The connection between Google TV and a STB is minimal at best. It allows you to do a search of what's coming on, but really, that's about it. Even after you've found what you're looking for you can't just say "record this", you have to go to that channel and then pull up the STB guide and go forward to the date/time that the show you want to record is on and then hit record. It just saves you the time of typing out the search with the remote.

In terms of actual legitimate features, the only thing I'd say a revue has over a Roku or something similar would be the overlay feature (you can surf the web, google things etc while still watching TV in a window or in the background), the web browser in general, and the IR Blaster/Smartphone app combo that basically allows you to turn your phone into a universal remote. I think the added App store might turn into a benefit, but I can't speak to that yet.

12/9/2011 8:51:02 PM

The web browsing while watching tv is precisely why I want one. I might even feed my old Roku through it so I can netflix while browsing if it won't let me do both of those at once.

12/9/2011 9:21:00 PM

It won't with the old firmware. I doubt it will will the new one either, but don't know for sure.

12/9/2011 10:07:18 PM

got mah update

[Edited on December 10, 2011 at 11:00 AM. Reason : this thing is miles better interface-wise already]

12/10/2011 10:56:51 AM

and it's already pissed me off

the amazon app is the same garbage it was before and the YouTube app keeps playing in 1080 on my 720 tv

12/10/2011 11:55:17 AM

up yo TV mang

Does it have a google voice app yet?

12/10/2011 12:37:26 PM

still no fucking update here

and still no amazon app? does it at least have HD movies now?

I wonder if the range will let me load this thing on one of the launchers....

12/10/2011 4:51:13 PM

*zzzzzzz* still no update here. I wonder what order they're doing it in. I got one of the developer freebie models.

12/11/2011 9:05:43 AM

still no update

12/11/2011 1:09:17 PM

got it this morning.

Very nice

12/12/2011 7:57:07 AM

Finally got it. First reaction: meh.

12/13/2011 9:01:07 AM

Quote :

"Finally got it. First reaction: meh."

ditto

12/13/2011 9:16:45 AM

^Pretty much, it was more of a pain in the ass than anything. I had to do a factory reset and re-config all of the device in my setup because i was getting crash errors left and right trying to do soemthing as simple as configure the android remote app. I'm interested to see what the dev community does with this, as much I'd like to believe it's going to be awesome, I'm just not convinced at this point.

12/13/2011 9:18:08 AM

is it just me or did they take away multitouch scrolling?

12/13/2011 2:53:27 PM

Has netflix crashed a lot for anyone else since the update?

12/17/2011 6:26:10 AM

multitouch scrolling is still there. had to reboot. and yes, netflix crashes more now for me.

also, the widgets suck.

[Edited on December 17, 2011 at 8:15 AM. Reason : ]

12/17/2011 8:14:58 AM

The media app crashes now so often now that it's practically useless. Which is a shame, cause they improved it quite a bit.

12/18/2011 1:09:10 AM

^this.

12/19/2011 5:37:54 PM

Update made things better except very buggy. It's so fun to just tinker with though even if it isn't awesome.

12/24/2011 8:09:41 AM

Quote :

"The media app crashes now so often now that it's practically useless. Which is a shame, cause they improved it quite a bit."

Navigating files on my media server through Logitech's app used to be pretty zippy too, Now it's laggy as hell. You could play the entire contents of a folder and it was treated as a single playlist, move to another folder and do the same. Now, it's one giant fuckoff playlist, so if I want to listen to a second album I have manually clear the playlist each time.

Not a fan of the new Netflix interface either, it's just so incredibly awkard to browse now.

As much potential as this release had, it really does feel half baked.

12/25/2011 8:34:23 AM

WHY DOES THIS FUCKING THING KEEP SHIFTING THE SCREEN EDGES?

12/31/2011 10:16:38 AM

Maybe just extend the edges out a few more clicks? That way if it does shift you won't see the edges. I've got a DLP tv and I've never seen this problem. Can't imagine this could happen on an LCD.


Currently my revue is acting as a very expensive hdmi switch for my roku2. At least it's doing that well enough...

12/31/2011 1:00:39 PM

it's good for watching espn3

12/31/2011 3:04:12 PM

Is it? The couple of times I tried espn3, it timed out, so I just assumed it didn't work.

12/31/2011 3:37:49 PM

ESPN3 works pretty well for me as well

12/31/2011 4:21:54 PM

was it before or after the update?

the flash version was too low to work before the update, but does now

12/31/2011 6:56:50 PM

after

1/2/2012 9:45:59 PM

Oh yeah, it was before. I didn't think to try it afterwards. Good to know.

1/2/2012 9:56:41 PM

so question: anyone know if there's a way to stream from a google tv box?

1/4/2012 12:02:14 PM

from? Can you give an example use case?

