Skip to main content

Xbox One TV Tuner comes to Europe in October, uncertain for US

new xbox one device simplifies access personal film libraries digital tv tuner 940x580
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Beginning in October 2014, Microsoft will release a Digital TV Tuner for Xbox One users in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The USB-connected device will allow users in those markets to access free-to-air DVB-T, DVB-T2 and DVB-C television channels without changing TV inputs. That means they will be able to receive game notifications and invitations and use Snap while watching their favorite shows, or even watch live TV in Snap mode while waiting in game for a multiplayer match to start. It will also take advantage of all the features that Xbox One users with cable television have come to enjoy such as pausing live broadcasts, voice control, and OneGuide integration with SmartGlass.

We reached out to Microsoft to ask about the possibility of this feature coming to U.S. markets and received the following statement:

“Over-the-air television reception varies region to region. A good experience may rely on antennas that not all households have. Consequently, it is more difficult to provide an out-of-the-box consumer solution for over-the-air TV in the U.S. compared to other markets around the world. We will continue to evaluate new technologies and future opportunities to bring over-the-air digital TV to Xbox One in other markets.”

That’s not an immediately encouraging answer, so don’t get your hopes up quite yet if you live in the US. Regardless, it marks another major stride toward the Xbox One’s mission of becoming the only box you’ll ever need to hook up to your TV. You can still go out and buy an HDMI-equipped TV tuner and connect it to your Xbox One if you live in the U.S., but you’ll have to wait (and hope) if you want this first-party tech from Microsoft.

Editors' Recommendations

Will Fulton
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…
Xbox Game Pass gets one of 2021’s best games today
Iron Mask and Shionne attack in Tales of Arise.

The next batch of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass this month was just revealed. Leading the pack of games being added to the subscription service today is Tales of Arise, a critically acclaimed RPG from Bandai Namco Entertainment that Xbox previously leaked was coming to the service.

Tales of Arise was released in 2021. The latest entry in a long-running RPG series, it follows a slave and girl inflicted with a curse as they rise up against the kingdom of Rena. It sports real-time RPG combat, and is one of few games to score a five-star rating from Digital Trends.

Read more
Xbox and Embracer’s mass layoff explanations aren’t good enough
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer during Updates on the Xbox Business | Official Xbox Podcast.

The wave of layoffs that has happened over the past year in the video game industry is well-documented. Some of the biggest culprits are Embracer Group, which has laid off nearly 1,400 workers across several of its studios since the start of a restructuring program last July, and Microsoft, which laid off 1,900 developers across Xbox, Bethesda, and Activision Blizzard in January. After relative silence around these layoffs, leadership at both companies finally tried to offer more transparently into what happened.

Neither of their statements are good enough.

Read more
Every rumored Xbox exclusive coming to PS5 and Switch
Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar.

The video game console market is about to see its biggest shakeup since Sega stopped producing hardware. Xbox's Phil Spencer says that the company will share a "business update" with players next week outlining a new vision for the brand. That news comes after a month of rumors that claimed that some of Xbox's biggest exclusives would be coming to other platforms, including PS5 and Nintendo Switch. The unconfirmed reports sent Xbox loyalists into a panic as fans brace for a possible future where Xbox just produces software instead of physical consoles.

We don't know what's true yet, as credible reports have been lumped in with speculation. Some details seem plausible, while rumors that Xbox will stop making systems altogether are closer to educated guesses. We'll learn more in Xbox's business update, but until then, we've rounded up a list of every Xbox exclusive that's reportedly going multiplatform. Take it all with a grain of salt until Spencer and company unveil the full picture.
Starfield

Read more