of Broadcom DTV and STB platforms with integrated Adobe Flash support, the growth in the number of worldwide viewers of online video, and Broadcom’s ability to pave the way for an exciting new entertainment experience in the home . These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

The respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings of Adobe Systems and Broadcom discuss important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect their respective businesses, results of operations and financial conditions. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. Neither Adobe Systems nor Broadcom undertakes any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law.

Broadcom, the pulse logo, Connecting everything, and the Connecting everything logo are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Adobe, Adobe Flash and Adobe Flash Lite™ are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association. DLNA and Digital Living Network AllianceSM are trademarks of the Digital Living Network Alliance. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Broadcom Trade Press Contact
Dana Brzozkiewicz
Senior Communications Specialist
949-926-6367
danabrz@broadcom.com

Adobe Systems
Stefan Offermann
408-536-4023
sofferma@adobe.com

Broadcom Investor Relations Contact
T. Peter Andrew
Vice President, Corporate Communications
949-926-5663
andrewtp@broadcom.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060609/BROADCOMLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Corporate

CONTACT: Broadcom Trade Press Contact, Dana Brzozkiewicz, Senior
Communications Specialist, +1-949-926-6367, danabrz@broadcom.com, or Broadcom
Investor Relations Contact, T. Peter Andrew, Vice President, Corporate
Communications, +1-949-926-5663, andrewtp@broadcom.com, both of Broadcom
Corporation; or Stefan Offermann of Adobe Systems, +1-408-536-4023,
sofferma@adobe.com

Web Site: http://www.adobe.com/

Jan 6, 2009 08:00 ET

2Wire® Selects Broadcom’s Chipset to Power Its MediaPoint™ Digital Media Player

Broadcom® BCM7405 Enables the Delivery of On-Demand Internet Content and Personal Media to the TV

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — 2009 International CES — Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM) , a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that its BCM7405 digital set-top box (STB) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution has been selected by 2Wire, a provider of integrated broadband solutions, to power its new MediaPoint™ digital media player. The MediaPoint player enables service providers to quickly provide their customers with entertainment offerings delivered directly to their TVs, including movies, video, music and other on-demand Web-based media content, as well as personal music and video content.

In November 2008, 2Wire and Blockbuster Inc. announced that the 2Wire® MediaPoint player would be utilized to provide movie fans with instant access to BLOCKBUSTER® ONDEMAND content, including thousands of titles from the latest movie releases to classic favorites.

“The MediaPoint digital player, featuring BLOCKBUSTER ONDEMAND, is entertainment made easy. We are bringing Blockbuster, and the thousands of movies in our digital library, straight to customers’ televisions,” said Jim Keyes, Blockbuster chairman and CEO. “The player is simple to use, delivers DVD quality video, and there’s no monthly subscription commitment. We are delighted to bring consumers this great entertainment product.”

2Wire is leveraging the capabilities of the BCM7405 STB SoC to further enhance the performance of the MediaPoint broadband entertainment solution to meet next generation service provider requirements and provide a cost effective means to deliver on-demand Internet content and personal media directly to the TV. At this week’s International Consumer Electronics Show, Broadcom is demonstrating the capabilities of its BCM7405 on the 2Wire MediaPoint digital media player, accelerating the delivery of entertainment services that bridge the television and Internet together.

“MediaPoint services, enabled by the Broadcom BCM7405, create a new way to access multimedia entertainment content on the television, using any broadband connection,” said Jonathan Symonds, Vice President of Product Marketing at 2Wire. “The MediaPoint player lets users seamlessly browse, download and view high quality video and movies, easily discover music stored anywhere on the network and listen to it through the home entertainment system, upload, view and share photos, and access personal networked media content on their TVs.”

“The 2Wire MediaPoint player underscores our commitment to enhancing the consumer entertainment experience in the home,” said Dan Marotta, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom’s Broadband Communications Group. “Powered by the BCM7405, the MediaPoint solution gives users the ability to watch movies, video and other on-demand Web-based media content directly on the TV, while allowing service providers to enable customized Web-based services, from online radio to legal music downloading and even photo sharing services.”

BCM7405 Product Information

The highly integrated, low power BCM7405 STB SoC 65 nanometer solution leverages Broadcom’s proven track record and market leadership in set-top box technologies to deliver unprecedented levels of processor performance, memory bandwidth, graphics speed, system security, peripheral integration and cost savings. It supports the latest in interactive features and a wide range of video compression standards (i.e. VC-1, WMV9, H.263-H.264, MPEG-4 and DivX®), and includes support for new video compression standards.

The BCM7405 STB SoC can decode and display simultaneous high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video with picture-in-picture and mosaic support. Multiple planes of HD graphics, powerful content security, and support for peripherals including USB 2.0, SATA II, Ethernet and HDMI 1.3 are provided. As a result, manufacturers can build next generation HD digital broadcast and IP set-top boxes supporting the latest interactive features and networked personal video recorder (PVR) functionality.

About Broadcom’s Broadband Communications Group

Broadcom offers manufacturers a range of broadband communications and consumer electronics system-on-a-chip solutions that enable voice, video, data and multimedia services over residential wired and wireless networks. These highly integrated silicon solutions continue to enable the most advanced system solutions on the market, which include digital cable, satellite and IP set-top boxes and media servers, broadband modems and residential gateways, high definition and digital televisions, Blu-ray Disc® players and recorders and personal video recorders.

About Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a major technology innovator and global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. We provide the industry’s broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything®.

Broadcom is one of the world’s largest fabless semiconductor companies, with 2007 revenue of $3.78 billion, and holds over 3,000 U.S. and over 1,300 foreign patents, more than 7,500 additional pending patent applications, and one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios addressing both wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data and multimedia.

Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at +1.949.926.5000 or at www.broadcom.com.

Cautions regarding Forward Looking Statements:

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management’s beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom in connection with BCM7405 digital set-top box SoC solutions include, but are not limited to

— the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt
Broadcom’s technologies and products in the markets for next
generation set-top box applications;
— delays in the adoption and acceptance of industry standards in those
markets;
— general economic and political conditions and specific conditions in
the markets we address, including the volatility in the technology
sector and semiconductor industry, trends in the broadband
communications markets in various geographic regions, including
seasonality in sales of consumer products into which our products are
incorporated, and possible disruption in commercial activities related
to terrorist activity or armed conflict in the United States and other
locations;
— the timing of customer-industry qualification and certification of our
products and the risks of non-qualification or non-certification; and
— the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer
orders and our ability, as well as the ability of our customers, to
manage inventory.

Additional factors that may cause Broadcom’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the list that can be found at http://www.broadcom.com/press/additional_risk_factors/Q42008.php.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law.

Broadcom, the pulse logo, Connecting everything, and the Connecting everything logo are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. 2Wire and MediaPoint™ are trademarks of 2Wire Inc. Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of Sony Corporation. DivX is a trademark of DivX, Inc Blockbuster® is a trademark of Blockbuster, Inc. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Broadcom Trade Press Contact Broadcom Investor Relations Contact
Dana Brzozkiewicz T. Peter Andrew
Senior Communications Specialist Vice President,
Corporate Communications
949-926-6367 949-926-5663
danabrz@broadcom.com andrewtp@broadcom.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060609/BROADCOMLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Broadband

CONTACT: Broadcom Trade Press Contact, Dana Brzozkiewicz, Senior
Communications Specialist, +1-949-926-6367, danabrz@broadcom.com, or Broadcom
Investor Relations Contact, T. Peter Andrew, Vice President, Corporate
Communications, +1-949-926-5663, andrewtp@broadcom.com, both of Broadcom

Web Site: http://www.broadcom.com/

Picked up from Gadget Lab at Wired.

The TV’s can be networked with their built-in Ethernet ports or via a USB WiFi adapter. The TV Widgets will come from Yahoo! properties such as Flickr, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Weather and Yahoo! Finance as well as third parties like USA TODAY, YouTube, eBay and Showtime Networks. They claim it will be extended to include video streaming and other content.

The most interesting piece of this, I think, is that the platform is open to 3rd party developers to create their own TV Widgets. It sounds like interested developers will be able to create their own widgets and provide them to Samsung TV users with an open market. And I suspect Yahoo! will be looking to license this platform to other vendors as well.

In addition to the features reported in their press release, last week Electronista spotted a post in AVForums.com that Samsung’s new HTDVs would also have some very interesting network content support:

# Now supports playback of movies in the following formats upto 1080p: MKV/ WMV/ VOB/ AVI/ TS/ 3GP/ MPG/ ASF

# Now supports the following video codecs:

* XviD
* DivX 3.11/4.x/5.1/6.0/
* H.264 BP/MP/HP
* MPEG-1
* MPEG-2
* MPEG-4 SP/ASP
* Motion JPEG
* Windows Media Video V9
* VC1

That’s quite extensive format support. Models in the 7, 8, and 9 series will also be DivX Certified with support for DivX Video On Demand.

