Ruel.Net Set-Top Page and Interactive TV Top.Box.News - Set Top and TV Technology [ http://ruel.net/top.box.news/ ]

SITE METER ^*
says you are
TV Viewer
number

Free Translation

Warning: Translation May Be Imprecise
Click for Limitations

<a href="../top/box.awards.htm" target="_top">Recognition and Awards for Ruel.Net</a> <a href="http://ruel.net" target="_top"><img src="../graphics/settop-box-00.gif" width=41 height=39 border=0 alt="Watch TV"> Ruel.Net</a> Copyright © 1996-2002<a href="../tv/disclaimer.htm" target="_top">Legal Notice, Disclaimer, and Limitations</a>DO NOT MIRROR THESE PAGES<a href="../tv/who.htm" target="_top">Who's Ruel?</A>Upgrade Your Browser and enable IFRAMEs for Full Viewing of All Elements on this Webpage


	Ruel.Net Set-Top Page Interactive TV Top.Box.News

A few of the unsolicited visitor comments praising Ruel.Net and the Interactive TV Top.Box.News @ Ruel.Net:

"I really like your site!"
Melissa Thompson, Director, NewsChannel 5.com, Nashville, Tennessee (watch NewsChannel 5 on TV when in Nashville)

"I thought I would mention to you how much I LOVE your site! It's my default home page on my browser. I find the breaking news links to be a valued source of info and helps me to keep up. I find you informative and, as a result, people find me to be informative. So, thanks for making me look good."
Annoymous TV Producer, New York

"Faaaaaaaaaabulous site!!! Congratulations for your TERRIFIC website! I really love it and I'm now one of your most faithful readers! I'm writing you thanks to my NETBOX which is the French answer to America's WebTV.... So keep up the GREAT work!"
Olivier T., France

"Love your website.... I just bought my WebTV ... had it hooked up in mere minutes, signed on, and I'm having a blast.... I've enjoyed all of your articles. It REALLY helps a novice like myself to know and understand what's new and happening in the WebTV world."
Laurie B., Louisiana

"Our TV program is META. It's broadcast four times a day on digital platform POLSAT CYFROWY and on PTK - one of the most popular cable networks in Poland. On the program, I report on hardware, computers, cell phones, GPS, TV, DVD, DV, etc. I found your site and presented it briefly on-air.... Thanks a lot!"
Jacek Trojanski, META, Poland

"Good luck with Ruel.Net as it is still the authentic site for all set-top box news and one day soon TV set-top boxes will change the world."
John Bentley, Inventor of Internet on TV, U.K.

"Hey, you are doing a great job! I have been spreading the word about your site."
Phillip Swann, Author of TV dot COM

Ruel.Net has been watching and commenting on interactive television news long before anyone else. This set of webpages is a freely-accessible collection of commentaries and an annotated index of news links and information links dealing with the new interactive television media and set-top boxes.

Click Here for Latest News
at Ruel.Net Interactive TV
Top.Box.News

WELCOME TO THE
FUTURE OF TELEVISION

CLICK HERE for Ruel.Net Awards & Recognition
Ruel.Net recently featured in USA TODAY

What? You stumbled onto this page because you are computer user and you're looking for a PC-TV TUNER CARD for your computer to watch TV on your PC? Or do you want something more powerful than a set-top box, but yet watch TV at the same time? Or do you want to make your own "Power PC-TV Box" out of your COMPUTER?
Click Here for the Ruel.Net PC-TV Page.

A FEW REVIEWS:

There are several different types of interactive set-top boxes including one for dial-up telephone-based internet-on-TV set-top boxes, another for digital cable TV set-top boxes, and yet another for digital satellite TV set-top boxes. So don't be too confused about the 56-Kbps modems for telephone-based set-top boxes if you are in a country that is finally getting cable internet modems (which are completely different and are more likely connected to PCs) or if you have just heard of the satellite boxes. Think of it this way: since the popular internet media was first available via telephone lines, the telephone-based set-top boxes came first before digital set-top boxes for cable and satellite (and before cable modems) in many countries.

