AV Adviser

The future of TV could bring a closer knit community

Cleveland - As our cable TV bills keep rising, my AT&T U-verse has gone up by about $20 over the last year, the incentive to cut the cord grows stronger.  And every day technology is making it that much easier to say goodbye to your cable provider.

We're moving to closer and closer to the tipping point and a new way of watching TV where we only pay for what we want to watch.  It's being called a la carte TV and last week the Washington Post wrote about it, Verizon, Cablevision emerge as unlikely allies of cable-TV customers fed up with bundling. 

Cancel your cable TV and you will be missing out on some things.  Sports and most anything live doesn't have that big a presence on the internet yet.  Though CBS is showing all of the NCAA basketball playoffs on their site. 

There may be something gained by this a la carte future though, a closer community.  Ok, so imagine no one has bundled cable TV anymore.  You decide to subscribe to the Mad Men season series and a friend or neighbor is going to be subscribing to Dexter.  Each of you are interested in both series but why pay for them both.  You invite them over for Mad Men viewings and they do likewise when it's time for Dexter. 

Suddenly you've got neighbors gathering in each others homes in numbers that haven't been seen since Eisenhower was in office.  TV which has always been thought to alienate could now become a beacon for our gathering tribe.  

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

 

Apple TV, a step toward the rumored TV they're developing?

I've already talked of my enjoyment in using the newly designed Apple TV.  What's not to like about it?  It's a breeze to set up, the interface is intuitive and the design is sleek in every regard.  Shows start up almost immediately and the picture looks great. 

Rich Jarovsolsky at Bloomberg thinks it may be a look into what the future may hold if/when Apple brings an actual TV to market.  It seems the only key ingredient missing is Siri. 

New Apple TV Hints at Jobs’s Vision: Rich Jaroslovsky

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

 

Apple's iTV, Could It Be As Big As Past Products

I haven't read the Steve Jobs biography yet.  I'm waiting for this month's Audible selection to become available on my account.  The big buzz from those who've read it is Jobs talk of getting into the TV business. 

Jobs had talked about television and the difficulty in entering that market in the past.  The company did create Apple TV, but prognosticators have always wondered why Apple would get into TV manufacturing.  It's not as if any of the current manufacturers are raking in the dollars with the razor thin profit margins. 

Still, in the book, Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson says this:

"He very much wanted to do for television sets what he had done for computers, music players, and phones: make them simple and elegant."

And Jobs is quoted as saying this:

"I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,' he told me. 'It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud.' No longer would users have to fiddle with complex remotes for DVD players and cable channels. 'It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."

So the question is what exactly does he means by "I finally cracked it".  The tech community is of the consensus that it's Siri, the voice recognation assistant on the new iPhone 4s (which incidentally was down most of the day yesterday).  Imagine simply telling your TV what show to turn to or record. 

Most predict that we won't be seeing this iTV or whatever it's to be called until 2013.  In the meantime let the rumor mill run wild. 

Here's a Q & A with tech blogger Darrell Etherington conducted by The Washington Post, Will Apple's iTV transform home entertainment?

Steve Jobs left us with something possibly even more revelatory than this talk of iTV.  In a eulogy by his sister Mona Simpson she revealed that his final words were, "Oh wow...oh wow...oh wow".  There's some interesting interpretations of what was meant by that statement. 

Cutting The Cable Cord On Your Home Theater

I've addressed the trend of cutting the cable cord and relying on the internet for your TV viewing content in the past.  I think it's time to reiterate my stance.

Here's a story from The Seattle Times, Compute: With Internet TV, cut the cable cord.  In the article the  author explains his want of cutting his bills.  That's all well and good in these tough economic times.  If corners must be cut then ridding yourself of a cable or satellite bill is a highly ranked option.

If you're considering doing this merely to save money even though you can afford it you should consider some things.  It's still too early in the evolution of internet content for numerous reasons. 

Bandwidth in the US is still a big issue.  There are places in the world that have much better internet speeds and it's something the government should address.  The capability is there but for various reasons we the consumers are being jipped. 

Less than adequate bandwidth means your internet service provider (ISP) may cap your usage.  That could mean paying even more per month if you go over, or they could throttle (slow down) your service resulting in a lousy or impossible to watch picture. 

Speaking of inferior picture quality, on a small TV, say 32...maybe 42 inch set, you might not notice a difference.  But on a large screen TV the difference between the video quality on cable as opposed to that of the internet is striking. 

Finally, not everything is available online.  If you're a sports fan there's just no way you can do without cable or satellite.

