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[I]How smart is your TV?[/I]
One of the hot topics at the CES show this week was the concept of 'smart TVs'. In other words, TVs that are connected to the Internet and, rather like smartphones and tablets, can download and install apps as well as access video and other content, including online photo storage and viewing service, both on the Internet and from other locally networked devices.
Smart TVs aren't particularly new and the geeks among us will be fully up to speed, but general public awareness and take up of Smart TV facilities is reportedly low. My father in law recently bought a new TV that has Smart TV capabilities but he was certainly not aware of this. He hasn't networked his new TV, so won't be using any Smart TV facilities for the time being.
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[I]Panasonic has been offering Smart TV capabilities on its high-spec. TVs for several years. Their latest offering is called Viera Connect.[/I]
Despite problems for the industry in getting TV audiences interested in Smart TV, its potential is undeniable and things are hotting up with rumours that Apple is about to get into the TV game, helped by its success with the iPod/Phone and iPad. After all, much of the tech in these devices simply needs to be scaled up to the size of a TV. Google, too, has launched its smart TV service in 2010, although it appears to have since been a work in progress rather than a polished offering. Think of a TV enhanced with the Google Android operating system and you have, roughly, a picture of what Google TV is all about. Google placed a lot of emphasis on Google TV at CES, so watch out for developments.
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[I]It's not just your TV that can be net-connected. This is what an LG BluRay player let's you do.[/I]
So how do you know if your TV has Smart TV facilities? If it's reasonably new and it has an ethernet (RJ45) port on the back, then there is a fair chance it does have network capability. Even if your TV doesn't, your BluRay player might. Basic network capabilities might include compatibility with YouTube, an online weather service, and selected Internet film or TV services like LoveFilm, NetFlix, or (in the UK) BBC iPlayer. Support for the online photo storage service, Picasa, is also quite common, for example.
Local network support for photo and video viewing off your laptop or other PC in your house or office using network folder sharing or DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is also a fair bet.
So, does your TV or BluRay player connect to the network and did you know it could?
It connects to the network via 'smartplugs' which are a wonderful system. Uses the house wiring as a carrier. It gets iPlayer directly and streams media from my pc using a program called 'Twonky'
Also I can plug a camera or SD card into it and play back immediately. One nice thing is that with freesat and freeview built in it has cleaned up the clutter of boxes and cables immensely.