The MSNTV-WebTV Plus, Teknema Internet TV, and the WebSurfer are examples of dial-up telephone-based set-top boxes, but they will generally give you an idea as to what the internet will look like on your TV whether via a telephone line, a cable TV line, or a satellite dish. The dial-up boxes have generally been more known for their internet-on-TV capability. On the other hand, you have the Scientific-Atlanta Explorer 2000 and the Motorola DCT-2000 as digital cable-TV set-top boxes for advanced television watching (which would include video-on-demand and the interactive program guide). The BSkyB satellite digital set-top boxes, the DirecTV-UltimateTV satellite digital set-top box, the DirecTV-AOLTV satellite digital set-top box, the TiVo boxes and the ReplayTV boxes are examples of satellite interactive TV set-top boxes for more advanced television watching. Also look for MSNTV-WebTV Networks, AOLTV, and other similar interactive internet services to be available as auxiliary services via cable and satellite television. These boxes are all evolving into "entertainment gateway" boxes for the home.

If you are making IMPORTANT PURCHASING DECISIONS, you may want to first look at an actual demonstration unit before making your important purchasing decisions....

RUEL'S REVIEW:
WEBTV PLUS (10FEB98)

Web Eye is Looking at You!

WebTV's official info about WebTV Plus
NCAA Basketball on WebTV & UltimateTV
Asking about WebTV, Java, and RealAudio?
Asking about WebTV, ICQ, and Instant Messaging?
Asking about WebTV Classic Printer Adapters?
CNET's review of new Philips WebTV Classic (3SEP99)
PCMag's review of EchoStar DishPlayer 500 (11JAN00) (alt.link)
Chasms WebTV Tutorial
Books about WebTV

What you're asking where's the AOLTV review? Ruel sez: "Well, I have screenshots, but I haven't gotten around to writing something up -- but stay tuned!"

To those asking, SORRY, no descrambler info here.

Gemstar-TV Guide interactive program guide demo
GUIDE Plus+ interactive program guide demo

RUEL'S REVIEW: SURFREADY NTV-2500 (08JAN01)

RUEL'S REVIEW: NETGEM NETBOX (25DEC99)

RUEL'S FEATURE: WEB.IT INTERNET BOX+ AND WINDOWS CE ON TV (25DEC99)

RUEL'S REPORT:
SET-TOP.COM REMOTE CONTROL (27SEP99)

RUEL'S REVIEW:
AiTV SET-TOP BOX (27JUL99)

RUEL'S REVIEW:
TEKNEMA INTERNET TV (12FEB98)
(Teknema licensed the Internet TV
to Daewoo for its inet.top.box, to
Funai for its Card de Ne! box, and
to NewCom for its WebPal box)

RUEL'S REVIEW:
WEBSURFER (16JUL98)

WEBTV PLUS IS SMART TV; AND INTERNET TV GAMES (10DEC97)

CHOICESEAT: INTERNET TV AT THE BALLGAME? (1SEP97)

ChoiceSeat at
Qualcomm Stadium

To those folks asking which set-top box do I like the BEST: If you understand what "THINK TV" means and how WATCHING TV is the primary function of television, then you'll know WHICH set-top boxes I have a preference for. Yes, I do love WebTV, but there are other boxes out there to watch out for. Keep in mind that set-top boxes are NOT computers. TV can be interactive with cross-over hyperlinks, internet surfing, email, electronic program guides, and other interactive capabilities, but do NOT expect a TV with a set-top box to do everything that a desktop computer does. Visit Interactive TV Top.Box.News at Ruel.Net for the latest news about set-top boxes.

