[Cheeseboy]

I saw this today and thought I should share it with this group.  The most important statement is around the disconnect from the PC by people connecting via thier mobile device.  This opens the door for Smart TV.

http://www.cepro.com/article/what_smart_tvs_need_to_succeed/

What do you think?  Has anyone here tried Google TV?

[mcgsxr]

I have not yet tried any internet TV, and I don't watch episodes of shows from the Net - I must be 40!

I agree with the article that the prevalence of affordable broadband internet will help internet TV, as will the next 2-3 generations (5-15 years, not lifetimes) as they start buying displays.

I would never watch a show on a mobile device, but I see tons of younger folks doing so.

I have a dedicated PC music server, but I bet I am in 1% of the population.  I wonder how many have dedicated media servers?  I wonder if it is more or less than those using PC's for music distribution?

I would absolutely watch Net based TV if I could effortlessly stream it to my plasma display - and I would love to ditch the $70 I spend a month on satellite TV too!   But, recognize that I am not the only user in the house, I doubt you could convince my wife to use the Net to watch TV, unless an iPad was the interface...

[Cheeseboy]

Hey whats wrong with 40?  I'm 54 and can see the potential of my high rez music and other media living in someones server for me to access as I want over the net for display on my TV.  Subscription based perhaps. 

I think you just made the same point that the article made.  iPad users will be the early adoptors for Smart Televison.  Smart phone and pad users have opened the door for a new type of TV experience. 

I see this today in our ADD society where I'm watching a show and having content streamed at the bottom of the screen to me by the network on news, weather, sports and upcoming shows and events.  They are choosing the content.  What If I could choose the content at will?  Email and other apps.

I can see the potential for this today.

[Don_S]

I am not well-versed in video magic so I have a question.  What is the functional difference between a "smart TV" and something like the Netboxx (yes, two x's for their registered trademark) by Sherwood?  I mean the R-904N receiver.

http://www.sherwoodusa.com/

Couldn't users just make their TVs "smart" by adding an external device that may very well replace an existing receiver? 

I was interested in the Netboxx until I found out it did not have stereo line-level outputs to incorporate into my 2-channel system.

[davidrs]

Don,

Your approach makes sense. I would much rather have a choice of external boxes to optimize on my functional needs, and have the monitors focus on delivering the best video experience possible.

Problem is that the monitor (tv) manufacturers want to differentiate their products with proprietary tie ins, advertising, monitoring (the privacy kind), digital protection, lock you into paying premiums that go to their pockets, vs. someone else, and generate revenue streams from the streaming itself.

Also, keeps the big players in bed with each other - restricts competition.

Which is why the interface with the internet is what it has been. Hope the future direction, described in the op link, comes sooner than later. And I hope it can be de-coupled from the monitor.

BTW, typical video boy short-sightedness on not providing high quality analog or digital out on these products (per your mention on netboxx).

[Cheeseboy]

Don,

Take the Google TV tour here.

http://www.google.com/tv/quicktour_noflash.html

In my opinion once a market is established then more mainstream content such as low priced movies and music markets would develop independant of your cable provider.

Steve

[kenreau]

I tend to agree with all the points in the article.  Fwiw, one of my best friends was an inside lead PM for Inhell ( ) and all I could think before this rolled out was they are providing a potential solution, looking for a problem.  That is today.  They could be years ahead of the curve, but I don't find anything compelling to spark my interest at this time.  Once the service provider speed picks up and the various walled garden turf wars play out, the appeal should improve.

I do currently have a mac mini plugged into one of my HT processor ports to my 50" monitor that I use for an iTunes interface (when not watching TV) and occasional websurfing (when the home office computer is tied up).  Just a quick click on the remote input button and I can flip back and forth.  I can see the picture-in-a-picture feature would be nice.  The other benefit could be getting rid of one of either my dishnetwork service or my comcast internet service.  But, I imagine, once they are able to provide both contents on the same pipe into our homes, at an acceptable bandwidth speed, the net cost will be close to the same per month for the service.

Kenreau

[mcgsxr]

I don't think there is specifically anything wrong with 40 or 54 etc, other than it is not 20, or 22.  I went back to school at 27, and having spent those 4 years with folks 8 years younger than me, it gave me great insight into how those generations think differently.  At that time in 1997, they had never known life without cell phones, bank machines, PC's etc.

So, older folks can absolutely learn to adopt technology, and many do.  But, in my estimation, few do it like the younger ones that simply experience life with it.

For kids today (oh boy am I getting old, but at least it is fun!) who are growing up watching YouTube and TV shows streamed to smartphones, I can see them adapting to watching TV off the Net very quickly.  They are more likely to develop different viewing habits, and thus will find what they need on the Net.

I am more likely to want to watch conventional TV shows, during their broadcast, as that is how I grew up.

Plus, I would never want to watch a TV show on a 4 inch screen.

Once the set top boxes are simply integrated with the TV's themselves (could not take much processing power and a Linux OS to get wifi and a simple browser going) more will adopt it, and yes eventually the price of the fat pipe may increase to average out what we are seeing today for combined services - but, that has not happened in the phone world.

I would ditch my home phone tomorrow if I loved alone, and move exclusively to cell.  Not so much for my wife - that too showcases the added complexities for us older folks, we often have extended families to consider when making entertainment technology decisions - younger single people need only consider their own needs.

Lots of fun out there in the tech world, very glad I found this PC support network with an audio focus!

[Cheeseboy]

Mcgsxr,

It was a struggle for me to put the turntable in the garage many years ago.  I am always so tempted to bring it back into the house.  The investment in software kept it alive and in use for many years.

