HBO is bringing Vimeo’s first original series to TV
If there was any doubt that conventional TV and the internet are blending together, HBO just erased it. The premium channel has picked up the third season of High Maintenance, the pot-fueled show (yes, the 4/20 announcement is convenient) that became Vimeo’s first original On Demand series. You’ll only see six new episodes in this production, but all of the existing 19 episodes will be available through HBO sometime later this year. Is Vimeo heartbroken? Not at all, if you ask CEO Kerry Trainor — it’ll continue to support the show, and this is an “incredible validation” that proves internet shows can hit the big time. There’s no mention of when the new season will air, but it’s clear that you’ll have more options for chronic-loving TV in the near future than reruns of Bored to Death and Showtime’s Weeds.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/110602645?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&badge=0
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Sony’s latest receivers and sound bars pack Google Cast streaming
LG isn’t the only tech giant rolling out Google Cast-friendly devices this month. Sony is launching two AV receivers (the STR-DN860 and STR-DN1060) and two sound bars (the HT-NT3 and the HT-ST9, above) that all take audio from Google Cast-capable mobile and web apps, so you won’t have a problem sending music to your TV’s speakers. Outside of the NT3, you’ll also get alternatives like Bluetooth, Spotify Connect and (on the receivers) Apple’s AirPlay.
Beyond that, you’re mostly paying for extra power. The receivers start off with the $500 DN860, which delivers 150W across 7.2 channels, Bluetooth and WiFi support for both Google Cast and AirPlay; splurge on the $600 DN1060 and you’ll get 165W of power, 4K video support and Spotify Connect. Among sound bars, the $700 NT3 is a straightforward 2.1-channel system with 450W of juice and Bluetooth, while the $1,500 ST9 kicks things up to 7.1 channels with 800W of total output. The two receivers will ship in May, alongside Cast-less HT-CT380 ($350) and HT-CT780 ($450) sound bars. If you insist on better sound for your TV, the two higher-end sound bars are due in July.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Sony
Source: Sony
How would you change Sony’s PlayStation Vita TV?
It’s a PlayStation Vita that you can connect to your TV, but that doesn’t mean you should automatically go out and buy one. When we reviewed the hardware last year, we found that the low price and ability to play retro games were great, but the media streaming let the side down. That said, it was a much better crafted piece of hardware than some Android-powered consoles our reviewer could have mentioned. So, what we want to know is do you like your Vita TV and if so, why? Hop over into our forum and share the love, the hatred and everything in between.
Source: Engadget Product Forums
Comcast and TWC will negotiate with officials to save their merger
The merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable is no longer as certain to get approval as it once was, and the two cable giants know it. Wall Street Journal sources understand that the companies will meet with Department of Justice officials this week (the first time they’ve met since the announcement) in hopes of negotiating concessions and saving the deal. It’s not clear what more they’ll propose beyond existing offers, although history suggests that they could give up more customers or promise more efforts to expand low-cost internet access.
However, Comcast reportedly won’t budge on one area: net neutrality. If the Justice Department asks Comcast to abide by the FCC’s utility-like net neutrality rules whether or not they survive legal challenges, the company might just “walk away” from the merger. That’s not surprising given the telecom’s less-than-kind attitude toward Netflix, but it also suggests that Comcast will only go so far to please regulators when it sits down for talks.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: Wall Street Journal
Sony’s super-thin 4K TV arrives this summer
A year after Sony’s 4K TV launch, the company is detailing the US launch of a revamped collection with HDR-compatible sets. You can now pre-order six models in Sony’s new Ultra HD lineup, with deliveries arriving in May. The line starts off with a 43-inch TV that costs $1,299.99, and goes up to a 75-inch behemoth at $7,999.99. Sony isn’t talking about pricing for the X900C, reportedly the thinnest LED TV in the world, but it’s poised to arrive this summer. It could be worth the wait — at 5.08mm, it’s thinner than your smartphone (unless you’re using Oppo’s 4.8mm R5). It also has a “Vanishing Edge” technology that makes the picture fill the entire screen.
