Sony PC/DVR Incorporates 7 Tuners & 1TB HD
GFD writes "TechJapan has an article on the 'Type X' Viao PC/DVR that will have 1TB and 7 tuners - allowing the recording of 7 shows at the same time. It also has a very cool look."
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But they're all analog... you can optionally buy a single digital tuner. But, really... why? How is someone ever going to find seven shows they want to watch at once in general, little yet if they're limited to the analog band?
And, obviously, no HD capabilities either.
Philip Sandifer's academic website
Sony held a meeting in Tokyo on the 10th to present their new "VAIO" products. Among them was the "type X," a HD recorder on a PC base.
The device features 7 above ground analog TV tuners, as well as more than 1TB of HD space, and a maximum of 7 channels can be recorded at the same time. one can store about one week's worth of programming from seven different channels, and Sony has said that it is "to keep in touch with past and present programs like a time machine, one can choose their favorite program and watch it."
Sony plans on releasing the machine before the end of 2004, and since it is currently under planning/development, concrete specifications have not yet been finalized.
The device has been placed in the "next generation recorder with a PC base" category, and unifies AV and PC functions. It can also be used as a normal PC with a wireless keyboard/mouse and remote controller. Also, using the D4 output, it can output to flat panel TVs such as the "Wega" series.
Furthermore, Sony also plans on selling an optional terrestrial/BS/110 CS digital tuner. There is currently no PC supporting digital transmissions besides NEC's "VALUESTAR TX/TZ." The VALUESTAR also has limitations such as only being able to output up to 480p, so much attention is being paid to what the type X will support, since the current specifications are not final.
At the announcement event, there was also a demonstration from Sony's IT & Mobile Solutions Network Company NC President, Keiji Kimura, involving the type X and a portable video player currently in development. He introduced the company's next generation AV concept by wirelessly outputting video to a Wega from the video player, whose video data was transferred from the type X.
From May 14th until the 16, there will be reference models of the "type X" on display at Sony's Mediage in Odaiba, in the "Do VAIO World 2004" event.
I want to record Law and Order, Simpsons, South Park, and the Daily Show. However, if I try to setup a schedule to do this, I'll have conflicts left and right, because I can only record 2 streams right now. While 7 may be overboard, I can see a need for 4 streams today.
Some pictures for scaling purposes:
here
For those of you interested about the user interface:
Here& Here
More picture of "Type X":
Link
Link 2
Thing also seems to have a DVD-burner: Pictured Here
More links (in Japanese)
Watch Impress Japan