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SONY DOES HD DIRECTV (TIMES FIVE!)
...and other developments at satellite TV convention 7/19/2000
By David J. Elrich
July 19, 2000 -- Sony is at the head of the satellite pack (for now), courtesy of five new DirecTV receivers unveiled today at the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA) convention in Las Vegas. Also at the convention, EchoStar provided details of the combination satellite receiver and DVD player it announced in January, and Wink Communications signed two major manufacturers as licensees.
The highlight of today's SBCA announcements is the much-anticipated Sony SAT-HD100, a set-top box capable of receiving high-definition DirecTV signals. Due in November, it is expected to sell for around $700.
Sony claims the DirecTV Plus SAT-HD100 is "ideally suited for virtually all 1080i-capable televisions," a none-too-subtle dig at RCA's DTC-100, which is ideally suited for only RCA TVs.
Sony's unit has an output select button that lets you choose among 480i composite, VHF/UHF, 480i component, 1080i component and 1080i VGA signals. Unlike other satellite receivers, it has a fluorescent front panel display with a clock and readout of the channel name, number and output terminal designation (1080i and 480i). When audio-only channels are chosen, the name of the artist and song appears on the front panel. This is big advance, and hopefully other manufacturers will follow along.
In June, RCA unveiled a satellite receiver featuring the Ultimate TV service from Microsoft. The unit is a combination PVR, WebTV and DirecTV box. Sony now adds its name to the list of Ultimate supporters with the SAT-W60, due this Fall, selling for around $450.
The Sony box can record up to 30 hours of programs on its internal hard drive. In fact, it lets you record two programs at the same time. It lets you pause live TV for up to 30 minutes or more, and screen your own instant replays. Once you subscribe to the Ultimate TV service, you have Internet access, just as with a WebTV box; you can email and surf to your heart's content. You can also play along with the weekly 500 hours of interactive TV programming.
The SAT-T60 from Sony combines a DirecTV receiver with TiVo PVR capabilities.
Also new from Sony is the SAT-T60, a combination Dolby Digital-capable DirecTV Plus receiver and TiVo box (due late fall, selling for around $400). This unit also has a built-in hard drive capable of recording for 30 hours, and, as with other PVRs, you can pause live TV and do all sorts of other tricks. Both the TiVo service and Microsoft's Ultimate TV require subscriptions. Click here to see what TiVo can do for you.
Since Sony Wega TVs are so popular, the company decided to release a pair of silvery-finished DirecTV receivers that match the cabinets of the hot-selling sets. The SAT-A60 and SAT-B60 are Wink interactive TV-enabled. RCA also has a Wink-enabled satellite receiver, but none of them do any good since DirecTV isn't transmitting Wink signals! According to Wink, the system is still in beta testing and will go live in August/September.
Both of these new receivers carry the DirecTV Plus designation, which means they can receive signals from multiple satellites. This is a must if you want to watch DirecTV Para Todas Spanish-language programming and local programs in certain cities.
The SAT-A60 ($300 list, due fall) is Dolby Digital-ready, comes with two remotes (simplified and RF with joystick control), and an onscreen Caller ID display which makes your last 25 incoming calls available.It is VCR-friendly, offers auto title insert and is Sony SmartFile VCR compatible. The SAT-B60 ($200 list, due fall) only has one remote, has a more simplified Caller ID display and it too is VCR friendly.
More Wink News
Wink Communications and Philips today announced a multi-year agreement to integrate Wink's Enhanced Broadcasting technology into DirecTV System receivers sold by Philips, due to arrive later this summer.
Beginning late this year, satellite TV receivers from Samsung will also include Wink. As soon as more details are available on these units, we'll pass them along.
EchoStar marries DVD player, satellite receiver
Also at the show, EchoStar demonstrated the world's first combination satellite television receiver and DVD player. The DISH DVD Model 5422 receiver with a DISH 500 system will be available for $399 list during late summer. Dolby Digital output will give you surround sound from DVDs and select Dish Network shows. It comes with a four-device remote which controls the satellite TV receiver and DVD player, a TV and two other components.
The DISH DVD system comes with a DISH 500 antenna, which receives signals from two different satellite positions that provide hundreds of DISH Network channels. They include local network affiliates from 30 U.S. cities, foreign language programming, DISH Latino, premium movie packages and DISH-On-Demand pay-per-view channels.
EchoStar also announced that effective Aug. 1, 2000, DISH Network is reducing the retail price of its Model 2712 DISH 500 satellite television system from $169 to $99 list, making the Model 2712 the most affordable complete satellite television system on the market, according to the company.
The Model 2712 is a DISH 500 system with two single Low Noise Block Amplifier (LNB) units. Equipped with dual amplifiers, it's designed to receive signals from two satellites at the same time, offering more channel selections without requiring additional equipment.
This multi-satellite capability is one of the biggest hardware trends coming out of the SBCA show. If you are shopping for a new system, choosing a DirecTV Plus or Dish 500 package with a larger antenna is one way to ensure you're almost future proof. Note that for Dish HDTV, you'll need an additional dish specifically pointed at the bird beaming high-def signals. |
