PC TV ANYONE?!

Us geeks read alot of tech stuff. So much so that important stuff tends to darken the roads of less important but fun stuff. We spend ALOT of time on what might be happening to your computer in relation to attacks, or speeding up your computer, and not as much on the entertainment side of the computer revolution.

One aspect of this does interest me enough that I spend some time researching it from time to time, and thats PC TV, or the concept of using a computer as a full entertainment center.

WHATS COMING?

The bright future of watching TV while having some RSS feed streaming somewhere on your HDTV is pretty damned enticing. Enjoying hours of interruption free programming of Mythbusters or CSI would be excellent! Catching full previews of upcoming releases, or simply watching and re-watching that great movie just out on DVD/BLU-RAY would be just incredible. ( I didn't say commercial free - somehow its gotta be makin money or production values suffer!)

Recently a new whole-house networking service was developed called "LIQUID HD" - Capable of getting all entertainment devices on the same network with little trouble and lots of Blu-RAY quality sharing from a central media storage system to all devices on said network. It supports a standard network like some of have built into our homes (Ethernet Cat5/6 etc...), as well as all the variations of wired networks using telephone or power lines. It even supports wi-fi, though inherent issues are used as the warning of less-than-desirable effects from using WiFi.

Whats in the way really?

First, consider the cost. Currently your high-end HD-LCD-TV in your living room probably cost you upwards of $700 or more. Best estimates with LCD resource materials waning in the very near future (2124 by some estimates) means that we will be forced to LED TV and the same cost restart that had us looking and slobbering over Plasma in the 1990's at $10k for a 46" screen. Well, maybe not quite that expensive, but relative.

Now add that computer. At a minimum you are adding $100 for this feature, say adding the ROKU device. Minimum... If you are spending top dollar for the best viewing experience why would you skimp on the computing/feature/resolution power behind that sexy screen? Yes, you're looking at adding $1500 to $3000 to that $4000 display device.

Currently there is no BLU-RAY multi-disc changer concept on the market, so even under the LIQUID HD concept you would share ONE DVD at its current playback in the movie to all rooms wanting to watch the "already in progress" movie. HoHum.

Security and Bugs

Updates? Yep. Bug AND Security updates. With Linux operating systems (the most likely candidate for all this since its a free OS with no real licensing issues for production... Don't believe me? What do you think you're router is running right now for you to view this site? It aint Microsoft! and it aint costing Verizon a dime in licensing fees! ) you'll see at least one every 2 months, and the MS versions well, every Thursday it seems lately.

Whats My Problem?

The PC was intended to do work. The TV is entertainment. I tend to believe that while it would be pretty damned cool to have TV also be capable of telling me I have new e-mail, remind me of stuff, keep me up to date on some stuff I should know about via RSS or a small window feeding me Slashdot.org, I also believe that its a massive distraction and will take away from the reason I went down to watch TV - to WATCH TV and ESCAPE!

Generally we don't watch news on TV anymore. I know few people that do, simply because its more digestible now online. You read more, can cross search information better and come to a conclusion instead of adopting someone elses conclusion, like say on Fox or CNN.

I could always just not use those features of a PC TV that would distract from the show. Yes, that would fix some of the problem. BUT the temptation is there. How many poor bastards (like myself) leave their cellphone on ALL THE TIME JUST IN CASE BUSINESS CALLS! Its terrible. I am sick about it. And yet, I still do it 99% of the time. I am not the only one either.

So its easy to see that we "probably" would setup notifications for business e-mail, Chat notifications from clients or family members, etc... And we would be afraid to turn them off. Ever. And we would not be lost in entertainment, but distracted and missing the art of Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or insert-your-visual-entertainment-favorites-here.

So What Else Is In The Way?

One of the other aspects of the problem here is that the fight for control is really just starting to heat up. Content creators are seeing their massive money makers be reduced, albeit by truly tiny amounts, but they see a day where everyone will watch whatever, whenever with no commercial breaks or large popcorn purchases at the big movie theater - though I truly believe that NOTHING will ever replace the theater experience - in fact I believe this will, in the end, be the only way to avoid the technological world outside and fully invest your imagination in a movie, good or bad.

The music industry is starting to understand the new digital audio world, though being dragged kicking and screaming the whole way. Soon I believe encrypted forms of audio distribution will be replaced by non-encrypted music at slightly higher prices per song, and the music industry will have to put more financial leverage on the live shows, consume more of the profit from other avenues like merchandising that can't be realistically copied. An authors music in and of itself is the marketing for the author. We didn't go to a Billy Joel / Elton John dual concert to hear a single thing new from either them - we went to experience their talent first hand and sing along with our musical love.

Maybe the visual entertainment industries will also see the benefits. So far, between actors guilds fighting for every penny in all aspects (which they should) I believe the fight just got started, and control will be a higher priority as the next few months and years march on.

Who Would Do This Now?

Would I buy into this digital media center in your house concept? Sure! I did, in some small way and intend to keep going the right direction! As new devices that can stream content from a central server become cheaper and output 1080p I will likely purchase one for each room and provide them access to appropriate media from my centralized server.

Where do I get my media? Theres the trick.

I am legally allowed to copy and store any video I purchase. As long as I don't break the encryption code to do so, I am legally allowed to. So, I do. How? CONVERT!

AnyDVD HD + CloneDVD- Convert that movie into a file that your computer can then store as is on your computer. Move those files into the appropriate folders for the viewers in your house. Then link the networked hardware to those appropriate folders.

For instance, SpongeBob is in the kids folders. Teen folder has the teen stuff, and adults of course, queue RAMBO BULLET NOISE! ITS THE PURE VIOLENCE CHANNEL! Oh, excuse me, got to wipe the drool away.... Anyway, these devices will be restricted to those folders.

Each receiver device brand has its own way of network security, so each will have its own directions for you to follow, but the above information outlines the concept. And its legal.

What about TV programs? Well, theres a bit of issue there. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO RECORD AND REPLAY BROADCAST TV! Its LEGAL just as the same above for your purchased DVD's.
So where's the trouble? Digital Cable. HAHAHA! The first line of protection for services such as Comcast or Verizon is the way they store, deliver and encrypt/decrypt the video. It always requires their set top box. And those set top box's aren't accessible via the computer -yet- I hope soon to be able to tell you all how to hook a PC or one of these devices in a way to access and record your favorite shows in pure HD, but currently we are at a standstill with this one.

And there you have it. Overall, with the exception of some elbow grease on your part for every DVD you want to watch and re-watch and protect via storage on a hard drive, or possibly using HULU or whatever streaming lower-than-hd quality video+audio you can find online (with no internet interruption or bit errors, ) the industries move to encrypted closed looped distribution has actually been designed from the beginning to thwart your recording options down to their equipment, their limitations and their control.