Category: Network Media Devices

Article

Netflix? Amazon? YouTube? A surfer’s guide to TV – Features – TV & Radio – The Independent

My Comments

This article is showing how the Internet-based on-demand TV service is gaining more traction as a way of distributing TV content.

For example, Netflix is effectively becoming the HBO or Canal+ of the online TV world. HBO and Canal+ had started out initially as premium pay-TV broadcasters in their own markets – the USA and France respectively. This was mainly based around buying movies and other top-shelf TV content from movie studios. Then they gradually built up a repertoire of original TV content that they could sell to other free-to-air and pay TV broadcasters. Examples of this include HBO’s “The Sopranos” and Canal+’s “Spiral / Engrenages” both being highly-engaging TV drama serials.

Netflix initially bought movies and other similar content from other studios to show through their on-demand service. Now they, like other online TV providers such as Amazon and Hulu, are building up a repertoire of original content.

Most of these online services offer subscription and content-management models that allow you to watch a series over a short term such as a “marathon viewing” over a weekend or over a long term like viewing an episode or two every week over a month or two.

This is affecting the traditional TV broadcasters who are having to face up to what these online content providers are offering to their viewers. One way that they are answering the trend is to invest more in their catch-up TV / on-demand services. This may include making more of their content catalogue including their back-catalogue material available through their on-demand services.

Similarly, an increased number of co-production deals are being struck between traditional broadcasters and online content providers concerning TV serials. Here, these shows would be given their first-run by the broadcaster in its home territory while being made concurrently available on-demand through the online content provider’s market. An example of this is the “Lilyhammer” TV serial about an American mafioso who turned State’s evidence and had to head to Norway under witness protection. This show, which I have cottoned on to when it was shown on SBS in Australia, is an example of this kind of co-production arrangement, this time by Norway’s public broadcaster and Netflix.

Of course, YouTube isn’t just standing by, letting this trend happen. Here they are relying less on those crazy-cat videos towards running paid channels with good original content courtesy of their Original Channel Initiative. This is in addition to having the likes of Vevo solicit professionaliy-produced content on to the YouTube catalogue.

It definitely shows us that TV isn’t just about loafing on the couch watching programmes according to the broadcaster’s schedule but more about chasing down the shows we want to see when we want to see them. This could also make terms like prime-time become so less relevant.

Article

Sony aims to take 4K mainstream with US$4,999 TV, media player, download service – consumer electronics, TVs, sony – PC World Australia

My Comments

Sony are working towards making the 4K ultra-high-definition TV technology become mainstream and breaking the “chicken-and-egg” situation that endangers this technology through some differing efforts.

One effort is to offer a 55” 4K UHDTV set for US$4999. You may think that this high resolution is good for sets with screen sizes of at least 70” but offering a set with a very high pixel density may also bring through the high-pixel-density issue that has been occurring with computers through to the main lounge room.

Similarly, they are fielding a hard-disk media player which is loaded with a selection of Sony Pictures movies mastered to 4K to be available for people who buy or own the Sony 4K UHD TV sets. They are also working on a paid content service which most likely will work with the Internet. Of course, I am not sure what business models will apply when it comes to distributing the content.

This is even though Sony are on a good wicket with use of the 4K technology in movie production, such as transfering 35mm cine-camera footage to 4K digital movie files for digital post-production or using 4K digital masters for digital film distribution. As well, 4K UHDTV could legitimise the need for next-gen broadband as the content is primarily distributed through Internet-hosted methods.

Personally, I would find that the 4K technology could be assisted through the availability of a broadcast technology for traditional “scheduled-content” viewing, the ability to deliver the content in a hard-copy form on cost-effective media like optical discs to satisfy collecting or gift-giving; as well as the IP-based streamed or download delivery mechanisms.

Article

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/09/panasonic-pricing-ship-date-media-streamers-blu-ray/

From the horse’s mouth

Panasonic USA

Product pages (US Direct purchase)

DMP-BD79 Blu-Ray player

DMP-MS10 Network Media Player

My Comments

Panasonic is another of the major consumer-electronics brands to release network media players in to the US consumer-electronics market. They also have released a “Wi-Fi ready” Blu-Ray player that also has access to the essential online content services along with full DLNA capabilities.

Both these devices, which are at the bottom end of the model lineup for model-year 2013, are priced at US$79 which is a price level for someone who wants to enable an existing low-end flat-screen TV that they picked up at Target or Wal-Mart for the home or small-business network.

They miss the ability to work as a Skype videoconferencing terminal, which may limit some people who value this function for long-distance videocalls on the large screen and the don’t have access to the full VieraCast platform for app-driven smart TV services. But they have access to the locally-essential video-on-demand services like YouTube, VuDu, Netflix and CinemaNow for that cheaper or older TV. They also are DLNA-capable where you can select network media using the device’s remote control, or use a desktop or mobile app to “push” network media to these devices. This latter functionality is useful to those of you who run a shopfront and want to use this technology to set up cost-effective digital signage and visual merchandising there.

