If you’re like me and you jumped on the Logitech Revue at the new $99.99 price, then you may be interested in this news. While the new Android Honeycomb-based OS is due for official release later this year, the Android hacking community got Honeycomb running on the Revue already, and the install process has leaked out. It is, unsurprisingly, quite similar to rooting an Android phone and installing a custom ROM.
Copy the update.zip to a Fat32 formatted USB drive, place it in its root (ie /mnt/usb/update.zip or E:\update.zip)
Plug USB drive into Revue. Fully unplug revue. Plug it back in, count to One (a long one, say one mississippi), then hold down the connect button (keep it held). The Revue logo will come up, and the box will reboot, your tv will lose signal, and come back to the Revue logo. At this point, let go of the button.
The GTV logo will then show up, with an arrow and a horizontal “barbershop scroll”. At this point, on your Revue’s keyboard, press the FN key (in yellow) and the left arrow (to the left of the OK button). It will then come up to a recovery menu.
Hit “Apply update from sdcard:/update.zip”
The box will verify the update, and reboot. This is normal. It is installing an updated bootloader and recovery image (both, heavily encrypted).
Then, the box will come back on, and flash the latest kernel and system files. Once this is done, the box will reboot again.
This bootup may take a few minutes, at first you will see the Revue logo, then the Google TV logo, then the “new” logo (a grey tv over a ball glowing red). Just wait it out.
You can then begin setup, as normal. You may notice some crashes – this software is still beta, you should be able to force close and continue.
If the above update.zip download link doesn’t work try this one.
So, if you want to live life on the wild side, go for it.
It looks like Amazon is kicking off August with a wave of consumer electronics promotions. Not that that’s a bad thing, it is always good to save some dough.
Next up, only through August 6th, are instant rebates on select LG home entertainment products. There are three Blu-ray players to choose from and 31 different HDTVs. I did notice a quirk in the listings. The default page shows the BD decks and 17 HDTVs – 20 items total – and no links to additional pages. But if you click on the ‘HDTV’ link to limit the search you get 31 results on two pages. So if you’re interested be sure to check the full selection.
Next, also only through August 6th, is a similar deal – instant rebates on select Sony HDTVs. Twelve models to choose from, two LCD and ten LED. All 1080p and nine of the LED sets are 3D.
Starting August 8, 2011, you’ll be able to find everything you need to setup, install, and support your CableCARD* right here.
This one-stop shopping capability includes information on (1) how to obtain a self-install kit, and (2) determine your eligibility for a “Bring Your Own Box (BYOB)” credit for using a CableCARD-compatible device purchased at retail rather than a Digital Set Top Box leased from Time Warner Cable.
In the meantime, go to Switched Digital Video for information on CableCARD devices and tuning adapters. You can also browse our FAQs.
Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back on August 8th.
Thanks for choosing Time Warner Cable.
So the good news is it sounds like they’ll be ready to allow self-installs on time. The bad news is it sounds like they know what they need to do in a week, but they’re going to wait until then instead of offering it to customers now. Or maybe I’m just bitter and cynical and tend to read cable industry statements somewhat negatively. Of course, at least they have a statement on this indicating they’ll be ready. That’s more than we can say for some other MSOs.
We knew they were coming, as there have been several leaks recently, but now they’re official. Best Buy has launched two models of Insignia Connected TV featuring TiVo Design, which is the new branding for products including TiVo’s software. And they’re doing their best to tout it, with press releases from Best Buy, TiVo, and a post in TiVo’s Blog. (Though they’ve missed Facebook and Twitter, so far.)
Although the launch itself seems to have a few glitches so far. The two new models are up on Best Buy’s website, the 32″ NS-32E859A11 and 42″ NS-42E859A11, but the prices given are $599.99 and $999.99 – when they are actually a much more palatable $499.99 and $699.99, respectively. And, interestingly, the online product descriptions don’t mention TiVo at all. In fact, they’re kind of weak, and don’t really cover the full capabilities of the product. They really need to be spruced up to better reflect the breadth of features available.
Furthermore, the packaging displays a ‘Mobile Code’ (a QR Code), which Dave Zatz helpfully has a nice photo of, but the page isn’t active. I scanned it and it resolves to http://bby.us/?c=BAEB1, which currently redirects to http://bby.us/TBD and an error not found. Someone at Best Buy is asleep as the switch, I think. Hopefully Best Buy will resolve these issues ASAP to avoid any bad first impressions or confusion.
