Tag Archives: HDMI

The Skreens app puts all of your HDMI signals on one display

Posted on by Leave a comment

photo: Engadget

Skreens utilizes a hardware component, shown above, that sits between the HDMI devices and the monitor and an associated mobile app that controls how the inputs are displayed. Users can resize, reorder and rearrange the incoming signals as they see fit — even run a single input in fullscreen with the other inputs overlayed semi-transparently. Similarly, users can pick and choose which audio input they want to pay attention to. – Andrew Tarantola, Engadget

PS4 And Xbox One: Netflix 4K Streaming Movie Videos Require An XBone Or PlayStation 4 Update In 2016

Posted on by Leave a comment

photo: Netflix, Inquisitr

Both consoles currently support the HDMI 1.4a standard fully, which does, in fact, support the Ultra HD or 4K resolution. The bad news is that the max data rate provided by HDMI 1.4a is limited to 30 Hz, which means that 4K 60 Hz TV owners are left out in the cold. At the same time, North American movies are displayed in 24 Hz, so a 4K 30 Hz limitation is not necessarily a deal killer. In addition, it may be possible that a PS4 and Xbox One update could provide a HDMI 2.0a software update, which offers 4K 60 Hz support (or 2160p60) and deeper color space among other features. – Patrick Frye, The Inquisitr

The best HDMI operating system sticks

Posted on by Leave a comment

MK903V TV stick: The real selling point in the MK903V is its 1.8GHz Rockchip RK3288 quad-core CPU, ARM Cortex-A17, quad-core processor. It ups the video ante with its ARM Mali-T764 graphics and 4K video output. It also comes with a wireless remote control. For its operating system it uses Android 4.4 KitKat software.

Rikomagic V5 TV stick: It uses a 1.8GHz Rockchip RK3288 quad-core processor and comes with 2GB of RAM and 8GB to 16GB of built-in storage. That’s nice. But, what makes it special is that it supports Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11ac Wi-Fi as well as the usual 802.11b/g/n. […] In addition, the Rikomagic V5 isn’t limited to Android. While you can put a desktop Linux on any HDMI stick with work, this one comes with an edition that includes Android 4.4 KitKat installed and another unit with Ubuntu 14.04. – Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, ZDNet 

(Full Story:http://ift.tt/1MTkkhi)

Google’s Chromebit Turns Any TV Into a Chrome PC for Under $100

Posted on by Leave a comment

Google just introduced a whole new kind of Chrome OS computer—a dongle that plugs into any HDMI-equipped display. It’s called a Google Chromebit, and it isn’t your run-of-the-mill streaming stick. For under $100, you’re looking at a full computer that plugs right into your TV. […] In addition to your Rockchip RK3288 (with quad-core Mali 760 graphics) you get 2GB of RAM, 16GB of solid state storage, 2×2 dual-band 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a single full-size USB 2.0 port on one end. It won’t be the most powerful PC you could plug into a TV, but it shouldn’t be too bad for the browser-based OS. Google also expects it to make quite a splash with small businesses and third-world countries due to price and easy manageability. – Sean Hollister, Gizmodo

Livestream wants to democratize live broadcasting and is offering this little box to do it

Posted on by Leave a comment

The Mini’s HDMI input supports video up to 1080i, which it can then encode on the fly in H.264/AAC at up to 1080p at 4Mbps. You can then use the box’s built-in 802.11n dual-band wireless (2.4Ghz or 5Ghz) to send your video to Livestream’s viewing platform that can be watched on any device from smartphones to computers to a Roku box. – Joshua Goldman, CNET
(Full Story: http://ift.tt/1ByttFe )

MobiTV Connect is Next-Level Streaming Stick

Posted on by Leave a comment

Think of MobiTV as a beefed-up Chromecast. In addition to being able to stream content from apps such as Netflix and Crackle, the MobiTV Connect also offers access to live programming (with a subscription) and network DVR functions. This means you could potentially record TV shows on your streaming stick. The company is still working out the details with the DVR function, as there are many copyright regulations involved. […] I was also impressed that you can install any Android game on the MobiTV Connect to play on the big screen, turning it into a nifty little console. Using the Connect gaming app, you can download any game on the Play store and install it on the dongle, which has 2GB of storage dedicated to games. The app then turns your smartphone into a controller for that game. – Cherlynn Low, Tom’s Guide 
(Full Story: http://ift.tt/1wzRDsP )

MobiTV’s Streaming Stick Pops Up

Posted on by Leave a comment
Hat tip to tech blogger [Dave Zatz,Zatz Not Funny] for spotting the coming MobiTV “Connect” HDMI streaming stick as it passed through the FCC for testing. […] Connect will debut sometime in the first half of 2015, with an expectation that partners will use the device in tandem with MobiTV’s platform to deliver a curated array of live TV channels, as well as on-demand video, music and games. That makes it sound like the device could end up fueling a new set of so-called “virtual” MVPD offerings that could be delivered over-the-top. – Jeff Baumgartner,Multichannel News
(Full Story: http://ift.tt/1xUDxau )

Tiny streaming sticks are striking it big, but should you really go small?

Posted on by Leave a comment

[Pro] Tiny size, light weight: Streaming sticks are about the size and weight of a big pack of gum. With such a negligible footprint, they easily fit in your pocket, and go unnoticed in a backpack or suitcase. As such, you can take one anywhere, anytime, whether it’s to a buddy’s place, the office, or a hotel. Sure you can haul around a set-top box, but then you’ll have to bring its power supply and a bulky HDMI cable, too.
[Con] Slower: Simply put, streaming sticks can’t house as much horsepower, due in part to their smaller size. Though the Amazon Fire TV Stick raises the bar for HDMI dongle hardware, it’s still half the hotrod the Fire TV set-top box is. As such, The Fire TV Stick, like the Roku Streaming stick, will be a little slower to navigate and load videos compared to its full-fledged set-top counterpart. – Caleb Denison,Digital Trends 
(Full Story: http://ift.tt/1wFioht )

MobiTV’s Streaming Stick Takes on Chromecast

Posted on by Leave a comment

MobiTV is a cloud-based media platform that powers such apps as Sprint TV and T-Mobile TV. Now the company is making an HDMI streaming stick that will put a vast library of media at your fingertips. […] The MobiTV will have access to a larger variety of titles from the get go than Chromecast did. And the new streaming stick will support third-party titles such as Netflix, YouTube and Hulu, just like the Chromecast. Not only that, MobiTV will give you access to live TV channels via its library. For full access to all these channels, you will likely need to pay a monthly subscription to your wireless provider. A lot of these nitty gritty details are still being ironed out by the MobiTV team. – Cherlynn Low,Tom’s Guide  
(Full Story: http://ift.tt/1svc8Yx )

Rocki plans to “revolutionize” music streaming with new products – CNET

Posted on by Leave a comment

The ROCKI Play is a $40 (about £30 or AU$53, converted) streaming audio player that connects to existing speakers and debuted, and managed to score funding on Kickstarter in late 2013. […] In the coming months the company plans to release a follow-up product, the Rocki Play+, which adds HDMI and optical outputs which would enable audiophiles to connect their own digital analog converters (DACs). – Ty Pendlebury, CNET http://ift.tt/1lT1gk0