Official GOOGLE TV Thread - Page 2

The hardware may not allow for PCM, but LPCM may be possible; and folks like you and I could be the driving force behind a downloadable app to do just that, and more. I think the Android Market is the key to seeing Googles' and our own visions converge into one do-it-all device.

All it would take is an affordable Media Center app to interface with our Windows Media Center systems and/or media servers directly. Apps like that already exist, but they're all proprietary crap that is reserved for the "professional integrators" and their customers who have money to burn.

Imagine, for a moment, a complete media interface that offers the same experience on your iPhone, your wife's Android Phone, your son's Win7 tablet, your daughter's laptop, and the GoogleTV boxes underneath each of your displays... THAT is what I'm dreaming about.

If you build it, they will come...

Well, I'm really not all that emphatic about getting *one* component to do everything, all the time. Although I only have one box attached to the TV now to get DVR/movies/internet streaming/etc. *If* Google TV came out with compelling applications and if a separate box was needed to get it, I'd be perfectly fine adding a second box. That's why I got a good universal remote, so that multiple boxes act just like one system when you are watching the TV.


If SageTV comes out with a smart phone app, I'll have that as I already have the same, interconnected interface on all my TVs, my desktop and my laptop. Honestly, the more I think about GoogleTV, if they come out with a box that tries to mimic the umpteen thousand different network streamers, cable boxes, etc. it will be a failure. Personally, I'd rather they spend time coming out with compelling *new* ideas than trying to jump on the same bandwagon as everyone else.

-Suntan

anybody know if Google TV is going to be compatible with DirecTV receivers? I'm considering buying a Google TV box when they come out, but only if they will work with my DTV setup already.

It sounds like you haven't read the description of the only announced set top box (STB). It's an HDMI pass through device (HDMI in, HDMI out, placed between your AVR and your display) that should be able to control anything an IR Harmony can control. Whether that works for you (or anybody) depends on your set-up.

Ah ok, I didn't quite catch that part. My Harmony remote works just fine with all my equipment, so I'm assuming it will work just fine with the Google box. Now all there is to do is wait and see if this thing does what Google is saying it will.

So far it looks like Google TV will be good for playing....You Tube.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...128775412.html

YouTube? just about every device I have plays YouTube videos.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/03/l...am-impression/

If this thing records shows to Google's cloud, I'm impressed!

I am not so impressed. They did not invent anything, just use PC concept on a TV: Mouse? full-size keyboard? who is going to use that keyboard in the living room?

I am more impressed with Boxee remote: one side is simplicity and the other is for rare search typing.

Interesting to actually see the thing in use. The integration of TV with online services would make it a potential replacement/upgrade for a Roku box (depending on price) but there was no indication that it would play local/LAN content, which would be (I think) important to a lot of people around here.

scratchie, I completely agree that playing files on your home network will be a make or break deal for many, but if it does not come with that ability could some future app be designed to solve that?

It seems rather unlikely it will have any home content integration, at least initially. However, it is possible that this is something already on the roadmap for future release.

The chances though of playback of ISO images, HD audio support and all the other top shelf things that AVS members insist on are virtually zero.

Especially since in particular HD Audio support is hardware based first before you even look at the software. If the Google TV hardware does not support HD Audio then it will never happen. Do we even know if the Hardware that GoogleTV is using is capable of handling HD playback (what AVS members consider HD such as 1:1 not Apple or MS "480p HD")

Alas, it doesn't record to the "cloud". Too bad, that would be quite an achievement.

Recording to the cloud would have been too good to be true- imagine how much storage space Google would have needed for everyone to record HD? If such a system were to exist, you would think your cable provider would offer it first.

That is supposedly what Cablevision will be offering. I think some of the networks sued Cablevision to stop them from doing this, but I believe they won that. Just waiting now...

The more I see of this, the more interesting it becomes ... but there are obviously major questions regarding implementation. To me it sounds like it is trying to accomplish what TiVo is with Premiere, but with a Google slant.

Where it diverges though, is what makes me question it's effectiveness. While I suspect the UI and feature-set to be better, it sounds like the intent of this is to interface with existing DVR's. While that has the plus of keeping VOD services, etc., it seems to do nothing to address any other issues. This does nothing to help distribute between rooms, correct? Nothing to help in the event you need more tuners? Other than the DirectTV boxes (not everyone uses DirectTV), it seems to just be a kluge on top of your existing service.



The bigger issue beyond space is upload speeds. Most people don't have fast enough download speeds to support 'HD' Netflix ... and their upload speeds are normally only a fraction of the down.

When I heard about recording to the cloud, I too was gleeful, but upon thinking about it, you're correct, upload speed would definitely be a limiting factor. We all need gigabit to the home like Chattanooga is getting!

Thank god for symmetrical fiber (I <3 my FiOS ). It's obviously not that fast, but it ain't bad




Now that I think about it, a design utilizing a small drive on the player to cache the upload might work. You'd still need decent broadband for it to be usable, but at least upload speeds sufficient for realtime storage would no longer be a requirement.

we would all burn through our bandwidth limits set by our ISP incredibly quick. that seems to be more of a limiting factor than bandwidth speeds imho. while i realize many don't have access to fast internet speeds, many more at least have the ability to pay for a higher speed tier (even if it's overpriced). at this point I don't have the option to even pay for more than 250gb a month. i'm around 100-120 gb/month right now. if i had to upload and download everything my dvr records right now, i'd run out of bandwidth by the end of the 1st week of the month.

bandwidth caps?

sorry to hear you have those

This product is for me. I recently cancelled my cable, hooked up an antenna for OTA live TV, have a Wii and BR player that stream netflix, and have been searching for something wife friendly that will play the shows we used to DVR. We dont have a media library, so I really dont care about it playing "my" content. I am the average american TV viewer thats sick of paying $100/mo for cable.

Thank you Google.

ETA: Nevermind - Pre ordered a Boxee!

$299!!!! screw that.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/16/l...-dish-network/

TBH I don't have much interest in GoogleTV but at $299 it makes the decision all the easier... Going into the holidays I would expect the price to come down a bit though

Isn't $299 a little steep? It makes the Boxee Box look even better.

Presumably the Harmony-osity has to be paid for. I've always felt this box is a poor choice for those of us who find the Harmony ecosystem worse than useless.

I have Dish, so I'll try it out as it'll be $179 + $4 DVR integration fee. Since this device has the same Intel chip as the Boxee Box and since this is a joint venture with several top CE companies, it should be quite capable. We'll find out soon.

I think we'll get a better feel once it's released, but I'm starting think GoogleTV isn't really a conventional streamer. There is a lot of overlap certainly, but a lot of differences as well. I'm not saying that makes it worth the extra money, but it may end up that way.

So do I, and I even got polled by Dish regarding how much I was willing to pay. (They ignored my answer.) You are aware that the fee is monthly, aren't you?

Didn't know it'll be monthly. That sucks... $7 for DVR usage monthly and another $4 monthly to integrate with that DVR.