By Patrick Avenell
SYDNEY, NSW: Netgear has today launched its latest Internet-connected set-top box in its Digital Entertainer range. The new Digital Entertainer Live (EVA2000) enables viewers to watch their video content libraries and access Internet video sites, such as YouTube, through their televisions.
According to Netgear managing director Ryan Parker, consumers can browse, download and play content from a wide variety of Internet sources and international IPTV specialty channels.
“People are amassing a huge amount of their own downloaded and personal digital music, photos, and videos, as well as consuming more and more Internet video. Some people have even maxed out their personal computers with content, requiring external storage,” said Parker.
“According to comScore’s Video Metrix service, between January 2007 and July 2009, there was a 331 percent jump in the number of minutes of video watched per average viewer per month. It went from 2 hours, 31 minutes to 8 hours, 20 minutes.”
“The vast majority of people are still watching these videos on small computer screens. The EVA2000 frees this content from the confines of a computer screen and makes it easy to share with family and friends on an HDTV. YouTube, the second largest search engine in the world, BBC, for those expats feeling a bit homesick, and on-demand movies can now all be watched on the big screen at home.
“Netgear is offering an affordable, content-rich, and easy-to-set-up and -use solution that bridges this gap and enables people to fully enjoy their home media collections and online video from popular Internet sites on the best screen in their home — their big-screen TVs.”
The Digital Entertainer Live will be available from mid-October for RRP $299.