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If it were modular, it would be more manageable. Put the "smarts" in a form factor reminiscent of a Raspberry Pi Compute Module, and put it behind a door like
by hakfoo 5y ago
If it were modular, it would be more manageable. Put the "smarts" in a form factor reminiscent of a Raspberry Pi Compute Module, and put it behind a door like a decent laptop's RAM sockets.
This also offers more product flexibility from the same basic chassis. You can offer a "dumb" module for security-centric "cannot have unapproved devices on the network" markets, or a module that has specialized software or connectivity (i. e. a built-in KVM-over-IP client, or something bidirectional for hotels with internal cable and pay-per-view technologies)
Aside from the consumer benefit of "You can just snap in a new $100 module in 3 years and it will be snappy and up to date instead of scrapping a $600 set", this could be a good way to manage the ATSC 3 rollout. You can sell a 4K set today without an ATSC3 tuner, then the customer can add it as an "updated smart module" for $100 later once the format is live in their market.
- asciimov 5y agoThis sounds exactly how TVs worked before they became "smart", except instead of some module we had a standardized plug and you could attach what ever you wanted to the tv. In my case, I have an HD tv from 2006, it ain't smart, but it does tune to what ever port I want by default. I've got roku on there now, but in the past I've had cable boxes, consoles, even some rabbit ears.
- Aerroon 5y agoIsn't this basically a digibox (set-top box?) though? The modern ones basically just run android and use AndroidTV. Costs maybe $50 and connects to a TV. Presumably you could even use some other android device to do the same thing.
- hakfoo 5y agoI figured the selling point is that it's sleek and fits inside the footprint of the set, rather than having to be cabled externally or dangle off a HDMI port like a Chromecast or Roku.