It amazes me how quickly kids, theres that word again, adopt to technology.  There are times that I feel that I might break something because I don't know how to use it.  It's that "Don't throw anything away" generation I grew up with.  Things are so disposable and cheap today.  One can change technologies quickly and cheaply.  The software is ripped, downloaded and available for pennies.  I feel that the rapid technology adoption by our new generaton is driven by the quick and easy availability of content.  If you want the content you have to change.  We were stuck with our investment in content.  Therefore we didn't easily change systems. 

I am in the process of building out my little home network in the near future.  I can't wait to have a random availability of software for listening to the stereo. 

By the by the Google TV is built into Sony TV's and Playstations.

Welcome to the future. 

Glad you could make it.

[Cheeseboy]

I tend to agree with all the points in the article.  Fwiw, one of my best friends was an inside lead PM for Inhell ( ) and all I could think before this rolled out was they are providing a potential solution, looking for a problem.  That is today.  They could be years ahead of the curve, but I don't find anything compelling to spark my interest at this time.  Once the service provider speed picks up and the various walled garden turf wars play out, the appeal should improve.

I do currently have a mac mini plugged into one of my HT processor ports to my 50" monitor that I use for an iTunes interface (when not watching TV) and occasional websurfing (when the home office computer is tied up).  Just a quick click on the remote input button and I can flip back and forth.  I can see the picture-in-a-picture feature would be nice.  The other benefit could be getting rid of one of either my dishnetwork service or my comcast internet service.  But, I imagine, once they are able to provide both contents on the same pipe into our homes, at an acceptable bandwidth speed, the net cost will be close to the same per month for the service.

Kenreau

I'm going to send the doorknockers from my nieghborhood from ATT to see you.  We have a bundled service that is sending everything down one pipe.  ATT made a huge investment in the fiber optic network on my block.  Or so they say.  The picture quality on HD is still not quite as good as the Direct TV feed we had.  I complain but the rest of the house just isn't that into it.  TV, Web and Land Line. 

This Google system seems to be based on a mobile content users needs.  It seems to be more "Sound Bite" oriented rather than full tilt computer based.  However I think like you that there is a turf war coming.  Will I get my content from a cable provider or the web.  They seem to be merging in capability. 

I just am hopeful for one thing.  A lower monthly charge for access to content.  If it is all being equal then one will have to go away.

[Don_S]

Thanks Steve,

The tour pointed out a major problem.  It was all slick hype and in the end I was still confused as to what hardware was involved. Admittedly it may be age related.  To take this to the mass consumer participation level they are going to have to make the interface (and their marketing) much more A,B,C.  Intuitive is overrated by the young techies.  What is intuitive to them is  to me.

I am not sure if you saw my recent thread asking for advice about CAT5e cable. I did run a spare line into my TV room so I would be ready whenever the media fight shows some winners and I finally get a clue about how it all works. Will this be Betamax vs VCR all over again?

I only have a roof-top antenna and I am not interested in any of the fee for viewing internet content so maybe there will not be much of interest available for me.  I am definitely not a video guy.

Don,

Take the Google TV tour here.

http://www.google.com/tv/quicktour_noflash.html

In my opinion once a market is established then more mainstream content such as low priced movies and music markets would develop independant of your cable provider.

Steve

[JoshK]

Don, check out this page.  You do need internet service though.

http://www.google.com/tv/getit.html

[Don_S]

Josh,

Thanks for the link. That gave me clear choices.  I used the tab to sign up for notification when new equipment is available. I want to avoid purchasing the first or second generation. I think this will be a hot market for the next couple of years ant there will be numerous new products both competing with and supporting Google-TV. I sure hope so because I have a crap load of Intel stock.  Come on guys, help me out here. BUY SOMETHING--PLEASE.

Don, check out this page.  You do need internet service though.

http://www.google.com/tv/getit.html

[kenreau]

I'm going to send the doorknockers from my nieghborhood from ATT to see you.  We have a bundled service that is sending everything down one pipe.  ATT made a huge investment in the fiber optic network on my block.  Or so they say.  The picture quality on HD is still not quite as good as the Direct TV feed we had.  I complain but the rest of the house just isn't that into it.  TV, Web and Land Line. 

I just am hopeful for one thing.  A lower monthly charge for access to content.  If it is all being equal then one will have to go away.

Thanks for the offer, but don't bother sending those sales flunkies to my house   

I forgot we do have that bundled service offered from Comcast, but, like you have experienced, the HD&SD TV video picture quality is so compressed and inferior to what I experience with Dishnetwork that I refuse to bundle.  Getting a high quality video monitor only exacerbates the sub-par Comcast video quality.  If Comcast ever raised the video quality I wold reconsider, but the trends are usually more compression, more video noise, less picture quality.

Kenreau

[Phil A]

I am not much of a TV watcher but I have a Oppo DV980H (non-Blu-Ray) universal in the bedroom along with a Samsung Blu-Ray player and just got the Oppo BDP-93 last week.  I have the BDP-93 sitting in the main system for a bit but probably within a couple of weeks I'm  going to order the Google TV thing (yes I am over 40 - that was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away).  I just think it will be a nice thing to have and the bedroom system backs to the main system and they are somewhat interconnected.  I do watch an occasional sporting event on ESPN 360 on the computer via the 25 inch monitor and it wouldn't be bad to be able to watch it on the 55 inch bedroom LED or the 100 inch main screen.  I don't expect the picture quality to be all that great compared to other sources but it will fit in the system nicely.

[mcgsxr]

Thanks for letting me know about the built in Sony devices for Google TV, looks like the hardware is close, and some of you US guys seem to have converged offerings from your ISP's.

The Logitech Revue looks like an interesting toy, we will see how well it does.