FIRST-TIME BUYER'S GUIDE
Tips tor dealing with the bewildering array of new screens and services. By Em ie Andre
Pause the screen. Interact with the broadcast. Split the screen. Swap out between the Internet and television
shows. Send and receive email (and video mail!. Or run your electronic home management system.
The changes in the television industry are
the most confusing of all consumer
electronics. The advent of Digital
Television—DTV—brings about a bewil
dering array of choices and possibilities.
DTV is actually 18 different formats,
which have been approved by the Advanced
Television Systems Committee. All the for
mats are a huge improvement over analog
television, which will be completely phased
out by 2006. The most well-known DTV
format, and the only one available at all
right now, is HDTV, the high-resolution for
mat that allows larger, clearer pictures.
DTV sends a digital signal, making dozens
of cool services available: Pause the screen.
Interact with the broadcast. Split the screen.
Swap between the Internet and television
shows. Send and receive email (and video
mail). Run your electronic home management
■^system (the kind where your refrigerator
A says “your milk has passed date code”).
*} These features are being introduced
slowly, so don’t expect this to show up
tomorrow. But lots of great gear and servic
es are available already.
Eventually, “televisions” will consist of a
controller (or set-top) box, and a projection
screen. Set-top boxes (like the boxes used
4 for special cable programming) run $200
$300, and offer a variety of services. It’s a
cheap way to add functions to your TV.
If you really want a new tube now,
you’ve got a gazillion choices. Current
screens range from the amazing plasma gas
models, Direct View (similar to current
cathode ray tubes) or rear projection TVs
(the massive home theatre setups).
Fujitsu, Philips and Pioneer make
upscale plasma TVs—in the $5000
$8000 range (for pure video fantasy,
check out Pioneer’s 50-inch plasma TV, the
PDP-V502MX, retailing for $19,995).
Direct View TVs are popular, with many
manufacturers offering
models in the $200
range. Rear projection
models range from
$2000-$5000. And for
convenience sake there’s
always the portable Sony
Philips’ flat screen
plasma TV
Watchmans, a variety of which are available
for just over $100.
Here’s a list of some cool add-ons that
you can put on this year’s wish list.
Internet Access on TV
WebTV (webtv.com) is an inexpensive
set-top box that lets you access the Net
and send email from your television. It’s a
simple device and cheap—under $200—
but slow. Despite its critics, sales of WebTV
have soared in the last few years.
Digital VCR
Then there's the wonder called TiVo
(tivo.com)—essentially a VCR without
tapes. The digital device (around $300)
and the subscription fee ($10 a month)
allows you to record anything, pause and
rewind—even during recording—and
download movies without making an
annoying Blockbuster run. Another similar
service Personal TV (iwantptv.com) starts
at around $500, but includes hardware and
subscription fee together.
TV Access on Your Computer
There are several video cards available
that will turn your PC into a television. One
favorite is the ATi TV Wonder. For $78, It
pops right into a PCI slot. There’s an
antenna hookup on the card itself, and
presto—you’re ready to watch TV on your
computer screen. Cool add-ons: ATi TV
Wonder supports close captioning, and can
notify you about prerecorded keywords.
And you can zoom in, or just use the video
footage as your computer screen wallpaper.
Play Games
For millions, the most-used set-top box
is a gaming console system: the Sony
PlayStation (playstation.com), the
Nintendo N64 (nintendo.com) or the
Sega Dreamcast (dreamcast.com). The
Sony PlayStation 2 (available this fall;
price TBA), threatens to redefine the cate
gory, with its built-in DVD support, Dolby
Digital surround sound, ports for connect
ing to camcorders and modems, and other
goodies.
And if
you’re still
gaming on
a small PC
screen,
check out
the $99 Dobbs-Stanford Grand Teleview.
Instead of splurging on a massive monitor
that you can’t afford or that won’t fit on
your desk, this scan converter lets you
plug your computer into your TV. Add a
wireless keyboard or a joystick, and you’re
set for lazy-day heaven.
EaEEEEEEEffl
DVD manufacturers are incorporating a
technology called NUON into DVD players.
A NUON-equipped deck (nuon-tech.com)
can play games, use features normally
accessible only on a PC and display psyche
delic images when playing music. Samsung
started shipping the first DVD player to fea
ture NUON technology this summer, the
Extiva DVD-N2000 (around $400).
Three Boxes in One
Want Internet access, mondo cable sta
tions and a VCR in one box? EchoStar has
rolled everything into one unit called the
DiSH Player (dishnetwork.com). This
$299 box receives satellite TV, so you can
get every sporting event and movie channel
under the sun and record them directly
onto a built-in 17GB hard drive. If you get
bored, you can always surf the Web,
because the DiSH Player has a built-in
modem and connects to the WebTV serv
ice, too. Monthly fees: $20 for 40 chan
nels, plus $25 for WebTV service. •
For the complete chart and price compari
son information for televisions, and more
info about TiVo, go to steamtunnels.net
and search for keyword “TV.”