The TVs themselves look like good values (at the correct pricing), especially the 42″ model. They’re fairly inexpensive for LED HDTVs (the industry calls LED-lit LCD sets ‘LED’ while ‘LCD’ sets have conventional backlighting – but both use LCD panels to create the actual image) and they are well stocked for connected TVs. The bundled apps include Netflix, CinemaNow, YouTube, Insignia OnDemand (which is powered by Flingo), Pandora, Napster, Photobucket, Facebook, Twitter, and more. But the real app power comes from support for Chumby apps, which provide over 1,500 app options. It’s no iOS App Store, or Android App Market, but it is a much broader selection than other connected TVs offer. And Chumby’s Flash environment is open to third party app developers, so they can start targeting apps to the big screen. Since the work has been done to integrate Chumby apps with the TiVo platform for these TVs, I’m hoping this will trickle down to the DVR units as well. The addition of Chumby apps would provide a huge jump start to TiVo’s anemic app selection.
As far as the specs go, they’re both Energy Star rated 1080p sets with 120Hz refresh, with four HDMI inputs and one each DVI, PC/VGA, component, composite, and RF antenna inputs. Interestingly they lack a media card slot (no CF/SD), but they do have a USB port. I’m not sure if the USB port supports mass storage for media access, but I’ll note that TiVo DVRs with USB ports do not. Both sets include audio technology from Audyssey and SRS. They also include a slot for a card to support Best Buy’s Rocketboost wireless audio system, which interfaces with Insignia Rocketboost enabled wireless speakers, etc. Network connectivity is via Ethernet or the built-in dual-band 802.11n WiFi. Both sets come with a two-year warranty, which is rather good.
I’m a little disappointed that the remote control isn’t a TiVo Peanut and that it lacks QWERTY (given the connected nature of the device), but it looks decent enough. It is a more conventional rectangular remote with a combination of conventional buttons and TiVo buttons. There’s a TiVo button, as you might expect, as well as an ‘Apps’ button to jump straight into the apps screen, the obligatory thumbs up/down, etc. A bit more busy/cluttered than a normal TiVo remote, but it looks functional. It is also a universal remote, and supports both RF (Z-Wave, not Bluetooth) and IR. It can be programmed to control up to three other devices – such as your cable DVR, a receiver, and an audio source – via on-screen menus, without having to enter codes.
An interesting feature of these TVs is that they are designed to work with your existing STB. The TV’s themselves lack CableCARD support, and are not DVRs, of course. But that’s where the universal remote comes in. When you want to access linear content you basically switch to your existing STB, but can control it from the same remote. I was disappointed to learn that there is a very limited EPG on these sets, just three hours of OTA. I wonder if if it is even downloading the EPG or just using PSIP. The TiVo Search capabilities are limited to the broadband accessible content, unlike a conventional TiVo where they encompass broadband and linear TV. I was hoping for something where you would have the full EPG just like on a DVR, and maybe integration with STBs via IR blasters. But these TVs are really focused on OTT content, leaving linear content to your existing sources. With the network remote on the TiVo S3+ they really could’ve done some transparent integration, the TV’s UI could’ve proxied for the DVR completely.
The elephant in the room is interoperability with existing TiVo units, specifically the TiVo Premiere. And right now the answer is – we don’t know. We have a pretty darn good idea, but there is nothing official. Unofficially it is expected that when TiVo officially launches streaming from the TiVo Premiere, these TVs will be able to act as a client. That would allow these TVs to be used as extenders in other rooms, streaming from a central TiVo Premiere – or TiVo Premiere Elite. Dave Zatz reports his sources indicate that not only is TiVo streaming is under discussion – but also DirecTV RVU, which would allow streaming form DirecTV DVRs in the home. (Maybe the new DirecTiVo will also support RVU? OK, that’s a big leap to make.) We do know TiVo is used MoCA in forthcoming products, and DirecTV also uses MoCA for their whole home DVR (which some people incorrectly call DECA – that’s the adapter, the protocol is still MoCA). There’s no mention of MoCA in these sets, but a DECA (DirecTV Ethernet-to-Coaxial Adapter) or ECB (Ethernet-to-Coaxial Bridge, for the non-DirecTV systems), would solve that.
There is no MRV, of course, as the TVs lack local storage and MRV makes a local copy. All of the services included on the sets are streaming – note no Blockbuster or Amazon video support either, as both systems are primarily download to play. Best Buy says they’re looking to add additional services in the future, I hope that includes Hulu and support for Amazon Instant Video. I think they missed a trick by not including and SD slot. They could’ve used it as many Blu-ray players do for BD-Live content, as user-added storage. Stick in a blank SD card and download a movie, use MRV, etc. Maybe they can use the USB port.
