Does anyone know.....
 

Are there any current or soon-to-be released HDTV's that have built-in
web browsers; similar concept of Webtv, but incorporated into the TV,
with greater functionality?

With the current technology that exists with cell phones, I have reason
to believe, before too long, HDTV's will include MP3 players, Ipods, Web
access, etc.

Your comments/feedback are appreciated.

Does anyone know.....
 

On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:49:15 -0500, Raymond Babbitt wrote:

Are there any current or soon-to-be released HDTV's that have built-in
web browsers; similar concept of Webtv, but incorporated into the TV,
with greater functionality?

With the current technology that exists with cell phones, I have reason
to believe, before too long, HDTV's will include MP3 players, Ipods, Web
access, etc.

Your comments/feedback are appreciated.

All my TV's have that now. They're all hooked to a PC network running
mythtv.

--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org
My Tivo Experience http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/tivo.htm
Tivo HD/S3 compared http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/mythtivo.htm
AMD cpu help http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php

Does anyone know.....
 

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 05:33:10 GMT Wes Newell wrote:
| On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:49:15 -0500, Raymond Babbitt wrote:
|
| Are there any current or soon-to-be released HDTV's that have built-in
| web browsers; similar concept of Webtv, but incorporated into the TV,
| with greater functionality?
|
| With the current technology that exists with cell phones, I have reason
| to believe, before too long, HDTV's will include MP3 players, Ipods, Web
| access, etc.
|
| Your comments/feedback are appreciated.
|
| All my TV's have that now. They're all hooked to a PC network running
| mythtv.

Feeding a TV from a computer (DVI to HDMI cable, with sound somewhere) is
certainly the overall best way, but ...

1. I think he was asking about an integrated unit, which would seem to
mean a PC inside the TV.

2. I don't think MythTV does the web browsing :-)

A stripped down PC mainboard with an OS and limited software loaded from
flash could probably be done somewhere around $60. This would not have
to involve constructing the enclosure, but rather expand on that of the
TV itself, and maybe a bigger common power supply. So I would think it
would not be more than $100 added to the set once in mass production.
It could then use Cat5 ethernet, or wireless, to get internet access.
I'd rather see it have the Cat5 regardless so I can get full speed into
it.

Other variations on a TV could include a USB, FireWire, or eSATA connection
to an external hard drive that contained video to be played. We can do that
with a PC now (as you know). But a lot of people (myself included) do want
to reduce the total box count in the entertainment room (and yeah, I know,
some others like lots of boxes there). An LCD TV with an integrated PC that
is powerful enough to run Linux might be a fun toy to hack. I'd be adding
things like a VNC client, too. And BTW, it would not bother me at all if
that CPU was a non-x86 ... I build Linux for other CPUs frequently, as do
quite many others online.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------|

Does anyone know.....Phil
 

Phil...yes, you are correct. I am trying to find out if there are
existing units or soon-to-be released units that either have a PC or
web-browser built into the HDTV. If cell phone can access the Internet
wirelessly, it would seem that same type of technology would be easy to
integrate into a TV, and at a nominal cost. You could use either a
wireless keyboard or mouse to navigate.

Does anyone know.....
 

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:49:34 +0000, phil-news-nospam wrote:

Feeding a TV from a computer (DVI to HDMI cable, with sound somewhere)
is certainly the overall best way, but ...

1. I think he was asking about an integrated unit, which would seem to
mean a PC inside the TV.

And I doubt you'll ever see such a beast. That much integration is just
not good. I don't even like TV's with built in vcr's, dvd's, etc.

2. I don't think MythTV does the web browsing

It does, though it's just as easy to select the one of your choice and put
mythtv in the background. It also has built in news services, dvd player/
recorder, and all kinds of other stuff that probably meets anyones wants/
needs. There's so many plugins for it I couldn't name them all. IOW's it's
a full media server. TV, music, videos, dvd's, etc. You name it, it can do
it if you want it to. I use it strictly as HDTV recorder 99.9999% of the
time.:-)


--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org
My Tivo Experience http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/tivo.htm
Tivo HD/S3 compared http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/mythtivo.htm
AMD cpu help http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php

Does anyone know.....
 

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 21:09:52 GMT Wes Newell wrote:
| On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:49:34 +0000, phil-news-nospam wrote:
|
| Feeding a TV from a computer (DVI to HDMI cable, with sound somewhere)
| is certainly the overall best way, but ...
|
| 1. I think he was asking about an integrated unit, which would seem to
| mean a PC inside the TV.
|
| And I doubt you'll ever see such a beast. That much integration is just
| not good. I don't even like TV's with built in vcr's, dvd's, etc.

