Thread: How long until your tv and home computer become one unit?

First came the tv....then the home computer...and they've stayed two different units. I have always wanted a tv with a full computer built into it. I really don't understand why we don't really have them yet. They have tv's with wifi..and some limited computing power....I wonder what the next step will be...maybe an android tv? Or how about Windows tv? How about standardizing cable box circuitry so you didn't ever need a separate cable box?...the circuitry would already be built in to the tv.

I'm pretty sure the technology is there. Basically, I'd like to take a giant melting pot, and throw in a tv, a full computer, a dvd player, my cable tv box and dvr, the cable modem, and wireless router....and sprinkle in a new OS designed to make all of it work seamlessly together. I'd have one unit with a power connection and a cable/satellite connection that functioned as the wifi hub for the house. Is that too much to ask?

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That's pretty close....but I'd still need a separate cable box. I'm talking about getting rid of the 14 different little electronic boxes in the house and have just one unit. No more separate cable modem box, cable tv box, wireless router etc. I'm just dreaming. To work properly, you'd really need a new "killer app" OS that was specifically designed to handle both tv and computer, phone/tablet functions seamlessly.

Oh...and I want a laser pointer attached to my finger to "touch" the screen from my couch.

Your going to have to wait a little while to get all that you want.

I know....but it's fun to try to envision whats coming next. Tablets and phone technology is really increasing...it won't be too long before your tablet/phone and home computer can run the same OS...no "mobile" version needed.

edit: if you're wondering where this came from...I watched the movie "Her" Her (2013) - IMDb really good flick.

Will come sooner than expected!!

Originally Posted by babe

Will come sooner than expected!!

(wolf whistles howling wolf 1943 - YouTube)

How is my favorite Hawaii gal?

People still watch TV?

A laser pointer on your finger would be a terrible input device. That's like trying to browse the web with one of those old light guns, only probably even less steady.

The problem I have with integrating the TV and computer monitor is that I use them for two different things. When I'm on the computer, reading/coding/typing/whatever, no one else is going to want to watch that. When I'm watching TV, others can also enjoy it. (Playing games is in between and I play games on both.) Actually though, I mostly just watch Youtube on the TV.

Originally Posted by MacGyver1968

Originally Posted by babe

Will come sooner than expected!!

(wolf whistles howling wolf 1943 - YouTube)

How is my favorite Hawaii gal?

She is in Switzerland and headed for Croatia in the early a.m.! How is my friend? I hope you are doing well, my dear. The new digs? Job? Keep us posted!!! *S*

That only sounds like a good idea for someone living alone. In my house, my Wife can be watching a Satellite delivered show on the main TV, while browsing Facebook on her tablet, while I'm at my PC playing a game and the kids are doing their own things too.

If there was more unification here, I'd rather see it as one main computer somewhere, with all the tuners, drives and storage in it, with the TV just being one of the output devices available over the home network. That would be truly flexible; TV, music, internet all routable to whichever output device is used anywhere in the house. Satellite TV to my tablet, music to the main TV/home theatre. Maybe music to my tablet while a show is being watched on the main TV. Maybe one show to the main TV while another goes to a tablet in the kitchen.

Originally Posted by MacGyver1968

First came the tv....then the home computer...and they've stayed two different units. I have always wanted a tv with a full computer built into it. I really don't understand why we don't really have them yet.

We do; there are several TV's out there that will run a browser, and most computers will show digital cable with a cheap add-on.

How about standardizing cable box circuitry so you didn't ever need a separate cable box?...the circuitry would already be built in to the tv.

They're pretty close to that now.

I'm pretty sure the technology is there. Basically, I'd like to take a giant melting pot, and throw in a tv, a full computer, a dvd player, my cable tv box and dvr, the cable modem, and wireless router....and sprinkle in a new OS designed to make all of it work seamlessly together. I'd have one unit with a power connection and a cable/satellite connection that functioned as the wifi hub for the house. Is that too much to ask?

That's basically a media system. There are lots of them out there. Generally it makes more sense to house the intelligence in a separate unit for cost/flexibility reasons.

I suspect that in the near future the system you desire will consist of a smartphone and a TV. Smartphone contains all the computing functions, TV is the display. Data and connection is wireless.

I can watch TV on my computer.
I have been able to do that since 2005.

I, for one, am not going to run a major home connectivity center off of a box I can't open and fix when something goes wrong, or can't upgrade piece by piece. Plus, a slightly bigger device is always going to be a bit cheaper, more reliable and more powerful (at least for electronics) and for something like a home center, it doesn't need to move, so there's not as much drive to make it smaller.

There's two obstacles to mass producing such a system though. First, there's not much pushing the manufacturers of the various pieces to make everything compatible and reliant on someone else's central system. Someone would have to make all the pieces themselves and each of those pieces would then have to compete with the more specialized devices already out there. Second, the same general idea is being explored through cloud-based services, which offers the additional advantage of not tying your content to your house. It does raise other problems though, e.g. DRM, but those don't exactly look like problems to the people with money, so it's more likely to get investment.

Originally Posted by pzkpfw

that only sounds like a good idea for someone living alone. In my house, my wife can be watching a satellite delivered show on the main tv, while browsing facebook on her tablet, while i'm at my pc playing a game and the kids are doing their own things too.

