Comments on: Do you really want the internet on your TV? http://gonedigital.net/2011/01/13/do-you-really-want-the-internet-on-your-tv/ Nigel Whitfield’s digital TV & technology blog Fri, 18 May 2012 16:23:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nigel http://gonedigital.net/2011/01/13/do-you-really-want-the-internet-on-your-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-3288 Nigel Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:09:25 +0000 http://gonedigital.net/?p=893#comment-3288 I've played with a couple of TVs that had full web browsing, and it was a pretty dispiriting experience, with things like CSS-based site menus not working properly, and embedded multimedia not available; it's just the sort of thing that I think will make people give up and feel disappointed, just like WAP and other early attempts at the internet on the phone did. Technology on the web tends to advance quite quickly in some areas, and even a browser that works with all the main sites now probably wouldn't in just a couple of years, not to mention that full rendering of complex pages means beefing up the processing power in TVs beyond what's really needed for everything else. I’ve played with a couple of TVs that had full web browsing, and it was a pretty dispiriting experience, with things like CSS-based site menus not working properly, and embedded multimedia not available; it’s just the sort of thing that I think will make people give up and feel disappointed, just like WAP and other early attempts at the internet on the phone did.
Technology on the web tends to advance quite quickly in some areas, and even a browser that works with all the main sites now probably wouldn’t in just a couple of years, not to mention that full rendering of complex pages means beefing up the processing power in TVs beyond what’s really needed for everything else.

]]> By: Bob_ http://gonedigital.net/2011/01/13/do-you-really-want-the-internet-on-your-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-3287 Bob_ Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:04:20 +0000 http://gonedigital.net/?p=893#comment-3287 I think that you can bring the benefits of a connected device to as many people as possible but you certainly don't want to be browsing the web on TV. Manufacturers can take advantage of connectivity to bring more content and choice into the home but you don't need to make it complicated. In my fortunate position I have been using a product with experimental portal for some weeks now and it is a great little addition but I certainly wouldn't say that it has revolutionised my watching of TV. I use the home networking/DLNA more than the portal web services for certain. None of these features requires a great leap of technological understanding (beyond perhaps the sometimes challenging first connection) and I am confident that most homes could figure out how to connect their TV device to their home broadband. But I think you have to keep the offering simple and despite what some of the minority plead for no manufacturer should offer open web browsing without first seriously considering the consequences for support and confusion. Regards, Bob @ Humax I think that you can bring the benefits of a connected device to as many people as possible but you certainly don’t want to be browsing the web on TV. Manufacturers can take advantage of connectivity to bring more content and choice into the home but you don’t need to make it complicated.

In my fortunate position I have been using a product with experimental portal for some weeks now and it is a great little addition but I certainly wouldn’t say that it has revolutionised my watching of TV. I use the home networking/DLNA more than the portal web services for certain. None of these features requires a great leap of technological understanding (beyond perhaps the sometimes challenging first connection) and I am confident that most homes could figure out how to connect their TV device to their home broadband.

But I think you have to keep the offering simple and despite what some of the minority plead for no manufacturer should offer open web browsing without first seriously considering the consequences for support and confusion.

Regards,

Bob @ Humax

]]> By: Bill http://gonedigital.net/2011/01/13/do-you-really-want-the-internet-on-your-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-3281 Bill Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:57:35 +0000 http://gonedigital.net/?p=893#comment-3281 This is the classic high tech marketing mistake. Product marketeers want to talk about the great features they have built. Customers are only interested in the benefits the features bring. As you say, the new TVs come with the ability to watch those programmes we missed and to rent movies without the trek to Blockbuster. All without a separate box and satellite or cable subscription. It just needs plugging into your broadband. Internet TV? nah. Good job it didn't happen a few years ago or it would have been called e-telly. This is the classic high tech marketing mistake. Product marketeers want to talk about the great features they have built. Customers are only interested in the benefits the features bring.
As you say, the new TVs come with the ability to watch those programmes we missed and to rent movies without the trek to Blockbuster. All without a separate box and satellite or cable subscription. It just needs plugging into your broadband.
Internet TV? nah. Good job it didn’t happen a few years ago or it would have been called e-telly.

]]> By: D Palk http://gonedigital.net/2011/01/13/do-you-really-want-the-internet-on-your-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-3279 D Palk Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:41:40 +0000 http://gonedigital.net/?p=893#comment-3279 You are so right, Nigel. There may be something I'd use the Internet-TV connection for, but it won't make me go out and buy a new TV. As a long-time cabled household, I have a Virgin broadband and TV package, but mostly I prefer to use my Toppy for catch-up TV rather than the Virgin offer. Possibly because I'm in charge, possibly because it will still be there if I don't get round to it quickly, but mostly, I think, because it just feels right that way. You are so right, Nigel.
There may be something I’d use the Internet-TV connection for, but it won’t make me go out and buy a new TV. As a long-time cabled household, I have a Virgin broadband and TV package, but mostly I prefer to use my Toppy for catch-up TV rather than the Virgin offer. Possibly because I’m in charge, possibly because it will still be there if I don’t get round to it quickly, but mostly, I think, because it just feels right that way.

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