[opendtv] Re: (No Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 10:30:37 -0400

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 08:38:12 -0400

At 7:46 PM -0400 10/21/04, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
>By the way, I've heard you say this same thing time
>and time again, but it completely misses the point
>each time.
>
>TV and cinema content is not like a PC desktop,
>where the viewer gets to arrange the content any
>which way.

Why not. Many people are doing it already, and I would jump at the 
opportunity to set up a graphical TV 'desktop (set-top?) that would 
be MUCH more friendly for navigation.

Let me turn this around. I already do this with my Powerbook. At the 
touch of a button, however, I can properly display a QuickTime movie 
full screen, or play a DVD movie filling the screen to the extent 
possible without introducing image distortions.

You can expect to see tabbed interfaces on TVs and icons that will 
provide direct links to content, no matter where they reside, or how 
they get there. In other words, you will save the virtual paths to 
content and clicking on an icon will handle all of the switching, 
routing of the signals to the screen.

>TV and cinema content to a TV or movie screen, if you
>must use computer analogies, is much more similar to
>a web page viewed full screen (I mean, clicking on
>the full screen button in your browser). TV and
>cinema content has to be designed to look right full
>screen because that's how it will be viewed 99.9
>percent of the time. You don't want distractions
>on the screen at the same time.

Speak for yourself. Most of the stuff I see on TV does not warrant my 
full attention.

Yes, content producers will assume that they can use the full screen 
during a video presentation. But they will have the flexibility to 
use it any way they want, including changing aspect ratios to match 
the needs of the content. What is much more important, however, is 
the fact that that BIG, EXPENSIVE, HIGH RESOLUTION, display will not 
be used exclusively to watch linear TV programs and movies. You will 
be able to search, control and modify your music library and photo 
library. You will be able to create links to important information 
portals that you may prefer to a television service such as CNN or 
the Weather Channel. You will be able to use the big display for 
social group activities that are difficult with a bunch of people 
huddled around a computer display. You will be able to control your 
environment via the in-home network.


>Do web page designers care how their page will look?
>Yes, they do. They care very much about how much info
>to include (i.e. resolution), what aspect ratio to
>optimize for, and generally how the average viewer
>will see the page.

And what aspect ratios do they optimize for?

>
>So much for "decoupling." If this is true for web
>pages, it is much more true for movies and TV shows.
>I wouldn't be so awe-struck by this "decoupling" you
>keep bringing up.

Fortunatelyy it IS NOT true for web pages, where designers have 
complete flexibility in the use of images and video, which they use.

Regards
Craig
 
 
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