Press release:

SAMSUNG AND YAHOO!® BRING THE BEST OF THE WEB TO TELEVISION

Internet@TV – Content Service to Open a Whole New World of TV Interactivity for Consumers

SEOUL, Korea and SUNNYVALE, CA – January 5, 2009 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, and Yahoo! Inc., a leading global Internet company, today announced a new Internet-based service to Samsung televisions available in the spring of 2009. Select models in Samsung’s 2009 flat-panel HDTV line-up will be powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, a fifth-generation applications platform that enables TV watchers to interact with and enjoy a rich set of “TV Widgets.” TV Widgets make it easy to interact with Internet content and services to complement and enhance the traditional TV viewing experience. The lightweight Javascript and XML applications bring content, information and community features available on the Internet within easy reach of the remote control. The new televisions will be displayed at CES 2009 in Samsung’s booth located at Central Hall, Booth #11033.

Select models in Samsung’s 2009 flat-panel HDTV lines will support the new TV Widget service, called “Internet@TV – Content Service.” The service, which adapts the Yahoo! Widget Engine, enables users to engage in a variety of experiences that traditionally could only be enjoyed on a PC. Not only will users be able to track their stock portfolio and stay on top of headline news, but they may also browse through videos, share photos and interact with friends. Users can access the service by connecting the HDTV to a home network via the built-in Ethernet port or using an optional Wi-Fi USB dongle.

The suite of TV Widgets range from a host of Yahoo! properties, including Flickr™, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Weather and Yahoo! Finance, to third-party content from well-known brands, including USA TODAY®, YouTube™, eBay® and Showtime Networks® among others. The content and services offered will grow to include video streaming and other popular internet services.

Developers worldwide will be able to develop and deploy TV Widgets for the television by using the open-platform Widget Development Kit (WDK). At the same time, Samsung will continue to provide high-performing TV hardware so that developers can easily deploy widgets on Samsung HDTVs. Samsung and Yahoo! will expand their collaboration further to bring more developers to the Internet@TV –Content Service and build an open ecosystem where more developers can create various TV Widgets for consumers to enjoy on their televisions.

“Samsung has been a proven innovator in Internet-enabled TV technology for some time now, offering the ground-breaking InfoLink service last year in 2008. There’s no denying that the easy-to-use, one-touch of the remote control service successfully provides information simply and effectively,” said Boo-Keun Yoon, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Division at Samsung Electronics. He continues, “The collaboration with Yahoo! lets viewers go one step further. This new interface allows them to interact and connect with many of their favorite Web services on a personal level. It’s frankly way beyond just passively watching broadcasts and is no doubt the future of TV.”

“As a leader in developing innovative technology platforms to provide indispensable Internet services to millions of users, Yahoo! is excited to be working with Samsung to enhance consumers’ television viewing experience by bringing the best of the Web to their televisions,” said Patrick Barry, vice president of Connected TV at Yahoo! “Through this partnership, we can combine the Internet benefits of user choice and personalization with Samsung’s leading product innovation and global reach to deliver a new experience to users around the world.”

Samsung HDTVs with the Yahoo! Widget Engine and TV Widgets will be available in 13 countries in 2009 including the U.S, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. This provides publishers and developers the opportunity to create exciting TV Widget experiences that will reach and engage millions of Samsung TV viewers.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2007 consolidated sales of US$105.0 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of four main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business, and Telecommunication Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

For more information on Yahoo!’s Connected TV news, visit http://connectedtv.yahoo.com/newsroom

The new ‘Broadband HDTVs’ will support HD Netflix streaming directly over their built-in Ethernet connections. These new LCD and plasma HDTVs, along with five new Blu-ray players and home theater systems, will join the BD300 in LG’s Netflix-enabled lineup.

The press release is below:

Jan 5, 2009 07:00 ET

LG Electronics First to Unveil ‘Broadband HDTVs’ That Instantly Stream Movies From Netflix

Netflix Members Can Instantly Watch Movies Directly On New LG Plasma and LCD HDTVs

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. and LOS GATOS, Calif., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics today extended its groundbreaking partnership with Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) , as the two companies announced the first broadband-enabled HDTVs with Netflix streaming software embedded directly in the TV, requiring no external device. LG’s new LCD and plasma “Broadband HDTVs” will display the growing library of movies, TV episodes and high-definition (HD) content that Netflix members can watch instantly directly on the TV with Ethernet connectivity.

Available this spring, the new LCD and plasma HDTVs will join the LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, the first Blu-ray disc player to stream movies instantly from Netflix. These products – and five new models of Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems planned for 2009 – will offer consumers a variety of ways to enjoy more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes instantly from Netflix. Netflix members owning one or more of the devices pay as little as $8.99 per month for unlimited instant streaming and unlimited DVDs from a catalog of more than 100,000 DVD titles in more than 200 genres.

LG Electronics and Netflix will demonstrate these broadband HDTVs this week at the 2009 CES®, Booth #8214, Central Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center.

“Embedding the Netflix streaming software in the television is a natural progression of our partnership with Netflix and our innovative product line,” said LG Electronics USA President Teddy Hwang. “This is an LG industry-first, which provides another flexible option for consumers seeking to access exciting content directly through their HDTV.”

“LG Electronics was first to embrace Netflix as a streaming partner a year ago, and was first in 2008 to introduce a Blu-ray disc player that streams movies from Netflix,” said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. “So it’s fitting that LG is the first to introduce Netflix instant streaming directly to the TV with these next-generation HDTVs.”

Netflix began offering its instant streaming functionality on the PC in January 2007 and made the leap to the TV last year via Netflix ready devices such as the LG BD300 Blu-ray disc player. With today’s announcement, Netflix will be streaming, for the first time, directly to the TV with no external device required.

Instantly streaming content from Netflix to the LG HDTVs will rely on a broadband connection and Queue-based user interface. Netflix members will use the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those choices will automatically be displayed on members’ TVs and available to watch instantly through the HDTV. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. With the accompanying remote control, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections right on the TV screen and also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream.

“The partnership between Netflix and LG Electronics continues to give consumers more and better options for home entertainment,” said Hastings.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances and business solutions, all under LG’s “Life’s Good” marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.LGusa.com.

About Netflix, Inc.

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is the world’s largest online movie rental service, with more than eight million subscribers. For one low monthly price, Netflix members can get DVDs delivered to their homes and can instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and PCs, all in unlimited amounts. Members can choose from over 100,000 DVD titles and a growing library of more than 12,000 choices that can be watched instantly. There are never any due dates or late fees. DVDs are delivered free to members by first class mail, with a postage-paid return envelope, from over 100 U.S. shipping points. More than 95 percent of Netflix members live in areas that generally receive shipments in one business day. Netflix is also partnering with leading consumer electronics companies to offer a range of devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes to members’ TVs from Netflix. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com/.

Source: LG Electronics USA, Inc.

CONTACT: John I. Taylor of LG Electronics USA, Inc., +1-847-941-8181,
jtaylor@lge.com; or Nathan Friedman, +1-312-397-6009,
nathan.friedman@ogilvypr.com, for LG Electronics USA, Inc.; or Steve Swasey of
Netflix, +1-408-540-3947, sswasey@netflix.com

Web site: http://www.lgusa.com/
http://www.netflix.com/

Going into this CES I’m not sure what the big deal is going to be this year, if there is one. The economy is down and I haven’t really felt any particular buzz about any given area of the market. HDTVs get bigger while getting thinner and faster (refresh rates). We may see some interesting 3D technologies which will start to enter homes in the next few years. Palm is expected to announce Nova and new hardware, but I’m not excited. I was a die-hard Palm OS user for many years, since 1998, and still carry a Treo 680. But after five or more years of waiting for Palm OS 6 Cobalt Nova I just don’t feel that inspired. I’m already focused on Android as my next likely platform, and it would take a lot for Palm to sway me. Even if they produce an incredible OS, they have an uphill battle ahead to win over developers. I don’t think they have a real chance at this point to gain significant market share. And without that the developers won’t come – and the apps really make the platform.

Going forward I think the mobile market will effectively be, in no particular order, Windows Mobile Professional, BlackBerry, Symbian S60, iPhone, and Android. The original Palm OS is the walking dead, and I don’t see Nova/Palm OS II carving out enough market share to be viable. Symbian UIQ is effectively dead as SonyEricsson and Motorola have pulled out and the Symbian world is focused on the S60-based open source effort. Windows Mobile Standard (aka Smartphone) is rapidly dying as Professional-based touch screen devices move into the lower end of the market where Standard used to focus. I expect Android, which is basically just coming into the market, to post the biggest gains as more devices land. I think the LiMo/LIPS effort will falter and expect to see some of the vendors who have been working on it switch to Android. I think those five platforms will provide the bulk of the smartphone market, anything else will be a small niche.

We’ll probably see more tru2way devices on display from a number of vendors this year, but I don’t know that we’ll see anything revolutionary in that market. I’m hoping TiVo may be showing off their ‘Series4′ tru2way-enabled model, which they’re believed to have been working on for a while. And they may be showing their new DirecTV software, which I expect will be running on the HR20/21/22 DirecTV DVR Plus hardware. I’m not expecting anything else major, maybe some new content partnership announcements and perhaps plans to bring TiVo to more countries. (I’m surprised they haven’t re-launched in the UK yet with the DVB-T model actually.)

The past couple of years the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD fight provided some interest. But that was effectively over with CES2008, and officially ended when Toshiba threw in the towel in February. There aren’t likely to be any big announcements in the Blu-ray world, aside from more content partnerships like LG adding CinemaNow and YouTube to Netflix on their players. Maybe someone will be showing off higher density disc or 3D content concepts.

I’m hoping to be surprised by something at the show, something just unexpected. If you know of something I should be on the look out for, do let me know. And if you’re going to CES drop by the Sling Media booth and say hello. I believe I’m on the afternoons of Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, and on Friday morning. I’m also scheduled to present for Sling Media at CntrStg on Saturday. Frankly I’m nervous as hell about that. It has been years since I’ve done a presentation or talk at a tradeshow and never at anything as big as CES.

OK, off to finish packing.

But the real interesting addition here is CinemaNow, and not so much that it is being added but how it is being added. CinemaNow will be streaming to the Blu-ray players. That’s very interesting – as far as I’m aware this is the first indication we’ve had that CinemaNow was adding streaming support to their content. To date CinemaNow has been all download-based, not streaming, including on TiVo. Right now on TiVo only Disney content is available from CinemaNow, but it has been stated that additional content would be added. Since TiVo supports streaming, as used by YouTube and Netflix, I have to wonder if CinemaNow content will also be available via streaming on TiVo.

In general we’re certainly going to be seeing more of this kind of thing, adding content sources to devices to make them multi-function. Just to support Blu-ray content and to comply with the BD-Live specification a Blu-ray player has to be capable of decoding MPEG-2, H.264, and VC-1 video in high definition, as well as handing a number of audio formats. The hardware used to do this is more than capable of handling most online video formats. BD-Live requires an Ethernet connection and 1GB of local storage, which is plenty to handle streaming buffers. And the BD-J programming environment allows for complex applications. It makes a lot of sense for Blu-ray players to pick up additional features like streaming video to make them more competitive and appealing to consumers.

Press release:

Dec 30, 2008 09:00 ET

LG Electronics Announces New Streaming Content Partners for Its Network Blu-ray Disc Players

LG to Offer Consumers Unparalleled Access to Streaming Entertainment from CinemaNow, YouTube and Netflix

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Dec. 30 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics today announced the expansion of network entertainment options for its Network Blu-ray Disc players through new alliances with CinemaNow and YouTube™.

Available on new LG Network Blu-ray Disc Players in the first half of 2009, these new services complement LG’s instant streaming from Netflix and advanced Blu-ray capabilities to deliver consumers an exceptional entertainment experience. (In 2008, LG was the world’s first manufacturer to stream movies instantly from Netflix on a Network Blu-ray Disc Player.)

CinemaNow – an innovator in digital entertainment technology, delivering high-quality movies, TV shows and videos to users through online connectivity – and YouTube – a leading online video community for people to discover, watch, and share originally created videos – will be available in LG’s 2009 line of Network Blu-ray Disc players to be unveiled next week at the 2009 International CES®.

“As millions of U.S. consumers view and download movies or TV shows through the Internet, they are demanding easier ways to access content and more home entertainment options,” said Tim Alessi, director of product development, LG Electronics USA.

“From Blu-ray to instant streaming from Netflix to CinemaNow and YouTube, LG is bridging the gap between packaged media and video-on-demand services to provide entertainment solutions for consumers’ demand for content,” he said. “With these new alliances, LG continues its innovation leadership by allowing consumers easy access to multiple entertainment options in one device.”

CinemaNow: Instant Streaming of Hollywood’s Latest Hits

CinemaNow has pushed the envelope of digital video distribution, becoming the first Web site to offer Pay-Per-View movies from major studios and the first broadband distributor of high definition (HD) content. Collaborating with CinemaNow will enable LG Electronics to offer consumers access to more than 14,000 titles from the major movie studios, broadcast and cable television shows, more than 250 independent film titles and music videos from all major labels. Key benefits include the capability to:

— Browse the entire CinemaNow premium content catalog, including latest Hollywood hits,
— Instantly stream content to enjoy on compatible devices, and
— Access and watch movies purchased from other CinemaNow-powered stores.

“We are extremely pleased to be providing CinemaNow premium content services to these innovative new products from LG Electronics that are helping to drive convenient consumer access to digital entertainment at home,” said Mark Ely, executive vice president of strategy, Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC) , parent company of CinemaNow.

YouTube: Original Streaming Video Content

Leading the way in providing unlimited access to online content, LG’s alliance with a prolific online video community, YouTube, will allow consumers to instantly stream millions of Web videos directly from the Internet to an LG Network Blu-ray Player for viewing on their television (without a personal computer). Key benefits include:

— Unlimited access to millions of videos on topics such as current events, instructional videos for hobbies and interests, comedic and viral videos and
— Easy searching, thumbnail previews and multiple screen size viewing options.

Netflix: High Definition Instant Streaming

Now available to consumers as a free on-line upgrade, LG’s first Network Blu-ray Disc Player (BD300) now delivers a growing number of Netflix titles in high-definition (HD). This new access to high-definition streaming content enhances the existing standard-definition streaming service that LG and Netflix first brought to consumers in 2008.

Future LG Network Blu-ray Disc Players will also offer consumers a variety of ways to enjoy more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes from Netflix. Netflix members owning these devices pay one low monthly subscription for unlimited DVD rental and unlimited streaming.

LG’s full line of Network Blu-ray Disc Players, additional new content alliances and other new products will be revealed at the LG Electronics CES press conference on Jan. 7, 2009 at the Venetian/Sands and will be on display at the 2009 International CES – Booth #8214, Central Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a wide range of consumer electronics (digital display and digital media) products, digital appliances and mobile phones under LG’s “Life’s Good” marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.LGusa.com.

About CinemaNow

CinemaNow, part of Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ:SNIC) , delivers high-quality Hollywood movies, TV shows and music videos to users across multiple platforms. CinemaNow is partnered with some of the biggest brands in consumer electronics and digital entertainment including ARCHOS, Dell, EchoStar Communications, Hewlett-Packard, Macrovision, Microsoft, Pioneer, Samsung, Technicolor and TiVo to deliver thousands of video titles directly to consumers. CinemaNow works with more than 250 licensors including 20th Century Fox, Disney, EMI, HDNet, IFC, Lionsgate, MGM, Miramax, NBC Universal, Paramount Pictures, Sony, Sundance Channel, Vivendi Entertainment and Warner Bros. For more information: www.CinemaNow.com.

Headquartered in Marin County, Calif, Sonic Solutions (www.sonic.com) enables the creation, management, and enjoyment of premium and personal digital media content through its Hollywood to Home™ products, services, and technologies.

About YouTube

YouTube is the world’s most popular online video community allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small. YouTube, LLC is based in San Bruno, Calif., and is a subsidiary of Google Inc.

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Source: LG Electronics

CONTACT: John I. Taylor, +1-847-828-2777, jtaylor@lge.com; or Ojas Naik,
+1-312-397-6008, ojas.naik@ogilvypr.com, both for LG Electronics; or Chris
Taylor, chris_taylor@sonic.com, for CinemaNow

Web Site: http://www.cinemanow.com/
http://www.lgusa.com/
http://www.sonic.com/

After five years running at CES I’ve decided on two important guidelines:
1. Book early.
2. If the hotel isn’t on a monorail stop, I’m not interested. (Seriously, since the monorail opened things are much better. Best way to get around.)

As you might have guessed, I just got around to registering for CES 2009 and booking my hotel. Once again I’m at the Sahara. Not the swankiest joint in Vegas, but it is on the monorail (and conveniently the other direction from the LVCC than most of the other hotels, which means most people are trying to pack into trains going the other way), the rooms are fine for me (I’m a man of simple needs – a clean room to crash in), and it is inexpensive. I’ve stayed at the Sahara the past couple of years. The Imperial Palace is also on a monorail stop and cheap, and I stayed there a few years ago, but frankly it was kind of nasty. The hallway carpeting was sticky and there was a funky odor. Ick.

This time around I’ve registered as Press/Blogger, though I have to see if Gizmo Lovers passes muster and they accept me. We’re no Engadget or Gizmodo, but I’d like to think we qualify. I’d like to be able to attend some of the press-only events that I couldn’t get into last year.

I’m looking forward to covering CES once again in January.

This was my fifth CES in a row (and I’m already thinking about next year), so maybe I’m getting a little jaded, but I was a bit disappointed this year. There didn’t seem to be any ‘hot’ item, something that everyone was talking about, some new idea that fired people up. For example, a couple of years ago a lot of people were talking about Sling Media when they launched their first Slingbox. I don’t think it was just me, since I had similar conversations with a number of people on the show floor, the monorail, etc – and it seemed to be a common sentiment. Sure, there was a 150″ TV, which was impressive, but it is really just a bigger TV. You kind of expect bigger TVs each year. Pioneer’s 9mm thick Kuro was also impressive, but it isn’t something we’ll be able to buy for a few years, if ever. So this year seemed to be more evolutionary and predictable. The only real surprise news was Warner’s Blu-ray announcement, which certainly got a lot of buzz throughout the show.

