Simple.TV Debuts 2.0 Set-Top Box, Competes With Aereo
Simple.TV has released the second version of its set-top box, with a different design and a few new features. Simple.TV is similar to Aereo in that it lets people record broadcast television and then watch it when convenient on multiple screens. But, where Aereo is a cloud service, Simple.TV takes a hardware approach.
The Simple.TV 2.0 box is created by SiliconDust, and is now black and square, rather than white and curvy. The biggest change is that the box includes two TV tuners, so subscribers can watch one show while recording another.
This new box includes some of the same limitations as the first, however, such a the need for the buyer to provide his or her own digital antenna and external storage. The device doesn't have either, and both are required to capture and store programs.
SimpleTV 2.0 sells for $249.99, but premiere service is almost essential. With the free service, buyers can record, watch, and pause live TV, plus stream within the home. Premiere service ($59.99 per year or $149.99 for the life of the device) adds the ability to schedule recordings, stream online, and stream to five viewers at once.
With Aereo rapidly adding new cities and offering simpler and cheaper startup, Simple.TV will need to fight to build an audience. We hope to have a hands-on review of Simple.TV 2.0 soon.
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