I will say this, my secondary TV only receives over the air local stations and Netflix through an XBox.    The picture is fabulous and there's some quirky side band channels offering old TV shows and the like.  Perhaps you can at least cut back the bill by returning those extra boxes and going that route. 

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

 

Second Generation Roku Player Nears Launch

The most popular device in streaming internet content to the home TV is the Roku box.  It comes in three models depending on your specific hook up configuration. This first version has been around for about two years which seems like a long time in the tech world.

So it's not surprising that the second iteration, Roku 2, is expected to be released in the very near future.  It's been spied on tester benches and at the FCC where it has to be deemed compliant with current regulations. 

The set top box appears to be smaller.  The remote is supposed to be more user friendly.  The prices are said to stay the same.  What's yet to be determined is what's inside.  Will it allow access to anything video related on the web?  I kind of doubt it but if it does they will expand their lead immeasurably. 

If you have any questions or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

Getting Content From Your Laptop To Your Big Screen TV Is Getting Easier

Belkin, who makes numerous connective type products for the computer and AV world, has just announced a new device that will send any content from your laptop PC to your big screen TV.  So long as the TV or receiver (if you're using that as the switching unit...which you should be)has an an HDMI input. 

There's another big caveate.  The laptop has to have Intel Wireless Display built in.  After that it's a piece of cake.  Simply plug the ScreenCast TV Adapter into the HDMI input.  It'll send any videos or photos you have on your PC as well as anything from the internet.  They are also claiming that it'll render the image in 1080P (if the source material is such) and carry 5.1 surround (again, if the source material is). 

Pretty cool for a list price of $129.  Release date is said to be next month. 

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

A First Hand Look At Panasonic TV Apps

I've mentioned internet connectivity apps being built right into TVs a few times over the past week.  Want to get an understanding and feel for what these apps offer?

The folks at Engadget test drive the new 2011 Panasonic Viera and its apps, Panasonic rolls out new apps for its 2011 Viera Connect TVs, we go hands-on (video)

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

2011, The Year Of The Tablet

2010 may have seen the introduction of Apple's iPad but it's 2011 that will see every other manufacturer come to market with their own tablet device. 

Word of the second generation iPad is heating up with an announcement expected in the next couple of weeks and a release in April.  I've always been a believer in avoiding early adoption and waiting for a product to be refined.  Thus, I'm anxiously awaiting the new iPad because I'll be buying one. 

It's not that I'm opposed to any of the other,seemingly, countless tablets coming out.  It's just that Apple grabbed me first with the iPod, then the iPhone and it doesn't make sense to have a device that doesn't mesh with them. 

The market is plenty big enough for competitors as we've seen with the sales of android phones.  Those people will follow the same thought process and buy a complimentary tablet to their smart phone. 

I just read an interesting piece on Steve Guttenberg's blog The Audiophiliac, Will you still watch TV at home in 10 years?  He wonders if the proliferation of tablets will mean people won't be watching large screen TVs at home in the future.  He compares it to the drop in sales of large speakers in favor of earbuds and portable music players. 

At the end he confesses that he could be all wrong and I'd have to agree with that.  Music is much easier to add to day to day activities such as commuting, office work and exercise.  Video is something that needs your commitment.  You need to watch it, and that prevents doing much of anything else.

Still, I'm sure I'll find great pleasure in watching streaming video on my tablet.  Not so much when I'm driving though.

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

Microsoft Gearing Up To Compete With Apple And Google On TV Content

Microsoft has fallen from its once lofty position these past few years.  That's not to say they're ready to fold.  Windows still dominates.  But aside from the huge success of XBox 360, their other endeavors into hardware and internet platforms have been lackluster.  That may change.

The company is working feverishly to tie in their Mediaroom with their smart phone and Xbox 360.  Also incorporating the very slick Silverlight into the project.  

Here's some more in depth coverage from Engadget, Internet, Home Entertainment Mediaroom rumors could put Microsoft IPTV on the fast track to success.

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

Looking For the Right Set Top Box For Christmas

Probably the coolest category in home entertainment is the set top boxes be it a gaming console or internet video interface.  I came across this informative article which gives you the lowdown on the best of the bunch and should help you pick the perfect gift.

The folks at Zatz Not Funny have taken all the hassle of comparing and contrasting.  Isn't the internet wonderful.  Research and buy all in the matter of a few minutes.  You're welcome.

If you have a question or if I may be of service call me at 440.724.0558 or email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal