VOOM Launches HDTV Networked DVR

[Gregg Lengling]

Satellite HDTV provider VOOM, launched with great fanfare last fall, announced its new "Whole-House" digital video recorder and tuner. The DVR hardware, manufactured by Motorola, uses software written by Ucentric (//www.ucentric.com) of Maynard, MA. VOOM's DVR has four tuners, and delivers HD content from the company's satellite HDTV service.


The Whole-House DVR uses coax cable as its underlying network transport, with small set-top boxes that can attach to different TVs in the house. Since the DVR has four built-in tuners, you could have three TVs displaying different content while recording another show. One of the key attributes is the ability to shift your TV viewing from one room to another with a single button click.


The VOOM product also acts as a thin client for a PC, allowing it to serve up digital music and JPEG picture files to your TV. However, the TV cannot act directly as a VOOM client, other than allowing for analog video input from the VOOM system, which would then be at standard definition resolutions. Recorded content may be viewed on any TV that has a VOOM media adapter. The DVR is capable of recording both standard definition and HD signals.


The VOOM service itself delivers 30-plus channels of high definition TV. Additionally, local channels (including standard definition channels) are delivered over terrestrial signals via a VOOM supplied and installed antenna. Currently, the company is in negotiations with a variety of content providers to add both new HDTV and standard definition signals to the service.


The VOOM DVR is slated to roll out in mid-2004. Pricing has not been set.