Set-top box makers still waiting for customers

TalkBack 1 of 3:: Next »

Thread View
Flat View

tech vs consumers, and VHS history: The tech is out there, no question. It may need to be refined a little, but its there. By this, I mean that you can get a media centre edition (MCE) PC which will do pretty much everything in a box besides be a set-top box. This will change in future.

The current challenges I've personally experienced are that the image through the MCE is not as clear as that through a set top box direct. Again, this will change.

Additionally, there is no reason why the equivalent couldnt be provided through a linux platform.

The main issue is really how these devices can be introduced into the living room and still be acceptable as home entertainment devices.

A MCE PC I've tried (HP m1290 pc) is noisy, has frequent issues with the hardware platform, and I have constant battles when things go wrong to get service from either Microsoft, HP, or my retailer (PC World).

Regarding the delivery of content, I'd like to see consumers legally able to download direct to a DVD of our own, to be played back as and when we like. This means that overnight we could schedule the download of whatever we like, store it on the hard drive for a few days, watch it immediately if we choose, or archive it for later watching (again instant).

So really, the delivery is a minor inconvenience, its more the issue of licensing, DRM, and piracy. But is this any different from when we used to record something from the TV onto VHS tapes?

All we're doing is the same thing, but in a different format (hard drive or DVD). The TV company still makes something, be it in subscriber revenue for cable, or in advertising for free to air.

Why does the model NEED to be twisted into a bigger story than this?; Posted by: roberto_maietta@... Posted on: 09/13/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use