Internet tv: the future of hd tvs
Television supposedly was invented in 1946, give or take a few years.
The personal computer came on the scene in the late 80′s.
Both used cathode ray tubes displays at first, gradually transitioning to LCDs and LEDs by this point in time.
It therefore seems hard to fathom why these two technologies that share this important similarity, have been so long in converging.
Yes, now there are computer monitors with HDTV tuners incorporated. These are adequate if you can convince your employer to supply a signal source in the form of an antenna, cable, or satellite so that you might occupy time that would otherwise be squandered on work doing something productive such as scouring BBC for critical, up-to-the-minute details concerning the upcoming Royal nuptials.
What about that shiny new flat panel you’re considering for the flat, though?
Wouldn’t it be nice if that gorgeous display could access the internet, take advantage of the programmes that are offered on a streaming basis, and watch them in all their 1080p high definition glory?
That long awaited time is here. Sort of.
Maybe you’ve managed to pull off something just like this via cables between the telly and the laptop or PC. This works, but can be somewhat cumbersome. You end up repeatedly connecting and disconnecting the computer, or you dedicate a laptop or desk top computer to this function, effectively losing a good deal of the designed purpose of the computer.
The past year has seen the initial attempts to combine television with the internet in a way equaling the convenience and reliability television sets have long enjoyed along with their relative ease of use.
The first generation of internet connectible TVs offered the ability to connect to an internet provider through a high speed home network via a Ethernet cable or wireless configuration. This solved the issue of fooling about with a computer attached to the telly. Unfortunately, the internet access was disappointing from the perspective of consumers accustomed to the features of their computer browsers. There was a very limited number of widgets or apps that was far from justifying the extra cost of the television, especially when the logic that this extra money could pay for an additional computer was factored into the equation.
Given the rapid pace of advancement present in the realm of electronic entertainment, and the substantial amounts of money at stake, the above limitation may no longer exist just several months from now. In fact, a second generation burst on the scene in time for the holiday season of 2010.
A partnership between Sony and Google resulted in Google TV which enabled the separation between computer and telly to diminish even more. Viewers can opt for a built-in version or a add on device for Sony sets lacking the built-in option. This includes a keyboard and a remote, many pre-installed widgets, and a full-featured internet browser. Well, sort of on that last one.
There are some restrictions in place. The new Sony line does not seem to permit access to Hulu, at least that’s the conclusion reached from speaking with what seemed like a knowledgeable clerk at an major electronics store. This is all reminiscent of the battle for supremacy that some of you can recall from the Beta Max/VHS conflict of the 1980′s, or the more recent format war between Blu Ray and HD DVD.
In fairness to Hulu, it should be noted that their paid service, Hulu Plus, is showing up on some manufacturer’s tellies.
The concept of watching what you want to watch, when you want to watch it is very compelling. Internet capable TVs are still a little disappointing, what with using widgets instead of including a full blown browser. Sony’s recent offering are closer to ideal, but battle lines still exist between content providers and producers, but competition is healthy and ultimately benefits the customer. Until these constantly shifting alliances, and seemingly overnight obsolescence of technology settles a bit, a bit of patience is called for.
It may be wise to take a wait-and-see approach, since it appears that the total convergence of the computer and the telly, and all that implies with the consideration of 3D programmes, televisions with full blown browsers, and the probable inclusion of computer style memory and storage capacity, is on the horizon.
You won’t be waiting long. That’s certain.
About the Author
Robbie’s a big fan of TVs. Whether you’re looking for hd tvs or want to understand how an led tv works; Robbie’s the man!
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