The DMP-BD79 is the Blu-Ray player which could work well with those existing TVs and home-theatre setups that don’t have a functioning Blu-Ray player; as well as only having Ethernet connectivity. It is marketed as being “Wi-Fi ready” where you have to purchase an extra Wi-Fi network adaptor dongle from Panasonic but I would prefer you to use Ethernet or HomePlug AV powerline to connect this unit to your home network.

On the other hand, the DMP-MS10 is a network media player for applications where an optical disc player isn’t necessary or is fulfilled by existing equipment. It also has the integrated Wi-Fi network functionality if you do have a reliable Wi-Fi network with good reception at the installation’s location.

The reason I have drawn attention to these Panasonic devices is that they represent another name brand offering network media devices at a price that gives you an affordable “foot in the door” for online-hosted and DLNA-hosted network media.

Article-From the horse’s mouth

Onkyo

TX-8050 | ONKYO Asia and Oceania Website (Catalog posting)

My Comments

There are situations where a home theatre system may not be appropriate but you like the look and performance of “full-width” hi-fi equipment. The classic example is the formal lounge room that is at the front of the house where you don’t really want to watch TV or movies but would rather entertain guests, read and play or listen to music. Here, you may want to have a hi-fi that is built around a stereo receiver or amplifier feeding a pair of speakers and a CD player, turntable and / or audio recording deck as source equipment.

But a lot of “full-width” receivers that have network capability also come with the surround-sound functionality and, in some cases, are optimised for use with video equipment. If you purposed these receivers for use with a stereo setup, you would find that there is unused functionality and, in some cases, room for operational error.

On the other hand, you may have to buy or resurrect a stereo integrated amplifier and hook this up to an audio-focused network media tuner like the NAD C446 Media Tuner so you can gain access to the audio content on the Internet or network. If you used a stereo receiver, you may find that the FM or AM broadcast tuners in the network media tuner (if it has one) or the stereo receiver may be redundant when it comes to listening to broadcast radio via this system.

But Onkyo have filled in this gap by offering a traditional “full-width” stereo receiver that works with the home network, whether to pull in the fun of Internet radio or music that exists on that network-attached-storage device.

This receiver, known as the TX-8050, has room for expected hi-fi functionality like a phono input for connecting the turntable to play those records and an input-output loop for connecting a tape or MiniDisc deck. The sound path is set up for stereo sound reproduction rather than surround-sound reproduction in the same vein as the classic stereo receiver. There is video switching for some of the video inputs but this works at composite level only, which may not matter with its intended usage application.

What I see of this product is it is another example of what Onkyo has done to fill in gaps in the domestic audio-video market, like their FR-435 CD/MiniDisc receiver which was a full-width component that could be hooked up to any speakers. It has also highlighted a way where AV equipment manufacturers could keep the stereo-receiver product class alive and relevant in the age of the home network rather than treating it as a second-class citizen.

Articles and Resources (French language)

La Livebox Play entre en scène – Tour d’horizon de l’offre Livebox Play – DegroupNews.com (Review)

La Box by Numericable (Interactive Advertisement by Numericable)

My comments

After the Freebox Révolution had appeared on the French market as a highly-credible piece of carrier-provided consumer equipment provided as part of a triple-play service, the bar had been raised for such equipment.

For example, the décodeurs i.e. the set-top boxes had become fully-capable video peripherals that integrate a slot-load Blu-Ray 3D player and provide the existing TV set with full smart-TV abilities. This even includes games-console functionality with access to a carrier-hosted app store for these games. Some of the remote controls that come with the set-top equipment have “out-of-the-ordinary” control methods like gesture-based control and RF controller-STB link, with some offering the HDMI-Consumer-Electronics-Control functionality so you can control your flatscreen TV’s source-selection, volume and power wit these remotes.

As well, the n-boxes i.e. the gateway devices are equipped with a network-attached storage based around an integrated hard disk. These would work to the common file-presentation protocols like SMB/CIFS, FTP, HTTP, iTunes (DAAP) and DLNA while offering functionality that a mid-tier consumer NAS would offer like a download manager / torrent server. Even the way the carriers have the gateway devices styled carries the message that they don’t look like your father’s old station wagon.

I have previously covered on HomeNetworking01.info the ability for French-market Samsung Smart TVs to work with Le Modem  which is part of Orange’s LiveBox Play package.

Numericable’s La Box package is an all-in-one device which connects to their FTTN / DOCSIS cable-modem service. But this device has the cable modem, router, VoIP gateway, NAS, PVR and Blu-Ray functionality in the one box. This setup even uses the QR codes as one of its methods for securely enrolling smartphones and tablets to the Wi-Fi wireless network segment.

The LiveBox Play gateway device, henceforth known as Le Modem, implements things like an OLED customer-information display and uses 3 WAN options – VDSL2, ADSL2 and fibre-to-the-premises.

There are others like the Bbox Sensation which also are equipped with the similar functionality but it would be interesting to see who else would run with similar hardware that has this high level of functionality or raise the stakes further through the firmware update cycles.

