[opendtv] Re: Chromecast - Teardown and philosophy

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 21:59:27 +0000

Craig Birkmaier wrote:

> Integrating [the PC] into the TV eliminates the packaging, but you still
> need the UI and ports.

> Bert may argue that consumers could use an existing notebook PC;

My argument is actually that the CE vendors should do this on their own. Again, 
attaching the PC/notebook/whatever to the TV is a *workaround*, however in 
terms of access to **TV content**, it is a better solution than all the others 
you proffer. I agree that for viewing photos that someone has on their 
smartphone, a more direct smartphone-to-TV interface would be nice too. (The 
way I do it is to e-mail the photos from my phone to my PC. They look way 
better on the big screen.)

> I would counter that they could use an existing tablet or smartphone.

As we have seen, tablets and smartphones, be they iToys or Android, are *much* 
more limited in the TV content they have access to than PCs are. I don't 
consider being banished to only a handful of pay-TV Internet sites as being a 
good solution.

And too, as articles have been saying, people DON'T seem to want to use the 
"second screen" to control the "first screen." I just use a simple, small, 
light, and low-cost Logitech wireless mouse, for instance. Never have to look 
away from the first screen. Seems like people like to have other stuff on their 
"second screen," if they are watching TV at the same time.

> And I would note that if more computing power is needed in the future,
> it will cost less than $100 for a new "dongle," whereas a PC integrated
> into a TV would become outdated, most likely leading to the need for an
> upgrade dongle.

That's certainly one option. Another option is to provide low-cost plug-in 
modules that would not be any bigger than this dongle!! Consumers have shown 
time and time again that they like dirt-simple solutions. Just turn on the TV 
and tune to your program. Not a lot of extra baggage to do this.

> Bert claims that the PC is universal, despite the fact that much of what
> can be accessed requires a subscription, or verification of a
> subscription to an MVPD service.

"Much of?" Hardly any of, in my case! Clearly, it is undisputable that as new 
TV portals emerge on the Internet, I have instant access to all of them. These 
crippled devices, like AppleTV, Roku, my LG BluRay player, etc., etc., do not 
have access. They become obsolete the minute joe schmoe creates www.schmoe.tv.

Bert

 
 
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