[louiemanno]

Below is a post I made on zeigen's blog

I was wondering what you folks in the TiVo Community’s thoughts are about expanding the functionality of your TiVo box and what enhancements you would like to see.

Thanks,

Louie
_________________________________________________________________


Stephen:

Are there any plans in the works to add the function of a full blown web browser to TiVo? It seems to me the gaming industry as been trying to make their boxes the appliance that marries your TV set and computer. TiVo is in the best position to be the appliance that blurs the line between the web and television.

Subscribers could then download all types of content directly to their TV. I realize that there is already some limited ability to do that. But it would be valuable to subscribers to use their TV to do it all. All you would need is a wireless keyboard.

TiVo could then set up credit card accounts allowing subscribers to make purchases and pay bills while watching TV. Additionally with bluetooth technology TiVo could operate smart appliances all over the home and eventually function as the brain for the smart house. The simple friendly interface that subscribers are familiar with would make the transition extremely easy.

As an armchair TiVo executive my perspective is that the more things TiVo can do to enhance the subscribers quality of life, the more reasons people will have to subscribe and retain their subscription.

I am interested in hearing your thoughts,

Louie Manno

 

[HDTiVo]

Could I scan what's in the fridge before I get up off the couch?

 

[dylanemcgregor]

I've had full internet browsers on the TV before, starting with the Sega Dreamcast, and it has never been very satisfying. It certainly seemed like an awesome idea at first, but the reality was that it was too hard to read anything on the TV, especially when you were sitting on the couch. Now this has probably changed a bit with HDTV becoming ever more mainstream, but even then it seems like where you would have to sit to use the TV as a screen for the internet, and where you sit for watching movies are two different places.

I was at a buddies place a few weeks ago who has a 50" plasma that is beautiful. He has a PC hooked up to it and switched to that to send a quick email to work. Even sitting closer to the TV then I normally would it was still pretty hard to read text.

 

[louiemanno]

Dylane

Your point is well taken, however the browser capability would of course be a supplement to your PC. But having full blown Internet capabilities would certainly add to the functionality of the TiVo and expand the use of that appliance in ways we might not be able to consider. Computers such as the Sony Vio and the MS Media Center are making Computers more like TVs. Why not make your TV more of a computer. We all know that someday they will all be one in the same.

Thank you for your response.

Louie

 

[dvr4me]

I'd rather not have full blown internet access on my Tivo. Web browsers allow people to get virus infected and I doubt Tivo (the company) wants anything to do with the increased support level that would be required.

 

[louiemanno]

DVR...

Isn’t the Linux operating system under the hackers radar and virtually virus free? Also I am sure TiVo system architects would come up with an elaborate system of firewalls and anti virus protocols.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have for example a user selected popup (with emails limited to only allowed email addresses) just like when you receive TiVo message?

Barring infection from a virus don't you think that this would be a useful feature?

Louie

 

[1003]

If
I wanted to surf and email from my TV. I would have a WebTV connected to my display.

My primary display has multiple Media Center computers that look lousy with the web. I have a tablet screen that I can relax, surf, email and post here if I choose to...

 

[ZeoTiVo]

the only real use of web enabling a TiVo is to get video content to the TiVo.
Given that Tivo does not spend money on overly powerful CPUs and lots of fast memory then doing and conversion of the many formats a Tivo can not play would screw up the real time recording the DVR is primarily for.
so keeping the PC in the loop for pulling Video off the web and converting it for TiVo playback seems to be the best approach. Given that commercial providers like UNBOX can do the formatting on their side and TiVo has a current way to pull video in without a PC then there is a way to get good video service that just needs building out.

at some point the H.264/MP3 MPEG4 format may get to be more universal and the S3 could be programmed to deal with that directly. At that point enabling the TiVo to browse the web at will for video would make sense but that is a ways away and still does not account for DRM issues among various sites

 

[Justin Thyme]

Am I going to google or type email from the couch? Microsoft may think that, but let's not get silly.

Just because some things don't work without a keyboard on a display 2 feet from your face doesn't mean that all don't. Chat worked great on cell phones, web pages didn't. On desktops, personalized sounds are fun for about the first day, then they are just plain annoying. In cell phones, providing custom sounds is huge business.

Without a keyboard, if there is stuff I can click that is relevant to the living room, you bet. Like if I click on a director or star and can read a Wikipedia or IMDB article on them. Or if in the Unbox rental I can read Amazon user reviews or listmania associations to other movies.

 

[Justin Thyme]

About this thread's premise about Future Tivo. Which Future? +5 years, +10, or just +2??

Or in the next week. Because by then my Tivo will have grown by a dozen or so excellent movies.

Because a Tivo is like a library, and the hardware and software is just the bookcases. Ok, some models have glass doors and internal lights, but really it's the books that make the library, not the bookcases. It's not just software, it's not just hardware.

It is virtually limitless content in a permanent collection using TivoToGo. A Tivo with a thousand shows is far more desirable than a super HD 3000x2000 pixel one with just 50. Sorry. For most folks, it's just true.

