XBox One getting a digital TV tuner (DVB) accessory for EU countries

AzBat

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MOD: Moved posts over from news thread seeing as this thread gained momentum

Looks like Xbox One is getting a digital TV tuner in UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain.


Xbox Wire said:
Beginning in October, the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner will be available in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, providing Xbox One users in those markets with an over-the-air digital terrestrial TV experience through the USB single tuner, an alternative to accessing TV content from a cable or satellite set-top box connected through the HDMI-In port. The new digital TV tuner will also support free-to-air DVB-T, DVB-T2 and DVB-C television standards.

Here’s a list of the capabilities enabled by the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner:

  • Watch HD TV on Xbox One: With the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner, you can watch free-to-air DVB-T, DVB-T2 and DVB-C television channels without changing TV inputs. You can receive game invitations and notifications while watching TV and even watch TV while you wait for a multiplayer match to start.
  • TV Viewing in Snap Mode: You can watch TV using the Snap mode, watching TV on the side and leaving the main screen for games, Skype, or other applications.
  • Pause Live TV: Pause your favorite show when you get up to take a break.
  • TV Listings in the OneGuide: TV listings will be available in the OneGuide. From anywhere, say “Xbox show guide, what’s on BBC One?” to quickly navigate directly to that channel’s listings*.
  • Favorite Channels in the OneGuide: Create your own personal Favorites in the OneGuide so you can easily choose what you want to watch.
  • Channel Tuning by Voice: The OneGuide allows you to call out your favorite TV channel by name and start watching it instantly*.
  • The OneGuide on Xbox SmartGlass: Now you have access to the full OneGuide on the new Xbox SmartGlass app with the ability to tune channels on your TV.
  • TV On Demand: TV listings in the OneGuide will indicate which shows are available on demand from video apps.

The Xbox One Digital TV Tuner will be available beginning late October in the UK for ₤24.99, and France, Italy, Germany and Spain for €29.99.

http://news.xbox.com/2014/08/xbox-one-digital-tv-tuner

I would love to have this in the US. So I've posted it to the Xbox feedback site...

http://xbox.uservoice.com/forums/25...bring-the-xbox-one-digital-tv-tuner-to-the-us

Tommy McClain
 
If there was a US version of this, I would buy an Xbox just for the pause live TV feature. Without cable, I'm only on OTA now and I don't want a flacky media pc or some other PVR solution that requires a subscription.
 
I predicted something like this a few months ago. I have to say that it makes the box much more appealing, it'll need DVR functions too though.
 
If I remember correctly, PS3 had a digital tuner for Europe and UK as well, but for some reason they didn't release it for North America either.
 
No prob guys. I'm clueless to how the OTA works in Europe, so bear with me. If MS doesn't release this in the US, could it be imported & converted to work somehow in the US? I know the connections are totally different, but wonder if the tuner is picking up the same frequencies? I don't expect them to, but thought I'd ask.

Tommy McClain
 
No prob guys. I'm clueless to how the OTA works in Europe, so bear with me. If MS doesn't release this in the US, could it be imported & converted to work somehow in the US? I know the connections are totally different, but wonder if the tuner is picking up the same frequencies? I don't expect them to, but thought I'd ask.

Tommy McClain

No. North America uses a completely different air standard from the EU, ATSC vs DVB-T . Completely different technology and air interface.
 
No. North America uses a completely different air standard (ATSC) vs DVB-T for Europe. Completely different technology and air interface.

:( Figured as much. Thanks for the info though!

Tommy McClain
 
No prob guys. I'm clueless to how the OTA works in Europe, so bear with me. If MS doesn't release this in the US, could it be imported & converted to work somehow in the US? I know the connections are totally different, but wonder if the tuner is picking up the same frequencies? I don't expect them to, but thought I'd ask.

Tommy McClain

940px-Digital_broadcast_standards.svg.png
 
If I remember correctly, PS3 had a digital tuner for Europe and UK as well, but for some reason they didn't release it for North America either.

What made PS3 DVB tuner less appealing at least here in Finland was a lack of DVB-C demodulation. Quite many people live in a dvb cable house. Apartments don't have any terrestrial antennas in place but feed is coming from the cable provider through central coax.

Microsoft is bringing T and C modulation so thats a big plus. This usb tuner does not have CI interface so pay-to-watch smartcard channels are out of the question. No card pairing so even free-to-watch HD channels are off in some countries.
The new digital TV tuner will also support free-to-air DVB-T, DVB-T2 and DVB-C television standards.

XboxOne firmware has a direct full control of usb tuner unlike HDMI-IN stb devices. Remains to be seen how fast Microsoft applys a Nordig-DVB tests so nordic countries know it works fine in regional dvb networks. DVB spec implementation is not 1:1 carbon copy between different EU countries. Some use multile dvb subtitling tracks, additional audio tracks, logical channel numberings etc..
 
Thanks Michellstar for the graphic. Definitely helped.

XboxOne firmware has a direct full control of usb tuner unlike HDMI-IN stb devices.

That's a big plus for me. Much more seamless experience versus my cheap HDMI-In Digital TV tuner idea. Also means they can provide pausing of live TV. A DVR app doesn't sound like much of a stretch, but there might be legality issues that prevent it.

Tommy McClain
 
That's interesting. Sony tried this with PS3 and AFAIK it wasn't at all popular. Also know someone who bought one but ended up not using it. That was overpriced though, and this XB1 provides integrated XB TV stuff. Still, I don't rate its chances too highly.
 
The key is convincing people that watching tv through your xbox is a better experience than using the actual television tuner.
 
Not a bad price, the same as what I paid for my Elgato EyeTV USB stick!
 
The key is convincing people that watching tv through your xbox is a better experience than using the actual television tuner.
Or PVR or cable box, which so many people have already. That's what HDMI throughput and CEC handshaking was supposed to be for, I thought. Maybe this device is aimed at a niche like bedroom/dorm room?
 
That's interesting. Sony tried this with PS3 and AFAIK it wasn't at all popular. Also know someone who bought one but ended up not using it. That was overpriced though, and this XB1 provides integrated XB TV stuff. Still, I don't rate its chances too highly.
It does seem fairly niche. I wonder how many Xbox One's are connected to TVs in Europe which don't already have the capability to receive terrestrial HD. There is the PVR functionality and I wonder if this a nod/concession that Xbox One simply will not support connected devices (on HDMI) that also offer this functionality.

Are we expecting the One to support more STB hardware and/or adopt HMDI-CEC at some point?
 
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