 drewAutomaticPremium
join:2002-07-10
Port Orchard, WA
kudos:6
 ·wavebroadband
| software upgrades This is a fine idea as long as one can upgrade the software just like the STBs and other devices.
Reading the netflix blog, you can learn quite a bit about the whole streaming piece. It becomes readily apparent that the quality and delivery format are still very much "in progress."
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1 edit | and hardware upgrades too said by drew:This is a fine idea as long as one can upgrade the software just like the STBs and other devices. Reading the netflix blog, you can learn quite a bit about the whole streaming piece. It becomes readily apparent that the quality and delivery format are still very much "in progress." You would also have to be concerned with hardware upgrades as well. With the technology of the streaming device embedded in the TV, you may be locking yourself in to a device(the TV) that is fairly long lived - maybe up to 10 years. Streaming & storage capabilities of new boxes to provide internet fed TV may change several times in that timeframe. For now, I think a separate box would be a better deal.
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| said by fAcEtIOUs:said by drew:This is a fine idea as long as one can upgrade the software just like the STBs and other devices. Reading the netflix blog, you can learn quite a bit about the whole streaming piece. It becomes readily apparent that the quality and delivery format are still very much "in progress." You would also have to be concerned with hardware upgrades as well. With the technology of the streaming device embedded in the TV, you may be locking yourself in to a device(the TV) that is fairly long lived - maybe up to 10 years. Streaming & storage capabilities of new boxes to provide internet fed TV may change several times in that timeframe. For now, I think a separate box would be a better deal. I dont think you have to worry about the new flat screens lasting 10 years. From what I have seen, they have a 5 year life. |
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drewAutomaticPremium
join:2002-07-10
Port Orchard, WA
kudos:6 Reviews:
·wavebroadband
| reply to fAcEtIOUs
I would say that as long as the software is upgradeable, the need for hardware upgrades is debatable. Remember, using the built-in doesn't prevent one from using a STB.
I'd think that LG or Netflix would be willing to provide a good deal on a STB if they were to need new hardware due to an enhancement. Think the 20GB for $20 for the Xbox 360 Arcade. |
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 MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12
1 edit | reply to drew
Re: software upgrades said by drew:This is a fine idea as long as one can upgrade the software just like the STBs and other devices. Reading the netflix blog, you can learn quite a bit about the whole streaming piece. It becomes readily apparent that the quality and delivery format are still very much "in progress." You typically can upgrade the software on an HDTV. My Samsung has a USB port on the side and Samsung tech support had to send me a firmware file that I just popped in and the TV updated itself. It was very painless. |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | reply to fAcEtIOUs
Re: and hardware upgrades too said by fAcEtIOUs:said by drew:This is a fine idea as long as one can upgrade the software just like the STBs and other devices. Reading the netflix blog, you can learn quite a bit about the whole streaming piece. It becomes readily apparent that the quality and delivery format are still very much "in progress." You would also have to be concerned with hardware upgrades as well. With the technology of the streaming device embedded in the TV, you may be locking yourself in to a device(the TV) that is fairly long lived - maybe up to 10 years. Streaming & storage capabilities of new boxes to provide internet fed TV may change several times in that timeframe. For now, I think a separate box would be a better deal. You have to keep in mind though, if the TV can do a certain resolution and they can stream something adequate at that resolution now ... they'll likely continue to offer that as a service for the realistic lifetime of the TV. Heck, if the TV uses wired ethernet or even 802.11n, if they started offering 1080p streaming the TV wouldn't require any special hardware as long as the chip was capable of decoding the stream in real-time ... and there are a ton of inexpensive H.264 hardware decoders out there.
