Tag: Freeview
The LG HR400 – Blu-ray, Freeview HDD and YouTube all-in-one
LG has announced that the HR400 will be available at the end of this month. The HR400 is a Blu-ray DVD player, a Freeview receiver with recording onto a built-in HDD and it also streams YouTube videos without the need for a PC.
The Blu-ray is 1080p full HD and will also upscale your old DVDs. The Freeview element includes a 160GB HDD.
This really does do the job of two separate boxes and the YouTube feature is just a nice little bonus.
It will cost around £350 – which is fairly cheap considering the functionality. Find out more from LG.
(via T3)
Related posts: LG to launch 15-inch OLED in 2010 | REVIEW: LG 42LH5000 – 200Hz 42-inch LCD TV
Digital Vision announces GiGo – the VCR killer
Digital Vision has launched the GiGo DV-DTR1 Digital Freeview recorder – the first USB stick based recorder on the market.
It’s basically a single tuner Freeview receiver, with the usual EPG you’d expect on a Freeview box, that has three USB ports on the front of it. Users can record programmes using the EPG direct to any storage device plugged in to one of the slots.
Programmes are recorded in MPEG-2 format with an hour’s worth of programming taking up about 2GB. The file name is taken directly from the EPG and programme synopsis is also copied.
Playback is via the GiGo or via any device that supports MPEG-2, meaning you can take your recorded programmes with you on the move.
Robert Musk told Tech Digest (well, me) that he sees the GiGo box as a direct replacement for people who were comfortable recording onto VHS but haven’t got to grips with Freeview recorders and personal planners yet although, to be honest, the GiGo doesn’t look any easier to use than a standard Freeview recorder.
The GiGo DV-DTR1 will be available in Tesco from September for £69.99 initially, although this will probably drop to £59.99. The cheapest Freeview reorder I could find on the Tesco website was £87.89 for a 250GB DigiHome model meaning the GiGo could be a good entry-level Freeview recorder.
Freeview HD gets launch date
The launch date for Freeview HD has been revealed as 2nd December. That is the date in which Multiplex B – the multiplex that is being utilised for HD transmissions goes live at the Winter Hill transmitter. Put simply, this means that Freeview HD will be available to the Winter Hill areas of Liverpool and Manchester.
The plan is to increase the Freeview HD transmissions in the first half of next year. The Crystal Palace transmitter, which covers much of London, may also be upgraded in December – even though the proposed date for this, according to Ofcom, is 2012.
Graham Plumb, head of distribution technology at the BBC stated that Ofcom’s dates were merely a “backstop contingency”.
Earlier this month we told you how Five had been added to the Freeview HD line-up alongside the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. Users will need a HD Freeview box to receive the channels as the HD content will not be decoded by existing Freeview equipment. Some TVs, such as the Sony W4000 and the Loewe Connect, already have the hardware in order to do this though, without the need for a box.
(via BBC blog)
Five given HD freeview slot
Ofcom has provisionally awarded Five a HD slot, allowing the network to broadcast in HD over the Freeview network when the capacity becomes available.
Five follows in the footsteps of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, who have already been awarded their licenses. It was believed that Channel 4 was vying for a second licence in order to broadcast their E4 channel in HD.
Ofcom has stated, however, that the agreement with Five relies on them meeting “certain key criteria” by 31st December 2009. They also confirmed that Five’s HD output would only be at peak times.
This is good news for fans of shows like CSI:Miami, The Gadget Show and Bones. Bad news for fans of The Wright Stuff, Wordplay and House Doctor.
Freeview HD is expected in 2010, but when you’ll actually be able to get it really depends on where you live. Ofcom say the north-west will be first to receive Freeview HD after its switch-over. Everyone should be able to get the full Freeview HD package by 2012.
(via Brand Republic)
FetchTV launches: subscription-free VOD with Freeview and DVR
IP Vision has announced a new hybrid set-top box which can be used to access the complete range of Freeview channels, acts as a digital video recorder (DVR), as well as being able to access a range of video on demand content over the Internet.
The company is keen to point out that this is a subscription-free, operator independent service, unlike those from the likes of BT, Virgin Media and Tiscali. It can be used with any broadband provider.
At launch, over 1,200 hours of content will be available in the VoD library including films and programmes from Paramount, ITV, Turner Broadcasting, Eagle Vision, Fremantle, Entertainment Rights and Aardman…
JVC rolls out PVR-integrated LCD TVs
JVC has announced its new DE9 series of LCD TVs featuring built-in 160GB hard disc based PVR and Freeview tuners.
Available in 26- and 32-inch screen sizes, these are HD Ready sets with a screen resolution of 1,366 x 768, so won’t display full 1080p content without scaling it…
Ofcom hands out terrestrial high definition licences to Channel 4 and ITV broadcasters
Though we’ve been pretty sure that all the major terrestrial broadcasters would have a place on the new high definition Freeview, Ofcom today brought that a step closer to reality by awarding licences to Channel 4/S4C and the ITV channels across England, Scotland, Ulster, and the Channel Islands.
Channel 4 and S4C (the Welsh language version, with a wide selection of its own programming) put in a joint bid, promising a wide variety of films (over 150 hours worth on peak-time 4HD in the first year), a range of drama, comedy, science programmes and documentaries, plus popular US imports like Desperate Housewives, and specific sports and kids programmes on S4C…
Shiny Video Preview: TVonics MFR 300
In this video, Dan gets his hands on a tiny tiny digital TV reciever “designed for people who don’t want big freeview boxes”. It’s got very simple, very small design, with just enough space to plug in the appropriate cables. Decent UI too. But don’t take my word for it, watch the video and take Dan’s. It’s £60, and it’s available now.
Related posts: Two new Humax Freeview+ PVR set-top boxes out today | SURVEY: DVRs – good, aren’t they?
LG intros HRT403DA Freeview+ home cinema system
LG has announced its latest home cinema system, boasting full PVR functionality, a meaty 400W output, and virtual 5.1-channel sound.
Using the more advanced Freeview+ system means that live TV can be paused, rewound, and recorded onto the internal 160GB hard drive. There’s also a super-multi DVD recorder, an HDMI output with 1080p upscaling to allow standard definition video sources to be enhanced, USB and DV ports, and DivX compatibility…
Sharp launches two digital TV recorders, one with 1080i upscaling
Sharp has introduced two new digital TV recorders (DTRs), the TU-R252H (pictured) and TU-R162H.
The TU-R252H boasts a 250GB hard drive, while the TU-R162H has a more modest 160GB drive. The larger capacity model can also upscale standard definition content to 1080i resolution and connects to a TV via its HDMI port…
