Weekly Rewind
DirecTV Now updates: AT&T is planning to add cloud DVR service to DirecTV Now, addressing the streaming bundle’s biggest outstanding problem. An invite-only beta is coming this summer, followed by general availability this fall, though it’s unclear what the service will cost or how it’ll work.
AT&T says cloud DVR is part of a broader TV service overhaul that it’s also bringing to DirecTV satellite customers. The plan is to offer a consistent interface across all devices, along with new features like parental controls, user profiles, video downloads, and 4K HDR video. Insert your comments about the power of a competitive TV market here.
Emby DVR review: If you have an HDHomeRun networked TV tuner and a PC to spare, you may want to check out my review of Emby DVR over at TechHive. Similar to Plex, Emby is a media server program you can run on a computer or NAS box, which allows you to stream video onto Emby’s client apps on various other devices. Add Emby’s Premiere service (at $5 per month, $50 per year, or $100 per life), and the server becomes a whole-home DVR, using HDHomeRun to pick up broadcast channels.
Although I hadn’t originally considered Emby in my over-the-air DVR roundup, I was impressed with its features and device support. The main downside is that you have to supply your own guide data–a separate $25 per year SchedulesDirect subscription being the easiest way to do that–and Emby’s client apps aren’t quite as polished as rival Plex’s offerings. Still, I’m happy to see that tech-savvy users have another fine option for making the most of an antenna.
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