Gates: Internet to Revolutionize TV in 5 Years

Now this is something that we all should be interested in. it probably is going to change how we watch tv in the west, in the very near future.



yep, role on when we all can just choose what we want any time of the day, its coming, shame it is not here already.

how are isps, going to handle the bandwidth issues, considering in england we have capps on how many gigabits we can download every month. do you guys in america also ahve capps, and how does everyone thing they will get round this.

i just installed vista, and seen how media player works on it, a few channels were on there in uk, looks interesting, to see if thats a glimpse of what microsoft thing the way tv is going.

but for me roll on the day if it ever comes, of us being able to pick, and choose at any time of the day, from the library of everything that has ever been produced. just imagine just sitting there and downloading any movie they ever made, at any time you want.

wonder how long before that scenerio becomes reality.

[edit on 1-2-2007 by andy1033]

I don't think everyone in the USA has a limit on bandwidth. Of course, in most of Europe, there are caps. I am surprised to hear that in a great country such as England has this. I mean, this is no surprise for my home country. (Bulgaria)

At the moment there are alot of caps in the UK, but you can get un-caped packages on broadband, you pay a little extra for it and most people don't even know what a cap is.

Ive been watching the way microsoft have been going with this (as i work in this sector) and its quite interesting. The development of the xbox as a HDTV solution for broadband is an interesting one, and i don't think it will be too long before we see hybrid tv shows/games, or more interactive live shows.

The delevery systems are great, and very clever, but at the moment there is not enough content (programs) in the world. With all these new platforms i feel that alot of production standards will slip, and alot of media players will be looking for joe public to provide content. It won't be long before we get a u-tube type tv channel where the users send in the content.

On demand is the way forward, and will change the way we watch tv, but will also shape the types of programs made for tv. There will also shortly be synergy between devices, ie you start watching a film on the tv, press a button and continue watching on your mobile phone or ipod as you get on a bus, get to your mates house and transfer where you left of onto their tv.

I wouldn't like to be blockbuster video staff, their days are numbered!

I've never heard of any bandwidth caps in the US (or anywhere, until this thread). My provider is wireless in our community, but I have the deluxe package of cable, and so have more TV than I can watch.

Frankly, the DVR in my cable box has functionally given me "video on demand." I've still got Timeline, a science ficiton film, from OCTOBER on my list of things to watch.

That, and about 4 episodes of Engineering an Empire and about 6 of Digging for the Truth. Plus every Duck Dodgers in the 24th and a 1/2 Century and Some DOOL episodes the lady of the manor hasn't watched yet.

My cable is pretty cool. We used to get internet from them, too; but I have a friend in the wireless company, and he hooked me up for nearly free. I've heard some people gripe about cable internet, that too many people on the same wire slows it all down. But I never had any trouble with it.

To tell the truth, my real problem is that I don't watch much TV. I have stuff recorded from 5 months ago, that I cannot force myself to watch. So, no, a third generation "tv revolution" doesn't mean a lot for me.

What will this do for global TV? I'm wondering, because French TV used to have porn on after a certain hour of the night, broadcast. I'm trying to think the time difference would make it available in the central US at about oh, 3 in the afternoon.

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