Monsoon has released another HAVA variant – the HAVA Titanium HD. It seems to be an updated version of the HAVA Platinum HD, with the addition of USB ports. They also bundle a USB 802.11g WiFi adapter with the unit – which seems kind of a waste for those who don’t need WiFi. I think they should sell the adapter separately so those who don’t need it can save a few bucks. It also obsoletes the HAVA Wireless HD, which is basically a HAVA Platinum HD with built-in 11g WiFi.
The advantage to the Titanium is the two USB ports which can be used for 11g today, but they’re also talking about offering an 11n dongle in the future. (I’ve said before that decoupling WiFi, as TiVo and Sling have done, makes sense because of evolving standards.) And they’re also saying they’ll be offering a USB hard drive add-on in the future that will allow users to turn the HAVA Titanium HD into a standalone DVR. Right now you can record on a Windows PC using the HAVA as a network tuner. And we may see a USB TV tuner to allow the unit to directly tune (and record) OTA TV. (Since the unit only has two USB 2.0 ports, either you’re going to need a USB hub or decide which two devices you want – WiFi, drive, or tuner – if they release all of these.)
This does look like an improvement over their existing products, but it still has the major limitation HAVA has always had – it only works with Windows. You need a Windows PC or a Windows Mobile device – no Macs, no Palm OS, no Symbian, etc. Those users still have Sling Media of course.
Here’s the press release:
Nov 7, 2007 08:00 ET
Monsoon Multimedia Announces HAVA Titanium HD
HAVA Titanium HD with Unique USB Modular Design Allows PC and Mobile Phone Users to Wirelessly View and Control Live and Recorded Home TV from Anywhere
SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ — Monsoon Multimedia, an innovative digital video solutions provider, today announced the HAVA Titanium HD, a full featured wireless video streaming, place- and time-shifting device with USB ports for added functionality and future upgrades. The HAVA Titanium HD can be used to view and control live home TV from anywhere in the world on a broadband-connected PC, Windows Mobile phone or handheld computer.
The HAVA Titanium HD includes a wireless 802.11g USB dongle that connects to one of two available USB ports allowing users to incorporate the HAVA Titanium HD into any home or office wireless network. The HAVA Titanium HD wireless setup is fast, easy, and eliminates the need to run Ethernet cables, or purchase costly HomePlug or PowerLine adapters required for Wired Ethernet (802.3) 10/100 interface networks.
In the near future, HAVA users will have additional USB peripheral support such as an 802.11n dongle that will offer superior wireless bandwidth and range for streaming HD video around the home. Additionally, users will be able to connect an external hard disk creating a standalone PVR, and record favorite TV shows without requiring a PC running on the network. Other USB peripherals will include a USB hybrid digital TV tuner, which will enable users to watch digital and analog free off-the-air TV channels. HAVA, combined with these and other USB peripherals, will continue to provide tremendous value to the HAVA user TV experience.
Monsoon continues to integrate unsurpassed technology into the HAVA Titanium HD from companies like ViXs Systems and Intel Corporation which propel HAVA’s very high video quality and support for multiple USB devices into new consumer TV solutions.
The HAVA Titanium HD features Monsoon’s vBooster technology which provides superior picture quality and enables multicast video allowing an unlimited(1) number of PCs connected to a home network to view video content while simultaneously transmitting video to a broadband-connected PC or mobile phone anywhere in the world. vBooster allows the MPEG-2 local streams to bypass the router, effectively doubling the available bandwidth, while keeping the PC connected to the router for non-video traffic. The included HAVA Player software features a wide range of familiar virtual remote control designs allowing users to change channels and control other features of their video source such a DVR, as if they were sitting at home.
“We created a best of breed video streaming, place- and time-shifting device that allows customers once again to do more with their home television,” said Colin Stiles EVP, Sales and Marketing at Monsoon. “The HAVA Titanium’s modular design allows it to evolve with changing WiFi standards and expand functionality by attaching specific USB peripherals, allowing customers to feel confident that their purchase will not become outdated in the ever changing digital home.”
The HAVA Titanium HD enables the PC to operate with TiVO-like functionality. Customers can pause, fast forward, rewind and record live TV to the PC hard disk, then burn the recorded content to DVD for archiving purposes. The HAVA Titanium HD also serves as a Network TV Tuner for Media Center PCs on the home network (no need for a TV tuner and physical TV source in those PCs, to deliver all the powerful TV features of Microsoft Media Center.)
Monsoon HAVA Titanium Features:
— Includes wireless 802.11g USB dongle
— Two USB ports for added functionality and future upgrades
— Stream Live TV — to multiple PCs simultaneously (Multicast)
— Component Input and support for HD video source (1080i, 720p,
480p/576p) played back in the native 16:9 aspect ratio on the client
display — “HD capable”
— Supports Windows Vista
— Network TV Tuner for Microsoft Media Center PCs on home network
— Connects to any TV source such as Cable, Satellite, DVD, TiVo or a
Camcorder
— Enables TiVo-like functionality on the PC. Users can record, store,
pause, rewind and fast forward stored video
— All inputs include a pass-through connector, eliminating the use of
splitters when connecting HAVA to home video equipment
— Streams video at an average of 6-8Mbps directly to PCs in home network
in MPEG-2 full D1 resolution, at 720 x 480 pixels
— Streams MPEG-2 format over the home network, MPEG-4 format over the
Internet
— Schedule and record programs for later viewing
— Allows burning of stored material to DVD
— Support for Windows Mobile 5.0, 6.0 cell phones and PDA’s
Pricing and Availability
The Monsoon Multimedia HAVA product line, including the HAVA Titanium HD, is available directly through Monsoon’s e-tailing division at http://www.myhava.com/. The Monsoon Multimedia HAVA Titanium HD is available through select retailers and etailers nationwide.
About Monsoon Multimedia
Monsoon Multimedia provides advanced, standards based multimedia products and technologies for the PC and Consumer Electronics industries. Monsoon licenses highly optimized multimedia solutions compromised of applications, drivers, frameworks, middleware and reference designs. Our customers and partners are retailers, semiconductor companies, PC manufacturers, software suppliers and consumer electronics companies. Founded by the founders of Dazzle and Emuzed, the company is headquartered in Noida, India with offices in California and Russia. For more information, please visit http://www.monsoonmultimedia.com/.
(1) The number of PCs is based on available network bandwidth
Media Contact:
Anders Steele
FortyThree, Inc.
831.239.0960
anders@fortythreepr.com
Source: Monsoon Multimedia
Contact: media, Anders Steele of FortyThree, Inc., +1-831-239-0960,
anders@fortythreepr.com
Web site: http://www.monsoonmultimedia.com/
http://www.myhava.com/
