Posted Wed Apr 8, 2015 at 08:50 AM PDT by Brian Hoss
MS also expanding Digital TV Tuner support to 11 more European countries.
Last October, Microsoft unleashed their Xbox One Digital TV Tuner on a select group of European countries. While that group is now expanding, it has seemed like North American customers would be left out in the cold. Fortunately, that's not the case. Today, Microsoft has revealed a new partnership with Hauppauge, through which Xbox One preview members can get over-the-air TV through their Xbox Ones.
As of today, Xbox One preview members in the US and Canada can purchase a Hauppauge WinTV-955Q ($79.99 from Amazon) for use with the Xbox One. (Requires an HDTC antenna as well.) Microsoft has promised that later this year, a compatible lower cost ($59.99) version will be released.
Assuming that users can pick up any channels (which can be checked here), here are the benefits:
Watch Over-the-Air TV on Xbox One: With the supported TV tuner and antenna, you can watch free, over-the-air television channels available in your area without changing TV inputs. TV interweaves itself seamlessly with your gaming experience on Xbox One, enabling you to watch TV while you wait for a multiplayer match to start or even receive game invitations and notifications while watching your favorite show.
OneGuide for TV Listings across Sources: OneGuide provides a full-screen view of all of your TV listings. In addition, MiniGuide allows you to quickly browse the TV listings and see the latest Tweets about the show you’re watching in the U.S. You can use your Xbox One Controller or the Xbox One Media Remote to navigate the OneGuide and MiniGuide.
TV Viewing in Snap: Snapping TV allows you to watch TV on the right side of your screen and leave the main screen for games, Skype or other applications.
Pause Live TV: Need to take a break? Pause whatever you’re watching and Xbox will cache for up to 30 minutes so you can catch up when you get back.
Favorite Channels: Easily build your own customized OneGuide by marking channels as “favorites,” so that you can easily see what’s on the channels you care about and tune-in.
Changing Channels by Voice with Kinect: The OneGuide allows you to set up and call out your favorite TV channel by name and start watching it instantly. Simply say “Xbox, watch NBC,” to quickly switch between channels.*
Stream Over-the-Air TV to Xbox One SmartGlass: Now you have access to your full OneGuide in the Xbox One SmartGlass app with the ability to tune channels on your TV and stream TV within your home from your Xbox One to one or more of your devices. Xbox One SmartGlass is available on Windows, Windows Phone, iOS and Android.
Meanwhile, the European focused Xbox One Digital TV Tuner supprt is expanding to 11 more European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland. These new countries join Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom as Xbox One Digital TV Tuner capable. While support starts today, the availability of the add-on module will trickle down through those areas through the rest of 2015.
Source: Xbox Wire
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