Gizmodo
Months ago, we told you about a DirecTV prototype portable TV called the Sat-Go. Imagine our surprise when one of DirecTV's CES announcements today was a fleshed out Sat-Go system set to debut this spring. It still folds up like a briefcase and features a removable DirecTV tuner, a 17-inch LCD screen and a handful of inputs including component and composite AV and USB.
More DirecTV announcements after the jump.
The Sat-Go is designed for the information-hungry traveler and is fed by DirecTV's satellite signals. For $4.99 per month you can mirror your home subscription package to your Sat-Go, so prepare to go dish everywhere if you want your dish to go anywhere. In addition to current programming, DirecTV also announced plans to add 100 HD channels to their service by the end of 2007. Pricing details won't be available until closer to launch.
Comments
Does anyone know what happened to the MS/DTV XBOX 360 partnership?
The extra 100 HD channels, those aren't just the local HD channels rolling out to more locations, are they?
100 more HD channels? i think i need to go change my pants now.
This would be killer for catching the game at work!
Finally 1970's styling comes back to electronics
100 more HD channels can't be anything BUT a whole bunch of LiL (Local into Local) markets being added. They could add every HD channel 'broadcast' (via cable, satellite, terrestrial, etc) globally and it wouldn't add up to 100 channels. Of course it could always be like Voom's umpty-gazillion movie channels which were nothing more than the same movies with start time staggered by 30 minutes per channel (so 1 would be X, 2 would be x+30, 3 would be x+60, etc)
Actually, according to Engadget's coverage of the keynote, the two satellites launching this year will provide 1000 HD locals covering 94% of the US market, and 100 HD networks. The 100 channels refers to these networks, and includes everything you can think of, including Food Network and HGTV. AWESOME.
Maybe now they can stop compressing HD into HD-lite and SD into total crap.
Now they just need stations and studios to record HD content to put on those channels.
I'm all for this. An extra $4.99 for me to be able to watch DirecTV anywhere, including when I visit my parents who don't even have basic cable? Where can I sign up?
If only I could get this with DVR functionality built in. During the holiday season on the road, we so very much went into TiVo withdrawal. Especially when we didn't have queued up Teletubbies episodes to lull the baby to sleep with. Oh sweet TiVo how we love you. And with DirecTV it's so much goodness.
1k HD LiL channels *and* 100 HD networks? Hope they got beaucoup spotbeams on those new birds...
Speaking of... how's that going to work for the SatGo? The spotbeams many local channels are carried on don't exactly cover much area... go more than a few hundred miles and adios muchachos.
Yo, GizGuyz... someone wanna ask DirecTV reps the question? What happens if you live in Bumblefart, Texas and decide you wanna visit Grandma in Twin Moosenut Junction, Minnesota? Are you just SOL on network stations outside the spotbeam footprint? Of course, in fine CES tradition, the droids manning the DirecTV booth probably won't have or won't give an answer.
Definitely will suck if you get this thing to keep up with My Name Is Earl and can't watch more than 300 miles from home.
"Definitely will suck if you get this thing to keep up with My Name Is Earl and can't watch more than 300 miles from home."
No I'm sure this device can bend space and time and do this.
Bagelloxonionewwbreath why would you buy a mobile directv system,to watch Fox, which can be picked up with an over the air antenna from Radio Shack for 10 bucks.
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