Computer Technology Merging With TV Technology More All The Time

Over the past decade, there has been a phenomenal amount of crossover between computer technology

and TV technology. This is especially surprising given the fact that most Americans have largely

rejected the idea of a living room computer. However, most of the computer technology that has

found its way into the living room hasn't had the overt appearance of a personal computer.

The earliest example of an acceptable piece of computer equipment in the home entertainment center

(that wasn't a video game platform) was the digital TV receiver. The widespread use of these

devices actually dates back to the early nineteen nineties when satellite TV became economically

viable for typical households. By all outward appearances, it would have been easy to blur digital

TV receivers together with any other set top box, but underneath it all was the fact that they

converted digital data to the sounds and images that made up TV.

The DVD player was a much more obvious example of the blurring between computer and TV technologies.

After all, by the time that DVD players became common, CD-ROM drives had been on computers for

years. Since both are optical drives, and computers and DVD players loaded their discs in similar

ways, the resemblance was pretty plain. Of course, CD's had been in stereo systems and computers

for years, so people were already used to seeing the resemblance there.

The next major change was the digital video recorder. DVR's as these devices are more commonly

known, can record video onto computer hard disks and then play that video back later. Most models

also automatically record whatever the viewer is watching live in order to enable the pausing and

rewinding of live TV. Among the advantages that DVR's have over VCR's is an ease of programming

that none of the manufacturers of VCR's ever got right. Another advantage of DVR technology is an

ability to watch recorded programs in any order. That's because a hard disk doesn't store video

sequentially like a video tape does. In other words, a video file can simply be accessed without

the time wasted cuing through other videos.

Over the years, computers have also taken on a number of the same capabilities that's previously

only been reserved for TV sets. For example, it's been possible to buy a special TV tuner that can

be installed in a computer for years. These devices allow computers users to watch TV right on

their computer screens. These days though, this capability is standard on many computers to some

extent. For example, most modern computers can display streaming Internet video on their screens

and laptop computers have been used to watch DVD's for years. There are also now special adapters

available that contain a TV tuner and connect to laptop computers through a USB port so that users

of laptop computers can watch TV on the screens of their laptops.

The most obvious hybrid between computers and TV equipment is the media center computer. These

devices are DVD players, DVR's, digital receivers, and Internet browsing machines all combined into

a single unit. They're likely to be the future of TV technology.

Article Source: http://www.articlemonk.com

E.Sanderson writes articles about the latest developments in technology, electronics, and satellite TV. She'd like to inform you about the latest Dishnet HDTV services and how you can find the best Satellite Equipment for your entertainment.

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