By Stevie Smith Oct 23, 2007, 12:53 GMT
California-based SanDisk Corporation has rolled out its new Sansa Take TV system, which the flash memory card manufacturer and leading provider of portable audio and video players says will provide users with an "exceptionally easy" way to transfer video content from the PC through to the TV.
SanDisk reveals the 4GB and 8GB Sansa TakeTV PC-to-TV delivery system, which it claims is the most user-friendly solution on the market. Credit: SanDisk.
Described as a breakthrough media player that delivers a "smart, convenient and affordable way" to move video content between the personal computer and television "where it belongs," SanDisk’s new system arrives on the back of research revealing that TV continues to be the ultimate viewing experience for videos, including TV content and movies. Similarly, the home-based PC has evolved into the leading tool when it comes to searching for and downloading digital content. The Take TV system allows users to easily meld the two by downloading on one and watching already downloaded content on the other. "Sansa TakeTV is the most easy-to-use, straightforward solution for watching downloaded personal video content and other shows in the comfort of the living room," enthused Daniel Schreiber, senior VP and GM of SanDisk’s audio/video business unit. "No confusing wireless network set-up, no wires running across the living room and no cumbersome burning of DVDs. Just use the Sansa TakeTV device to move your favorite video content over to your TV, and enjoy it on the big screen with family and friends."
It certainly sounds easy enough, and with existing tech solutions labelled by SanDisk as "thorny and complex," a truly user-friendly system would certainly be welcomed by those who enjoy home entertainment. After creating its popular range of Cruzer USB flash drives for the easy transfer of content between PCs, SanDisk outlines that it challenged itself to bring the same simplicity to the PC-to-TV market, leading to TakeTV, "a best-in-class product that smoothly bridges the gap between these two ecosystems."
SanDisk claims that using TakeTV is "as simple as using a USB flash drive," and that users need only drag desired video files over to the TakeTV player before then sliding the player into its special TV cradle. Once safely housed, the player can then be quickly and effortlessly connected to the standard A/V socket of almost every existing television set. Through following simple on-screen directions, users can then use a remote control unit to select and play the content stored on their Sansa TakeTV player.
With flash memory at its core, the TakeTV player supports DivX, XVID and MPEG-4 video formats, and is also DivX Certified for Home Theater profile. SanDisk’s player also connects to PC hardware via USB, working with Windows Vista, XP, and the latest versions of Mac and Linux operating systems.
Available now in the United States, the SanDisk Sansa TakeTV PC to TV player offers 4GB of storage for approx. five hours of video playback, and 8GB for up to ten hours. It retails at $99.99 USD for the 4GB model, and $149.99 USD for the 8GB model.
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