In addition to their Triluminos technology, the TVs are equipped with a color correction feature that can make hues more vibrant or tone them down a notch for a more realistic visual experience. And as promised at CES earlier this year, the latest models are paired with Android TV. There’s a voice search feature so you can speak into a one-click remote or a compatible smartphone for quick access to your favorite app. Soon, gamers will also have access to Playstation Now and a DualShock 4 controller.
While the thinnest options won’t be available for a few months, you can be prepared for the onslaught of improved video with the X930C or X940C series, which will become HDR-friendly through a network update this summer.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Sony
Source: Sony (PR Newswire)
ESPN objects to Verizon’s flexible FiOS TV plans
You may like Verizon’s more flexible FiOS TV packages, but ESPN sure doesn’t. The Disney-owned sports network claims that these offerings break contracts which prevent carriers from putting ESPN and ESPN2 into a separate sports package — typically, they have to be included with other Disney channels. The company isn’t directly accusing Verizon of going rogue, but a Recode source claims that the telecom didn’t ask for permission. While Verizon tells the Wall Street Journal that it crafted the packages to avoid trouble, the insider says that the provider believed its existing deals would let it test these smaller bundles without a conflict. Clearly, ESPN would beg to differ.
We’ve reached out to Verizon for its response to the allegations, and we’ll let you know if it has more to add. Whatever the scoop may be, it’s safe to say that Disney will fight hard to put ESPN in the base package. ESPN got its dominance in part because it’s ubiquitous in TV bundles — Verizon is treating it more as a specialty station. As much as you might want to pay solely for the channels you’ll actually watch, it’s doubtful that Disney will willingly sacrifice this cash cow in the name of convenience.
[Image credit: Elsa/Getty Images]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Verizon
Via: The Verge
Source: Recode, Wall Street Journal
Amazon Fire TV now shows on-screen info about movies and TV shows
Amazon has added its X-Ray feature to both Fire TV and Fire TV Stick to provide owners quick on-screen information about movies and TV shows.
The feature, which was previously available on Amazon’s Kindle tablets, will be added to the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick via a software update that starts rolling out today.
Hulu’s GIF library offers visuals for your reaction tweets
Websites like Giphy and others are useful for supplying a GIF to get your point across. Hulu is looking to help too, so long as your thoughts/feelings/hot takes can be summed up with an image from one of the TV shows streamed there. The company launched it’s own repository, which is appropriately housed on Tumblr, allowing you to search for specific shows, actions and reactions to find the perfect moving picture for your needs. Heck, there are even gems like this one from Star Trek: The Original Series.
Source: Hulu (Tumblr)
SyFy picks up a ‘Nerdist News’ TV pilot
One day, TV will be all nerdy, all the time. Until then, Nerdist News is putting together a 30-minute pilot for SyFy, featuring its own brand of off-beat current events and silly gags. The Nerdist News TV show will air once a week, executive produced by Nerdist Industries CEO and @midnight host Chris Hardwick, alongside Talking Dead executive producer Brandon Monk. Nerdist News host Jessica Chobot announced the new initiative in a video, noting that the online version of the show isn’t going anywhere. “We can’t tell you too much more right now because there’s a lot of dark magic that needs to happen before it can get to your TVs and we have no idea of when it even would,” she says. Eagle-eyed observers will spot a familiar face covered by a Project Morpheus headset around 0:47 into the announcement video. (Hi, Joseph!)
Filed under: Misc, Gaming, Science, Alt
Source: Nerdist News
AMC’s channels come to PlayStation Vue
If you were intrigued by PlayStation Vue as a substitute for cable TV but refused to sign up until you could watch The Walking Dead, it’s time to hop aboard. Sony has added AMC Networks to Vue’s channel roster, giving you AMC proper as well as IFC, Sundance and WEtv. Be prepared to pony up if you just have to catch Portlandia, though — while you’ll get AMC and WEtv in the base Access package, IFC and Sundance are only available if you’ve subscribed to Core or Elite. This certainly isn’t the best deal if you care about AMC or IFC above all else (Sling TV offers it as part of its $20 bundle), but it’ll make Vue a better value for your cord-cutting dollar.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony
Source: PlayStation Blog
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