2011 is the year of network media players, media streamers, networked TVs and home theater components. Our home theaters are no longer restricted to TV programming from cable or satellite or physical media like Blu-ray or DVD movies.
Because Smart TVs and players were probably the second hottest story coming out of the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, it was hard to limit the new innovations being presented at the show. Still, here are ten trends that are moving forward the capabilities of whole home entertainment, media streaming, network media players and network home theater components.
1. Apps- Smarter TVs
Photo (c) Barb Gonzalez - Licensed to About.com
Smart TVs are getting smarter. More makers are getting on the App bandwagon that started with Samsung Apps last year--from LG's "Smarter TVs" to Samsung's contest for new app developers, to Panasonic's BodyMedia that can track your calories and workouts. Most models of TVs and Blu-ray players will connect to online content or to access your own media from DLNA compliant devices in your home. The best news is that the menus are getting easier to use.
If you don't have a smart TV, you can smarten up your old TV with LG's Smart TV Upgrader. Yes, it's just a network media player and media streamer that puts LG's full user interface on your TV. Still, it's evidence that built-in network media players are becoming the norm in 2011 TVs.
2. Search For What You Want to Watch
Photo (c) Evan Gonzalez - Licensed to About.com
Now that there is an abundance of online media, along with your own growing media libraries, it's getting harder to find the exact movie, song or photo you want to enjoy. So far, Google TV has not been able to live up to its promise of finding TV shows and movies. This has left the door open for competitors to fill the need.
Samsung's new Smart TVs will have "Your Video" and "Search All" that can search the web for your desired movie, TV show, or media with a specific actor, sports team or other key word. Netgear Neo TV's can search the media libraries on your home network for file names and tags.
3. Boxee in TVs and Iomega Network Media Player
Photo (c) Melanie Lombardi for Viewsonic
Another platform that makes it easier to find specific programs and media is Boxee. In November, D-Link released their Boxee Box, a media streamer that can find and deliver TV programs from the internet.
In 2011, Boxee will expand to more devices. Iomega will release the Iomega TV with Boxee. ViewSonic showed off a 42-inch HDTV with built-in Boxee to be released in the second half of the year. At this time, Boxee is not slated to be included in the ViewSonic 3D TVs.
4. 3D Vudu - Video On Demand Goes 3D
Photo (c) Barb Gonzalez - Licensed to About.com
If you have a new 3D TV, you are probably longing for more 3D movies and content to watch. 3D has come to media streaming. Vudu announced that they will offer 3D movies promising availability before the end of January. With only six 3D Blu-ray disc movies at my local Best Buy, streaming 3D is certain to entice more people to don the 3D glasses that were bundled with their TV.
Mitsubishi and LG were exhibiting Vudu 3D built into the TVs with Vudu apps. The Boxee Box from D-link showed off its 3D menu that will take the user to Vudu 3D.
5. Interacting With Your TV Programming
Photo (c) Evan Gonzalez - Licensed to About.com
This has been promised for a few years. Would you like to know where to buy those Manolo Blanik's Carrie is wearing in "Sex and The City?" Or perhaps you'd like to see the stats for that boxing match or football game you are watching without having to surf the web.
Yahoo Connected TV is expanding the TV viewing experience by offering statistics, shopping and other fun facts about your TV programs, without having to leave the show. D-Link will be offering a Yahoo Connected TV stand-alone device. Toshiba was showing Yahoo Connected TV as part of its Net TV features.
6. Cable Providers Take to the Cloud
Photo (c) Barb Gonzalez - Licensed to About.com
While cable providers have been worrying about losing viewers to online streaming content providers, Comcast and Time Warner have announced partnerships with Sony and Samsung to offer an app that will connect to TV programming "from the cloud." That is, these cable companies will be offering their live programming and video on demand delivered over the internet.
The app will allow cable customers to get rid of their cable box and watch their programming by clicking on an app built into their Samsung or Sony TV.
The cable companies seem to be subscribing to the old adage, "If you can't beat 'em join 'em."
7. The Whole Wide Web on Your TV
In 2011, TVs will no longer be limited to apps and specific content partners. LG and Samsung have announced that their new smart TVs will include fully functioning, full-access web browsers.
Accessing the web on your TV using your computer has been challenging. The web browser is meant to be viewed on a monitor from two-feet away and not from your sofa that is usually six or ten feet from the TV screen. These new web browsers are designed for the TV. Web addresses and text can now be read easily from across your living room.
8. Better Streaming that is Easier to Connect
In 2011, routers are getting better and easier to setup.
Samsung showed a new router that can handle the demands of streaming high definition video from your media libraries or from online. The big news is that this router can automatically configure and connect to Blu-ray players, TVs and network home theaters, simply by placing the router within one foot of the component to which you are trying to connect.
Netgear is also launching its line of routers that will enhance the high definition video streaming experience through better reliability.
9. Tablets to TVs
Photo (c) Evan Gonzalez - Licensed to About.com
That network media player or media streamer that is streaming to your TV may not simply be a device that is sitting in your media center. Instead, it may be a smartphone or one of many Tablets shown at CES 2011.
Samsung showed its Galaxy Tab as part of the AllShare ecosystem from last year. It can play media from other connected devices, send from your device to the TV or control the media playback.
Panasonic demonstrated an elaborate integration of its tablet and TVs. With the use of proprietary apps, TV shows and other content can be "flung" from the tablet to the TV and back. You can turn your TV viewing into a social experience with other friends who have Panasonic TVs and tablets, expressing your comments in cartoon dialog bubbles.
10. DLNA Software Certification
Computer software to turn your PC or Mac into a media server has been around for a couple of years. The Twonky Server made it possible for DLNA certified TVs and network media players to find your computer's media libraries. And while they worked with DLNA, there was never a certification.
DLNA has finally completed the standards so that software can be DLNA Certified assuring users that the computer or smartphone app will work perfectly with all of your other home DLNA certified devices.