3View - Freeview HD Internet TV Box Explored

A look at the 3view box - the Internet-enabled Freeview HD hard-disc recorder that lets you watch streaming video on your TV.

What is the 3view Box?

Here are the headlines on what this powerful box can do:

• Watch and Record Freeview and Freeview HD channels
• Watch Sky content via the BBC iPlayer (soon) and Sky Player
• Watch online video content from YouTube
• Use Facebook and Twitter on-screen whilst watching TV
• Play back media (video, audio and photos) from connected USB devices
• 500GB hard-disc storage

Availability: This was originally set to launch in early May 2010, but latest we have is that this now won't be available until the end of August 2010. Price is expected to be £299. Details coming soon. Want an email when we have more details and a review on the 3view box? Sign up to our newsletter:

 

3view Box Overview

We got our first look at the confusingly-named 3view Freeview HD box at The Gadget Show Live in April 2010. The 3view box is a Freeview HD receiver plus a hard drive so you'll be able to watch and record Freeview standard definition and high definition programmes (as long as you're in a Freeview HD coverage area). The box supports the standard PVR functions such as pause and rewind of live TV.

In addition to Freeview content, the 3view box is able to access Internet content. It'll be possible to watch full-screen content from the Sky Player service as well as Youtube. BBC's iPlayer will be available shortly too, we understand.

Access to the online content is available via the on-screen electronic programme guide. When we saw this live for the first time, the interface did seem a little overly complex, but we're hoping to be able to review this in more detail when we can get hands-on with the 3view for a longer period of time.

The 3view on-screen guide

The 3view box does more than allow access to on-demand video content though, making use of the Internet connectivity to provide extra content using widgets. The 3view comes pre-loaded with widgets for Facebook and Twitter, so you can keep in touch with your chums on-screen while watching the TV (an optional keyboard is available). More widgets and content can be expected in due course.

3view also comes complete with half a terabyte of hard disc storage, enough space for hundreds of hours of recorded Freeview TV. In addition, 3view can also handle most common media file formats allowing playback of video, audio and images either from a device connected to one of the two USB sockets, or streamed over a home network using uPnP / DLNA.

YouTube on a 3view box

The 3view box has been developed in the UK and uses what's known as FineTune technology, for top Freeview HD reception. Apps including a home energy monitoring service are apparently in the pipeline, and the box supports something called zWave for future networking / home automation. The 3view box can be upgraded over broadband, there's potential for future services to be added.

All-in-all, a promising looking box, and one to watch.

 

3View Box Specification

• Twin Freeview HD tuners (DVB-T2 for Freeview HD)
• Supports 720p and 1080p HD
• Dimensions: 335 x 183 x 57mm
• 100Mbps Ethernet
• Video streaming (supports UPnP and DLNA)
• 2 x USB sockets
• Digital Audio (S/PDIF Out)

 

3view Box Connectors

On the back of the 3view box, you'll find the following sockets:

Rear View of the 3view Box

• RF aerial In
• RF Aerial Out
• 1 x HDMI
• 1 x SCART
• S/PDIF Audio
• RJ45 Ethernet
• 2 x USB

 

Alternatives to the 3view box? BT Vision offers a high-spec set-top box to subscribers of their TV service , and offers over 7200 TV shows on-demand, sport from ESPN, movies as well as catch-up TV from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five. More details at btvision.bt.com

 

Useful links:

• Freeview HD Boxes - Your options for HD on Freeview
• Freeview HD FAQ - Your Freeview HD questions answered
• Internet TV - More on IPTV in the UK
• BT Vision - On-demand TV over Broadband without subscription

Is this page correct? Something out-of-date or broken? Report a page error Please help us correct the problem and to keep the site up-to-date. If you're looking for help, please don't use this option - instead ask in our forum

Bookmark this page: Del.icio.us | Digg | StumbleUpon | Technorati | Facebook