Sure, there were some cool announcements, and specifically relating to this blog, and my interests, we had TiVo’s web video announcemnt, several Sling Media announcements, etc. But it just wasn’t as big as past years with the TiVo Series3 being unveiled or the initial announcement of the SlingCatcher. Oh well, you can’t have big news every year – there’s always next year.

There was one item that I didn’t expect to inspire my techno-lust to the degree it did – the Optimus Maximus keyboard from Art. Lebedev Studio. I’ve been watching the development of this since it was first shown as a concept several years ago, and it seemed to be perpetual vapor ware. CES was my first chance to see it in person, and I expected it to be nifty, but not to be as cool as it was. Photos just don’t do it justice, the keys look great, and they really ‘pop’. The colors are bright, the graphics are sharp, and if I had $1,500 to spare I’d probably buy one. Of course, since my main personal machine is a laptop, it would be a little silly. But it is just so cool in action. Even simple things like the case of the characters displayed on the keys changing when you press shift inspires my techno-lust. I can see this kind of tech spreading as the parts become cheaper.

But the real highlight of CES for me was getting to meet people I’d only seen online previously. I got to meet Ben Drawbaugh and Steven Kim of Engadget/EngadgetHD, Charlie White and Curtis Walker of Gizmodo, and, of course, Dave Zatz of Zatz Not Funny (and Sling Media). There were a few people I was hoping to see that I didn’t manage to catch in the chaos, but it is nice to get to meet some folks in person. Maybe one of the years some company (like Sling perhaps?) will throw a little gathering for tech bloggers. I don’t mean a press event, but sponsor a gathering just to get everyone together in one place to finally put faces to the names. (And if someone has done this, damn, I didn’t know about it.)

I’m already looking forward to next year.

To be clear, I don’t think being able to take you recordings with you is a bad idea. I think systems like TiVo’s TiVoToGo and DISH Networks partnership with Archos (and the former PocketDISH players) to sync content from their DVRs to PMPs is a fine idea. No, my problem is with this implementation.

You’re taking the DVR with you. The whole DVR.

Think about that for a minute. If you’re on the road, and you have your DVR with you to watch your recordings, what’s at home recording the shows that air while you’re not there? Right, nothing. Unless you have another DVR – but then why have two? To me it doesn’t make any sense to take the DVR away with you. This player has some saving graces, in that it is basically a portable DVD player that put on some weight (for the drive), but that’s about it.

As PMPs get slicker, smaller, and more capable – see the newest offerings from Archos, not to mention the iPod Touch and iPhone – this unit is positively massive by comparison. And you know physically smaller players, which increased storage capacities, will be out by early 2009. By then we’ll probably have an iPod Touch with 32GB, or even 64GB, of flash.

In the past I’ve argued that media center PCs aren’t catching on for similar reasons. The market is moving toward laptops en masse. But if your main PC is a laptop, and it travels with you, then it doesn’t work very well as your media center DVR. So you’d need to buy another MCE PC just to be the stay-at-home DVR – which is costly if you don’t need the PC since you have the laptop.

I think Comcast would’ve been much better off working with Panasonic on something more like DISH Network’s Archos arrangement. A PMP that could be plugged into Comcast’s DVR STBs to sync content over for playback, not a unit that is a DVR itself. Either over USB, or the FireWire ports their STBs are required to have anyway. Leave the DVR at home.

In addition to the product testing, Digeo is laying off nearly half of its staff, and current CEO Mike Fidler will be replaced by COO Greg Gudorf. Fidler has stated that he chose to step down on his own, and is not being pushed out. He will stay on as long as is necessary to help Gudorf with the transition. Considering all the trouble Digeo has had in bringing Moxi products to market, the management shake-up is hardly surprising. After Digeo acquired Moxi in 2002, they pulled plans to release retail Moxi products and, instead, focused on licensing the software to cable MSOs. However, that tactic didn’t work out very well, with only roughly 400,000 homes using the Moxi software at this point. In late 2006 Digeo began talking about finally bringing Moxi into the retail market to compete with TiVo, and at CES 2007 they made a splash by showing off mock-ups of the Home Cinema DMR and the Multi-Room DMR, claiming they’d be on shelves by the fall of 2007. Clearly they failed to meet those goals, as the Home Cinema DMR had only recently gone into beta and the Multi-Room DMR still exists only in prototype and development models, and the display units at CES 2008 weren’t even running.

When Digeo first announced their plans the only viable 3rd party HD DVR was the TiVo Series3, which was still selling for nearly $800. However, in the meantime TiVo released the TiVo HD with a $300 MSRP while continuing to expand the feature set. Between sales, online discounts, and rebates the Series3 is regularly available for $350-$400 and the TiVo HD for ~$250. While the Moxi’s expected higher MSRP, expected to be around $1,000, would be partially offset by the lack of a subscription, it was still expected to be quite a bit more expensive while lacking some of the core features offered by TiVo. Based on my past comments it is probably no surprise that at this point I think canceling these units is the right thing to do. I just hope that they pay attention and take the best features of both units to produce one solid DVR with CableCARD and ATSC support. The Moxi software does have some very good things going for it, Digeo just needs to bring it together with a solid, affordable hardware platform, and fill in a few of the gaps in the software.

Also not mentioned in the article is the OCAP/Tru2Way port of the Moxi interface that Digeo claims to be working on currently. I would have to expect them to continue working on that, for the sake of the future of the company. The entire cable industry is moving to OCAP, aka Tru2Way, and a number of consumer electronics products supporting it were unveiled at CES. They really need to have a play in that area of the market going forward.

What is known is that Digeo will focus on another product, the Moxi HD DVR for Cable, which is due ‘sometime later this year’. Little is known about this product, but a tiny image of it does appear on this page of Digeo.com in the lower-right corner. It is hard to tell from such a small image, but it looks to be quite a bit smaller than the Multi-Room HD DMR, which is good (see my earlier opinion on the looks of the Multi-Room box). It is black, and seems to more closely resemble the Home Cinema box overall. I can’t tell from the image if it has a DVD drive, as the two canceled units did. I do note that it is called a ‘DVR’ rather than a ‘DMR’, which makes me wonder if it will have the media features supported by the now-canceled units. And the fact that CNET referred to it as the ‘Moxi HD DVR for Cable‘ makes me wonder if it has any support for ATSC, or if it suffers the same glaring flaw as the Multi-Room DMR in lacking it.

There is a press release from May 7, 2007 in which Digeo announced a ‘Moxi HD DVR’ and the Moxi for OCAP development efforts. However, that press released also claimed the HD DVR would be available in 4Q07 and the first version of the OCAP software would be available in 4Q07 with additional versions in early 2008. From the press release it also sounds as if the HD DVR is aimed for sale to cable MSOs, while the CNET article makes it sound like a retail box. So it isn’t clear if this is the same unit they’re working on now for later in 2008, or if it is a newer unit with the same name. It could be that they’ll produce one unit and seek to distribute it both via cable MSOs and retail.

When I heard the news I contacted Digeo and their public relations firm for a clarification on these issues. Understandably, given the chaos caused by layoffs (I’ve been through that myself), no one was available to speak with me today. However, I currently have a conversation scheduled for tomorrow and I’ll follow up once I get some clarification on their product plans going forward.

Thanks to Brad Linder of PVR Wire @ TV Squad for the tip-off.

EDIT 19:33: EngadgetHD got a hold of a Digeo press release which makes things a bit clearer than CNET’s article. There are two products Digeo will continue to work on – the Moxi HD DVR for Cable and a ‘next-generation consumer DMR’ which will be a retail product. That makes things a bit more clear.

The Moxi HD DVR for Cable is intended for cable MSOs and the press release states that it is in trial now and will be released as planned. (Of course, it was ‘planned’ for 4Q07.) The next-generation consumer DMR has apparently been in development along side the canceled products, and development will continue.

So one is a new STB for the cable industry, which will likely be cable-only, while the other will be a retail STB, which will hopefully support CableCARD and ATSC. I’ll see what I can find out tomorrow.

EDIT: I’ve posted more information from my conversation with COO Greg Gudorf.

First, to step back and cover a few things I didn’t go over in my previous posts from the show. TiVo didn’t really have a lot new this year. Their only big announcement was TiVo Desktop 2.6 with web video support. And while that’s not a minor thing, it isn’t really major news like the Series3 at CES 2006 or showing off the cable software at CES 2007.

For me the web video announcement is exciting because of the infrastructure changes it is bringing more than the web video feature itself. While the web video support will be useful, the changes under the covers should have even further reaching impact on the TiVo service offering. The utilization of XMPP will likely have far reaching effects on many aspects of the system, for the better. More on that below.

They were also showing off the international DVB units for Australia and New Zealand, and almost certainly beyond, but that was more low-key, in the same way they’ve shown the Mexican S2DT and the TGC box for Taiwan and China for the past couple of years. Being low-key certainly doesn’t mean unimportant though. The DVB platform, combined with the internationalized software, may be the most important development for TiVo in years. It will give them a platform to launch TiVo in territories around the world as DVB is the dominant digital broadcast platform for most of the globe.

