HP is planning to bring a line of Internet-ready HDTVs to market:
HDTV 2.0 is described as adding support for place shifting, enabling content derived from Internet-connected PCs or media servers to be displayed on them, achieved through the use of Ethernet and wireless networking connections on HDTV sets. HPâs 2.0 sets, due out later this year, will also include âMediaSmartâ? software, allowing consumers to browse, select and buy movies from third-party services.
This sounds similar in functionality to Sony’s upcoming “Internet Video Link” Bravia accessory (shown above). However, JT of LiveDigitally is up in arms over HP’s branding strategy:
HP, a company Iâve liked over the years, decided that they wanted to get involved and, for lack of a more perfect phrase, screw with the HDTV industry by using the term âHDTV 2.0â³. Shame on you, HP, for such an ill-timed, inappropriate, and unnecessary move.
Given the general confusion regarding HDTV technologies and specifications, I can see Jeremy’s point. Perhaps they should precede HDTV with “MediaSmart” – what they’re calling the movie download service. Yet, I do see value in HP’s simple, memorable “HDTV 2.0” naming scheme. In the end, this probably won’t matter much, as HP doesn’t have wide distribution/reach in the television market. The bigger news here is that just about everyone is gunning for a piece of that pay-per-view revenue.
Maybe they meant to call it HPTV 2.0 :)
The last thing we need is yet another proprietary Digital Media Receiver thingy. Depending on how universal this DMR functionality is, its an interesting strategy: ie. being able to use a TV to stream from CBS an episode of CSI.
It sounds that by place shifting they mean watching something on your PC at home on your TV. A far cry from what Sling does … time for Sling to protect the TRUE meaning of Place Shifting.
Is the picture showing the hardware to be a box which could conceivably be a seperate box (product) for connection to any TV if they used a non-proprietary output (ie. HDMI) ?
Yeah, I noticed they are using ‘placeshifting’ in a different sense than the more familiar Slingese.
The picture is of Sony’s IVL box, designed to work with specific Bravia sets. I had the same thought and wondered if it could be used with other televisions. (Doubt it.)
Oh, I see, you sneak, you put a picture of a Sony in an HP article. Are you for sale to News Corp without the cranky morals of the Journal?
Yeah, I really doubt Sony would make anything other than proprietary…but HP I could see.
Now I have to eat crow with my peeps who I sent that picture too.
Thanks. :)
“This sounds similar in functionality to Sonys upcoming Internet Video Link??? Bravia accessory (shown above).”
hdtivo: You should actually read the article before forwarding comments. ;)
I read almost all of the article.
HP has had this technology for over a year now. They used to call it mediacmart TV. It interfaces with any windows machine and works quite well although the first gen had a box much like the sony pictured above and was quite slow to respond. The new gen tv’s are quite quick.
hdtivo: I was at Best Buy tonight, saw the current version (MediaSmart), and snapped a pic just for you. The post has been updated.
As an aside, the camera on my Blackjack seems to do OK in a pinch.
HP shouldn’t be in the HDTV business. Few customers realize HP’s only service provider in California is located in Bakersfield.
I spent months thinking problems with my HP HDTV was cable service related only to learn they were the tv tuner that was failing. HP was in total denial that this could be a manufacturing problem. After many hours to escalate I finally managed to get a case manager to send me a replacement unit (refurbed). But within a few weeks the replacement unit failed. I’ve been promised another replacement, but that has been weeks. HP is no longer returning my calls. Extremely bad customer support.
Avoid buy HP HDTVs.
Now you tell me! I bought a HP LC3260N 32 inch LCD HDTV two years ago and today it stopped displaying analog channels. Tech support says that the analog tuner is probably bad. I rather toss it in the land field rather than throw good money after bad money. My DVD drive on my HP Pavilion isn’t working right either.