Samsung Electronics Unveils 100-Hour DVR, Targets Home Networking
"The DVR, which is to be used with DirecTV and Tivo services, contains a 120 GByte hard drive -- one of the largest amounts of storage available on DVR device so far."
Viewers can record up to 100 hours of television, and can simultaneously record and watch up to three television shows, according to the company. The DVR's TiVo capability lets users pause, rewind or fast forward live television. The device can also be programmed to automatically record every show in a series, or can search for and record programs with a viewer's favorite sports teams, actors or any other interest, with a large number of variables.
The 100-hour DVR is not designed for high definition TV, though one optimized for HDTV will be introduced in the future.
For solution providers eyeing the home integration market, the DVR includes two USB ports and optical Dolby Digital output, which allow other IT or consumer devices to be connected to it. Samsung also plans on working with integrators to design home networking solutions for the distribution of media content through the home.
"We are looking at clusters of technology products in each room of the house, and then full house networking in which all of the clusters talk to each other," said Frank Romeo, Samsung digital set top boxes director. Romeo said that Samsung eventually intends for its DVR and set top boxes to evolve into gateway devices capable of streaming content through home networks, while other divisions in Samsung are working to establish the PC as the center of the home network.
Romeo also added that Samsung is focusing on several alternatives for home networking infrastructure, including the various wireless standards, Ethernet and IP over Firewire.
Ridgefield Park, NJ-based Samsung Electronics America said that suggested retail price for the SIR-S4120R is $499, with an additional $4.99 fee per month for DirecTV with Tivo service. The DVR will be available through Samsung's IT distributors and at major consumer retailers.
Integrators targetting the home market should also consider PC-based DVRs, many of which can store more than 100 hours of television and are currently easier to network.