Click Here for CURRENT
INTERACTIVE TV NEWS

allNetDevices on
Set-Top Boxes

Variety's NewMedia
survey of Set-Top Boxes

Sam Churchill's Chart
for Interactive Television,
Video-On-Demand, and
Set-Top Box Testing

Essential Guide to
Digital Set-Top Boxes
and Interactive TV

Producing
Interactive
Television

Building Interactive
Entertainment and
E-Commerce Content
for Microsoft TV

Developing Web Pages
for TV-HTML

RUEL'S ARTICLES, SELECTED NEWS ITEMS & COMMENTS:

GENERAL INSTRUMENT, SCIENTIFIC-ATLANTA, & DIGITAL INTERACTIVE CABLE TV; ALSO SET-TOP INTERACTIVE TV TIME FRAMES

EMMYS.TV AND THE DEVELOPING .TV MINDSET

PARALLELS: TELEGRAPH TO TELEPHONE; INTERNET TO INTERACTIVE TV

L.J. DAVIS BOOK IS WRONG ON INTERACTIVE TELEVISION; AND DO NOT CONFUSE SET-TOP TV VIEWERS WITH PC USERS

THINK OF "LEAN-BACK" TV VIEWERS INSTEAD OF "LEAN-TO" PC USERS

DVD ON MY COUSIN'S BIG SCREEN TV: INTERACTIVE TV'S FUTURE IS IN VOD

POSSIBLE CABLE INTERACTIVE TV PRICING, POSSIBLE PRICE WARS; AND A LITTLE BIT ON PHONE VERSUS CABLE

WATCH OUT CABLE: IMAGICTV PROVIDES INTERACTIVE DIGITAL TELEVISION MAGIC VIA COPPER TELEPHONE LINES

PEACH NETWORKS GIVES YOU WINDOWS ON YOUR TV SET

MR. INTERNET TV - INTERNET TV FOR THE PEOPLE; INTERVIEW WITH JOHN BENTLEY, INVENTOR OF INTERNET ON TV

WILL YOU GET AN ALL-IN-ONE FULLY INTEGRATED INTERACTIVE DIGITAL TV SET -OR- WILL YOU GET A DIGITAL TV SET AND THEN GET AN INTERACTIVE SET-TOP BOX

HDTV, DIGITAL TV, POWER PC-TV BOXES, OR SET-TOP BOXES WITH BUILT-IN DIGITAL TV CONVERTERS

REPLAYTV: DON'T CALL IT A "VCR"

HOMEBOUND AND MOBILE DEVICES

SIGHTING OF AOL-TV SET-TOP BOX???

AOL-TV NEWS AND BUZZ

UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR ASKS HOW STUDENTS CAN GET INTO THE WEBTV REVOLUTION

NETGEM PRESENTS A SMALL, POWERFUL GIFT FROM FRANCE

LOW-COST TELEPHONE-BASED SET-TOP MARKET TO BE OPENED UP

FREE INTERNET ON PC-TV AND SET-TOP BOXES
Related Link: FreePCTV's Internet TV Giveaway

NEON SAYS ITS SET-TOPS COMMITTED TO STANDARDS TO BRING PC QUALITY & PERFORMANCE TO TV

E.TV (A NETWORK-MARKETING COMPANY) SELLING BOCAVISION SET-TOP BOXES TO TRY TO CASH IN ON THE POTENTIAL INTERACTIVE TV BONANZA
ANOTHER NETWORK-MARKETING COMPANY THAT SOLD SET-TOPS FIRST: FUTURENET SELLING WEBTV HOUSE TO HOUSE
(Multi-level network marketers will have an uphill battle competing against the retail onslaught of digital cable set-top boxes, WebTV set-top boxes, satellite set-top boxes, FreePCTV set-top boxes, the "power PC-TV boxes," and all of the other boxes....)