One thing about the DVB platform. I’d noticed recently that some of the press articles on the Australian TiVo have started referring to ‘Australia and New Zealand’. Since all of the official announcements have only mentioned Australia, I was curious about that. Well, the launch will be in Australia. But Seven Network also operates in New Zealand and they’re looking to expand, so it is expected that they will deploy TiVo in New Zealand following the Australian deployment. The the Kiwis should be getting their taste of TiVo as well.

Also, to point out the obvious, TiVo still has a service infrastructure in the UK to support the Series1 units that were sold there. Everything is in place to support new TiVo units in the UK market. The UK is one of the territories that uses DVB. TiVo is developing an international DVB platform. Put two and two together. TiVo would not confirm any plans to re-enter the UK market with the new platform when I asked, but they did say it certainly seems to make sense given the facts. I think we will probably see new DVB TiVo’s available in the UK once the Australian deployment is launched and the platform is ready.

Aside from these new items, TiVo was mainly exhibiting their existing product offerings. The OCAP software was on display, both the Comcast and the Cox systems. The Comcast software has starting rolling out in New England, of course. There have been rumors that the Cox deal is stalled, which is not the case. Cox has always planned to deploy the software approximately six months after Comcast, to give Comcast and TiVo time to work out any issues. Since Comcast delayed the launch that has also delayed the Cox launch. They may move it up a bit instead of waiting as long as originally planned, due to the delay, but there weren’t any dates set yet. And Comcast is still focused on the deployment in New England and doesn’t have any dates for deployments to other territories at this time. The OCAP software is currently running on the Motorola 34xx and 64xx platforms, but TiVo is working on getting it running on Cisco (formerly Scientific Atlanta) hardware. We can also expect it to be running on additional Motorola platforms beyond the 34xx/64xx.

There were stations demonstrating the basic features – TiVoCast, HME features like Rhapsody, etc. The advertising demo station was showing off some ‘new’ things which weren’t actually new, like the ‘billboard’ ads that put up the a static image ad when you fast forward through tagged commercials. That’s actually be around for quite a while, though I guess they’re starting to use it more these days. The only new advertising feature I can think of from 2007 is the new look for the TiVo Central Promotions, aka the Gold Star Promotions, with the embossed button look. That’s just a minor visual tweak, not really a new feature.

I did have one advertising related question for TiVo. Lately I’ve noticed that pretty much everything I watch now has a ‘Program Placement’ ad. Those are the banner-style ads that show up on the Delete now / Keep this recording screen. I noticed most of them seem to be promoting TiVoCast content, mainly shows from Next New Networks. So I was curious if NNN had purchased the spots or if it was something TiVo was doing. Turns out it is TiVo’s doing. When they don’t have a buyer for the ad slots they will run ‘internal’ ads to promote lesser used features or new additions. I think that’s a pretty smart move. I’ve run into too many TiVo owners who don’t even known TiVoCast is there, or other features like Amazon Unbox. So using the available advertising platform to self-promote is a bright idea. You’ve got the ad slots, might as well use them if someone isn’t paying for it.

I also asked a few more questions about the new web video implementation with XMPP. After my first visit something didn’t make sense to me. On the TiVo itself there will be a new TiVo Cast interface which allows you to subscribe to the ‘traditional’ TiVoCast content as well as the other web videos. The list has been compiled by TiVo basically scouring the new for video podcast feeds. When you select one of the feeds it creates a subscription which uses TiVo Desktop to transcode the program.

But when I’d looked at TiVo desktop the interface seemed to require pointing the feeds at a folder on the PC and using an external RSS client, such as iTunes. So how could selecting a feed on the TiVo schedule it in your external RSS reader, like iTunes? I couldn’t reconcile those two pieces, so I knew I must be missing something, and indeed I was. It turns out that TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6 has its own built-in RSS scheduler. So when you select one of these feeds on the TiVo it messages the server via XMPP, and the server then messages TiVo Desktop via XMPP to add the feed to its scheduler. It downloads the videos and transcodes them. When they’re ready TiVo Desktop messages the server, which messages the TiVo to tell it to grab the video using TiVoCast.

The desktop interface that I posted is only needed for video blogs not in the list. And this does require an external RSS scheduler. I suggested to TiVo that they simply add an RSS UI to TiVo Desktop. Since it has a scheduler built-in, the only thing missing is a box in the UI to enter the RSS feed instead of a folder to monitor on the machine. You could simply add the feed URL instead of the folder, a minor change to the UI. I’d like to see it since I would use it rather than another RSS scheduler, and it makes sense since all the heavy lifting is already done.

I’ve seen some people wondering about how the servers can send messages ‘in’ to the TiVo or TiVo Desktop. It works just like any IM network. TiVo Desktop and the TiVo sign into the network, so the initialization is outbound. It really is an IM network just like Jabber or Google Talk – just a secure, private version.

I was asked if the use of XMPP eliminates the use of Bonjour, which is how the TiVo and TiVo Desktop find each other today. Well, yes and no. Bonjour is still being used for the existing features such as Music & Photos, as well as TiVoToGo/TiVoToComeBack. But it is not being used for the web video feature. Instead, when TiVo Desktop has a video ready the message it sends to the server includes the PCs local IP information and everything the TiVo needs to make the connection and download the video. One change due to this is that the PC doing the transcoding needn’t be on the same subnet as the TiVo. As long as the IP it provides is reachable from the TiVo it should work.

Over time XMPP will probably be used for more and more functions. It will first be deployed with the new web video functionality. But the intention is to completely phase out the polling system currently in place and to use XMPP for all the TiVo to server messaging. XMPP will be used for standard TiVoCast and Amazon Unbox, as well as online scheduling requests.

The move to XMPP will allow TiVo to improve some of the current features. For example, online scheduling currently has a delay waiting for the TiVo to poll the server and pull down the request. So there is no ability to handle real-time conflict resolution. XMPP can change that. When you make a request the server can IM the TiVo, which can respond immediately with “OK” or “I have a conflict with X, what should I do?” So the user could decide immediately what they want to record. TiVo wouldn’t state that any of the ideas I mentioned would happen, but did admit that they certainly would make sense giving the architectural changes to the system. I got the impression that some of these changes are already in the works for future updates, or are at least being planned.

TiVo mentioned other possibilities, such as the server monitoring your recording schedule and guide data updates. If there is a change in the guide data that would impact your recordings, the server could message the TiVo to tell it to grab the new data now instead of when it is next scheduled to do so. I’m sure you can think of other situations where instant communication would be helpful.

I did have a suggestion for TiVo now that communication between the TiVo and TiVo Desktop is available via XMPP. Many of the promos that I see on the TiVo have URLs – visit this site for more info, visit this site to sign up, etc. Right now you have to remember that URL and remember to check it when you’re back to your PC. I suggested that the TiVo IM that URL to the server, which IMs it to TiVo Desktop and other opens your default browser with the page loaded, or saves the URL in a ‘TiVo Bookmarks’ tab within TiVo Desktop that collects the URLs in one neat location for checking later. Or just do both and make it used configurable if the browser should be automatically launched. I know I’d use it and check the URLs a lot more often than I do today if it were this easy.

As far as the web videos go, I asked how a site gets on the pre-populated list on the TiVo. As I said above, the current list was compiled by TiVo. Right now there isn’t a mechanism for sites to get themselves added, but TiVo expects to offer something like a URL submission page where video blogs can submit their feed for review to be added to the pre-populated list. There will certainly be some way for new feeds to be added to the defaults, it just isn’t settled on the precise form that will take.

I was also curious about the TiVoCast protocol being used for this. Would be be open to 3rd parties? Say I run a video blog and I’m willing to host the TiVo formatted video myself, can I have my server listed and run TiVoCast so TiVos can suck the video down from my server directly? Right now the answer is no. At this time TiVo isn’t planning to make the infrastructure available for sites to ‘self-publish’ TiVoCast content. Sites that want to do that should contact TiVo about joining the ‘traditional’ TiVoCast sites and being listed like they are today. This may change at some point in the future, but not at this time.

What if you’re an entrepreneur and you want to offer a ‘Transcode in the Sky’ service? You’d aggregate the RSS feeds of the video blogs, trancode them, and serve them to the TiVos so people wouldn’t have to keep their PCs on, as well as for less tech savvy users who are just too confused to deal with it. Same deal. TiVo suggested that someone looking to do that could work with them to become part of the standard TiVoCast service and be listed as an aggregated channel with the other feeds as sub channels. Similar to how PodCastTV or The NY Times work today on TiVoCast. (If you turn that idea into a business, remember me when you’re rich and famous.)