The other nugget from Zatz’s report is that the TVs include an all-new, redesigned Netflix app. That’s something TiVo users have been asking for for ages, so I hope it trickles down to existing units. I suspect it is Flash based, like everything on this platform seems to be, so it may only come to Premiere owners.
As part of their press push, Best Buy also released some ‘B-Roll’ footage for video bloggers, TV spots, etc., to grab clips from. I thought it was an interesting curiosity, so I stuck it on YouTube to share with you all. Warning, it starts with a test pattern with a piercing ‘beep’, just for a moment.
Right now I’m interested in a TiVo Premiere Elite for my main room and two TiVo Preview units – for the bedroom and my front room. If these TVs get TiVo streaming support, I’d seriously consider them. But it depends on how well the streaming works. If I can stream all my recordings and downloads from the main unit that’d be an easy choice. But I’d like to see some way to access Amazon and Hulu – this household no longer has a Netflix account but we do have Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus accounts. If the Preview provides access to those, but the TVs do not, it’d make the choice less clear.
Monsoon Multimedia, best known as the scrappy David to Sling Media’s Goliath in the placesifting market, has announced that they’re looking to licensing their placeshifting and multi-screen technologies to other consumer electronics vendors for inclusion in their products. Monsoon is best known by their HAVA placeshifting brand, and their more recent Vulkano placeshifting/DVR products. I’ve always viewed them as chasing Sling Media and never quite catching them, as their products have generally had less polish and fewer overall features – though they’ve had some unique features Sling lacks. But they’ve doggedly stayed at it for years, and I have to admit they’ve come a long way.
Their new tack seems to follow in EchoStar’s/Sling Media’s ‘SlingLoaded’ footsteps, looking to get Slingbox technology into other products such as cable STBs and DVRs. However, to date, the SlingLoaded effort hasn’t met with much success. Some of this could be attributed to the close ties between EchoStar and Dish Network. If you’re an MSO looking to add placeshifting to your offerings, you might be hesitant to be seen as supporting the competition (Dish Network) by licensing from their sister company (EchoStar). Perhaps Monsoon, unencumbered by such competitive issues, real or perceived, might have more success, despite being less well known than Sling? Could be.
Here’s what they’re offering to prospective licensees:
Monsoon has developed five integrated modules that enable semiconductor encoder companies to easily begin offering placeshifting capabilities. Including Adaptive Bit-Rate Encoding and Transcoding, Http Live Streaming (HLS) for Live Video Sources, Proprietary Streaming Protocol, Connection Management and Multi-Screen Client Technologies. Monsoon has already ported these modules on multiple encoders.
Monsoon will also make a large number of applications, such as YouTube, VoD, Web Browser, Time Shifting, UPnP/DLNA and other Smart TV applications, available as part of its licensing arrangements.
Adaptive Bit-Rate Encoding continuously measures the available network bandwidth and adjusts the encoding bit rate to deliver smooth video streaming Quality of Service (QOS) over a wide range of network conditions.
Http Live Streaming (HLS) has been extended by Monsoon to support a real-time bit-rate control method of delivering live video sources via the industry standard HLS protocol, without requiring pre-encoding and caching of multiple bit-rate copies of the file.
Proprietary Streaming Protocol moves video from inside the house to outside the house with much finer granularity of the video encoding and without requiring any router set up. UDP protocol with hole punching and NAT (Network Address Translator) traversal is deployed to eliminate the need for router port forwarding.
Connection Management is a secure cloud-based service that allows clients to connect to servers without using fixed IP addresses or DNS (Domain Named Service).
Multi-Screen Client Technologies include video playback of placeshifted live TV streams, recording and trick play (Pause/FF/RW) on clients, and virtual on-screen remote control for set-top boxes, EPGs and side loading. Client technologies are available on iPads, iPhones, Android smartphones and tablets, Blackberry phones and tablets, PCs and Macs.
I used to think Monsoon might be the best bet for TiVo to add placeshifting to their products, since there was no way they’d adopt Sling’s technology as long as the lawsuit with EchoStar was ongoing. But now that the lawsuit is settled and TiVo and EchoStar claim to be BFFs, and EchoStar has an interest in licensing TiVo’s patents for their products, it might be more likely that TiVo would negotiate a license for Sling’s tech as part of a future deal. But Monsoon’s technology could be of interest to other set top box vendors looking for a competitive edge.
If you’re like me and you jumped on the Logitech Revue at the new $99.99 price, then you may be interested in this news. While the new Android Honeycomb-based OS is due for official release later this year, the Android hacking community got Honeycomb running on the Revue already, and the install process has leaked out. It is, unsurprisingly, quite similar to rooting an Android phone and installing a custom ROM.