1/4/2012 1:16:33 PM

where i can point to it from a remote location and see what's on the tv (aka watch tv from home)

i think I got a way to do it with the addition of an extra computer, but if i could do it with just the googletv box by itself that'd be great. i'm betting the lack of a harddrive to buffer the transcoding would kill the idea though

1/4/2012 1:37:37 PM

^ you mean like a slingbox????

1/4/2012 4:27:56 PM

pretty much

[Edited on January 4, 2012 at 4:42 PM. Reason : there's a slingbox app, but i believe that's just for watching content on a gtv FROM a slingbox]

1/4/2012 4:39:15 PM

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/01/lg-google-tv

Quote :

"LG will debut its own hardware version of Google TV this year, the company announced Thursday, making it the latest company to produce hardware for Google’s fledgling television initiative. Powered by the same quad-core ARM-based processor found in the company’s existing Smart TVs, LG’s new hardware doesn’t require an extra set-top box like existing products from Sony and Logitech, instead integrating the software into the TV itself. The devices will be capable of using Android apps especially designed for Google TV."

1/5/2012 11:48:52 PM

Quote :

"The devices will be capable of using Android apps especially designed for Google TV.""

Both of 'em.

1/6/2012 12:40:13 AM

So can you use google phone apps? I can't find WatchESPN

1/15/2012 1:20:29 PM

somebody do me a favor with your [Revue/whatever device you have] and try to load and stream from here: http://www.firstrow.tv/sport/basketball.html
and tell me whether it plays


I've been looking at Revue reviews, etc and was curious if the web browser played video within the pages (and could be made full-screen)...I'd probably use this thing heavily next NFL season when I've moved out of this region

1/15/2012 7:28:14 PM

I see it supports Flash, so I guess it would work

1/15/2012 8:04:22 PM

Just because it supports sites that use flash, don't expect everything to work. A lot of sites (hulu, abc.com, tbs.com, etc) specifically block the user id used by the Revue browser so you can't watch content on your TV. So while a site should technically work, in many cases, it simply doesn't.

[Edited on January 15, 2012 at 8:39 PM. Reason : Although that site looks illegal as fuck, so it will probably work. ]

1/15/2012 8:38:32 PM

yeah I don't really use any official webstreaming service

1/15/2012 9:09:28 PM

yea those work fine. It's not the highest quality; I'm not sure the automatic bandwidth control is behaving correctly. It looks fine on a 20" screen on my desk - but I wouldn't put this on a 55" LED or something. You might be better served with a Core2Duo and ubuntu.

1/15/2012 9:59:47 PM

my revue is periodically acting up since the update.

sometimes it doesn't find shows that are on.

1/17/2012 10:09:57 AM

Revue on sale now for $75. http://1saleaday.com/wireless/?CID=173477&AFID=178621

Amazing there is still this much stock of this thing, and even at $75 bucks it seems no one wants the thing

5/8/2012 3:53:39 AM

if they would ever get the fucking youtube app functioning properly it might be worth it

i'm pretty much done with the thing

5/8/2012 10:22:51 AM

^I'm done with it too. Just sold mine on eBay and bought a Roku XD with the funds.

5/8/2012 12:29:48 PM

I looked at that thing for about 30 seconds. No. Just no.

5/8/2012 2:02:18 PM

So my Roku2 supports playing mkv but not avi, and my Revue supports avi but not mkv....

someone just needs to make one goddamn device that does it all

that device is not the boxee box, so don't even bring it up

5/8/2012 2:41:18 PM

Wonder if there's a VLC android app

5/8/2012 2:42:39 PM

^^ just picked up a sony BDP-S580 refurb BR player for $65 after tax and free shipping...it plays both formats, plus the usual apps (netflix, hulu plus, etc)...3D, built-in wifi, and the BR drive itself are just perks

canceled cable this afternoon

[Edited on May 8, 2012 at 5:56 PM. Reason : .]

5/8/2012 5:56:17 PM

Quote :

"So my Roku2 supports playing mkv but not avi, and my Revue supports avi but not mkv.... "

Both devices support both formats. I dunno what you're doing wrong. The Revue is a steaming pile of shit, but it does support MKV.

edited to add: wait, roku doesn't support avis? WTF? it's the only one of the "major" devices I've never tried out. I can't fathom that. Just about every other device out there supports any and all codecs. WDTV, Apple TV (Jailbroken) Popcorn hour, Boxee, even the Revue. oh well. Even though mp4s are now the new standard for low def rips, I still can't imagine why divx/xvid support isn't there. Must be a licensing issue or something.

[Edited on May 9, 2012 at 9:07 AM. Reason : won't be recommending roku to anyone else from now on.]

5/9/2012 9:01:44 AM