Comcast XFINITY TV → Re: [X1-X2] Xfinity X1 now available to New Customers

Has the shortage of X1 DVRs finally been alleviated? I'm curious to know what people are getting now (i.e. Arris boxes, newer revisions of the Pace).

Also does anyone know how close we are to the proper launch of the Xi3 client boxes? There's been some leaked info about it since late last year, I'd really prefer to get an Xi3 for my secondary TV, since it's much faster than the RNG150N.

Updates coming over the next week.

»forums.comcast.com/t5/X1 ··· /2107648

Comcast also issued this press release today:

Comcast to Bring Advanced Communications and More Personal Media to the TV
Xfinity Customers Will Have Capability to Stream Video on the X1 Platform
Additional Features Coming to X1 Include Talking Guide, Instant On Demand, Voicemail Apps and Spanish Guide and Navigation
Comcast press release, Business Wire - April 29, 2014
»www.businesswire.com/new ··· Media-TV

RE: »Re: [X1] Xfinity X1 now available to New Customers

Looks like the EA video game service for the X1 platform will be moving out of the trial phase soon:

Exclusive - Comcast nears deal to stream EA games to TVs: sources
By Liana B. Baker and Malathi Nayak, Reuters - May 2, 2014
»www.reuters.com/article/ ··· 20140502

In an article about the X1 platform on the Multichannel News site today (»www.multichannel.com/new ··· e/374371), it mentions this:

quote:

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Comcast is also inching toward the deployment of the Xi3, a small, all-IP HD client device that works in tandem with the primary, multi-tuner XG1 HD-DVR box. At [last week’s Cable Show in Los Angeles, Matt Strauss, Comcast Cable’s senior vice president and general manager,] said Comcast is testing the Xi3 (it showed a model made by U.K.-based set-top maker Pace at the Los Angeles event), and is targeting deployments by the second half of the year, the Comcast exec said, noting that the MSO is also developing the Xi4, a smaller version of the client device.

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So if you think about it:

Moving DVR to the cloud with virtual tuners means that 4 out of those 5 tuners are doing nothing on your X1 box now.

So the Xi3 is the perfect application for those remaining 4 tuners.

While I believe the Xi3 client box is still being rolled out in "select markets" »Re: [X1-X2] Xfinity X1 now available to New Customers (but maybe getting ready for general deployment soon?), here's some news I came across about the "Xi4":

Comcast’s next-generation Xi4 set-top box passes the FCC
By Janko Roettgers, GigaOM - January 21, 2015
»gigaom.com/2015/01/21/co ··· the-fcc/

quote:

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It looks like Comcast is getting ready to ship its next-generation set-top box to consumers: A filing for the company’s Xi4 set-top box just popped up in the FCC’s database »apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/r ··· IITV8100 . The filing, which has been approved by the FCC, is heavily redacted but it does give us some clues as to what the new box is all about.

The new set-top box is being made by Pegatron on behalf of Cisco, which is notable, because its Xi3 predecessor has been made by Pace. The device goes by a range of model numbers, including Cisco CX041AE1 as well as Cisco ATV8100, but it looks like Comcast will be calling the box Xi4v1-C. The box includes support for 2.4Ghz Wifi and Bluetooth, which is likely being used for the remote control. A photo of the FCC label shows a square device, much like what Comcast has been showing off for some time as its next-generation X1 set-top box. ...

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Nice find!

An article also about the Xi4 box on the MCN site now:

New Comcast IP Set-Top Reaches The FCC
‘Xi4’ Client Box From Cisco Designed For X1 Platform
By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News – January 22, 2015
»www.multichannel.com/new ··· c/387156

The conjecture appears to be that the current XG1 gateway/hub would just use the Xi3 as its IP client box, while this next-generation Xi4 IP box would then be mainly used as a client to the (also next-gen) XG2 gateway box »[X1-X2] Cisco XG2v2 Renders (and for which, the Xi3 box could be used as a client box also).

It sounds to me like the XG2 will be the first device in any home, even for people without DVR service, and DVR service will just be something that can be activated or disabled.

This blog item on the MCN site today has some news on the Xi4 client box:

From:
Samsung-Made ‘XG2’ Pops Up At FCC
And What’s This ‘Xfinity Instant Replay’ Thingie About?
By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News - January 29, 2015
»www.multichannel.com/blo ··· c/387417

quote:

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... And while we’re talking about what’s on the X1 roadmap, a source did tell me that the Xi4, a new IP-only client box that also showed its face at the FCC recently, will indeed be 4K-capable.

So, the XG2 and Xi4 – a match made in next-gen video heaven? We’ll see.

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So, if the new Xi4 client will be 4K UHD capable, then I'd say its "matching" XG2 host/gateway box must certainly be also.

Today Comcast officially announced that the Xi4 box will be launched later this year: »Re: [X1-X2] Cisco XG2v2 Renders

It looks like Comcast is now working on some new Wi-Fi devices that will send IP-video wirelessly to TVs and other devices:

FCC Clears Next-Gen Comcast CPE From Cisco, Pace
By Steve Donohue, The Donohue Report - August 27, 2015
»www.donohuereport.com/fc ··· co-pace/

quote:

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... The Pace device contained in an FCC report that became public on Wednesday is the Xfinity XW2. The size of a thumb drive, the XW2 is a WiFi adapter for IP client set-tops. Rather than drilling through walls at subcriber homes to run coaxial cable, Xfinity subscribers will be able to insert the XW2 into thin client set-tops that will be connected wirelessly to gateways ...

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