Netgear announced an ongoing collaboration and agreement with BitTorrent to promote video downloads streamed to high-definition televisions (HDTVs) through the new Netgear Digital Entertainer HD (EVA8000) media receiver. BitTorrent will work with Netgear on marketing and technology initiatives to deliver the highest quality and fastest distribution of media files over home networks.
Debuting this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Digital Entertainer HD is a set-top media receiver that connects to a home-theater system to stream digital media from computers, network storage and USB media players. The receiver automatically discovers, organizes and plays high-definition movies, TV shows, music files and personal photos as well as Internet-based video, news feeds, weather reports and radio programs. The receiver's high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port displays video resolution up to 1080p on big-screen TVs and optical digital audio output (TOSLINK) transmits full digital surround sound to a digital audio receiver.
This is the first product Netgear has made for use with BitTorrent technology.
In other news, Netgear also announced the launch of the company's first dual-mode DECT cordless phone to support both landline phone calls and Skype Internet calls. The Netgear Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Skype (SPH200D) includes a handset and a base station which simultaneously connects to a user's home network router and phone line wall jack enabling users to place and receive both traditional phone calls and Skype Internet calls from a single cordless handset without the need to be connected to a computer.
The Skype Certified SPH200D incorporates DECT (digital enhanced cordless telephony) technology which utilizes the 1.9GHz band enabling the included cordless phone to avoid interference from WiFi networks to provide longer range and ensure clear voice quality.
Using the SPH200D, Skype users no longer have to be in front of the computer to communicate for free with other Skype users around the world, according to Netgear. The SPH200D handset, which provides Skype users with an easy-to-use interface to manage contact lists and view the status of other Skype users, also enables users to make and receive calls from traditional phones worldwide through SkypeIn and SkypeOut.