Archive for the ‘ideas’ tag
If I were an Inventor…
I just read an interesting article in the NYTimes about the fuzzy future of Blu-Ray. Click here to read full article.
I agree that Blu-Ray may be short lived because (1) more and more people just want to get their content online and (2) many people still don’t have HDTVs (why would they bother with Blu-Ray). Until I have the technology/bandwidth to stream HD content directly to my TV without needing another stupid box and a million connections, I’ll continue to support Blu-Ray. One could argue that the time has already come – we’re close, but it’s not universally available. I fall in category 1 from above, but I can’t watch videos on Hulu without the connection sputtering. That’s frustrating, and I’m not sure why I’m having so much trouble. I have a great computer and a fast connection. And YES, I’ve tried turning my computer off and on again (shout out to The IT Crowd).
I also think $4 to rent a movie on iTunes or the PS3 online store is ridiculous when I have unlimited streaming access to thousands of titles through my Netflix account, at $10 per month. The system isn’t perfect and I can’t get the HD stream (no Xbox), but it works for me. I would, however, purchase HD movies from the PS3 store ($10-15 per purchase, same as iTunes) and plan to experiment with that soon.
All things considered, my ideal HDTV would be a flat panel that has:
2. Massive hard drive (with OSX+ installed, for storing EVERYTHING- downloaded media and also serving as a DVR. I’d even like all my video games to have the digital option. Store the games on the hard drive and the OS can decipher which gaming system is required)
3. Universal access card slot (for satellite/cable programming – just need an authorized card from DishNetwork/DirectTV/CableConglomerateX and software downloads for TV/DVR functionality. No need for a dish, either. It’d all be on the web)
4. Universal disc drive (to play all “older” DVD, Blu-Ray, etc. Not as important, but would be a nice feature)
6. Wireless Mouse and keyboard (can be sold separately, since most people have these already)
Basically, I just want a massive flatscreen MacBook. I could access all my favorite things – iTunes, Web browser, video games without a separate console, and HD programming (streamed or otherwise) with ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. I realize the platform independent gaming thing will never happen, but everything else seems very doable. This unit probably wouldn’t be a true flat panel due to all the extras – but it could still be wall mounted. The computer components could be housed in a small strip below the actual viewing area of the TV, and maybe a few things off to the side (disc drive, USB port). If the technology/bandwidth is here, why hasn’t anyone done this yet?
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