The technology behind computers, communications and entertainment continues to converge steadily. Today you can watch your TV signal (that you paid for) from anywhere in the world. At any time of the day. (And soon) on a choice of multiple devices.

Time-shifting of Television
The Video Recorder set the ball rolling with the 1st version of "time shifting". Giving the viewer the luxury of recording TV programs - to be viewed at leisure.

The Personal Video Recorder (PVR) from TiVO and others have polished this by combining television & computer storage technologies.

Place-shifting Television Signals
This January (2005) TiVo has announced a new software update for its Series 2 players which will allow TiVo users to view recorded content on their PCs over a network.

However, as it has been happening regularly, "place shifting" technology has jumped ahead - in many new directions!

Flood of New Technologies
Becuse of its lineage, TV2ME a point-to-point solution is worth mentioning. The latest in a line of inventions from the redoubtable Ken Schaffer (see box), TV2ME can help you watch your TV programs in another city via the Internet.

It consists of a PC with a custom-made video capture board which has to be connected to the cable TV. The video board can then be controlled remotely through a broadband Internet connection - diverting the signal to any PC/device. ( If your viewing location is "fixed" (residence / office), then the diverted signal can be displayed on a TV set. Else it could be a PC. )

You may find this hard to believe, but some of Schaffer's customers like to watch their TV over WiFi at Starbucks! (A future trend for the rich & famous?)

TV2ME, like many of Scaffer's inventions, is remarkable for its amazing image video quality on a 384 kbps internet connection. (Remember, this is live TV over the Internet.) And at $4,400, is priced way above the competition - like most of his inventions.

Another startup called Sling Media has announced the SlingBox - which redirects TV signals (from cable, satellite or PVR) to another location and device anywhere in the world with a high-speed Internet connection. The product is expected to be in the market by June 2005. Retail price $250.

Sony Corp meanwhile, has launched Location-free TV, a 12" LCD TV that can receive through-the-air broadcast TV signals or access a base station over the Internet. This WiFi-enabled device guarantees freedom from having to carry a notebook computer to watch TV, and also offers web-browsing and e-mail.

Then there is Interactive TV - a la Murdoch's U.K. based BSkyB. (And soon to be released in the U.S. via DirecTV.) With onscreen betting, viewer selectable camera angles, electronic program guides, games, online gambling ...

And finally, there is mobile TV. One vision (hope?) of telecom operators is that consumers will start buy new cellphones and subscribe for digital mobile TV signals. Some even predict that full-fledged mobile TV could be the biggest mobile hit since voice calls.

Mobile TV will proliferate when new model mobile phones that have separate TV antennae are released. (These would receive DVB-H - Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld signals, over frequencies freed by analog TV stations, after they switchg to digital broadcasting).

Alternatively, TV programs could also be broadcast by telecom operators over their 3G networks.
        
Changing Rules
One sign of imminent change is the announcement/introduction of gaming, video on demand, electronic program guides from cable and telecom operators.

And another, more powerful signal of new opportunites is from PC manufacturers - who are looking to replace the existing millions of PCs or make them ready for Digital TV. By selling high-end LCD, plasma panels. (Even as Microsoft works on its new version of "Media PC".)

It is clear that the rules are changing fast.