First and foremost thanks to everyone who came out to the Music Hall of Williamsburg Monday night – it was a great event and was fun to see so many users, partners, and press in person. We posted the details of the Beta Monday night, and if you haven’t done so yet, register on our pre-release list to get an invite to the Beta over the coming weeks.
So there’s been a lot of talk about the Boxee Box over the past 36 hours and we wanted to give you the “official” version.
It was designed by Astro Studios, the team who crafted designs for the Xbox 360, watches from Nike, Alienware PCs. It’s being built by D-Link, the leading networking company for homes & small businesses. Working with D-Link means that we’ll be able to design, build, and release a Boxee Box at a low cost to a ton of etail and retail outlets.
As the title indicates, this is step 1. Soon, every device in your living room will connect to the Internet, and we hope Boxee will be the software that runs on them. For now though, the Boxee Box is the easiest way to get Boxee onto that huge HDTV in your living room. Here’s how you can make that connection happen…
- HDMI – one inexpensive HDMI cable to connect The Boxee Box to your TV
- SPDIF – hi-definition digital audio that will pass through Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and DTS to your A/V Receiver
- Stereo Audio (RCA) – red & white cables from the 80′s, 90′s and today
- 2 x USB ports – add devices like external hard drives and more
- Wireless 802.11n & Wired Ethernet – Cords if you got ‘em, wireless if you don’t
- RF Remote Control – control playback from anywhere
And although the above pictures look really classy, they don’t give you an idea of the size of the box. Here’s a preliminary image to give you an idea of scale.
Rest assured the Boxee Box will fit into your entertainment center. If the look doesn’t quite fit with your decor, not to worry. The RF remote means you can place the box out of sight and still control it. Of course, the Boxee Box prefers being on top : )
We’ll reveal more about the Boxee Box by D-Link at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, but if you’d like to see a little more, check out the new page for the Box on our completely re-designed website.
– Andrew
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Congrats team boxee. Not only its a liberating feeling to get rid of the cable box, but frankly, it didn't fit into a modern day living room. Am just curious how this dedicated box from D-link would improve the experience over an existing mac-mini.
About the outputs… I really cannot understand where there is analog audio (RCA's) and S/PDIF but no other video than HDMI? How many people use HDMI for video but will opt to use the other audio outs? Extremely few, I would think, approaching zero. On the other hand, there are literally millions of people–in the U.S. alone–who do not yet have HDMI in their living room. What's up with that?
Also, another vote in preference of a flat square device like a Mac Mini, and eSATA or FW800! Sorry, but in the long run USB is still a joke compared to SATA or FW800. It works well when conditions are perfect, but fill up that drive and max out the streaming and you'll be wishing for eSATA or FW800.
Curious about why there is not a USB port on the front. SD is nice but it's not ubiquitous as is USB. And not all cameras use SD; there's CF, memory stick, etc…
Actually, I use hdmi for video, but use s/pdif for audio. And trust me, I know a lot of people doing that. It's simply because my surround sound receiver does not have hdmi inputs. (Even if it did, my video card doesn't support ac3 over hdmi anyway, it only does stereo)(and even if my video card did support it, I guess boxee box does in this case, my tv cannot pass through ac3) Basically, I am forced to use s/pdif to send ac3 to my receiver.
If you are trying to say "who would use hdmi for video, but composite for audio" I am sure there are lots of people who do it as well for various reasons like the ones I mentioned above.
Yea, I use HDMI and then SPDIF for audio. Kinda arrogant to say that nobody does it without any sort of facts etc. Not everyone routes their video through their audio receiver, or their audo through their tv…
Me too, HDMI for picture to the plasma and then SPDIF to my amp (which is non-HDMI) for 5.1 audio.
Mal what other Video outputs are you suggesting here?
DVI? – Can't really see someone who has a monitor (and then presumably an adjacent computer) needing a Boxee box.
VGA? Ditto the last comment.
S-Video/component? At the risk of sounding elitist I just don't think they're targeting the box at the type of person that owns a CRT, they simply wouldn't be interested in this kind of product. (i.e. most people would upgrade their screen before they'd consider spending money on something like this).
I do however agree that the box could use some more card-reader options, one of those 8 in 1 jobbies wouldn't go amiss. Also E-SATA would definitely be nice.
And yes a front mounted USB port (or two) wouldn't go amiss either but if I had to hazard a guess I'd imagine they thought it would spoil the styling, which I have to say I love.
Coupled with all that let's not forget that they're almost certainly trying to keep costs to a minimum.
Not sure how much they'll be but if it's less than $200 I'll definitely buy one.
Ok, I'm one of those people that still owns a CRT and have no interest in parting with a big wad of cash for a new HD set. Yet I am interested in the Boxee Box. We don't do TV but we do do internet video and other media. My old TV works just fine for our needs and it is unfortunate Boxee won't support our setup. Call me a dinosaur if you want.
Steve-
You're not alone. TV is not important enough in my house to shell out $1,000+, but yet I want the option of using this setup for my Internet video.
Call me dinosaur number two. Rawr!
Consider IR. RF won't work with universal remotes like my Harmony One (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/6441&cl=us,en)
BUMP!! Universal Remotes are not up to snuff with RF, please support IR as well so that we don't need yet ANOTHER remote.
Being up to snuff is exactly how I would describe IR.
Harmony makes RF remotes, RF is inarguably better than IR.
Don't listen to these people Boxee – go with the better protocol!
Yah HDMI only is a deal breaker for me and my no-HDMI Hi-Def set. I'll have to use a Mac Mini instead.
Converter cables abound for HDMI to component, DVI, VGA, etc.
All around $10.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.31741 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1501 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.31740
HDMI can pass lossless 5.1 audio as well as video (whereas SPDIF can only pass 5.1 as lossy DTS or Dolby Digital). Please allow Boxee to use the full capabilities of HDMI, thanks.
+1 why two cables when 1 will do?
I'll be at CES this year…. I don't suppose I'll be able to buy one there?
To those complaining about the shape….um guys…it's under 5 inches by 5 inches by 5 inches…tiny. Those complaining about component video and composite…. welcome to 2010.
That design is STUPID. Good luck selling that POS.
please say it has netflix.
SAY IT!!!
I would be glad to get the make and model of specific LCD flatscreens that have built-in WiFi?
Yo estaría agradecido de conseguir la marca y modelo específicos de pantallas planas LCD que se han incorporado WiFi?
Jag skulle bli glad att få märke och modell av särskilda LCD flatscreens som har inbyggd WiFi?
Thank you,
Tony
So no infrared for remotes? I like the idea of RF for hiding purposes but what about us folks who are comfortable with our logitech harmonys without RF extenders..
I'll gladly pay the extra 2 dollars in hardware to retain IR in addition to RF
Wow, what a lot of moaning! I think it looks like a great little box, maybe it isn't perfect for everyone, but hey, it's about the best thing released by anyone so far. Congrats!
http://www.coachoutletstoreonlineh.com
What a dumb-ass with the cut & paste for 2 days. Dude grow up & or get a life.