WEB TV PAGE

Web TV is an adapter that a consumer connects to their television set designed to allow Internet connection. The setup includes a Web browser, cord or wireless (i.e. bluetooth or IRDA) keyboard and connection to the Internet (i.e. using modem, ADSL, cable, PLC).

While Web TV does not allow as much functionality as a computer–based browser, it is a low–cost alternative to a traditional computer connection to the Internet.

It should be noted that the term web TV is also used concerning TV transmissions over the Internet, usually by streaming.

Since the device was a dedicated Web browser appliance, the cost of licensing an operating system could be avoided. The box featured cutting–edge technology such as a 64–bit RISC CPU chip, and a smart card reader, neither of which ever caught on for Internet clients.

The Web browser was compatible with both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer and the box featured 2 MB of RAM. At a time when 56 kbit/s modems were common, the WebTV had a 33.6 kbit/s modem, and used a caching firewall for acceleration, which was a feature that most dialup ISPs didn't offer even as an extra–cost option until years later.

As a thin client, there was no need for a hard disk, but by putting the browser in non–volatile memory, upgrades could be downloaded from a WebTV server.

The WebTV units used a 64–bit RISC chip. Since all software was downloaded from WebTV servers, there was no need to support legacy applications. This decision eventually caused problems, as users demanded support for proprietary file formats like that of RealAudio.

Each time Real Networks released a new version – almost a yearly event, as Real Networks sought to sell new licenses to existing licensees – WNI had to negotiate for source code, and then port it to the WebTV architecture. The file format would become available to WebTV users about the same time it became obsolete.

Today, the term “Web TV” is practically obsolete when considering the large amount of news and entertainment sources available by streaming on the Internet.

 

 

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