Merging home theater and computers; where is the benefit?
Source: Design Technica
For several years now many visionaries have spoken about a time when our home theater systems would merge with our home computers.
That time is rapidly drawing near. Now that almost every new home computer has a DVD player, (with many quickly adopting DVD writers) the line between computer and entertainment centers are blurred. By means of FireWire and USB ports it is now possible to connect your computer directly to televisions and other home theater components. Is this combination of technologies really something that is necessary or is it just a ploy to sell more expensive equipment? Sure there are positives to this brave new world but do they justify doing it.
One of the main forces that drive this combination of technologies is the fact that more and more home theater equipment components are actually computer sub-systems. Your DVD player is under the hood a computer capable of running software code, the television set has given way to a very large computer monitor and home theater hard drives of the like which TiVo use, are replacing the trusty old VCR. The problem that concerns me is ‘are we over complicating something that should be entertainment?’ Many of us work with computers in our jobs. It is difficult to find a career that is devoid of computers. Everyone from the auto mechanic to the bookkeeper now has to stare at a computer during their work day. Is it really necessary to go home and have to boot another computer just to watch the evening news or your favorite sit-com?
