The former Digeo has managed to stay busy despite going through an acquisition by Arris. The company just went live with a slew of updates that show the company is serious about the DVR game. First and foremost is a new HD DVR model. This boy is almost exactly like the current Moxi HD DVR except it comes equipped with three tuners that will allow you to record three separate stations at one time off of a single multi-stream Cable Card. Take that, TiVo. Read More
Listen, the Moxi HD DVR has problems in my eyes, but if you’re still stuck with a cable DVR, you better click through and enter this contest. The Moxi HD DVR is years past anything you can get from a cable provider. Read More
Digeo just pushed the summer Moxi HD DVR update and I had to check it out. I had a few issues with the DVR after the last release that was supposed to be resolved. One, I hate the vertical channel guide bar thing and the summer update added a traditional grid guide. Two, the GUI was supposed to be faster now and require less button presses. Three, the player was finally suppose to be able to playback more video file formats like AVI and MKV.
Spoiler: Digeo fixed two out of the three issues mentioned above and ignored other glaring problems like the fantastically funny but also very offensive Porn search tool. Read More
Digeo is committed to the the Moxi HD DVR and has rolled out some updates. So far I like what I see as the updates addresses many of issues I had with the DVR. First and foremost, the DVR now has an optional grid guide, which is a great alternative to the the vertical bar layout that was previously the only option. Thank goodness, I say.
But this summer update isn’t just all about software, Digeo also announced the Moxi Mate: An expensive second room media streaming device. Read More
I’m so excited. MediaMall has updated its DLNA software, PlayOn, to support local network media playback within the app. The streaming app was always a solid way to playback Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube on any DLNA device like the Archos devices, the PS3, Xbox 360 and so many others. In fact, this was Digeo’s solution to bring Internet media to the Moxi HD DVR. However, the app never supported playing back content off of the local network which means users had to also run TVersity or TwonkyMedia. Now, PlayOn can do it all.
But that’s not why I’m excited. I’m stoked that this update finally, finally brings .avi and .mkv support to the Moxi HD DVR. If you’ve followed my coverage of the TiVo-competitor, you should know that the lack of support of those file extensions was one of my biggest complaints against the DVR. But MediaMall has stepped up where Digeo dropped the ball.
Widgets and gadgets are the latest trend to hit HDTVs. Vizio is upping the game by equipping its soon-to-be-released HDTVs with an impressive suite of Internet applications and video streaming sites. So much so, that this portfolio will place them on top of many people’s wish list as these TVs will be better equipped than a TiVo or even Windows Media Server.
I had a long talk with Digeo’s CEO, Greg Gudorf, about the future of the Moxi HD DVR. It became clear to me right away that we saw the DVR differently. He, and presumably his company, views the Moxi HD DVR as an organic device which will grow and improve overtime. I however see it as a device that was brought to market before it was complete and feel early users are really beta testers that spent $800 for that privilege.
He brought up in our 45 minute conversation that there will be an update coming this summer that will address some of the usability concerns that annoyed the hell out of me in my review. No longer will you have to confirm twice that you want to watch a program on the guide. Other small issues will be addressed, but I’m hoping this update will pave way for more built-in apps including one for viewing online media.
Gudorf indicated that they are working on a true online media app instead of relying on the lackluster PlayOn DLNA service. He didn’t seem to agree when I mentioned that Hulu would be the TiVo-killing app. But maybe I’m wrong so I’m asking all of you.
Which online media service would you use the most on the Moxi HD DVR?
The latest issue of Playboy is stating that Hulu support is coming to Roku. Not that Playboy isn’t a reliable technology source, but we’re still a tad skeptical. Hopefully the support is coming though, not for Roku’s sake, but because that would mean TiVo and Moxi shouldn’t be that far behind.
Think the world has enough media streamers? Hells no. There is definitely room for the AMEX DIGITAL Venic-V38HD with it’s 2TB storage. The trapezoidal media player does about everything. It streams all major file formats off a local network (including AVI’s, Moxi), plays media files off USB drives, has a DVD/CD player – that’s about it. The only thing missing is a Blu-ray drive really.
Want a Moxi HD DVR? Do ya? Really?!? Well, Digeo is giving away two of the DVRs.
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Despite some initial issues with the Moxi HD DVR, I’m starting to dig the $799 DVR. Digeo has plans to soften the overall cost though with a monthly payment plan. The overall $799 price hasn’t changed though, but maybe this payment approach will help move some more of the units. The $799 price is still a touch high, even though there are not any monthly fees like TiVo. It’s something to do with the lack of ATSC tuner, multi-room viewing, and only a 500GB hard drive.
Somehow in the hoopla that surrounded the latest Moxi HD press release, I failed to notice that the recently added DLNA media streaming capabilities does not support AVI or MKV files. This is huge. Suddenly I’m looking at this sexy DVR like it has chlamydia. I don’t want anything to do with it. The lack of AVI or MKV support makes the DVR kind of useless in my house.
Sure, TiVo’s implementation of media streaming is far from perfect. The system actually copies the video file onto the TiVo hard drive, which is annoying but supports nearly every file format including the two in question here.
I finally received and installed a Moxi HD DVR after some shipping issues with Fedex . I have to say though, I’m not that impressed two days in. The company screams on the official website that the Moxi is superior to TiVo in almost every way – seriously, it does – but besides the pretty eye-candy GUI, I wouldn’t call everything superior. The Moxi has some sweet extra features that TiVo doesn’t, but I feel like the core functionality of watching and recording television isn’t all that better.
Click through for more initial thoughts and unboxing pics.
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Digeo’s Moxi HD DVR, you know it as the other DVR that’s sort-of like TiVo, is getting a big software update that brings the sexy DVR up to speed with TiVo. Actually, these updates on paper make the Moxi box seem ahead of TiVo. Moxi’s calling card previously was a killer GUI and that hasn’t changed. Content on demand is being addressed this time around with PlayOn and DLNA support.
Monster Cable: hate ‘em or love ‘em, they are a driving force in the CE world. Their 2009 lineup, at least according to its wares spread out in front, doesn’t look to innovate. A few headphones we’ve already seen and reviewed, a couple of new power centers, and HP branded HDMI cables that are sure to carry a high MSRP. Hopefully the head monster, Noel Lee, will have something special for us. And later to rag on.
Digeo finally has made their next-gen HD DVR somewhat available. Amazon has a soft launch of the $799 box and as much as I dig the Moxi’s UI, I hope it has the right stuff to justify spending $200 more than a 1TB TiVo HD XL. True, you don’t have the monthly subscription with the Moxi box, but it’s half the storage for HD Desperate Housewives recordings. Eventually TiVo will get off its ass and produce a comparable user interface ’cause that’s the one thing Moxi has going for it. But if you have $799 to spare and want to own a DVR without the monthly fees, this Moxi might be for you.
