SiliconDust, makers of the HDHomeRun line of network tuners, has recently announced that it is certifying its network CableCARD tuner, the HDHomeRun Prime, as a DLNA Digital Media Server. In layperson’s terms, this means that the three-tuner HDHomeRunPrime will soon be capable of delivering digital cable television to many devices around your home—not just to your Media Center PC.
In a press release this week, SiliconDust reports that a downloadable upgrade, available later this month, will allow HDHomeRun Prime owners to browse and play live TV channel content on DLNA-capable networked devices. The HDHomeRun Prime will just show up as another source on DLNA-certified Players and Renderers and on UPnP devices in your home.
This update is part of a much larger initiative SiliconDust is undertaking, called Project:Connect. The ambitious goal of this project, according to the company’s president and CEO, is to bring “live TV access [to] every screen in the home.”
Today, the HDHomeRun Prime can only stream a digital cable signal to a Windows Media Center PC, Media Center Extender, or a handful of other DVR programs and players, including Elgato’s dedicated (and arguably overpriced) iPad app. And you can only view protected premium content on the Media Center platforms.
“So what about protected content flagged as Copy Once?” you ask. Good question. Streaming protected content from the Prime will require a player capable of supporting DTCP-IP (read: DRM). The good news is that the PS3 can do this! The bad news is that you likely won’t be able to watch shows from premium channels on most other devices…for now. SiliconDust plans to lead the way for support on “Smart TV’s [sic], Network Connected Media Devices, Game Consoles, Smart Phones, and Tablets,” and the company intends to announce new live TV devices at CES in January.
Press release: SiliconDust, Inc.
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Whoah! This paints a future of digital cable DVR that doesn’t totally rely on Media Center!
The opportunity here is significant. Set top box manufacturers could look at this as an opportunity to incorporate DVR functionality now without having to include CableCARD hardware. Hey, Boxee, are you listening?
I don’t see the reason to join the beta for me but this is a good step in the right direction.
[…] month, we covered SiliconDust’s announcement about what they’re calling Project:Connect to deliver premium cable content to DLNA devices […]
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