Harry and Paul and konrad, re: "one of them will disappear from the marketplace"
I guess I should have said *eventually* disappear. Trying to picture what a PC and/or a TV will look like after this evolution has had five to ten years to play out, I can't help but think it's more efficient to have a PC with TV capability, or the opposite (probably with Java like download applications from the net). Why manufacture two different products that are essentially a viewing screen (one of the most expensive parts) with the same functions? Correct me if you think I'm wrong, but within two years I think all PC's intended for home use will have TV capabilty built in, and all TV's will have web capability built in.
Paul I think is correct that more than one will be required per household, as I see these "things" as multi-use machines, and ya can't tie up the TV when Sienfelds on. They will eventually be video phones, DVD movie players, game machines, digital photo processors (see this week's B.W. for a good article about the future of digital photography), home system control centers, God knows what else, and probably be voice activated/controled rather than the mouse/keyboards/remore controls. Another interesting question, clearly into the future, why not have just one "computer" and wired to screens throughout the house? Maybe I'm getting a little to far into the future, the transition is what is interesting right now.
At the present time, from what I understand, the broadcasters are siding with the TV manufacturers and plan to use technology that supports interlaced digital TV. Paul or anyone, do you know if this is or can be easily made compatable with current PC non-interlaced technology. Can the PC makers compete with the quality picture that digital TV will provide?
My *guess* for the roadmap is that the first digital TV's will come out in about 14 months (in time for the 1998 football season <g>), will steadily decrease in price and will be the majority of product sold within five years. There should be a hugh up grade cycle for ten years. It would be nice to have an Intel chip included in some or most of those sales.
John |
