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- MGI Software can turn PC-TV computers into digital recorders (5-14-99) (TechWeb)
MGI Software introduced software that can turn Pentium III PCs into all-in-one home entertainment systems for playing CDs, DVDs, and for digitally recording video directly from television, cable systems, or VCRs. TechWeb reports, "The software features Time Shift capabilities. For instance, if the user is interrupted while watching a show, they can hit 'pause' to start recording the parts they will miss. The software can also be programmed to record shows like a standard VCR. Users can watch material that is recorded or live, watch video in slow motion, or zoom in on a part of the image."
What I would call "power PC-TV boxes" are competing for a place in living rooms of the world. There will be competition between the relatively cheaper set-top boxes and the somewhat more expensive "power PC-TV boxes" which will really be computers dressed up for the living room. Look out for the HDTV-compatible TV tuner cards and the "HDTV-size" monitors for computers.... -ruel - China plans broadband network for set-tops via cable TV lines (5-13-99) (EE Times) (alternate link)
- MyWeb to unveil set-top service for China at Bejing Internet Convention May 18-20 (5-12-99) (Business Wire)
Business Wire reports, "The Chinese market has been described in some quarters as being the world's largest emerging economy. Internet users in China are projected to increase from 2 million this year to as many as 10 million in 2000. Because of MyWeb's recent co-marketing pact with ChinaNet, the Internet Service Provider for China Telecom, MyWeb is extremely well positioned to capitalize on the Chinese government's new emphasis on Internet connectivity for governmental functions and commercial businesses. The Beijing administration has announced plans to have 80 percent of Chinese companies wired by 2001." - uniView now offers DSL service with Southwestern Bell (5-12-99) (Business Wire)
- DIVA's On Demand TV joins Scientific-Atlanta CreativEdge developers' program (5-12-99) (PRNewswire)
- Nintendo and Matsushita partnership for digital home electronics featuring next-generation Nintendo game console (5-12-99) (Business Wire)
The Nintendo-Matsushita partnership agreement has the following three points: (1) Matsushita will develop and supply the DVD media and the drive devices for the next-generation Nintendo game machine; (2) Nintendo and Matsushita will collaborate on convergence products that incorporate next-generation game machine and Digital audio-video technologies; and (3) Nintendo and Matsushita will pursue future applications of digital network-related products and services. - BSkyB and SCM Microsystems announce PCMCIA add-on 'sidecars' for digital satellite and digital terrestrial set-tops (5-12-99) (PRNewswire)
- Gates versus Murdoch; Microsoft versus BSkyB; Cable versus Satellite in the U.K. and elsewhere (5-9-99) (Mail on Sunday)
William Kay for the Mail writes, "Gates's deep pockets are of particular concern to Murdoch. Andrew Roshill, an analyst at investment banker SBC Warburg Dillon Reed in New York, said: 'Microsoft has well over $20 billion to spend and the money keeps flowing in.' Despite satellite's current dominance, the technology behind cable is more powerful and flexible. Murdoch is rattled by these implications, and Gates has an uncanny knack of predicting the future." - Microsoft's Bill Gates pursues his whale: the digital set-top box (5-11-99) (Journal Record)
The Journal Record thinks Microsoft's Bill Gates is like Captain Ahab hunting for the white whale Moby Dick by pursuing the shift of technology from the PC to TV where the "Moby Digital" set-top box is the focus of attention (the Journal Record doesn't quite state it that way).
The Journal Record in part writes, "The [AT&T-Microsoft] deal will ensure that Microsoft gets an inside track in the new interactive television industry, which after years of delay appears to be showing some signs of life. Clearly Microsoft's chairman [Bill Gates] believes with great certainty that interactive digital television is the Next Big Thing.... While simpler and more compelling alternatives -- ranging from the home PC to a growing array of wireless and hand-held computers and phones -- offer a seemingly more convenient way to obtain Internet data, Gates has continued to pursue the parallels between the world of interactive digital television and the personal computer industry, and to re-create a dominant role for Microsoft. Indeed, forcing Windows CE on the cable industry has become a virtual religious crusade inside Microsoft's headquarters."
