AT&T's new Hi-Def Homezone box
Engadget reported last month about AT&T's Homezone IPTV service which is meant to help them compete with the cable companies. The service is basically DISH Network, movie downloads from Movielink, misc programming from Akimbo, and DVR functionality in a single 2Wire-built box. Thanks to a great tipster we now have some great pictures as well as some interesting specs which were also shared with our friends over at Engadget.
2Wire's latest HD box includes all the home networking goodness and connections any HD lover could want and combines it with some interesting new services. The STB is a DISH DVR with dual tuners and two room support, but also allows you to watch Movielink movies, enjoy Yahoo Photos (Flickr?) and Akimbo shows. As compared to previous models it will now include HDMI and maybe even WM9 and WiFi; we should know more when it's officially announced.
The remotes are the most interesting and yes, there are two of 'em. One is for the main room which is IR and the second room (nope, no HD for them) is RF. The interesting part is that they have a keyboard on them like some PDAs. Love them or not, they will come in handy with all the interactive content.
If AT&T gets to this to market in July, they could be the first to pull off this convergence thing we have all been hearing so much about.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ken52787 @ May 23rd 2006 8:57AM
The box looks pretty cool, but holy hell do those remotes look fugly.
Buzzcut @ May 23rd 2006 9:30AM
Any idea on what this service costs?
So now I've got to run coax AND Cat5 to the box?
Lisa @ May 23rd 2006 10:57AM
Buzzcut, i think it's expensive enough.
Bart @ May 23rd 2006 12:44PM
Buzzcut - I think the idea is that if you do want to run a 2nd TV from this box, THEN you connect that coax "TV2" jack to your home's existing coax wiring via the nearest jack. Then this box will provide a signal to any (every) other TV in your house, though presumably all those "secondary" TVs will share a single tuner.
It's a pretty cool way to get a 2nd TV running off this box with no extra wiring, assuming you have some coax in the walls already.
But yes, there are a lot of cable to connect to this box - potentially 2x satellite coax, 2x terrestrial antenna coax, another coax if you want 2nd room viewing, ethernet (but looks like you can use wifi instead), phone line (probably optional if you want satellite-based PPV ordering? maybe for caller ID?), then your AV cables. Not much different in terms of hookup than my HD-Tivo, but gives me a second viewing room.
RB @ May 23rd 2006 9:22PM
The Dual tuner system that is used in this receiver is probaly the same that is employed in the Dish Network 622, a dual tuner HD-DVR, very solid technology Echostar (Dish Network) has been using dual tuner techology for about 2 years.
Ben Drawbaugh @ May 24th 2006 10:48AM
How is the OTA integration, do all the channels show up in the guide together like the HD TiVo does? Is it just as easy to schedule a recording for the OTA as the DISH programming?
EdwardA @ May 24th 2006 11:11AM
I'm trying to guesstimate by the sizes of the relative ports on back, but can anyone give me relative dimensions on this?
elan @ Jul 19th 2006 10:07PM
for get cat 5 get cat 6 1000ft 1000megs and does any one know how to get these box i am will to pay i need 10-15 i all ready have dish i have to for isrealie channel and am a bout to hang myself with wounder full echostar box so i am looking for anything help me i have the despration of a drowning man!!