http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
Then come back and tell us again that iTV hasn't arrived.

iTV was here all along (with teletext,) it just never managed to work its way to the US.]]>Sep 16th 2008 8:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 10:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
Teletext (look it up on Wikipedia or something) did all this in a text-based fashion way back in the 1980s. Digital broadcasting (such as Sky Digital in the mid 90s and Freeview in the early 00s) brought rich graphics and video to the interactive mix.

Teletext is still pervasive throughout Europe.]]>Sep 16th 2008 10:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
But generally the US is just way behind or consumers could care less about it.]]>Sep 17th 2008 12:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.digi-tv.dk/images/TV-2-extra-1.jpg.

I'm not saying it's a fantastic service, just that Europe exist!]]>Sep 17th 2008 12:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
The downside is there's still no way to receive free-to-air terrestrial HD in the UK. At least not till 2012 D:]]>Sep 17th 2008 4:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 8:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 8:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 8:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMWBLG4syRQ]]>Sep 16th 2008 9:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 8:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
the arrival of the DVD, Time shifting, place shifting, automatically skipping commercials, Satellite based television, television on demand, and video on your cell phone (DVB) all arrived after your wrote your little paper, and none of it was forcast by you.

Because television didn't evolve the way you predicted it to, you think it's been evolutionary, vs. revolutionary. Give me a break. The fact I can call up my home server on my iphone and play a recorded show from the night before sans commercials is REVOLUTIONARY.]]>Sep 16th 2008 9:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/ DVD recorders --> DVRs or regular tv movies --> ppv --> on demand. Revolutionary technology on the other hand, is something without a precedent that completely changes the way you do things, like watching alternate viewpoints of a game so you can decide what you want to pay closer attention to, not the broadcasters.

Don't be so quick to call someone clueless cause when it turns out you're the clueless one you just make yourself look stupid. If he wants to define something in a different way than you perceive things, it doesn't make him wrong.]]>Sep 16th 2008 10:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
If you're looking for where interactive video went, well you're looking at it right now. All those flash animated videos on the web are exactly what you're talking about. Commercials with clickable ordering, telescoped ads, everything that might never/someday be rolled out in some limited form on your cable box as interactive advertising...]]>Sep 17th 2008 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
Yes, you can draw a line from one to the other, but the accumulation of small changes can produce a revolutionary change.

I'll agree that HDTV is an evolution, since it doesn't completely change the way people watch television. Once they get past the first few days of watching grass blow in the breeze on the Nature channel, that is.]]>Sep 17th 2008 1:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 11:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 11:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
Verizon has said they plan to transition to a full IPTV platform over FiOS within the next five years.]]>Sep 16th 2008 9:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 10:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://home.swbell.net/o1ooo1o/sling/fios.jpg

]]>Sep 16th 2008 9:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
http://www.urcsupport.com/index.php]]>Sep 16th 2008 10:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
Real-time sports statistics- when I had Time Warner in Buffalo, NY, during the football season, you could select B on the remote and set up your fantasy football team, and get updates as the day went on.

Selecting Alternate Viewpoints- since the beginning of digital cable with Cablevison, they have offered what is called MSG Game Director (which is still in existance today, sorta). You had the ability to select different camera angles from home Knicks and Rangers game, though it was too slow to be useful, but it was an attempt none the less.

Playing an interactive game- Again, Cablevision does offer some sort of game package via IO digital cable, though I would never use it

In conclusion, all of those listed features DO exist in some form or another, but they just arent practicle enough to use on a daily basis.]]>Sep 16th 2008 9:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/apple_tv?mco=MTE2NTk
thats what happened to it]]>Sep 18th 2008 5:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
Also, with Media Center you can get extensibility apps that basically do the same thing as ITV. The sports portal, I think it is called. You can have scores for multiple games, etc.]]>Sep 16th 2008 11:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 9:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
/comments]]>Sep 16th 2008 9:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 10:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 10:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 11:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
1) He referenced Brazil. You know, one of the many nations outside of the United States?
2) Random political rants really lack style, you know?
3) You're most likely a droll troll, and I usually ignore your species. But I am tired tonight, so you earn a response.

As regards Viakenny's original post and everyone else's so far: It's interesting to hear how much these kinds of things have spread out in the world outside of the US, where I be. Thanks for that.

]]>Sep 17th 2008 12:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 16th 2008 11:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.homeseer.com

Also try Z-wave based devices. They cost as much as better X-10 products but use RF signals to reliable communicate. Works great for any sized house.]]>Sep 16th 2008 11:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
It was a bi-directional system where (on the ten "Community" channels) subscribers would be asked to answer questions or polls using five buttons on their (very large, wired) remote. The results would be tabulated across the entire subscriber base in six seconds, and would then be shown live on screen in the program. News programs would ask for viewer feedback; pick-up football games would be broadcast where you got to select the next play; the home audience would decide the fate of the loser on a game show.

Here we sit, 31 years after that system launched in Columbus, OH (and then seven other cities); all of us with bi-directional cable boxes in our entertainment centers. Yet, with all our amazing technology, we still don't have anything (again) as cool as QUBE.]]>Sep 17th 2008 12:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
iTV is certainly alive and kicking in a lot of European countries. In the UK alone there is the OpenTV platform running on Sky satellite services, limited (downstream-only) stuff on Freeview the free-to-air DVB-T system, and even some Liberate services running on cable networks.

However, it never reached the level we all hoped it would. I spent my time their trying to pursuade TV content originators to include iTV properties in their planning and budgeting process. The vision was that every show/programme would have an interactive element, using a real-time trigger carousel to dynamically change the interactive content to suite the video. Multichannel tuning seems to have survived well, but the only real trigger application seems to be the "hit the red button now for more info" prompt on ads.

*Sigh*

From the MNO perspective, I think the outlay just proved too much when combined with the difficulty of monetising the back-channel. It's just so much easier to use SMS to interact with your TV shows, and the monetisation of that channel is well-established (if subject to the occasional abuse). Looks like mobile won out over iTV.

Now I work in mobile...

:-)]]>Sep 17th 2008 6:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha]]>Sep 17th 2008 7:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
Set-top boxes are evolving at a much slower pace then the two other main channels for TV interactivity and viewer participation - the mobile phone and the laptop. They evolve at 'internet speed', while set-top boxes have to be produced at low, low prices, with cost cutting applied to processing, communication and user input (how can you play a game with your family if you only have one remote?). People voluntarily get a new phone every 18 months, but a new TV and set-top box only every 5 years or so. An new set-top box is subsidized and still has to be shoved down their throat by the cable co. In contrast, people like browsing for phones, using them, play with them when they're bored, expressing themselves - the reason why there is 'engadget mobile', but not 'engadget set-top box'.

Look at interacative TV trials in the 80s and where we are now. Progress for sure, but compare that progress against progress in mobile and web during the same period and the trend is clear.]]>Sep 17th 2008 7:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QUBE
]]>Sep 17th 2008 8:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 17th 2008 7:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 17th 2008 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 17th 2008 9:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/Sep 17th 2008 9:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/16/ins-and-outs-whatever-happened-to-itv/
The net result is that so called 'interactive' TV services (i.e. those offered by the BBC) are simply boring. I am a tech geek and have barely ever used them, as they offer nothing to me. TV is something I watch when I want utter simplicity in my viewing experience, not a fuss of (slow) menus. I have never, in the 7 or 8 years that we have been able to "Press the red button and go INTERACTIVE" actually seen anyone do it. Ever.]]>Sep 17th 2008 9:59AM