If these policies change, I got the impression it would be after H.264/MPEG-4 is enabled on the Series3 and TiVo HD. As the TiVo person I was speaking with said to me, “Do you want to be serving the MPEG-2?” Since, today, MPEG-2 is the only supported format, downloads will be fairly large and require more bandwidth. Once sites have the option of serving MPEG-4 to the newer units the costs won’t be as high for self-hosting TiVoCast content. My impression is that we’ll probably see the advanced codec support enabled later this year. The web video update already implies HD downloads will be enabled as web video supports HD video transfer to the S3 and TiVo HD. Since it uses TiVoCast, the same system used for Amazon Unbox and traditional TiVoCast, those sources should be able to support HD content as well.

I also had some interesting discussions about HME. Coincidentally, in the weeks immediately before CES, the HME Developers mailing list suddenly came to life with a number of discussions. More traffic than it had seen in months. So that got the pump primed for HME going into CES. TiVo HME development has been very limited, especially since the last stable public SDK from TiVo was 1.4 released on 10/31/2005. There was nothing else released until an experimental SDK, 1.4.1, was released on 10/3/2007. However, that’s just the public SDK. Internally HME has clearly been evolving dramatically, as evidenced by the newer HME-based applications, such as Universal Swivel Search and Rhapsody.

But the biggest example of this is the OCAP software for the cable DVRs. HME is Java-based, OCAP is Java-based. TiVo used the SDK toolkit as the basis for their HME software. TiVo told me that everything you see in the OCAP software is HME. The OCAP UI is built using their newest tool kit. That implies that a lot of work has been done, including adding video support within HME (as Comcast has video in the upper-right on the menu screens) which is one of the long standing major requests.

TiVo says some of the updates that were made internally will be released in updates to the public SDK. However, they cannot say just when that might happen or which features will be available in the public SDK. But with TiVo’s renewed focus on network content, and from what I heard at the show – much of which I can’t repeat – I think 2008 could see a re-launch of HME with an updated SDK that has more features.

As part of the discussion on the mailing list before CES I wrote a couple of long posts about how I think TiVo could improve and re-invigorate HME, and I’m planning to turn those into a post for the blog. But I’ll highlight my number one suggestion here: Publicity.

I don’t mean publicizing HME to developers, or even letting users know it is there. I mean making it easy for developers to let users know about their applications! Too many TiVo owners don’t even know about sites like Apps.tv or PlayTeeVee.com. Or major HME applications like Galleon or AudioFaucet. Let alone a lot of the smaller applications that are available.

Blogs, web forums, mailing lists, and newsgroups are not sufficient. They only reach a small percentage of TiVo owners, and usually the most geeky. There needs to be a way for John and Jane Q. Public to find out about these applications. Most HME developers complained about being unable to reach the users, which is very discouraging as a developer. No one wants to pour their energy into a project that will never reach its intended audience. Developers got disheartened and HME development fell off. Sure, it wasn’t the only reason, the stagnation of the SDK was a big part as well, but even the best SDK in the world is worthless if the resulting products can’t reach their audience.

My suggestion to TiVo is to put an Application Showcase on every broadband connected TiVo. One of the ‘permanent’ applications under Music, Photos, Programs & More, and perhaps also linked from with Showcases. Setup some basic criteria for applications to be listed, and put up a submission form on the web. I’d expect TiVo to have some requirements for applications to be listed – no adult content, some UI conventions that must be followed (such as a prominent ‘Help/Support’ link which directs the user to the application’s site and not to TiVo), etc.

When I suggested this, both on the list and at CES, the primary objection was that TiVo doesn’t want to be held responsible for the content of the applications or their support. That if the applications are listed on the TiVo for easy access that users will deluge TiVo with support requests. I say hogwash. Sure, there are always those people beyond help who will call TiVo for anything, but I believe the majority of the issue can be mitigated. The local HME functionality already has an interstitial screen the first time you activate it requiring your to acknowledge the risks and responsibility before you can use it. For the Application Showcase I would give each application some number of static screens to pitch their application to the user, not immediate access to run the application blind. After reviewing the pitch the user is presented with some kind of ‘Add this application to MPP&M’ option. If they select this option, then they get the scary interstitial screen warning them about running 3rd party apps, not giving out their passwords, etc. And that support for the application is the responsibility of the application author and not TiVo. See the aforementioned prominent support link requirement.

TiVo could further reinforce this by adding a sub-category to MPP&M and moving all 3rd party HME applications in there. Call it ‘Non-TiVo Applications’ or whatever you want, to help reinforce that when you go in there and run something the applications in there are not supported by TiVo. You could even design the screen such that that message is always visible in the menu.

To take it a paranoid step further, instead of allowing instant access to the application at the end of the pitch, it could refer the user to the URL of the website to sign up for the application. So they’d have to enter the IP manually just like today. See my above suggestion of using XMPP to pop open a browser, or at least send the URL to the desktop, which would be useful here. But I think that’s making things a little too user-unfriendly and TiVo doesn’t need to go that far. Though the URL trick would be nice for non-hosted applications the user needs to download for themselves anyway – like Galleon.

I’m not suggesting that TiVo hosts all of these applications themselves, endorses them, or anything of the sort. Just that they provide a mechanism whereby HME application creators and hawk their wares to the TiVo user base directly. That would go a long way towards providing incentive for developers to create HME applications. And with the web video addition TiVo sets some precedent. They’re listing scores of video podcasts but that doesn’t mean TiVo endorses them all or provides support if something goes flaky with the feed.

I’ll have more to say on HME once I find time to pull together a post focused on it. But I think HME still has potential to be a big deal for TiVo, especially with their new focus on network content. But TiVo needs to do something to encourage the community to work with them. Giving developers that publicity within the user base is the first, and most important, step they need to take, IMHO.

Well, I think that’s it. At least all that I can remember at the moment. I still have more materials from CES to go through that might jar something else loose regarding TiVo. I do have a couple more posts to make over the next couple of days about other things as well.

On Wednesday at CES I managed to spend some time in Sling Media’s booth, including a nice sit-down with Dave Zatz for a demo of the SlingCatcher and the new SlingPlayer 2.0, including the Clip+Sling functionality. See my previous posts on the Slingbox PRO-HD and SlingPlayer Mobile for Blackberry and the SlingModem, SlingCatcher, SlingLink Wireless, and SlingPlayer 2.0 announcements. Of all the things I saw at the show the products I’m most interested in for myself are Sling’s. I definitely plan to get both a Slingbox PRO-HD and a SlingCatcher for my own use.

I’m not the only one with an interest in Sling’s products, TiVo founder Mike Ramsay also dropped by for a demo while I was there. I also caught one of the Monsoon Multimedia executives getting a demo of Sling’s latest offerings. Monsoon produces the HAVA, a Slingbox competitor. Sling’s booth was really hopping, and was still busy when I passed by just before the end of the show on Thursday when most of the booths were quiet.

I’ll start with the odd-man-out, the Sling TR40 Digital-to-Analog Converter STB. I was a bit surprised to see it, since it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of Sling’s product line, but got a decent explanation. The TR40 was developed by EchoStar, which recently acquired Sling Media. While Sling has a retail presence and a strong retail brand name with consumers, EchoStar does not. Most consumers probably aren’t even familiar with the EchoStar name, and if they are they associate it with DISH Network. So EchoStar is planning to use the Sling brand name for some other consumer products, and the TR40 is the first of those. It sounds like EchoStar’s hardware business, at least the consumer focused products, will probably carry the Sling brand. But it remains to be seen just how the plans are fleshed out and which products end up under the Sling banner. You can see in the photos that the remote on display still carried the DISH Network brand, which would change before retail distribution.

The TR40 is one of the new raft of converter boxes to convert OTA ATSC signals to analog input for older televisions. It is a very simple box with a clean design. There is a single coax input and output as well as a composite video and stereo audio output set. The TR40 is notable because it will have a $39.99 MSRP, and with the $40 NTIA coupon the box is effectively free. Most of the other converter boxes have a $50-$70 MSRP, making them $10-$30 with the coupon. So the TR40 may be quite popular with those who need a converter box.

Getting into the things Sling is better known for, they had examples of all of their major hardware and software lines on display. In addition to the newly announced SlingPlayer Mobile for Blackberry, they were exhibiting a number of Windows Mobile, Palm OS, and Symbian phones running the SlingPlayer Mobile software. I asked about the iPhone, of course, as Blake Krikorian, Sling’s CEO, has made comments about it as a future SPM platform. Sling is looking at the iPhone, but is mainly waiting for Apple to release the promised SDK, which is due in February. Sling won’t really know what they can do with the iPhone (and iPod Touch, which will share the SDK) until the SDK is available for them to review.

I also asked Dave Zatz about the Google Android platform, both out of personal interest and because of the buzz around the platform. He said that developers have downloaded the early SDK that Google made available, but that it isn’t an official effort at this time. And, since Android is still a future platform that isn’t running on any phones today, the development efforts are rightfully focused on things like the Blackberry and expanding support to more devices using their existing platforms. And the iPhone would certainly take priority over Android development as a widely deployed platform.

And interesting thing about the Blackberry client, it is J2ME based, not a native application. I think that’s very interesting because there are other mobile platforms that support J2ME and it might make it easier to bring SPM to those platforms. But, even more than that, if Sling has SPM working on a Java platform, could they produce a browser-based Java client? Maybe accessing your Slingbox from any Java-supporting browser is in our future.