However, Microsoft is into other information appliances such as is shown with the wireless partnership with Qualcomm. So, Microsoft and Bill Gates may not be as Ahab-ish as the Journal Record would indicate. Nonetheless, IMHO, the average consumer's home communications and entertainment center may indeed focus on Interactive TV and set-top boxes. -ruel - AOL-TV set-top boxes to have iGST CyberPro 5000 chip (5-13-99) (PRNewswire)
- AOL-TV box made by Philips to have Cyrix MediaGX processor (5-11-99) (Semiconductor Business News) (alternate link)
- Boca to supply set-top design for AOL-TV (5-12-99) (Palm Beach Post)
- Philips AOL-TV box to use Boca set-top box design (5-11-99) (Business Wire)
- Does the American public really want AOL-TV? (5-12-99) (Industry Standard)
The Industry Standard reports, "Read past all the glowing analyst quotes and company pronouncements and you get to one important detail: It's still vaporware, due sometime next year...." - AOL-TV partnership deals inked (5-11-99) (InternetNews)
- AOL-TV deals involve DirecTV, Hughes Network Systems, Philips, and NCI (5-11-99) (CNET)
- AOL-TV unveils TV venture (5-11-99) (WIRED)
- AOL-TV satellite set-top box with DirecTV (5-11-99) (ZDNN-Reuters)
- Suppliers lined up for AOL-TV (5-11-99) (InfoBeat Internet Daily)
InfoBeat reports that AOL announced partnerships for AOL-TV: AOL-TV satellite service would be through DirecTV using satellite set-top boxes made by Hughes Network Systems. Philips Electronics would also make set-top boxes for AOL-TV, use NCI software for the AOL-TV service, connect to AOL through 56Kbps modems over standard telephone lines, and would support DSL through a USB port. There was no announced timetable for AOL-TV. - AOL makes Interactive TV play (5-11-99) (MSNBC)
MSNBC reports AOL Interactive Services Group President Barry Schuler as stating, "We anticipate that AOL’s powerful brand will drive the acceptance and value of interactive television. Our membership base of more than 17 million, who are embedding connected interactivity into their lives, will be among those most interested in extending this experience to other devices."
MSNBC reports, "The four partnerships [with DirecTV, Hughes Network Systems, Philips, and NCI] would put AOL services on television set-top cable boxes as well as DirecTV’s digital satellite system."
However, that should probably be more like telephone-based TV set-top boxes (instead of the cable boxes) as well as the satellite boxes in the initial stages. Some are saying that AOL may have a difficult time getting a big foothold in the cable world. So, go for telephone-based boxes (eventually DSL) and satellite which is also what Microsoft has been doing in addition to Microsoft's now huge cable stakes. There are at least three different ways (phone, cable, satellite) to get a "data pipe" to the TV set in the home. So, there are still opportunities for AOL to get to consumers' TV sets. And many consumers in the U.S. will get AOL-TV boxes because of one reason: AOL. More American consumers associate the Internet with AOL than with any other service in the U.S. AOL-TV could provide very stiff competition for WebTV in the telephone-based and satellite set-top market segments. -ruel - Another AOL-TV box to be a Linux box from Compaq? (5-10-99) (CNET)
- Caldera Thin Clients adds Linux for set-tops (5-11-99) (CNET)
- McLaughlin Consulting Group says digital TV sales will spur sales of video PCs instead of TVs (5-11-99) (Business Wire)
McLaughlin Consulting Group researcher Ron Cooke said, "The majority of DTV early adopters already have a home PC and are connected to the Internet. Upgrading their current PC with DTV slot cards or replacing it with the next generation of DTV ready video PCs is a low investment, low risk option. Combined with a high speed Internet connection, the system works better for web access as well as offering an opportunity to experience the new world of digital television." Co-author of the report "Opportunities for Displays in the DTV Era" Chuck McLaughlin said, "The implications for the display industry are that there is a bigger opportunity in the near term for video PC monitors and flat panels for Internet appliances, then for big screen HDTVs. Wide screen (16:9) versions of the current 17 and 19 inch monitors and 15 inch flat panels is where the action will develop. The wide screen not only allows viewing of HDTV programming at native definition, but it offers more desktop space for computing and Internet surfing. Maintaining resolution at current monitor levels does not compromise ergonomics and interactivity." - "Opportunities for Displays in the DTV Era" report information (5-11-99) (MCG)
- TV-Internet deals converging companies (5-11-99) (NY Times)
- Jesse Berst gets it: Interactive TV is here (5-10-99) (AnchorDesk)
Computer Pundit & Skeptic Jesse Berst says Interactive TV is "back" and points to the mid 1990s as the beginning of Interactive TV. Interactive TV's history really stretches far back to the 1970s and 1980s to when the British, French, then the United States and others were trying to turn the mass media of television into an interactive media. - SkyConnect joins Scientific-Atlanta's CreativEdge interactive TV developer's program (5-10-99) (PRNewswire)
- Set-top chips a wide open game (5-10-99) (CNET)
- Taiwan University to set up Chinese-language "Nedio TV" internet TV system (5-10-99) (asia.internet.com)
- 3Dfx hopes you want your PC-TV (5-10-99) (ZDNN)
- 3Dfx announces Voodoo3 3500 TV card for PC-TV (5-10-99) (PRNewswrie)
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