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New Comcast IPTV set-top box hits the FCC, could be released next year

New Comcast IPTV set-top box hits the FCC, could be released next year

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Comcast XI3-H FCC leak
Comcast XI3-H FCC leak

Products like Dish's Hopper and Joey are letting customers watch programming on multiple TVs without the need for full DVRs in every room, and a new set-top box has hit the FCC that could represent Comcast's latest move in that same direction. As noticed by Wireless Goodness, the Humax XI3-H is an IP set-top box that will likely serve as a client for products like the Pace X1 gateway box; that device will feature tuners and converters than turn television signals into IP streams that can be served to clients in the home. It was previously reported that Pace was also manufacturing a device named the XI3, though it's unclear if this Humax model supplants that device, or if it's just another manufacturer's take on the same concept.

Along with the requisite HDMI and optical audio outputs, the XI3-H features an HDMI input and a coaxial input; the latter can be used both directly for television and for streaming content in the home across coaxial cables using the Multimedia over Coax Allianance (MoCA) standard. An SD card slot is present, though it's not clear how this will be used (USB connectivity is also provided, though according to the manual it will be for an external Wi-Fi dongle). While there's no information yet on when the device will be made available to customers, the manual on the FCC site provides one clue: the copyright date is listed as 2013.