It's been almost a year since D-Link introduced us to the Boxee Box. While we certainly enjoyed this uniquely shaped set-top box (see our Boxee Box by D-Link Review), it's certainly got competition. Now, the company has announced a $49 accessory that could inject a little life into the device.
Boxee just announced Live TV dongle for the Boxee Box. This little add-on allows users to connect an over-the-air antenna to the Boxee Box, and score TV channels like ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC -- all in HD and with no monthly fee. That means that you can still have Netflix, VUDU, Pandora, web access, and more, but get a little free TV time in there as well.
"There is a better way for you to get TV... and we think Boxee with Live TV can deliver that promise," said Avner Ronen, Boxee's CEO and co-founder. "We want Boxee to be your alternative to Cable TV."
Besides news, sports, and the occasional reality TV show, the Boxee Live TV also boasts HD-quality OTA programming and personalized TV viewing with show recommendations from friends and other Boxee Box users.
So yes, this could actually be the thing to get you to cut the cord on pay TV. Now, if only they could add a DVR! Boxee doesn't seem to rule that out entirely, saying they would need to see if people are interested in that option. "If we get enough users asking for DVR then we could take advantage of that other USB input on the back of the box and let a user connect a drive for recordings," Ronen said.
At launch, Boxee Live TV will be compatible with Boxee Box devices in the U.S. and Canada. However, the company does seem to have plans to branch out in the future. For a sneak peek at channels you'll receive with the Boxee Live TV, check out AntennaWeb.org, click on "Choose an Antenna," and fill in the appropriate fields.
Boxee is currently taking pre-orders on the Live TV stick for $49. The dongle is expected to ship sometime in January 2012.
For More Information:
Other OTA Options:
