George T: Microsoft sees boom in sales of digital TV-PCs
------
" Mundie expects TV-PC shipments to total 100 million units in the year 2000, providing a huge business opportunity for broadcasters, he said."
Estimates are 10 million units at best for Consumer DTV in the same timeframe?
Seems to me that this argument alone could sway a lot of broadcasters to target the PC-DTV format.
---------------------------
Microsoft sees boom in sales of digital TV-PCs
MAKUHARI, Japan, June 25 (Reuter) - Personal computers
which also serve as digital televisions should begin to replace
traditional television sets within a few years, a senior
Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> executive said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Windows World '97 exhibition near Tokyo,
Microsoft senior executive vice-president Craig Mundie said all
PCs will be capable of receiving digital television signals by
about 2000.
Mundie said access to broadcasting would become a standard
part of future versions of Microsoft's operating software,
Windows '98, code-named Memphis, and Windows NT 5.0.
"TVs have no choice but to move somewhat closer to PCs,
while PCs have to move more toward simplicity," Mundie said,
adding interactive PCs provide better information than
traditional broadcasting.
He said consumers have cut back on their television and
video viewing times by 15 percent in the past year in order to
spend more time with their personal computers.
The new TV-PCs will be able to offer better picture
quality, more "active programming" with Internet connections,
such as Web-enhanced video, Mundie said.
Consumers will be able to receive terrestrial broadcasting,
satellite broadcasting and cable TV signals through a single
TV, he said.
"This will eliminate what I call the 'five remote control
terminals problem'," he said.
Mundie expects TV-PC shipments to total 100 million units
in the year 2000, providing a huge business opportunity for
broadcasters, he said.
REUTER |
