Only last week Yahoo! announced that they had bought the people and the technology behind the Meedio suite of products. Today they’ve launched a free beta version of Yahoo! Go for TV - software that provides media center functionality, including a DVR.
You’ll need a pretty well specced PC to make the most of Yahoo! Go for TV. The listed requirements are:
* Windows XP (Yahoo! Go for TV is not compatible with Macintosh or Linux)
* 1 GHz CPU
* 512 MB RAM
* 40 MB free disk space for installation
* 20 GB additional disk space for TV recordings
Some would say that 20GB of disc space is the bare minimum if you have any intention of using the DVR functionality.
Yahoo! also recommend a high speed internet connection, and of course, if you want to use the software on your TV you’ll need the relevant input connection on your telly.
If you want to use the DVR functionality you’ll need a tuner card. Yahoo! claim to only support these cards, although some of those cards are dual tuners, there’s no mention of dual support in the Yahoo! Go information.
* ATI TV Wonder Elite
* ATI HDTV Wonder
* AverMedia UltraTV 1500 MCE
* Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-USB2
* NVidia Dual TVmce
For the complete low-down check out the Yahoo! Go for TV website.
April 26th, 2006
TiVo has announced the launch of the TiVo Series2 DT DVR, the first standalone dual tuner DVR with the TiVo service and features.
The TiVo Series2 DT DVR is optimized for cable households, allowing you to record two shows at once, so now you never have to miss any of your favorite shows - even if they’re on at the same time. The TiVo Series2 DT DVR also incorporates built-in Ethernet and USB ports, making it easier than ever to add the TiVo box to the home network.
“We’ve been hearing from our subscribers that they wanted a TiVo DVR that could record two shows at once,” said Jim Denney , Vice President of Product Marketing at TiVo. “With the TiVo Series2 DT DVR, we’ve delivered that capability to our customers at a very affordable price.”
“We are excited to bring the new TiVo Series2 DT DVR into our stores,” said Rick Bickford, Merchandise Manager at Circuit City . “TiVo is one of our most well-loved brands and we’re confident that the feature enhancements and low price point are going to make the TiVo Series2 DT DVR a big hit.”
The TiVo Series2 DT DVR will join the existing TiVo product line, and is available in an 80-hour model priced at just $99.99, after rebate and service activation. It will also be available at tivo.com bundled with the TiVo service.
Exclusive TiVo service features will be available on the TiVo Series2 DT DVR including:
* TiVoToGo Transfers: Take your favorite shows with you on the road by transferring them to a laptop or select portable players.
* TiVo Online Scheduling: Schedule recordings from the office or on the road from anywhere you can access the Internet.
* TiVo Online Services: Broadband connected Series2 subscribers can view both their own photo slideshows and those shared by friends with Yahoo! Photos, and check local weather and traffic from Yahoo!. Additionally, subscribers can browse and buy movie tickets from Fandango, discover new music on Live365, and listen to entertaining podcasts.
* Coming Soon: TiVo continually updates the TiVo service with new features and capabilities. In the coming months, TiVo users will be able to program their TiVo box to record programs directly from select Verizon cell phones. And by mid-year, users will welcome TiVo KidZone into their home. TiVo KidZone will give parents the power to easily make sure that the television programming their children watch meets their personal family standards.
The TiVo Series2 DT DVR will be available beginning May 1, 2006 at retailers including Circuit City , Best Buy, and Amazon.com, and online at www.tivo.com.
April 26th, 2006