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

["Jason Lee" <jasonjlee@xxxxxxx>]

Doogie,

There is a bluetooth logo on the front of the box... but I didn't read any
metion of it so who knows?

J
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doogie Brodie" <ukhad@xxxxxxx>
To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 10:23 PM
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] New Digital Set Top Box for only £30 next
year..?


> 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 various things on their site.... :-
>
> "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
>
>
>
>
> For more information: http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
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