Instead of just 4 Cary Grant movies, I have over a dozen. It just keeps getting better.

Every day.

 

[Redux]

Instead of just 4 Cary Grant movies, I have over a dozen. It just keeps getting better.

I'd guess I have around 50, mostly because he's so often in movies by directors I follow. Since I don't have as much time as I'd like, and never will, I'll probably be dead before I've caught up with half of them in my time-shifting (I admit I cheat and watch my favorites more than once, lots more than once).

Your post vividly bought this to my mind, it's OT but really relevant to the bigger picture of storage space, I think:

For movies I'm going to watch only once, I DEMAND HiDef. 8GB per hour. MMORE! I want MORE! Distract me please with pixel upon pixel of resolution, from the reality that this is a total waste of my time.

For a typical Cary Grant movie, I'm pretty happy with DirecTivo quality, even on our big screen (around 7 feet). Yeah I like the DVDs better and buy them as soon as they're out, but five minutes into the movie and the difference is pretty much irrelevant. When they do them on a HiDef channel, yeah, OK, it's even better, in some ways, frequently a little harsh though.

I'm exaggerating a bit, there are lots of current movies I like, and ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL the more pixels the better. But the quality of a Cary Grant (that's a metaphor, folks) is better than pixels.

 

[GoHokies!]

I don't see any need for a web browser on my TV. Even my technology-challenged grandparents have realized that their WebTV sucks and have ditched it for a real computer.

If I want to browse the web while watching TV, I'll use my laptop.

 

[Justin Thyme]

I don't see any need for a web browser on my TV.

Sure, but in Swivelsearch, if you could read something more in depth about the movie you were about to order, what do you care that the text happens to be in html and happens to have come from an internet site like IMDB or wikipedia? It might not be a web browser, sure but it is coming off the internet, and it is html markup.

 

[ZeoTiVo]

Sure, but in Swivelsearch, if you could read something more in depth about the movie you were about to order, what do you care that the text happens to be in html and happens to have come from an internet site like IMDB or wikipedia? It might not be a web browser, sure but it is coming off the internet, and it is html markup.

and that is useful but it is not really the web browser envisioned at the start of this thread and I would point out it relates to the video content of the DVR

 

[Justin Thyme]

The point was that although the market has shown it doesn't want the OP's suggested full blown web browser requiring a wireless keyboard, that there is no reason to believe that they don't want any text on their TV screen, or that they don't want any interaction (eg order entry).

Tivo could certainly support Home shopping network transactions, and the Tivo user could authorize the purchase using their remote. (Pre-entry of credit card info, and entry of a numeric password to authorize an order).

But wouldn't that be competing with OCAP interactivity applications?

You bet.

 

[ZeoTiVo]

The point was that although the market has shown it doesn't want the OP's suggested full blown web browser requiring a wireless keyboard, that there is no reason to believe that they don't want any text on their TV screen, or that they don't want any interaction (eg order entry).

Tivo could certainly support Home shopping network transactions, and the Tivo user could authorize the purchase using their remote. (Pre-entry of credit card info, and entry of a numeric password to authorize an order).

But wouldn't that be competing with OCAP interactivity applications?

You bet.

just yesterday I ordered three tickets to the latest Harry Potter movie off the TiVo in case there was any crowd issues at the theater. It basically was a web app as I browsed local theater times and ticket costs and then elected to buy. All I had to put in was my credit card number and one piece of personal info. TiVo took care of the rest. It was an HME app and very easy to navigate and read on my TV screen. If had tried to do that with just a web browser on my TiVo I would have gone to my PC instead.
the kids though got a kick out of getting movie tickets on the TiVo and having the times on the TV made it much easier to decide on a time. My youngest even saw ratotuillie(sp?) on the screen and talked Mom into taking her to that instead. we worked out the later show for them to see so we all got out togther. No corwding around the PC or calling out the same info 8 times to do it :up:

 

[valley_guy]

I would love either web access or an HME app to play Sirius via Tivo. I live in a canyon and my sattelite view is spotty at best. As it is now I listen via internet. A few peanut remote clicks would be a great plus to me.

IIRC, Sirius's stream is WMA based, making Tivo'ing it difficult. I think Tivo only suports mp3 streaming.

Edit: TOTALLY off topic: just got my picture taken by the Google Streetview car! I wonder how long that takes to get uploaded????

 

[GoHokies!]

Sure, but in Swivelsearch, if you could read something more in depth about the movie you were about to order, what do you care that the text happens to be in html and happens to have come from an internet site like IMDB or wikipedia? It might not be a web browser, sure but it is coming off the internet, and it is html markup.

Oh, I absolutely agree. I think Zeo hit it right, there is a world of difference in between a well coded HME app and a "full blown web browser". I'd love to see lots more well coded and well integrated apps that involve the internet (we already hit on streaming of sat radio as one huge one).