Skip to main content

    Comcast Xfinity 'Astro' Skype webcam leaked, lets you video chat on top of live TV

    Comcast Xfinity 'Astro' Skype webcam leaked, lets you video chat on top of live TV

    /

    A Xfinity-branded webcam from Comcast and Skype just passed through the FCC.

    Share this story

    Skype camera
    Skype camera

    Skype's greatest hope in the living room so far has been Microsoft's Kinect, but it looks like your cable box could get involved soon. A Xfinity-branded webcam from Comcast and Skype just passed through the FCC, and a tipster gave Engadget additional images and details. While Skype is the primary purpose, this thing is far from a dumb camera. There's a whole breakout box that powers it, including an SD card slot, HDMI passthrough, and a full-on remote for the thing, which includes a QWERTY keyboard on the back. It might seem a little overwrought for just making Skype calls, but the exciting part is that you can video chat with your Skype buddies while watching TV — theoretically while watching the same TV show simultaneously, if you both have the full Comcast setup. It's not quite virtual cuddling on a virtual couch, but it's a start.