TV with Internet

[rpm]

TV with Internet

You no longer need to bring your laptop over to the couch to check the weather or your RSS feeds while watching TV. Many new flat screen TVs offer an internet connection as an alternative to the old-fashioned video text option familiar to many.

 

[werner]

an idea from 2000/2001 redone wiht modern processing power may well just work, as long as the backend services keep getting updated and not abandoned after 3 years due to lack of consumer demand (read: costs too much money, lets get rid of this)

notes:
http://www.webuser.co.uk/sites/site_review.php?rev_id=396
http://www.computerbuyer.co.uk/reviews/6519/bush-14in-internet-tv.html

i'm still thinking tv guys should make tv's and leave this segment for devices like popcorn hour, although it would be nice to get some news feed in the morning while watching the markets.

 

[Tns]

al fine and dandy but at what cost?

 

[avr-rulez]

Hang on a sec - let me dust off my "Been there done that T shirt"

Linux powered Dreamboxes have been doing this for years - You Tube - Netcast radio - Web Cam's etc etc

 

[Bobb]

Just get an older PC with XP and setup Mediaportal... best damn opensource HTPC out there.

 

[getafix33]

Great idea if you live in a country with high (or no caps), high capacity bandwidth and affordable pricing.

 

[<moLe>]

I fail to get excited by this wonderfull article because

a) even If I wanted to browse the web on my tube/ watch youtube etc the bandwidth involved whould make it a dumb way of watching this content seeing that your streaming you cant watch it again in a couple of days without paying unless these devices promises PVR functionality
b) I have a wonderfull xbmc/media portal server going at the time of writting which even doubles as an ftp server for my "wug" content, that actually have opera on
c)The markup for these devices just dont justify the implementation

 

[bwana]

They dont sound particularly feature rich currently but overall a good idea. One less box to clutter up my lounge.

 

[RoganDawes]

Yeah. Personally, I'd prefer it if they just sold big screens with a DVI/HDMI input, with maybe a ZigBee transceiver so that an external device can control screen-specific settings like turning it on, brightness, contrast, colour profiles, etc.

I don't want a tuner, I don't want ethernet, I don't want WLAN. I'd rather have an easily upgraded STB do that for me, and output DVI/HDMI to the screen. I don't even want the screen to have speakers. Audio is the job of my 5.1/7.1 surround sound setup. My STB can drive that too, thanks very much!

Pity you can only get big screens with all the other gumph that comes along with it.

Yes, I recognise that I am in the minority. The reason all the TV's have the above features is that there are more people that want them, and thus the development costs are amortised across all the sales. It doesn't stop me from dreaming, though!

My current dream is an unlocked Netflix player (STB225), reprogrammed to play local content, and with a ZigBee remote so the device itself can be hidden away out of sight.

 

[bradhall]

Agree with Werner - TV guys are core to that technology development...theres a fine line during convergence more often a balancing act of compremise.

 

[JerryMungo]

TV with a built in PC... costs more than PC with a seperate TV... why oh why...

 

[antowan]

Well, it is still a toy for the rich but keep an eye on Philips. They have been gearing up with their simplicity drive for quite some time now. Here comes Philips!