Sling also had the previously announced SlingModem on display. The SlingModem is basically a DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS 2.0 cable modem and a Slingbox SOLO combined in one unit, though it lacks the SOLO’s pass-through connectors. It is really aimed at cable MSOs to offer to their subscribers as a value-added service. As I covered in my earlier post, Sling currently has no plans to sell the SlingModem at retail. They’re still pursuing deals with MSOs to offer the SlingModem via channel distribution, and you can see the ‘Your Logo Here’ box on the front the display unit. The idea is to make it easier for less technically savvy users. Since the Slingbox is part of the modem, there is no need to mess with router/firewall configurations to enable outside access. Though it would mean co-locating the cable modem with your video source.

Another new box on display was the Slingbox PRO-HD, which I’m personally quite excited about. Unlike the original Slingbox PRO or the Slingbox SOLO, which both accept component video input but down-sample to 640×480 for streaming, the PRO-HD will stream video up to 1080i. Additionally, for the first time on any Slingbox, the PRO-HD has a coax digital audio input to stream 5.1 audio as well. All other Slingboxes are limited to stereo audio input.

One thing about the Slingbox PRO-HD which wasn’t obvious until I saw the hardware is that it only supports three inputs, not four as with the old Slingbox PRO. The PRO has an internal NTSC/analog cable tuner, component video (via the HD Connect dongle), S-Video, and composite video, each with an associated audio input. The PRO-HD however has an internal digital tuner which supports ATSC/Clear-QAM as well as NTSC/analog cable, component video input with both the coax digital audio input and stereo analog audio, and S-Video and composite video inputs which share a single set of stereo audio input jacks. So the PRO-HD is designed to support an S-Video or a composite video source, and not both simultaneously as on the PRO. So the PRO-HD officially supports three inputs instead of the PRO’s four. There are tricks to support four devices – you could connect two devices to the S-Video and composite jacks, and use splitter cables to connect both the same audio input jacks. As long as only one device is feeding the PRO-HD at a time it should be fine. (The same trick can be used to support multiple devices on the classic Slingbox, the Slingbox AV, and the Slingbox SOLO.)

As a Slingbox PRO owner, I have to say I like the looks of the PRO-HD better as well. Not that I think the PRO is ugly or anything, but the PRO-HD looks more ‘serious’, for lack of a better word. I think it may reflect some maturing of the Slingbox design cues, and perhaps of the company in general as they grow. I can’t wait to get my hands on one.

Also on display is the revised SlingCatcher. It has been a bit of a long journey for the SlingCatcher so far. Announced at CES 2007 for a mid-2007 release, then delayed until fall, an FCC leak, a packaging leak, and finally being delayed until 2008. The SlingCatcher being exhibited this year has grown up a bit from the model originally introduced last year, and I think the wait will be worth it. In the demo Dave Zatz gave me the UI looked very polished and I was impressed by the features, as well as the SlingSync and SlingProjector software. I do think Sling could do a few things to improve the product, and I’ll talk about that below, but it is a solid product and I’m sure it will evolve even further.

The SlingCatcher supports a wide array of video and audio codecs, making it quite a powerful STB. While DivX isn’t listed in the official codec list, note that Xvid is there – and basically everything you need to support DivX is in place. In order to list DivX Sling would need to have the SlingCatcher certified. In other words, read between the lines and I bet DivX will work just fine, listed or not.

The SlingCatcher will receive content from three primary sources – a Slingbox, your PC, or the Internet, such as Clip+Sling content from Sling.com. You will also likely be able to access content from Sling’s content partners, such as CBS. They’re still talking about the possibility of other partners for movies and the like. Just as an example the SlingCatcher could act as a client for Netflix’s streaming service. And since it supports storage it could also be a client for download services like Akimbo or Amazon Unbox. I think we’ll hear more along these lines in the future.

Speaking of storage, when the SlingCatcher was exhibited at CES 2007 it was shown ‘docked’ on top of a Sling branded hard drive. At this time that drive is no longer in the plans. The SlingCatcher’s chassis still retains the design to sit on top of the drive, in case they offer it in the future, but for now it is intended for ‘bring your own storage’. (I have an idea for that docking design, see below.) The SlingCatcher will support any USB mass storage device formatted with FAT32. USB Flash drives, USB hard drives, PMPs which support a drive mode, whatever. So you can attach your storage device directly and access the media stored there.

To facilitate this, the SlingCatcher has two USB ports on the back. For many users one of those ports will probably have a SlingLink Wireless connected. The other port is then available for your USB storage device. You can size the storage to your needs, as large as you require.

The SlingCatcher comes with a remote which has a unique design. It looks a bit angular, but I can attest that it is comfortable to use. And because of the asymmetrical shape you always know that you’re holding it correctly. The buttons on the remote will be familiar to those who use the SlingPlayer software. The SlingCatcher remote is basically a hardware implementation of the default SlingPlayer controls. Dave told me that the SlingPlayer Mobile software team was involved in developing the SlingCatcher software. It is well designed and very easy to use, even a novice user should have no difficulty. You may note the ‘Scissor’ button on the remote. Right now that doesn’t do anything, but it is intended for future use with Clip+Sling on the SlingCatcher itself.

The SlingCatcher remote also controls your TV. I’m not sure if it is a learning remote or if it is limited to a predefined set of IR codes. I think it is a learning remote, but I’m waiting to hear back from Dave to be sure.

On the software side, Sling was showing three new products. SlingSync and SlingProjector come with the SlingCatcher and provide access to media on the PC via the SlingCatcher. SlingPlayer 2.0 is the next generation of the SlingPlayer software, with a new UI and many enhancements, including Clip+Sling.

SlingSync, as the name implies, is meant to synchronize content from the PC to the USB storage attached to the SlingCatcher. So you can have it keep media folders on your PC synchronized with the SlingCatcher so you can access you media immediately. It is fairly easy to grasp the functionality.

SlingProjector is a bit different, and it looks fairly impressive. Unlikely SlingSync, which copies your files to the local SlingCatcher storage, SlingProjector, as the name implies, ‘projects’ content from the PC to the SlingCatcher. It is very nifty, basically anything you can play on the PC you can project to the SlingCatcher. YouTube, Google Video, Hulu, video from network websites, even DVDs playing on your PC – project it to the SlingCatcher. The software has some intelligence and it can automatically recognize areas of the screen, so you can rapidly select the region of the screen with the video you want to project. And, if it isn’t perfect, you can select the ‘box’ and manually resize it as required. So say the video you’re watching is letterboxed, you can select just the viewable area and project only that – cropping off the letterboxing.

SlingPlayer 2.0 is an evolution of today’s SlingPlayer software. The new software adds a 60 minute local playback buffer which allows you to pause, rewind, and fast-forward the program locally. The UI has been spruced up and there are a number of updates, including an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) source from Zap2it.com (which is run by TMS, the same company that provides TiVo’s guide data). At this point a Slingbox with SlingPlayer 2.0 is a hair’s breadth from forming a DVR. All they need to do is add recording capability to SlingPlayer and they’d have a functioning DVR. I asked Dave about that, but Sling has no plans currently to add recording. Maybe at some point in the future. While it wouldn’t replace TiVo, I do think they should do it. And it is clear that not doing it is a deliberate choice, as everything is in place for it in 2.0 aside from allowing the buffer to be saved.

The most notable addition in SlingPlayer 2.0 is Clip+Sling. It has been incorporated into the player very well, and it is extremely easy to use. There is a ‘Scissor’ icon which triggers the Clip+Sling functionality. When you open this, it stops the video and opens a slider with a highlighted region. You can then drag the start and end of this region to fine tune the clip. The maximum length of the clip hasn’t been decided yet, though figures in the 5 to 10 minute range have been bantered around. Sling wants to make it long enough to be useful, but not too long as to invite the wrath of content owners. You’re not going to see something like 30 minute clips.

Once you have it selected, you’re prompted for some basic info, such as title and tags. Some of the fields, like the title, are handily pre-populated for you if the software knows them – such as if you’re streaming Live TV and the program is in the EPG. You can edit them of course, but it makes things easier if you don’t need to.

Once you’ve selected the clip and filled in the fields it is automatically encoded and uploaded to Sling.com. Once it is uploaded you’re able to share the link to the clip with friends, in blogs, etc. And Sling will have moderators working to organize uploaded content into categories and ‘channels’, to make it easy for others to find it. They’re really planning to foster a social aspect around Clip+Sling and Sling.com. The one thing that Sling.com doesn’t allow is YouTube-style embedding of content, right now it is only linking. I really hope they allow embedding, as it would be more useful for blogging about content. And that would encourage the use of Clip+Sling, which in turn could fuel the growth of the site. So I think it would be the right thing to do all-around.

On a different note, Dave clued me in on something interesting. In the DISH Network booth they had a ViP622 DISH PVR connected to a Slingbox, which isn’t too surprising. But what most people would probably not notice is that there were no IR blasters. And that wasn’t just a trade show blunder. Now that Sling is under the EchoStar roof one of the first cooperative efforts has been to enable network control of the DISH PVR from the Slingbox. Since both units can be connected to the network they can communicate that way instead of using the IR blasters. Dave said Sling is willing to work with other STB vendors, such as TiVo, to so the same. Of course, there is the small matter of the pending litigation between TiVo and EchoStar that will need to be settled before the two can really cooperate on developments.

