Interactive TV

by Francine Gair
Fall 2001

What's on iTV?
Think you could do better than the contestants on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Prove it by competing against other viewers in a live enhanced-TV version. Itching to express your opinion of a fashion makeover? Get interactive with E! Fashion Emergency. Want to score a fight round-by-round and compare your scores with the judges'? Check out HBO's Boxing After Dark.
More and more, television shows are providing an interactive component that lets you do much more than just sit back and watch. You can actively participate with your favorite show compete, vote, chat, access bios and stats, even purchase merchandise related to the program.
Game shows let you predict on-screen outcomes and play in real time against other home viewers. You can win prizes and see your name on TV as a high scorer. Some shows have bonus features for interactive players.
You'll find two types of interactive TV: one-screen and two-screen. One-screen interactive television, also known as "enhanced TV," embeds interactive data and graphics with the broadcast signal. A special receiver or set-top box decodes the embedded data and displays it on your TV screen, over or alongside the TV picture. You then interact with the program by using your remote to click icons and arrows on the screen.
You don't need a special receiver for two-screen interactive TV, just a computer connected to the Internet in the same room as your television. While you view the program, you can use the keyboard to vote, shop or compete via the program's Web site. The Web pages change with cues from the program itself.
No matter which way you decide to interact with your TV -- via set-top box or home computer -- check out our sampling of today's innovative interactive TV shows.

Interactive TV Hardware
What You Need to Go Interactive

One-screen Interactive TV