Will traditional television become obsolete?

[AcesandEights]

Well, can't remember the name or theory, but it looks like we're steadily moving towards that single box to modulate our entertainment and media flow. In any event, tv has already shown signs of adapting, so yes, it will change. The change will become easier as time moves on and the older generations more solidly rooted in the traditional medium are shoved to the side of the road like so much detritus.

[Danny]

Well, can't remember the name or theory, but it looks like we're steadily moving towards that single box to modulate our entertainment and media flow. In any event, tv has already shown signs of adapting, so yes, it will change. The change will become easier as time moves on and the older generations more solidly rooted in the traditional medium are shoved to the side of the road like so much detritus. this is essentially where technology is heading, and has been heading for at least 30 years. A true hub for your media and entertainment, not a computer with a tv in it, or a tv with a computer in it but essentially we will be looking at something like a large touchscreen monitor with voice and movement recognition for up close and at a distance convenient access to media without any sort of external interface such as a keyboard and mouse or a television remote control. It will be connected at all times to the internet and offer services like hulu, netflix, espn, freeview, sky, internet browsing, movies, videogames and be something you use for your entertainment needs. Be it sitting and browsing the internet, watching videos on the inevitable next youtube equivalent or watching television without an arial, without a tv even, it'll probably included cameras and microphones to integrate the home telephone as well. -and this is something that is at most 15 years away, and even then its a stretch. -and thats still thinking in current design terms. the long end final result for the television will be some ultra thin poster like device you literally stick up on any wall and can move around freely one of theses two jumps will come before the other, but both are equal parts of the same end result.

[ProfessorChaos]

this is what i think of when reading the above post...

[Danny]

this is what i think of when reading the above post... That'd never happen, people always go straight for the 'anyone will go for convenience first' with the idea of advanced technology. but thats not true. the first selling point of something isnt convenience, its ease of control. control being the defining word here. People want to know they are absolutely in charge of what goes on in the home especially. Things like the wall-e chair seem like what people would go for when you accept this idea of "the average american consumer" as this lazy blob in an easy chair who wants everything now for no work. When really people dont want easier, they want what they want with more specifics and more freedom. They sounds similar but theres a definite difference.

[ProfessorChaos]

by the year 2030, 75% of americans will be falling into the overweight/obese category. and everything seems to be geared towards instant gratification, just look at all the ridiculous products geared towards fat, lazy slobs (the growing majority of americans and most developing countries)...i honestly don't think we're far off from something like that. not trying to be contradictory, just stating the facts from my point of view.

[AcesandEights]

Personally, I blame The Clapper. It all started with that infernal device.

[bassman]

by the year 2030, 75% of americans will be falling into the overweight/obese category. and everything seems to be geared towards instant gratification, just look at all the ridiculous products geared towards fat, lazy slobs (the growing majority of americans and most developing countries)...i honestly don't think we're far off from something like that. not trying to be contradictory, just stating the facts from my point of view. I'm not saying you're pulling this out of your ass, but I just don't see it happening. These days it seems more and more people are concerned with their health. It definitely feels like a more health-conscious world these days. So much so that I get dirty looks if I want to enjoy a cheeseburger or nachos.

[Wyldwraith]

Well, I don't believe we'll see much overt change in the structure of TV/program viewing until the gov't at behest of corporate interests takes direct control of Internet content. Most of you have basically said in one way or another that when TV lets you down due to lack of interesting content, you turn to either your DVDs or acquiring something to watch from online. So long as there's so much available choice due to the 'Net-provided services, a merit-based system is sort of at work. You know the networks have to hate it when large portions of the potential viewing public look elsewhere for their onscreen entertainment, since in one way or another it increases competition and the difficulty of securing advertising revenue. After all, if most of us are busy watching DVDs or stuff we got from Netflix and the like, that represents a major drop in the price they can command from advertisers through commercials. I don't believe the corporations are blind to the fact that many of us among the last couple generations are seeking our viewing entertainment elsewhere when we feel there's nothing worth watching on TV. Logically, one would expect they either have or will have plans to prevent the loss of that commercial-advertising-based revenue. Just my .02

[ProfessorChaos]

@bassman: i'm not making this shit up, it's been pounded into my head as part of my degree i'm pursing. here's an illustrated map of the US and obesity trends from the CDC: i hope that you're right about more people being concerned about their weight and health issues, that's job security for me.

[bassman]

I love that the CDC is worried about obesity. Something about that just doesn't seem right to me...

[BillyRay]

Huh...you'd think Wisconsin would've gotten fatter, faster. I'm beginning to think that the Zombie Virus will be some kind of mutant Type-3 Diabetes.

[JDFP]

Besides.....I don't think many people want to watch tv through their computer. True, you can connect it to your TV but most people will still probably see that as too much work. As I said before....much like they're already doing, soon it will be a service connected from the net to your TV. But that won't kill off TV broadcasting. How is it too much work for the average person? I don't know if I'm an "average" person or not, but it all it required for me was to have an HDTV (which I do, a beautiful "50 Samsung Plasma) and an HDMI wire to hook my desktop to my television. Sure, HDTV's cost money -- but ultimately just about anyone who has a television will have an HDTV in the next decade or so as all the older televisions die off and need to be replaced. All it takes when this happens is to spend $20 on an HDMI wire to hook to the back of your computer into your television -- as I have done. It's easier than hooking up a VCR back in the 80's. I can't remember the last time I actually watched something on regular television. There's no point. I can find almost any movie/television show ever made through the internet and with Netflix/Facast/etc. I usually see these in excellent quality or "good enough" quality for me. If I want the best, I can just get the Blu-Ray of it. The only reason I have "limited basic" cable is because I get a discount on my high-speed internet by having it (it's less to have limited basic cable with high speed internet than having just high-speed internet through Comcast). I'm not the only one I know of who does this. Most of the people I work with generally do the same thing or something similar to this. j.p.

[ProfessorChaos]

again, @ bassman: how so? obesity goes hand in hand with numerous preventable diseases that account for nearly 10% of our country's medical spending such as cardiovascular disease, type-ii diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc. additionally, the latest figures put the overweight/obese population at around 66%, that 75% is an estimate what will happen if the trend continues. edit: not trying to be confrontational, just clarifying my point

[SymphonicX]

After all, if most of us are busy watching DVDs or stuff we got from Netflix and the like, that represents a major drop in the price they can command from advertisers through commercials. I don't believe the corporations are blind to the fact that many of us among the last couple generations are seeking our viewing entertainment elsewhere when we feel there's nothing worth watching on TV. Logically, one would expect they either have or will have plans to prevent the loss of that commercial-advertising-based revenue. Just my .02 Dunno about the US but for instance over here, BskyB's profit from advertising is about 10% - they're the main pay TV corp here...advertising actually doesn't pay for much of it nowdays...

[bassman]

again, @ bassman: how so? obesity goes hand in hand with numerous preventable diseases that account for nearly 10% of our country's medical spending such as cardiovascular disease, type-ii diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc. additionally, the latest figures put the overweight/obese population at around 66%, that 75% is an estimate what will happen if the trend continues. edit: not trying to be confrontational, just clarifying my point I just personally don't consider it a disease in most cases. There are a few people with health issues that build up to the obesity, but in my experience 90% of fat people are fat because they're fucking lazy and don't eat well enough. Here's an idea....put down the fork, eat some fruit, and walk around the neighborhood. Now where's that photo of the fat lady in the chair, eating the ice cream, with "haters gonna hate"?