Re: [ukha_d] New Digital Set Top Box for only £30 next year..?

[Doogie Brodie <ukhad@xxxxxxx>]

Anthony Livingstone wrote:

> Sorry if this has already been mentioned.
>
> Just saw the story today on the BBC web site:
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/tv_and_radio/newsid_2125000/2
> 125443.stm
>
> Check out the sexy remote control with built in interactive screen,
this
> alone must be worth more than £30..!
>
> http://www.tvcompass.com/Corporate/Home.asp

Saw this the other day.... sounds interesting....... still a bit
sceptical........

>from

"Our £29 package will give the viewer 24 channel TV, digital
radio
and full interactivity without a monthly subscription or the need to
plug the box
into a telephone line."

OK I think....

"How does the TVcompass technology work ?
TVcompasss patented technology combines a standard universal TV remote
control with a
wireless data connection to create a wireless universal remote control.
The remote has a
screen similar to a mobile phone screen, and is used to control the TV
in the normal way.
However, whenever interactivity is required the signal is sent back via
the remote control
using the wireless data networks and not through the television."

Wireless data networks... ?????????

(URC standing for Universal Remote Control)

"TVcompass have taken a standard URC and added two components. First a
wireless chip-set to connect the device through its own SIM card to a
wireless network, or cell phone network and, secondly, some memory. This
way the TVcompass wireless URC acts as a standard URC for any or
multiple devices. Further the wireless URC provides a return path for
interactive television services and also stores every keystroke the user
makes in memory."

Wireless network.... _perhaps_ in localized 802.11 hot spots... or cell
phone networks with a SIM card.... so its a mobile phone ??? Does this
element require a subscription ? Does it make GSM calls for free? (not
even begin to think about the exploitability of that....! ;)

"By synchronising the keystrokes with programme schedules the
TVcompass
Wireless URC can provide detailed market research information, such as:

* Who has the remote
* Who else in the household is also watching
* Which programmes are watched, and how interactive services are
used by capturing every key stroke

TVcompass products are able to store each key press of the remote. By
also adding a simple method of identifying each user in the household
and the number of people watching at any one time, the market data that
TVcompass can gather is also personal and demographic.

TVcompass's /patented/ technology uses wireless remote controls to
capture every key stroke the viewer makes. This means if, say, the
viewer switches channel 8 seconds after a commercial break occurs, the
technology will capture which channel they change to, recording
accurately the precise moment the channel was changed. Further, as the
viewer surfs through the channels the wireless remote stores if they
paused longer on some rather than others. In this way we will be able to
measure /channel surfing habits/. For interactive services, the
technology will measure exactly how the user uses the system and how
long they viewed each page, stream or channel. This is achieved by
mapping the key strokes against the layout of say Digital Text pages."

Oh..... one of the reasons its cheap is they plan to spy on us and use
detailed market research.....!

"The first safeguard is the need to open a betting account, which is
accessed by way of a PIN number each time a bet is placed. This is not
foolproof because codes are often written down and might be viewed by
prying eyes. Therefore, TV Compass has bolstered security by the use of
revolutionary new technology involving fingerprint sensors on the remote
control. The user will not be able to place a bet unless the registered
fingerprint activates the remote control. "

Anyone any idea on what joe-sixpack's current opinion of biometrics, and
particularly fingerprints is.........?

"TV Compass, which is currently relying on the angel investors that
have
supported the company since inception, is about to embark on its first
institutional fund-raising. The importance of attracting named investors
is to 'help inspire the confidence' of large company clients. In the
near term, TV Compass is looking for $2m to be followed by one or two
further $2m tranches to take the business to positive cash flow over an
18-month to two-year period."

Hmmmmmm...... my spidey-senses are most definetley tingling......!

I smell something similar to http://www.free-box.co.uk/ but with
much
slicker PR.... :)

Of course, if it does all pan out and I can buy a few of these to play
with for 30 quid a pop, with no subscriptions/ agreement to gamble or
buy £X over a certain time/ no credit checking etc etc, then I'll be
happy, but it all smells a bit funny to me!

--
Doogie