Review of the Google TV Revue system from Logitech
Posted by Kathleen Maher on December 8th 2010 | Discuss
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Hardware Review
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The true blend that will combine all the content you want from the internet with all the content you want from your TV service is coming, it's almost here, you can almost have it, maybe.
Logitech sent us a Google Revue system and I managed to get the thing set up, but it has taken mom, dad, little Billy, and the guy across the street to figure it out. Here's a top line of my initial thoughts and experiences:
- I love being able to play Pandora through the AV amp while I'm cooking dinner.
- Looking at pictures on the TV is good, it's kind of too bad Google isn't playing really nice with FlickR, Facebook, and the other options, but maybe the Android development world will fix all that.
- I'm not such huge fan of YouTube that I really want to sit on the couch to watch it, but I hear there are people who do this all the time. I'm glad to have the option.
- Cruising Facebook on the TV is a heck of a lot more fun than doing it on the PC, because you can call other people over – will ya look at that dress? Awww, isn't Sophie's baby cute? Oh man, those kids are drunk. And the best part is that you don't even have to know these people. Someone you know just has to know them.
- Although there's been a lot of news about ABC, CBS, NBC et al. blocking their Web content to Google TV, we're not real fussed about it. That's what the TV is for, right?
- We love the idea of being able to access all our content, including video and music saved on the PC
- The Harmony technology is just amazing, we’ve always been a fan
- Sure wish this thing worked just a teensy bit better
Now, a word about the house – we're pretty much hitting the limit of what we should be allowed to have around here in terms of gadgets, PCs, and IP addresses. The satellite system is DirectTV, and because game playing is serious business around here, we've got the Xbox 360, the PS3, and the Wii, and PCs that would make NSA envious.. We're using the Xbox 360 to access Netflix and our PC content via the Windows Media Player. We've got a Zune pass which we access through the PC, but when it all get's really frustrating it's just as easy to plug the Zune player into the Xbox and play music through it instead of depending on uncertain Internet connections.
In other words, this is not a typical situation and many of the problems I've had getting this thing set up are admittedly my own damn fault. Somewhere along the line, I think people are going to make some decisions and live within one environment. It might be the Apple TV, it might be the Xbox 360, it might be Orb, it might be the Roku. The setup will get easier. It will get integrated into TVs and STB systems. DLNA and P&P help all that.
The Revue system, with its WiFi capability, sits between the set top box and the TV. It comes with an HDMI cable and a pretty basic, and ambiguous, block diagram for setup. I managed to get it backwards on the first try so I couldn’t get Internet content to play through the stereo system. It got it figured out with a minimum of head-banging
The Google TV system features a keyboard remote control. Logitech has built in its Harmony technology, which is capable of recognizing all the devices in the world – or at least that’s the way it seems. We’ve never stumped the Harmony system, but the process can be tedious. During setup you are asked to identify everything that’s connected to the system including amplifier, set-top box, remote control, etc.
There have been some complaints about the size and awkwardness of the keyboard, but personally I love the thing. Everything is right there, the ability to turn on the TV, the Amplifier, the set-top box, it has a really nice touch pad for mouse input, what could be better?
Well, okay input is just a tad weird – if you’re mousing you click with the mouse clicker, if you’re remote controlling you click on the OK button. It makes sense, except that the whole point of Google TV is to marry the internet, TV, and PC experiences and put all your content in a place where you can find it. So, I expect most people to routinely forget whether they’re in computer world or TV world - if it’s working right that’s exactly what will happen.
At the time of review, the unit features several specialized apps including: Pandora, Twitter, Napster, CNBC, and Netflix. Logitech's included software includes a media player to connect to the PC. In addition, Logitech has added the Logitech Vid HD which, when coupled with the Logitech TV cam allows video phone calls. Calls can be made from any system that has a free Logitech Vid account including PCs or other Google TV systems. The camera system can also be used with the Logitech Alert Camera Viewer, a web based application that let's you watch your house via the Logitech TV camera. (People actually do this we hear.) And you can capture photos with it.
Google TV for TVs without a RJ45
Much as been made of the fact that the networks have closed off access to their streaming TV services. Too much, I’d say since the quality of web content from the networks has declined. Often the networks just offer highlights from shows, ads have increased, and Hulu even charges for content. However, Google has signaled that it’s willing to play ball with the acquisition of Widevine. Widevine offers adaptive streaming for content to a variety of devices – mobile, consoles, TVs, PCs, – and it has strong DRM technology that’s already being used by several big names including AT&T, Dish Network, Nintendo, NBC and Netflix. Not coincidentally, Goolge, Logitech, and Dish have teamed up to offer an integrated system at a discount, $179. When DirectTV joins we’ll get one of them.
Google TV Revue sells for $299. The Revue is also available in a package the TV CAM for $399.
What do we think?
We’re almost there. I hope there are a couple of updates in the work that will make the Google TV experience smoother but for now, it’s a pain to set up, there’s a bit of a learning experience, and then it becomes an integral part of the home entertainment system. The Logitech Revue adds dimension to sitting on the couch and staring at the TV and it will be interesting to see what the active Android development community throws into the mix.
The biggest competitors to the Logitech Revue at the moment are the consoles. For instance, all the major consoles offer Netflix and they play games. The Xbox 360 has apps similar to those offered by Google TV including Twitter, Facebook, and it’s own streaming music services Zune and Last FM but, there’s no YouTube. Consoles are a heck of a lot easier to setup.
Compared to other systems, the Revue is relatively expensive but it does more. In addition to making PC content accessible to the TV it also brings in the Internet. The price includes the Harmony technology, which maintains all the information about all the boxes that are being hung on to the TV. You’re actually paying for continuing development. For instance, Logitech has introduced a free Harmony app for Android and iOS that let’s you turn your mobile device into a remote.
The verdict? The Revue is for people who enjoy gadgets, but once it’s in place, everyone in the family will have fun with it.