They have it in cell phones. But then, it's rather wimpy and there is the
demand for it as a mobile device where even a laptop is not practical. A
full PC beside the TV is (relatively speaking) more practical. Still, I
see some potential demand for this. But it might not be a PC per-se. It
might be an embedded system running a non-x86.


| 2. I don't think MythTV does the web browsing
|
| It does, though it's just as easy to select the one of your choice and put
| mythtv in the background. It also has built in news services, dvd player/
| recorder, and all kinds of other stuff that probably meets anyones wants/
| needs. There's so many plugins for it I couldn't name them all. IOW's it's
| a full media server. TV, music, videos, dvd's, etc. You name it, it can do
| it if you want it to. I use it strictly as HDTV recorder 99.9999% of the
| time.:-)

If the browser is built in to the MythTV software, then that's another form
of integration. But is it really needed given that MythTV runs on PCs where
lots of software can be had, like a full web browser or one of the mini web
browsers.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------|

Does anyone know.....
 

wrote in message
...
A stripped down PC mainboard with an OS and limited software loaded from
flash could probably be done somewhere around $60. This would not have
to involve constructing the enclosure, but rather expand on that of the
TV itself, and maybe a bigger common power supply. So I would think it
would not be more than $100 added to the set once in mass production.
It could then use Cat5 ethernet, or wireless, to get internet access.
I'd rather see it have the Cat5 regardless so I can get full speed into
it.

Other variations on a TV could include a USB, FireWire, or eSATA
connection
to an external hard drive that contained video to be played. We can do
that
with a PC now (as you know). But a lot of people (myself included) do
want
to reduce the total box count in the entertainment room (and yeah, I know,
some others like lots of boxes there). An LCD TV with an integrated PC
that
is powerful enough to run Linux might be a fun toy to hack. I'd be adding
things like a VNC client, too. And BTW, it would not bother me at all if
that CPU was a non-x86 ... I build Linux for other CPUs frequently, as do
quite many others online.

There are other benefits to building a TV with a PC as its heart. It makes
the UI a lot simpler. You throw in a web server, connect it to the internet
(actually it already is connected if you have a cable box), and now you can
control it from any web browser. The UI on TVs keeps getting more
complicated, and each manufacturer has to implement their own, and the
customers have to keep learning them. But just about everyone knows how to
manage a web browser. Put a Windows interface on it, and PIP is easy. You
just move resizable windows around on the desktop. Throw in a large disk
drive, and the TV is its own DVR. How about a DVD drive while we're at it?
Yes, I know all-in-one combinations have never been big sellers, but they've
always consisted of putting multiple discrete devices in a single box. This
would be a truly integrated solution. And even better, any hobbyist with
halfway decent computer skills could build their own.

Now let's look at the downside. Damn! My TV bluescreened right in the middle
of the winning play. Hackers broke into my TV and now all it shows is
commercials. Installation of critical updates is complete. You must restart
your TV for these updates to take effect. Do you want to restart now?

Does anyone know.....
 

On Nov 11, 8:33 pm, "Nick Danger" wrote:
snip
There are other benefits to building a TV with a PC as its heart.
It makes
the UI a lot simpler. You throw in a web server, connect it to the
internet
(actually it already is connected if you have a cable box), and now
you can
control it from any web browser. The UI on TVs keeps getting more
complicated, and each manufacturer has to implement their own, and
the
customers have to keep learning them. But just about everyone knows
how to
manage a web browser. Put a Windows interface on it, and PIP is
easy. You
just move resizable windows around on the desktop. Throw in a large
disk
drive, and the TV is its own DVR. How about a DVD drive while we're
at it?
Yes, I know all-in-one combinations have never been big sellers,
but they've
always consisted of putting multiple discrete devices in a single
box. This
would be a truly integrated solution. And even better, any hobbyist
with
halfway decent computer skills could build their own.

Now let's look at the downside. Damn! My TV bluescreened right in
the middle
of the winning play. Hackers broke into my TV and now all it shows
is
commercials. Installation of critical updates is complete. You must
restart
your TV for these updates to take effect. Do you want to restart
now?

Major downside: what motherboard / processor do you use? 3 years later
if the computer croaks you will NOT find a replacement board for it.

We have been using a TV computer for 3 years so far and have not had
a bluescreen during a show - or any time - not once. If it's working
correctly, do NOT do automatic updates on HTPC. Be happy it works and
don't fiddle with it.

GG