BASIC SET-TOP BOX AS A TOOL FOR A COTTAGE INDUSTRY AND HOW YOU MAY GET IT

YOU'VE GOT TO "THINK TV" (HE GETS IT, HE DOESN'T GET IT)

TELEWEBBERS: "INTERACTIVE TV" WITHOUT A SET-TOP BOX OR A PC-TV

TELEWEBBING IN THE KITCHEN

A COUPLE CONTRASTS: COMMUNITY BUILDING WITH INTERACTIVITY BETWEEN PEOPLE (AND NOT JUST WITH THE TV SET) AND WEB-BASED INTERACTIVITY VERSUS BROADCAST-BASED INTERACTIVITY

Click Here for CURRENT
INTERACTIVE TV NEWS

VARIOUS DIGITAL TV & ITV REPORTS:

CLICK HERE FOR THE
RESEARCH REPORTS

Click Here for CURRENT
INTERACTIVE TV NEWS

RUEL'S OLDER NEWS ARTICLES:

THE MOST PERSISTENT
QUESTION: CAN WEBTV DO
INSTANT MESSAGING? (25JUL98)
(This was written before Microsoft-MSN-WebTV saw the light and put an instant messenger in MSNTV-WebTV while competitors AOLTV, Liberate, and others were also putting instant messenger on TV)

SONY ON TOUR; AT THE TOUR OF TECHNOLGY (3OCT97)

WEBTV BOOKS PUBLISHED? (28SEP97)

NEW SEPT. 1997 WEBTV UPGRADES:
SOFTWARE & HARDWARE (19SEP97)

Also visit Club WebTV for upgrade info

FUTURENET: SELLING WEBTV
HOUSE TO HOUSE (19SEP97)

ZDNET'S BERST IS CLUELESS
ABOUT INTERNET TV (27AUG97)

SONY PRINTER ADAPTER,
WEBTV IN JAPAN,
OPEN-ISP (1AUG97)

NEXT GENERATION WEBTV:
REINVENTING THE
COMMODORE-64? (26SEP97)

WEBTV JUNE 1997 UPDATE (26JUL97)

Also visit Club WebTV for more recent upgrade info

PRIMETIME DEVELOPERS,
"SMART TV",
PRINTER INFO (7JUN97)

CAN'T PRINT THIS PAGE AND PRINTER ADAPTERS? (27MAR97)

Click Here for CURRENT
INTERACTIVE TV NEWS

MISCELLANEOUS:

For more WebTV and other links,
CLICK HERE.
Asking about ICQ & Instant
Messaging, CLICK HERE.
Asking about "Word Processing,"
CLICK HERE.
Asking about Uploading Graphics
click over to the Links Page
and look for the Transloading links.
Asking about who designed the
Ruel.Net website? CLICK HERE.
Asking about supporting & sponsoring
the Ruel.Net website? CLICK HERE.

Click Here for CURRENT
INTERACTIVE TV NEWS

Be sure to also check out:
Ken Freed's Media Visions Webzine
UITV.INFO Reports

WebTV Newsgroup Discussions:
(may not be available on all news servers)
webtv.users (only on WebTV Network)
alt.discusss.webtvplus
alt.discuss.webtv.users
alt.discuss.4-webtv
alt.discuss.webtvaddicts

BEFORE THERE WAS A
WORLD WIDE WEB....
"The potential product that has received the most publicity is the very low cost adaptor that would convert a conventional TV set into a Prestel set."
Dr. P. Troughton, head of the operations division for British Post Office Telecom in the U.K., talking about a pre-WWW set-top box for the Prestel viewdata service in 1980.

... KENTUCKY FARMERS HAD
AN EARLY BOX TOO
"The Green Thumb test might be remembered more for what could have been done better than for what was actually accomplished."
Nyhan, Johansen & Plummer, in their paper "Videotext and Teletext in the U.S.," discussing the videotex service tested by Kentucky farmers and funded by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the National Weather Service in 1980. The Green Thumb box, attached to a TV set and a phone line, downloaded weather, crop, and market information.

[ Email to Ruel | Your Support ]

<a href="../gizmos/sponsor.links.htm">Click Here For Sponsor Links</a>

Thank You
For Visiting

Ruel.Net
RUEL.NET TV PAGE | SET-TOP | PC-TV
TV-VIA-NET | PC-TV TUNER CARDS
THE LIST | LINKS | RESEARCH | BOOKS
INTERACTIVE TV DEVELOPERS
CONFERENCES | NEWSLETTER
INTERACTIVE TV TOP.BOX.NEWS