I think the days of a TV lasting 10 years are also gone, unless 1080p is what consumers say is all they need. |
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openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA
kudos:2 | said by Matt:I think the days of a TV lasting 10 years are also gone, unless 1080p is what consumers say is all they need. Consumers were quite happy with 480i (many still are) for decades. Plus, a lot of consumers don't care about or even know what 1080p means. Personally, I want my TV to be a monitor where I can plug content sources in as I desire. The digital distribution mechanism for content is still very much in its infancy so I'd be much more inclined to allow the marketplace to settle down over the next few years before I lock something into my TV that costs me extra. |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by openbox9:said by Matt:I think the days of a TV lasting 10 years are also gone, unless 1080p is what consumers say is all they need. Consumers were quite happy with 480i (many still are) for decades. Consumers didn't have a choice for decades. That's a lot different than being content. |
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openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA
kudos:2 | And several people are still "content" with their 480i...at least until their current TV(s) die(s). |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by openbox9:And several people are still "content" with their 480i...at least until their current TV(s) die(s). I agree, but that's not who I am talking about. Some people hate change, don't want new technology, don't watch TV, or are just cheap. The days of buying a TV and expecting it to last for 10+ years are gone. Plasma and LCD technology (and even DLP) will ensure that -- unless there is a breakthrough that will increase the life span of the technology behind them. |
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drewAutomaticPremium
join:2002-07-10
Port Orchard, WA
kudos:6 | My parents TV has lasted them more than 5 years and the only maintenance on it was replacing a bulb or something. Reasonably priced I believe. |
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MattAll noise, no signal.Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
kudos:12 | said by drew:My parents TV has lasted them more than 5 years and the only maintenance on it was replacing a bulb or something. Reasonably priced I believe. A DLP bulb? The cost of a better quality set is only slightly more than the cost of a DLP bulb replacement or two for a 5-year old DLP ... and pray the color wheel doesn't go out.
While some people are perfectly happy keeping their old set, the days of buying a huge CRT and not having maintenance or replacement costs to bear are gone ... done ... finito. Whether that cost is in DLP bulb replacement, color wheel alignment or replacement, plasma fade, LCD wash out ... or what ever else I can't think of now, the market has changed. |
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openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA
kudos:2 | reply to Matt
said by Matt:I agree, but that's not who I am talking about. Some people hate change, don't want new technology, don't watch TV, or are just cheap. Wow! You've obviously met my mother  said by Matt:The days of buying a TV and expecting it to last for 10+ years are gone. Plasma and LCD technology (and even DLP) will ensure that -- unless there is a breakthrough that will increase the life span of the technology behind them. Are you talking about the quality of the components or the technology itself? If you're talking about the quality of the components, then I'll tend to agree with you, although I don't think 10 years is inconceivable. My current Sony WEGA LCD rear projection is going on six years old now and it hasn't skipped a beat for my use. I haven't even had to swap the bulb. If you're discussing the technology, then I think we've easily got 10+ years of life with current technology. ATSC has been coming for over 10 years now and Blue-ray has been in the works since the beginning of this decade and still hasn't truly taken off. The unknown is whether content on the Internet will push the technology boundaries or whether it'll bounce up against the existing 1080p limits. I'm guessing Internet content will follow the 1080p path for the foreseeable future...for several reasons. |
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drewAutomaticPremium
join:2002-07-10
Port Orchard, WA
kudos:6 | reply to Matt
I know it's not a DLP. |
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| reply to Matt
im glad i still have my 1080i rear projection sony. Had it since 2001. (still can get parts for it)
Older tech is still better than this new crap. Every 3 to 5 years replace? what a bunch of bullshit anymore. |
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RadioDoc58ef2c0Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | reply to Matt
Re: software upgrades My three year old Toshiba connects to them via Ethernet and a transfer client is built into the TV. Pretty sweet...I check for updates and they download it when one comes out. There are also a couple of (fairly useless) Internet apps built in like an email viewer, but it's a short walk to a Netflix client since most if not all of the hardware is already present.
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| reply to Matt
Re: and hardware upgrades too said by Matt:I think the days of a TV lasting 10 years are also gone, unless 1080p is what consumers say is all they need. At a normal viewing distance, there's really little a resolution increase beyond 1080p will give you. In fact a person with normal eyesight won't see the difference. A lot of people don't even see the difference between 720p and 1080p currently. |
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 KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to fAcEtIOUs
While I agree with you 100% I'm betting the module is a flash memory module probably in a socket underneath an access panel.
So chances are, it's 100% upgradable, and even replaceable if somehow should be come necessary (Let's say the Flash module is too small for future upgrades.)
It also is a likely sign of the future, where TV's, Phones, Computers, Consoles etc all become integrated devices.
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