ruk.blog

Beginning in 2008, buyers of some new digital televisions will notice an Ethernet plug (or said another way, an Internet or network jack) that connects the TV set directly to the Internet. Sony, Sharp and Panasonic are among the consumer-electronics manufacturers trying to bridge the Internet-TV gap by developing next-generation gadgets that allow consumers to hook up their TVs to the Web.

Randy Waynick, senior vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics, said: “An Internet connection gives consumers the opportunity to define the experience they want on their TVs. This is TV at your schedule.”

“The Internet is the new ether,” said Paul Liao, chief technical officer for Panasonic. “First you had broadcasting over the air. Then you had cable, and then satellite. Now fiber optics are bringing programming to the TV.”

As more content is put online and broadband improves, shows could be watched without local stations or cable.

For now, the capabilities are modest. Consumers can’t surf the Internet as they can on their computers, but they can use their remote controls to get updated local weather forecasts, personalized stock quotes, on-demand access to a handful of TV shows such as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, and best of all — consumer generated content — videos via YouTube.

But these built in Internet connections could eventually change the way consumers watch TV programs. The goal is to one day replace every set-top device — cable boxes, TiVos, media center computers, stereos and game consoles — so all you need is a TV set that does it all, via the Internet.

As broadband gets faster, TVs get more powerful and entertainment companies put more content online, viewers might be able to call up any show, movie, song or amateur video at any time without needing local TV stations or cable subscriptions.

And, of course, providing home movies, hosted at iMemories via the Internet, but, sent directly to home theater television sets is exciting for iMemories.