Microsoft announces digital TV tuner adapter for Xbox One

[Shawn Knight]

Microsoft on Thursday announced a new Xbox One accessory that'll allow users in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain to pick up channels using free-to-air DVB-T, DVB-T2, and DVB-C television standards.

The 29.99 EUR ($40) adapter, scheduled for launch in October, plugs into a USB port and acts as a digital TV tuner. It's being marketed as an alternative to accessing TV content from a cable or satellite set-top box typically connected via HDMI.

Content picked up from the TV tuner will be subject to many of the same capabilities that users already enjoy when connecting a cable or satellite set-top box to the console. For example, users will be able to watch TV in snap mode which allows you to still game while watching a show. I've seen some use this feature while waiting for a multiplayer match to begin.

Furthermore, users can pause live TV, access listings in the OneGuide, set favorite channels and even tune to channels using voice commands. Naturally, you'll need to have a Kinect installed for voice-enabled features.

Such an accessory looks to be a perfect fit for the console considering Microsoft's living room ambitions. No word yet on when or if the Redmond-based company plans to bring the tuner to other markets.

Would you have any interest in a digital TV tuner for your Xbox One? Let us know in the comments section below.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/57668-microsoft-announces-digital-tv-tuner-adapter-for-xbox-one.html

 

[cmbjive]

I'd be interested in one. I have rabbit ears on my set, but I never watch regular broadcasts because the picture still comes in grainy or pixelated.

I hope MS brings this here to the States.

 

[Scshadow]

I'd be interested in one. I have rabbit ears on my set, but I never watch regular broadcasts because the picture still comes in grainy or pixelated.

I hope MS brings this here to the States.

OTA is digital now. It shouldn't be possible to get grainy or pixelated. Either enough data gets through to form a frame or you get nothing at all. Are you sure its the broadcasts and not your hardware going bad?

Anyway, for an "all-in-one" media entertainment system, the XBONE should have had the ability to tune OTA DTV and it should be able to dvr it.

 

[Burty117]

Had MS installed this in the box itself at launch I would have taken it:

A) A lot more seriously as a multimedia center
B) Considered buying one
C) Overlooked the price

I've got a PS4 now, I'm still very happy with my decision, but man, Microsoft, Had the Kinect been an option from the get go, and this had been built in. I would of purchased this over a PS4...

 

[Wagan8r]

Had MS installed this in the box itself at launch I would have taken it:

A) A lot more seriously as a multimedia center
B) Considered buying one
C) Overlooked the price

I've got a PS4 now, I'm still very happy with my decision, but man, Microsoft, Had the Kinect been an option from the get go, and this had been built in. I would of purchased this over a PS4...

In all honesty, you should have seen this coming. I specifically bought my Xbox One because of its multimedia capabilities, both present and future. I wasn't thrilled with the lack of DVR for example, but I know that it will come at some point. Microsoft is perpetually updating the software on the console (duh, they're a software company). I'm also waiting until they move back to all of their original policies (game sharing, etc.) which got me, a PC gamer, excited about the One.

 

[treetops]

I use bunny ears on my set too and I really don't like the quality of a lot of the shows. Once you go HD its hard to go back. Fox news is always zoomed in idk why. Some commercials do the same thing. Then they have very low quality movies that are hard to look at. I was watching kung fu hussle the other day was like damn this quality, this movie was made in 2004 wth. But then there is KUTP, wich airs family guy and big bang flawlessly. Some channels only seem to air sub 480p content and others like fox have zooming issues. KUTP is always flawless. Maybe that's because it has the strongest signal. No I do not want to have to turn on my xbox one to watch tv.

 

[Burty117]

In all honesty, you should have seen this coming. I specifically bought my Xbox One because of its multimedia capabilities, both present and future. I wasn't thrilled with the lack of DVR for example, but I know that it will come at some point. Microsoft is perpetually updating the software on the console (duh, they're a software company). I'm also waiting until they move back to all of their original policies (game sharing, etc.) which got me, a PC gamer, excited about the One.

Why? They changed what the Xbox is about every 5 seconds, when they first introduced the Xbox One I genuinely thought it was just to watch TV with, but just happened to be able to play sports games.

Then they said I had to shout at the Xbox One to get it to do anything. Oh, and the price was going to be higher than the PS4's.

Now recently they've decided shouting at it wasn't as fun as they hoped and are now concentrating making play games. They've now brought the price down to PS4 level but it's still expensive considering.

With how much backlash Windows 8 got and Microsoft pretty much saying at the time of release "like it or lump it". I wasn't really holding my breath they were going to change the Xbox One.

I'm still glad I got a PS4, I really only got a next gen console for Destiny. To which the PS4 is the lead platform (I didn't know this at time of purchase mind you). But damn had Microsoft just been a little less stupid, I would at least have considered their console, as of right now, I still think it's too expensive and after owning a PS3 for the last 2 years I've gotta say, Sony can make some fine exclusives. I owned an Xbox 360 from launch until 2 years ago and although I enjoyed the console and games on it, I had to replace it twice and accessories like wireless and hard drives were very expensive bringing the overall console price up not to mention the box was quite big considering the power supply was separate.

 

[cmbjive]

OTA is digital now. It shouldn't be possible to get grainy or pixelated. Either enough data gets through to form a frame or you get nothing at all. Are you sure its the broadcasts and not your hardware going bad?

Anyway, for an "all-in-one" media entertainment system, the XBONE should have had the ability to tune OTA DTV and it should be able to dvr it.

With regards to your first point maybe I used the wrong words. "Digitized", as in the broadcast frequently freezes and skips, is probably a more correct word to use. And I readily accept that it is probably my equipment. After all, I am using rabbit ears to receive the signal.

With regards to your second point I absolutely agree: if XBONE is an "all-in-one computer entertainment system" it should have had a a built-in digital tuner. Better late than never, I suppose, though they should offer a trade-in of the Kinect for the tuner.