Hasta La Gadget!

You may be familiar with EchoStar’s satellite-based (Dish Network) and Sling Media (Slingbox) products, but the company also manufactures set-top boxes for third-party providers, as well as free-to-air services in the UK. It’s this last grouping that’ll be able to take advantage of the Android-based device we saw today, assuming it does in fact make its way to market. The HDX-410 runs native Ice Cream Sandwich, and is available in two versions — one supports IP content and local storage exclusively, while a second can also accept terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) programming, letting you play back live TV shows in addition to content from a local server, pulled from the web or stored on attached media or an inserted microSD card. It connects to the web using Ethernet or WiFi, and includes USB ports on both the front and the rear, Bluetooth, HDMI out, digital audio out and a standard-definition connection. It’s also paired with a QWERTY keyboard-equipped remote manufactured by Philips with gyroscopic or directional-pad curser control, along with pinch/zoom gesture capability.

We had a chance to check out the ICS box at EchoStar’s IBC booth today, where the device was running Android 4.0.4 and an early version of the company’s hybrid app, which groups “favorited” content alongside terrestrial channels, letting you use the standard channel up/down button to navigate through stored TV shows, IP content or live programming quite seamlessly, as if all of the media was playing from the same source. It’s clearly not yet ready for primetime, but the interface was sleek and speedy — the set-top box performed very well overall. EchoStar reps were unable to confirm whether or not the HDX-410 would be coming to market at all, but they did add that the solution may be made available to third-parties in the future. Click past the break to take a closer look in our hands-on video.

Continue reading EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been a year since Hulu launched its streaming video service in Japan, and to celebrate it’s released its app on Apple TVs there. It hasn’t all been roses for the last twelve months, with a price drop in April — and we’re not seeing any celebration of subscriber figures in the blog post — despite including things like HBO that it seems unlikely we’ll see on Hulu domestically. Just like the Apple TV app that popped up over here, Japanese users should simply find it on their devices, while prospective subscribers are being enticed with one month free subscriptions if they sign up via their hockey puck.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Hulu marks its first year in Japan by opening up access on Apple TV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 02:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is so not fair. How many people here in the United States would love to have access to HBO Go alone for streaming on-demand programs, rather than having to pay for a cable subscription to get it? I bet I’m not the only one you would like that, assuming HBO Go would stream decently at my house.

If you happen to live in the Nordic region and like to watch original HBO shows like Game of Thrones, and Boardwalk Empire – come mid-October you’ll get your wish. HBO announced this week at a press conference in Stockholm that HBO Nordic AB will launch in October. The service will allow viewers in the area access to streaming HBO programming without having a cable or satellite subscription to the HBO network. I’m assuming this is possible because there are no conflicting contractual agreements in the area, whereas the cable and satellite providers hold most of the cards in other parts of the world.

This will be the first time that HBO is going head-to-head in the streaming market with Netflix. According to reports, the service, available at HBONordic.com, will be available for under €10 (~$13 USD) per month. It will also be available as an add-on to a basic subscription service.

[via Variety]

Plex fans among us just got treated to a smorgasbord — albeit one that isn’t completely free. The media front-end developer hopes to boost its bottom line through PlexPass, a subscription service that amounts to a paid beta program. Shell out $4 per month and you’ll get early access to in-development features, including a slate of premium-only extras during their incubation phase. One of the more ordinary (if important) features is going live today: a revamped Web Client not only rivals the native OS X app for speed but offers full media playback on top of the usual queue management. Whether you subscribe or not, you’ll want to get an updated Media Server app that supports both PlexPass and the new client along with improving the server’s behavior in several areas, such as lowering its memory use and supporting RTMP transcoding. We hope Plex keeps enough components on the free side of the fence as time goes on. For now, at least, we’ll see the paid model as a way for loyalists to reward a company that has been powering their home theater PCs for years.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD

Plex launches new Web Client and PlexPass subscription, updates Media Server originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 22:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The folks at Looxcie have brought their fabulous mobile-connected streaming camera abilities to iOS and Android devices this week along with Facebook too! This update brings the Looxcie streaming video environment out to your smartphone – no longer requiring that you use the Looxcie Bluetooth Video Camera device – and also connects you with a new Facebook app to make the whole experience perfectly simple and smooth!

One of the most fabulous parts of this whole situation is the fact that it not only brings Looxcie camera abilities to the camera that’s already on your smartphone, it also allows you to continue using your Looxcie device if you wish. Users with smartphones using iOS 5.0 or newer or Android 2.1 or newer are invited to join in on the fun with a variety of abilities. This app update also brings on 480p resolution video streaming with 15 frames per second to back it up!

The mobile app works with AAC LC audio and is able to accept or play calls in the middle of a stream – your streaming video will simply stop, allowing you to make the call, and continue once you’re ready to keep cruising. The Facebook app then works to allow anyone using the social network to see your streams from the mobile app – this includes both live broadcasts and recorded broadcasts as well. Both the mobile app and the Facebook app also have Community Channels so you can browse public live videos at any time, and you can connect with friends streams in both environments as well.

Video quality is automatically adjusted based on your internet connection and is optimized to look as great as it can, whatever your connection. You’ll be able to work with Push to Talk to speak to anyone making a broadcast, and text chat works inside your window as well. This app has notifications that tell you if a friend has invited you to a stream, and all connections are able to be handled by Facebook – add em all!

Both the Facebook app and the Looxcie app for both iOS and Android will be out immediately if not soon. We’ve had a peek at the Looxcie Android app several months ago and have tried out the new version here before the launch – things are definitely looking up! This company is set to expand exponentially now that they’re diving in to the mobile space without hardware restrictions – so to speak – now we’ve got to see if a Looxcie streaming universe is what the people want!

Looxcie live video streaming hits iOS, Android, and Facebook is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
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