Similarly it would be interesting to see whether these devices just appear within France or appear in other markets where there is real competition on the Internet-service front.

Article – From the horse’s mouth

Yamaha AV Australia

MCR-755 – Micro Hi-Fi – Yamaha – Australia (Product Page)

My Comments

Sometimes you may want to kit out a bedroom, den, college / uni dorm room or small apartment with a music system that can provide DVD / Blu-Ray playback services for a reasonably-priced recent-issue 32”-37” flatscreen TV and treat you to that surround sound. But the idea of using a full home-theatre system with the 6 speakers may not fit the bill for these areas because these systems are simply too large and overwhelming for these areas. Similarly a soundbar may be considered not up to par because you value stereo separation and a lot of these are simply just speakers.

But, when browsing Yamaha’s Australian Website, I have come across the Yamaha MCR-755 Blu-Ray music system which, along with the MCR-750, is a traditional “three-piece” micro AV system that has a Blu-Ray player and DLNA network connectivity. A firmware update is now available for these systems to effectively add the “Internet radio” band to these systems. The MCR-755 has the Eureka 147 DAB/DAB+ digital radio as well as the FM radio as its broadcast-radio options.

They also connects to the TV using HDMI and exploits the Consumer Electronic Control and Audio Return Channel functionality that this connectivity method provides. This allows for sound from TV broadcasts and online TV that you play via your Smart TV to come through the system’s speakers. Depending on the TV you use, you may have some success in getting a bitstream surround signal from the pay-TV set-top box or other video peripheral that is connected to the TV via HDMI.

The key feature that the system has is the implementation of Yamaha’s “Air Sound Xtreme” to create a virtual 5.1 surround listening experience using the two speakers. This has resulted from Yamaha’s work on digital sound processing technologies as well as their “Sound Projector” soundbars,

As I know about newer AV products, I have a look through the instructions manuals that are delivered online and have found that there are a few shortcomings. For example, you can play a CD or content held on an iPod; or listen to broadcast radio or a source connected via the AUX In connections without needing to turn the TV on whereas you need to have the TV on if you want to play material held on your DLNA Home Media Network or on a USB thumb-drive.

Similarly, the unit could benefit from a dedicated digital input for TV use and / or an extra HDMI input socket. Here, these could benefit those of us who use smaller, usually low-cost, “dorm-grade” flatscreen TVs which are likely to be paired with this music system by providing a Dolby Digital decoding ability for the TV’s broadcast tuner, assuring surround-sound output from a pay-TV box or other video peripheral or simply provide an extra input for the TV.

As well, this class of Blu-Ray-capable “three-piece” micro AV system could support DLNA Media-Renderer and Apple AirPlay functionalities so as to work with the smartphones and tablets by using an existing home network that has the Wi-Fi segment.

The Yamaha MCR-755 has shown up as an example of a “three-piece” AV entertainment-system that can serve the small spaces yet gaining access to the full content that Blu-Ray and the like can offer.

Article – French language

La TV d’Orange débarque sur les Smart TV de Samsung – DegroupNews.com

My Comments

France has become the first country to bring to the mainstream one of the key pillars for Internet-driven TV. This pillar is for an IPTV or single-pipe triple-play provider to allow us to gain access to their Internet-driven TV service without the need for a set-top box to be supplied by them and for this practice to be seen as becoming mainstream.

Here, people who subscribe to the Livebox service provided by France-Télécom (Orange) and own a recent Samsung smart TV view the baseline TV package for their triple-play service just by using the Samsung TV’s remote control.

This will require the user to perform a firmware update through the TV’s menus. You may have to “press the “Menu” button to bring up the “Assistance” option then bring up the “Firmware update” (Mise à jour de logiciel). Then you have to select the “On-line” (En ligne) option to draw down the firmware via the home network. Here, the set will show up the Orange TV options on its Smart-TV menu when you click the “Smart” diamond on the remote. A question that I would have is whether Samsung is intending to roll this out to the Blu-Ray players and home-theatre systems that have the integrated Internet-TV functionality because these devices would be used to “extend” this functionality to cheaper and older TVs.

At the moment, this will yield the baseline channels but Orange want to take this further with their premium, catch-up and on-demand services. As Orange liaise with other smart-TV platforms to roll this method out to the other platforms, this could become a chance to prove to the IPTV scene whether the smart TV can become the control surface for pay-TV. Here, smart-TV integration only works well with broadcaster-developed video-on-demand front-ends or a smattering of “over-the-top” video-on-demand and subscription-video services which aren’t heavily promoted.

In the US, the FCC could place high value on this concept if all the smart-TV vendors come to the party, as a way of “liberating” the American cable-TV subscriber base from the control of the cable-TV companies. Here, this could be facilitated with a broadcast-LAN gateway for cable-broadcast / satellite-broadcast services as well as this interface for selecting broadcast, recorded-broadcast, online and on-demand material.

Who knows what this could mean for IPTV as the increased number of Smart TVs and video peripherals become increasingly available through the retail channel and the home network becomes a mainstream requirement for the average household.