Xbox One Digital TV Tuner

The next-generation Xbox One games console was launched by Microsoft with much fanfare as a device that could do more than play games. Microsoft wants to place it at the heart of your living room with the ability to control all your entertainment options, including your television services.The problem is, the different types of TV services in different countries mean that the clever features trumpeted by Microsoft don't necessarily work for everybody.You can plug  your  Sky  box into your  Xbox  through  the HDMI  connection, for  example, but features like voice command don't work.

With the Digital TV Tuner,  the European Xbox  One will take a step closer to  being the multimedia marvel enjoyed by Xboxers  in the US.  Out in October, the tuner plugs directly into your console's USB socket so you don't need a cable or satellite set-top box connected to the HDMI port.The tuner supports free-to-air DVB-T, DVB-T2 and DVB-C television standards, which means it shows the Freeview channels on your console without changing TV inputs. That means you'll get game invitations and notifications while watching TV too.You can also change channels using the Xbox SmartGlass app, using your phone or tablet as a remote control.

The USB tuner will not work in the US because that country uses a different system for its free-to-air (also known as over-the-air, or OTA) TV broadcasts. OTA is much less popular in the US than cable, which is one reason why the Xbox One was originally designed to control and integrate a cable box. That said, OTA TV is watched by some "cord cutters" and others who don't subscribe to cable in the US, so we wouldn't be shocked if Microsoft came out with a US-compatible version of the tuner eventually.