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Xbox One Getting TV DVR Feature

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Did you cut the cord with the Xbox One digital TV tuner? Starting next year, you'll be able to DVR your favorite TV shows and stream them to mobile devices.

In May, Microsoft started offering a digital TV tuner for Xbox One to customers in the U.S. and Canada. It lets console owners without a pay TV subscription watch local broadcast channels from Microsoft's device.

Xbox DVR for Over-the-Air TVNext year, however, you'll be able to do more than just watch. As part of its Gamescom press conference today, Microsoft said that in 2016, it will release DVR for Over-the-Air TV, which will let you record live TV, schedule recordings, and take your shows on the go.

You'll need the $59.99 Hauppauge Digital TV Tuner for Xbox One and a USB hard drive that you plug into your Xbox One and use to store shows. Otherwise, there will be no charge for the DVR option, Microsoft said.

Once it launches, you'll be able to stream recorded TV shows to devices using the Windows 10 Xbox app or Xbox SmartGlass app for iOS or Android. You can also download content to a Windows 10 phone, PC, or tablet for offline viewing, and schedule recordings via the Xbox or apps.

"The amount of TV you can record and save is limited only by the size of the hard drive that you plug into your Xbox One," Microsoft said. "There are no time limits or other constraints, so you can DVR something and save it forever, enabling you to build an amazing collection of your favorite TV shows, movies and sporting events."

Also at Gamescom, Microsoft previewed some of the Xbox One user interface enhancements it first discussed at E3. That includes the Facebook-esque Community and Trending sections so you can keep up with what friends and the larger Xbox community are doing. A Watch section will highlight new movies and TV shows on live TV and apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO GO.

Xbox ChatpadMeanwhile, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller, also announced at E3, is available for pre-order today for $149.99 and arrives in October. It works on Xbox One or Windows 10 and is "built to meet the rigorous demands of hardcore, competitive-level gamers." The controller supports "up to 255 controller profiles so that you have customized settings for any gaming scenario."

For easier chatting, Microsoft is also accepting pre-orders for a new Xbox Chatpad (above). "With the new Chatpad, you can quickly compose messages, enter codes, and search for games and apps. It also puts audio controls at your fingertips and features a stereo jack for your gaming headset," Xbox said. It's $34.99 and will arrive on Nov. 3, according to Microsoft.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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