| Every time the computer industry tries to | | | | the Vudu, the Slingbox, Microsoft's Xbox 360, |
| make inroads into the home entertainment | | | | and several others. The Apple TV can fetch |
| center by offering products that are designed | | | | video from the home computer(which can get |
| to use the home TV screen as a computer | | | | the video from the Internet or from a digital |
| screen, consumers offer a lot of resistance. | | | | video camera), and the ability to download |
| Yet, the computer industry persists as | | | | movies directly from the Internet is expected |
| evidenced by Intel's Viiv technology and the | | | | to be coming soon to the Play Station 3 from |
| fact that the media center version of | | | | Sony. |
| Microsoft's Windows XP operating system and | | | | |
| several versions of the Vista operating | | | | Another interesting result of the overlap |
| system are designed to make computers a part | | | | between computers and TV is the introduction |
| of the home entertainment center. | | | | of portable video devices. A portable video |
| | | | device is a hand held, battery powered |
| While consumers have been busy resisting the | | | | portable device that can store video on a |
| incursion of the home computer into the home | | | | built in data storage system and then display |
| entertainment center, computer equipment has | | | | it on a TV screen or its built in screen. |
| been sneaking in anyway. This covert | | | | These devices come in a variety of sizes and |
| incursion can be seen in the form of newer | | | | capacities. For example, there are versions |
| forms of TV technology. DVD players, digital | | | | with only two gigabytes of storage space and |
| TV converters, satellite receivers, DVR's, | | | | such small screens that you have to wonder |
| and video gaming systems are all computers in | | | | why anyone gave them the capacity to play |
| some form or another. | | | | video. At the other end of the extreme are |
| | | | devices that have amply sized screens, the |
| One of the side effects of having all of this | | | | ability to store over a hundred hours of |
| new technology so thoroughly computerizes is | | | | video, access the web over a WiFi connection, |
| that there is an unprecedented level of | | | | and even record video that's being played off |
| compatibility between computers and the | | | | of other devices and store it on their own |
| Internet, and the home entertainment center. | | | | hard disks. The data storage systems use |
| For example, there are a variety of devices | | | | either flash memory or more conventional hard |
| that take advantage of Internet connections | | | | disks, and the screens can either be |
| to provide their users with more options. | | | | conventional LCD technology or energy saving |
| The TiVo is a good example of this. TiVos | | | | OLED screens. Some of these devices can even |
| download their program guide information from | | | | download video from some Digital Video |
| the Internet and are even capable of being | | | | Recorders if all of the compatibility issues |
| programmed to record specific TV shows from | | | | are taken care of. |
| another location over the Internet. Some of | | | | |
| the newer TiVos are even capable of | | | | All of these devices show the benefits that |
| downloading movies from the Internet to be | | | | computer technology can have when applied to |
| shown on TV sets. Other devices that can do | | | | home entertainment. |
| this include some versions of Sony HDTV sets, | | | | |