Samsung Smart TVs To Get DIRECTV Without The Set-Top Box

New 2012 Samsung Smart TV owners will be able to access DIRECTV services without the need for an additional set-top box. Samsung has revealed that it will be enabling support for DIRECTV on its entire new lineup of Smart TVs and promises a seamless user experience that offers the same interface that customers are used to with the DIRECTV DVR set-top box.

Samsung and DIRECTV are founding members of the RVU Alliance, which aims to optimize multi-room entertainment experiences for consumers. The companies introduced the RVU protocol last year, which is based on industry standards such as DLNA and UPnP. It allows a set-top box server to provide a complete, multi-room viewing experience, including DVR services, across all connected TVs through one set-top box.

Now, Samsung is embedding RVU in its entire Smart TV lineup, eliminating the need for a set-top box. DIRECTV has created the HR34 Home Media Center HD-DVR, which replicates the set-top box UI and other features to be directly displayed on a Samsung Smart TV. Users will continue to be able to enjoy features such as live pause on all screens in the home, picture-in-picture, record five shows at once, and store up to 200 hours of content. The new RVU-enabled Samsung Smart TVs are expected to be available in Spring 2012.