Touch That Dial

by Jim Mikles
Winter 1997

DirecDuo
Suggested Retail Price: $899-$999
Hughes Network Systems
http://www.hns.com
(800) DIRECPC (347-3272)

DirecDuo Melds TV and Internet

Maximizing the speed, versatility and channel capacity of its digital satellites, Hughes Network Systems is introducing a combination satellite TV and high-speed Internet connection available through a single 21-inch satellite dish.

Called the DirecDuo, the system combines two of Hughes' popular consumer satellite communication products, the DirecPC and DirecTV satellite systems, into a single unit. DirecDuo promises the best of both worlds with more than 200 channels of programming capability (through both the DirecTV and USSB networks) and a satellite Internet connection that runs at speeds up to 400 Kbps.

The DirecDuo system is capable of supporting multiple set-top boxes for television viewing, say company officials, along with Turbo Internet access in a single PC. Both the TVs and PC can be located in different rooms and on separate floors.

For Hughes, the biggest challenge in developing the DirecDuo dish was designing a stationary antenna capable of receiving signals from two separate satellites, one for the DirecTV and USSB programming and one for the Turbo Internet connection.

"While DirecDuo is an amazing feat of engineering, the consumer will be unaware of the fact the dish points to different satellites," said Paul Gaske, a senior vice president at Hughes Network Systems. "For such a sophisticated piece of satellite hardware, the dish is surprisingly easy to install."

There are several configurations and price schemes for DirecDuo, depending on whether a person already has a Hughes system connected to the home.

HM-DSR100
Suggested retail price: $999.95
JVC
http://www.jvc-america.com
(800) 252-5722

JVC Unveils Another VCR Format

Just when you though it was safe to time-shift with your good old fashioned VHS tapes, JVC has teamed up with EchoStar to introduce D-VHS, a new digital bit stream recording format combined with a DiSH Network satellite receiver. The HM-DSR100 (as it is dubbed by JVC) is a D-VHS recorder and DiSH Network set-top box fused into a single unit, allowing for integrated installation and operation. JVC says users of the D-VHS will be able to record the high-resolution MPEG-2 digital signal sent from a DiSH Network satellite with no degradation in quality. The format offers high storage capacity, with the ability to record up to seven hours of broadcasts, or the equivalent of about three full-length movies, on a single cassette. The receiver includes a conventional cable-ready stereo tuner, and the deck is fully VHS compatible, so either D-VHS or standard VHS can be used for recording. However, only D-VHS cassettes can record and play back the actual digital bit stream of DiSH programming. The system comes with a full-function UHF/IR remote control. The ability to record the entire digital satellite bit stream allows the ability to display program information and other data during tape playback that was recorded during the original satellite transmission. JVC said it will also market a DF-300 D-VHS cassette to use for either digital or analog recording.

InstanTV
Suggested Retail Price: $149
AIMS Lab
http://www.aimslab.com (510) 661-2525

Bring Your TV to PC With InstanTV

Introducing a new spin on the PC/TV, the InstanTV by AIMS Lab is an external plug-in box that converts any PC monitor into a full-screen, high-quality, cable-ready, digital TV.

Featuring a 181-channel tuner and accessories that permit viewing and capturing video from any source--including cable, VCR, camcorder, DVD, S-video, or TV-based gaming systems--InstanTV is an affordable way to make a PC part of the home entertainment system.

A remote control operates the box and brings TV versatility to any PC running a 386 or better processor and a Windows operating system without cracking open the box.

Arcadia Home Monitor
Suggested retail price: $799 (27"), $999 (31")
Princeton Graphic Systems
http://www.prgr.com
(800) 747-6249

Ice The Cake With A High-End Monitor

One of the biggest complaints about homemade PC/TV is the poor resolution you get on your TV as opposed to a standard VGA computer monitor. Fret no more. Princeton Graphic Systems, a leading developer of high-resolution computer monitors, storms the home consumer PC/TV market with the Arcadia Home Monitor. Available in 27 and 31-inch versions, these high-resolution monitors are bred for convergence, mixing the brightness of television with the clarity of a computer monitor to allow you to surf the Net, watch TV on cable or DBS, play computer games, run DVD, or whatever, all from the living room couch.