Overall it was a fairly impressive showing from Sling this year, and 2008 should be an exciting year for them. I suspect there is even more in the works than has been announced to date. Personally I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the Slingbox PRO-HD and the SlingCatcher.

Now, looking at everything Sling was showing gave me a few ideas. One thing I’d love to see is a Slingbox PRO-HD combined with a SlingCatcher. While I want a Slingbox PRO-HD to connect to my TiVo Series3, and a SlingCatcher to access it from the bedroom, it would be nice to have a SlingCatcher with my main set as well, to access the content. And one less STB is always a good thing. So I do hope they release an all-in-one box.

I also wonder if the Slingbox PRO-HD has the internal wiring to act as a digital converter box. It has an ATSC tuner, and it has the physical analog video output ports, but I don’t know if it has the wiring to take that tuned ATSC signal and feed it out the analog ports. Probably not, but it is just an idle idea really.

One thing the SlingCatcher is missing, and I think this is a big gap, is streaming media from a PC. (Well, and any Mac support – but I have to believe that is coming.) SlingSync will copy content from the PC to storage on the SlingCatcher. SlingProjector will project content playing on the PC to the SlingCatcher. But if you have media on the PC, audio or video files, there is no way to access them – to stream them – immediately. You either have to copy them to the local storage or play them on the PC and project the PC’s media player output. I think they really need to give the SlingCatcher the ability to access network content – music, videos, and photos – across the network.

When they do this (and I do think it is when and not if, it just needs to be done) I hope they allow access to network shares without the need for any special software. That would allow viewing of content stored on a NAS, which are becoming increasingly common for home users. And it would also make it easier to access content from all manner of devices. Another good addition would be DLNA support as an increasing number of devices have it. With DLNA support the SlingCatcher could even act as a client for XStreamHD.

Something else that I think would be a clever addition – recognizing TiVo Desktop. Since TiVo Desktop can publish music, photos, and video, and there is a fairly significant installed base (and I bet a lot of SlingCatcher customers will be TiVo owners), it would be very nifty if the SlingCatcher just automagically recognized the existing TiVo Desktop media. And since the protocol format is published and open, it should be quite possible. There is no need to work with TiVo, you just need to recognize the Bonjour server publication and support the TiVo Server HTTP/XML protocol. Even if they don’t make a big deal out of it, it would be a sweet Easter Egg of a feature to plug-in your SlingCatcher and find your existing published media waiting to be accessed.

The next logical step would be to make the SlingCatcher a TiVo Multi-Room Viewing or TiVoToGo client. To be able to copy content directly from a TiVo to the SlingCatcher, so it could access as a ‘thin’ client instead of needing a TiVo in the second room. However, since MRV and TTG are encrypted, Sling would need to work with TiVo to support this – and see the above comment about the lawsuit needing to be resolved first. Sure, the TTG protection has been cracked by 3rd parties in software like TiVo Decode, and Sling could technically use that work to support it without TiVo’s help, but that’s hairy legal territory. And it would probably sour any potential relationship between the companies, which is the important issue in the longer term. But it would still be a fantastic feature, so I hope the lawsuit is settled soon and they can get past it to work together.

And I had an idea for a piece of hardware. You know how I said the SlingCatcher was designed to sit on top of the Sling-branded drive, which has been dropped from the current plans? And how the SlingCatcher has two USB ports – one which may have a SlingLink Wireless, and the other storage? Well, the latter is a little inconvenient for attaching other devices. Say you have the SlingLink Wireless and a USB hard drive attached, you’ll have to disconnect one of them (probably the drive) to attach another USB device to access the content. During the demo Dave mentioned using a USB card reader to access digital photos from a digital camera, or attaching the camera directly via USB, which seems like a great idea. But not only will many users have to unplug something first, but the ports are on the back of the unit, making them harder to access.

That’s where the drive design comes in. Sling should recycle the hardware design work they did for the drive. They already have the design for it, making a nice base for the SlingCatcher to sit on top of so that it looks like one slick unit. It is a shame to waste. But I understand not wanting to deal with selling a drive, especially as USB storage devices proliferate and come down in price. So here’s what I suggest – recycle the overall design as a memory card reader and USB hub!

Take the same basic design and put a multi-format card reader on the *front* – Compact Flash, MMC/SD, MemoryStick, etc. Multi-format card readers are dirt cheap these days, even at retail, and I’m sure Sling could acquire a module wholesale for peanuts. Take the shape developed for the drive and leave the drive out. Put in the card reader so that the slots are on the front, along with a couple of USB ports for easy access from other devices. And put a couple of USB ports on the back as well, for permanently attached storage (since the base would be connected to one of the two USB ports on the SlingCatcher, and keeping the other one for the SlingLink Wireless). There you go – instantly increasing the usefulness of the SlingCatcher as a media access STB. And it is pretty much a hollow plastic shell with simple components – a USB hub and a card reader – so it shouldn’t cost much to produce, comparatively. C’mon Sling, you know it is a good idea.

OK, that’s enough out of me – for now.

The XStreamHD system consists of three major components – the satellite dish, the Media Server, and the Media Receiver. Content is received primarily via the dish, but some content will also be delivered via broadband. The latter is mainly used for ‘vintage’ content or SD programs. The server has a cover which conceals two drive bays, which can each hold 500GB or 1TB drives. It also has eSATA to support additional external storage. The drives pop in and out quite easily, making it easy to upgrade the unit.

The Media Server is accessed from Media Clients that can be distributed around the home. The basic setup is sold with a single receiver, but up to four HD streams can be supported at one time. Additionally, the XStreamHD HD Media Server is DLNA 1.5 certified and you can use any compatible DLNA device to access the content. One such device is the PlayStation3, and there are also HDTVs with DLNA support built in, so you could access the content without the Media Client. Of course, you’d be using the DLNA interface built into the device and not XStreamHD’s UI in that case.

Another requirement is a fast network – you really want Gigabit Ethernet. 100Mbps Fast Ethernet is not fast enough. XStreamHD says 802.11g WiFi is not fast enough, and even 802.11n WiFi may not be. Why? Because all the heavy lifting is done by the Media Receiver. The HD video – up to full 1080p with up to 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio – is sent across the network uncompressed. The decompression and decoding is done by the server, so the clients are fairly lightweight. But that means you can have streams up to 80Mbps – and up to four of them simultaneously. That explains the need for some serious network bandwidth. XStreamHD designed custom silicon for their Media Server, and most of the work is done by two custom ASICs.

The Media Receivers also have HDMI 1.3 output, along with component and composite video. Audio is over HDMI, optical or coax S/PDIF, or stereo (RCA) audio. There is also a USB port on the top of the unit for locally connecting devices like MP3 players for playback of content. They support both IR and ZigBee RF for remote control, which also means they can be controlled via ZigBee based home automation systems.

In addition to receiving content from satellite or broadband the Media Server also has three OTA ATSC tuners which support Live TV viewing or DVR usage. XStreamHD calls it ‘NVR’ for Network Video Recorder. One caveat – the tuners are UHF only. While most ATSC stations are UHF, there are some VHF ATSC channels and it seems this unit will not be able to tune those stations.

I didn’t get to see the DVR interface, but the reps told me it will be ‘full featured’, with support for recordings similar to TiVo’s Season Passes. I doubt it will be up to TiVo’s level of functionality, but the DVR functionality is secondary to the main functionality of the unit.

The oddest feature of the system has to be the PBX functionality. It just doesn’t have anything to do with all the other features, so why is it there? Well, I asked, and the answer seems to be ‘Why not?’ Apparently they were brainstorming what they could do with the units for additional functionality and that’s when the PBX concept came up. The Media Server has two POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service – the old analog phones) jacks and it also works with VOIP. And it isn’t just tacked onto the unit. You get on-screen Caller ID, voice mail with forwarding over email, hold music for your callers, conference calling, and more. It is really a full featured PBX. And it will make free VOIP calls to other owners of the XStreamHD system. Hmm, I didn’t think to ask if the VOIP system can connect with all existing systems, such as Skype, but that is the impression I got.

One thing that I am very curious about that they couldn’t give me more information on is the “Patent Pending Adaptive Recording”. They claim that they’ll be able to automatically adjust the DVR functionality so that if programs run long the unit will continue recording instead of stopping when the guide data says the program is supposed to end. I’d really love to know how the system works. My suspicion is that it is based on the PSIP information carried by ATSC broadcasts. My understanding is that the programming guide used for the DVR scheduling is obtained from the OTA PSIP data.

I have a few data sheets that I’ll get scanned as posted soon. This looks like some fairly high end hardware and an interesting service, and I’m generally not keen on yet another STB. The question is if XStreamHD can execute on their content deals and really bring the product to market with worthwhile content to justify the costs. I’d be interested in testing this out for myself if the content is there.