WebTV
From Isopedia
Contents |
Technical Information
WebTV is a hardware service which brings together a TV, a phone line, the WebTV service and an Internet unit to provide a more pleasurable television viewing experience. With WebTV, users can send and read email and surf the Web from their TV’s. This interactive program also offers features which allow people to play along with game shows, communicate with other users via chat rooms, participate in polls, purchase merchandise, and learn more about their favorite television programs. With the assistance of different Internet units, the Satellite Receiver, Internet Receiver, or Internet Terminal, WebTV offers three different services. The WebTV Personal TV service uses satellites to allow users to watch whatever they want on their own schedules. Customers can pause live television and replay at their own convenience. WebTV Plus Interactive service improves TV with on-screen TV listings, automatic VCR programming, and email and Internet capabilities. The most basic service, WebTV Classic Internet service combines television with easy access email and Internet at WebTV’s most affordable price.
Historical Information
The first sign of WebTV was recognized in September, 1996, when Sony and Phillips introduced the first WebTV set-top boxes. These systems came to be known as WebTV Classic. It wasn’t until over a year later when a new system was introduced in December, 1997, which became known as WebTV Plus. The difference between WebTV Classic and WebTV Plus is that the “Plus” edition includes a TV tuner which incorporates the television and the Web worlds. Earlier in the year, Microsoft Corp bought WebTV Networks, Inc. and a year after WebTV Plus was introduced Microsoft started to offer television-based software platform products and associated network services, which helped them to transfer a digital resolution for cable and broadband service providers. The two systems, WebTV Classic and WebTV Plus include two parts. One of these parts is known as the WebTV Reference Design which Sony and Phillips base their boxes. The other part is known as the WebTV Network, which is a subscription-based online service, which is the “backbone” to the entire system, because without the online service this product would not be sufficient for the customer. One year after Microsoft bought WebTV Networks, EchoStar Communications Corp. and WebTV Networks announced the WebTV Personal TV service for satellite. Some stations such as HBO, KCTS-TV, MSNBC, and The Weather Channel have now dedicated some of their time to developing new or extended interactive services for The Microsoft WebTV Network Plus service and the WebTV Windows feature.
References
[[1]About-the-Web]
[[2] MSN TV]
Team Members
- Brian Daly
- Christina Duggan
- Stephen Gross
- Connor Loughlin
- Kara McCarthy