If there was more unification here, i'd rather see it as one main computer somewhere, with all the tuners, drives and storage in it, with the tv just being one of the output devices available over the home network. That would be truly flexible; tv, music, internet all routable to whichever output device is used anywhere in the house. Satellite tv to my tablet, music to the main tv/home theatre. Maybe music to my tablet while a show is being watched on the main tv. Maybe one show to the main tv while another goes to a tablet in the kitchen.

i like this!!

Thanks for the info Billvon.

Originally Posted by dan hunter

I can watch TV on my computer.
I have been able to do that since 2005.

As do I. But I like the BIG SCREEN!!

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by dan hunter

I can watch TV on my computer.
I have been able to do that since 2005.

As do I. But I like the BIG SCREEN!!

I run a HDMI cable from my PC to my TV when I want to watch something on a larger format. Anyone can do this that has the correct cable inputs.

Originally Posted by MagiMaster

The problem I have with integrating the TV and computer monitor is that I use them for two different things. When I'm on the computer, reading/coding/typing/whatever, no one else is going to want to watch that. When I'm watching TV, others can also enjoy it. (Playing games is in between and I play games on both.) Actually though, I mostly just watch Youtube on the TV.

Good point, it's a problem because we want a big screen we can't always share. That's a long-term problem in home entertainment. One solution is to have multiple images dependent on viewing angle, so two people could simultaneously see different pictures on a shared device. This requires a very high resolution interlaced vertically with different images, then a filter that splits to very tight projection(s). That's counter to our latest efforts at making viewing angle as wide as possible. The filter should adjust to viewer position - this is do-able since modern consoles track and identify people in a room already.

Audio, I dunno.

While it's theoretically possible to direct different pictures and sounds in different directions (and might be useful if you adapt the idea to project different images to each eye of each person for a 3D effect) I don't think anyone's going to be too interested in using it to browse the internet while someone else is watching a movie. The Wii U's solution to that (an integrated, tablet-like peripheral) seems to work better and it's cheaper and more robust, but I'd still rather have a separate monitor, mouse and keyboard for browsing and especially coding/witing.

Also, if they ever perfect a 3D holographic display (one that actually projects a 3D image into the air, for example) then there'd be no way to delivery multiple displays from one such device, at least until you can get room-wide holographic emitters that can just put a display anywhere in the room whenever.

How about using Microsoft glass in conjunction with the computer that way you could watch two thing at one time or alternate from one to the other.

It could happen. Personally, I don't think I'd want to wear something like that around the house, but who knows what the next generation or two will think.

Originally Posted by cosmictraveler

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by dan hunter

I can watch TV on my computer.
I have been able to do that since 2005.

As do I. But I like the BIG SCREEN!!

I run a HDMI cable from my PC to my TV when I want to watch something on a larger format. Anyone can do this that has the correct cable inputs.

Then come to Hawai'i and set it up for me buddy! *laughing*

I am not skilled in that way!

I hardly ever watch "TV" except for clips from Youtube and stuff downloaded from Netfix. I can't stand the commercials on old style TV, the thought that I am paying to watch someone's advertising makes me want to break something. Its easier just to watch stuff on computer monitors, I don't own a TV.

I watch a lot when alone in Hawai'i.

It's my company as is this type of forum.

Originally Posted by babe

Then come to Hawai'i and set it up for me buddy! *laughing*

I am not skilled in that way!

I bet you could do this! There's one wire, and there is only one place to plug it into. (Well maybe two on the TV - but both will work.)

Originally Posted by billvon

Originally Posted by babe

Then come to Hawai'i and set it up for me buddy! *laughing*

I am not skilled in that way!

I bet you could do this! There's one wire, and there is only one place to plug it into. (Well maybe two on the TV - but both will work.)

I need someone to MOUNT it...

ok that sounds rather....well never mind

To bed

Originally Posted by MagiMaster

While it's theoretically possible to direct different pictures and sounds in different directions (and might be useful if you adapt the idea to project different images to each eye of each person for a 3D effect) I don't think anyone's going to be too interested in using it to browse the internet while someone else is watching a movie.

Perhaps for gaming then, where 2-player games currently divide the screen. Your idea about 3D (binocular) application makes me think this synthesis of existing technology has already been tried.

Very possible. I haven't kept up on the latest and greatest in 3D displays. Although I don't recall hearing anything about tracking multiple viewers. (And full screen split screen does sound like a good idea.)

I don't know that I want my computer and my TV as the same......I'm married......I don't wanna have him watching "Gunsmoke" while I'm trying to be in here *L*

Originally Posted by babe

I don't know that I want my computer and my TV as the same......I'm married......I don't wanna have him watching "Gunsmoke" while I'm trying to be in here *L*

You wouldn't. The tv is just the "hub". You'd be here on a tablet or laptop getting wifi from the tv hub.

thanks Mac...sound good to me!

will come soon....have authority Mr. Cook and co. are working on it, they showed me their marketing plan (j/k!!!!!!!)

Originally Posted by Lynx_Fox

People still watch TV?

It got outlawed with penalty of flogging a year ago...