Toob: Internet Prime Time

by Matthew York
Spring 1998

Although the Internet and TV are poised for convergence in millions of homes, there is still considerable debate concerning which type of device most people will use to connect their televisions to the Net. Some believe that it will be a set-top box, a device small enough to sit on top of the TV set. The term "set-top box" is used extensively in the cable TV business to describe the decoders cable TV companies provide to their customers. To discern between the two, we've been using the phrase "Net-top box" to describe a product like a WebTV or a Network Computer, that sits on top of the TV set and connects it to the Internet. This technology is also referred to as "thin client." Currently, WebTV is the most established and popular Net-top box, but Oracle is mounting an aggressive campaign to rally consumer support for its Network Computer box, and even these are not the only two players in this market. In the coming months expect to see a dozen companies offering their version of a Net-top box. (For more information on this, see our comprehensive Buyer's Guide in Smart TV, Winter 97).

Others believe the connection method of choice will be televisions sold with a so-called "Internet ready" feature. There is an example this issue in Touch That Dial, page XXX. Just as many TVs are now sold cable ready, these TVs will require no external device to connect with the Net. I personally have some reservations about this configuration. Connecting to the Internet requires a few things that are "perishable," such as microprocessors, modems and other integrated circuits made primarily of silicon. I would be hesitant to invest in a TV I expect to keep for 10 years knowing that some of the things inside might have a distinct "shelf life." The silicon itself may last longer than 10 years, but the usefulness of silicon products in this day and age is typically much shorter. A successful Internet-enabled TV will have to deal with these issues.

In the case of an Internet connection there are three things to keep in mind: the modem, the RAM and the microprocessor. All three of these are getting faster or more powerful each year. The pace of change is so rapid that products manufactured as little as 3 years ago are currently considered "too slow." Along with the computer components, the Internet itself is changing to match the new technology. World Wide Web sites can contain richer and richer content as graphics, animation, streaming audio and streaming video increase in platform compatibility, public acceptance and versatility. Our report on the increasing availability of bandwidth for Internet TV, The Killer Connection, is found on page XXXX. The richer the Web content, however, the greater the demands on the silicon components. Compared to an Internet-ready TV, a Net-top box is simpler, cheaper and easier to upgrade. In the coming months, we'll see VCRs, DBS receivers and other products that are Internet ready. The concept of imbedding Internet connectivity into products has certain merits, but ease of upgradability isn't one of them.

PC/TV Arrives

A more powerful way to connect the Internet to the TV is via a PC, known simply as a PC/TV. The first companies who sold PC/TVs did so at a very high price because they included a big-screen VGA-type monitor. A high-end PC/TV, like a Gateway Destination DMC or a Compaq PC Theatre, is best suited for the "Internet believer" who is already convinced of the merits of Internet-TV connectivity. Microsoft's Web TV and Oracle's Network Computer, on the other hand, have targeted people that have little or no understanding of the Internet, which is why the Net-top box may be a slower path to achieve Internet TV market penetration. To remedy this, more companies will begin marketing more affordable PC/TV-type devices that are sold without the monitor and connect instead straight to the TV. This solution can be offered for as little as $900. Cyrix Corp. of Richardson, Texas recently announced the first PC/TV product to fall in this category and others will surely follow. Our story on this subject, A Perfect Match, is found on page XXX. The device that results from this shift will be more of a super Net-top box that brings all of the processing power of a traditional PC machine to the television. Easily upgraded and wielding the processing power to support the most vibrant video, sound and animation formats on the Internet, along with CD-ROM (and soon DVD-ROM), I think it will be a greater success than either a cheap Net-top box with limited functionality or a high-end PC/TV with a super-expensive monitor. In this issue, for example, you will find mail order companies willing to build custom PC/TVs.

Before the super Net-top box will be adopted on a grand scale, however, the Internet must continue to evolve to the point where a high-resolution VGA-type monitor is not necessary in the living room to enjoy it. Currently, even with all the multimedia design tools available to us today, the vast majority of Web pages are designed to be read, not watched. As the number of Web sites designed to be watched from the couch increases, then so does the potential of Internet connectivity to the living room, regardless of the display resolution of the TV. We call this the 10-foot viewing experience, and with this issue of Smart TV, we have begun to include a list of the best Web sites on the Internet to watch on TV. Our new URLs4TV column premiers on page XXX. To assist in this endeavor, whenever you visit a Web site you wish were formatted for the 10-foot viewing experience, e-mail the Webmaster and let him know how you feel. Whenever you find a site that works great from 10-feet, why not drop us a line at editor@smarttvmag.com? As long as the number of Web sites designed for TV continues to grow--and with growing public demand we predict it will--then 1998 could very well be the year the Internet finally becomes ready for living room prime time.

Matthew York is Editor and Publisher of Smart TV.