Today, when trying to find the correct remote out of 8 i had an idea....
Wouldn't it be great if when connecting a new device up it would integrate with the TV. This would use the SCART data lines for communication an as you just continue to use the remote as usual. You would never see the new devices menus as they would integrate with your TV.
For example i have a SUPALINK (the name of my system!) Compatible TV with an analogue tuner.
It has a basic Sky Style EPG created using the Star text data on Teletext, with a search and scan banner, 7 day EPG (but only two days listings).
You buy a SUPALINK freeview box, and connect it to the TV.
You goto the settings menu, perform an AutoTune as usual (the settings menu also stores widescreen modes etc) and then your TV list includes all the digital channels as well as the analogue ones. (For simplicity duplicates are arrowed like on the setpal - while viewing BBC ONE EAST MIDLANDS DIGITAL pressing right swaps to BBC ONE WEST MIDLANDS ANALOGUE, again BBC ONE NORTH ANALOGUE,, again BBC ONE EAST MIDLANDS ANALOGUE etc etc....
Your DTV box can be hidden out of site and the supplied remote is unneeded
(the base remote includes buttons like SUBTITLES, WIDE, TEXT, R,G,Y,B etc, and a Quick Menu for simaler options to be added for the device - i.e. the Q-Menu would add AUDIO on Freeview channels) - you need never know that you have a freeview box.
Then you decide to buy a PVR - this then adds a record option to the EPG (like the Autoview on Sky in conjunction with EXTLNK VCRS), and a new option on the main menu to watch recorded shows. SUPASMART scheduling would work out which shows are being repeated and record as many as possible alerting you of clashes it can't solve. A Second PVR would be unnoticable to the End user, but assuming you had enough tuners or the clashes were confined to analogue, you could record twice as much
Pressing Menu, "Watch Recorded Programme" would bring up the Tivos menus - but as they would have been passed via the data line as XML the TV displays them in it's format.
If you then try and watch another channel the TV will inform you that programme "X" is being recorded, do you want to cancel? But trying to view that programme or one avalible via another source (analogue) will show you it
You then buy a SUPALINK Scart Switcher and another SUPALINK Freeview box. Then you can watch one channel and record another - the TV being smart enough to choose the right source on the correct box and route it though the system the correct way.
SUPALINK Scart Switchers (the advanced models anyway) have advanced Common Interface sockets for a CCTV or Caller ID module.
The Caller ID module for example would pop a message on screen like "John is calling from Mobile...." so while watching a show you can choose to answer or ignor.
The CCTV Module would connect to your CCTV system and when movement is detected pop up a 1/4 screen picture which you can toggle with Blue to see who's at the door.
This sort of thing would, in one stroke, remove the fear of being able to control a new device with totally different way of working and menu structure, and the second problem of finding the correct remote (out of the million you have) to change channel on one box to record on another.
Other devices avalible would be
1. a lighting device (i.e. dim the lights, i'm going to bed etc etc),
2. Bluetooth (for a Mobile phone caller ID - i.e. "Mark is phoning John's Mobile.....")
3. Mic add on for phone hands free, and possible voice control
4. SUPALINK Cable Decoder
5. SUPALINK Sky Digibox
6. SUPALINK DVD Player
7. SUPALINK DVD Jukebox
8. SUPALINK Webbrowser / EMAIL
etc etc.....
Now for the questions?
Is this technically possible?
Would the manufactures ever co-operate for this to happen?
Would you buy SUPALINK stuff - assuming only Mid Range or better gear would have it and a £5 / £10 price premium would be added?
What additional modules would you like [that are not listed]? (VCR seams the only akward option as you would have to add some sort of ID Tag to your tapes and then let the VCR calculate where and how much space is avalible)
Wouldn't it be great if when connecting a new device up it would integrate with the TV. This would use the SCART data lines for communication an as you just continue to use the remote as usual. You would never see the new devices menus as they would integrate with your TV.
For example i have a SUPALINK (the name of my system!) Compatible TV with an analogue tuner.
It has a basic Sky Style EPG created using the Star text data on Teletext, with a search and scan banner, 7 day EPG (but only two days listings).
You buy a SUPALINK freeview box, and connect it to the TV.
You goto the settings menu, perform an AutoTune as usual (the settings menu also stores widescreen modes etc) and then your TV list includes all the digital channels as well as the analogue ones. (For simplicity duplicates are arrowed like on the setpal - while viewing BBC ONE EAST MIDLANDS DIGITAL pressing right swaps to BBC ONE WEST MIDLANDS ANALOGUE, again BBC ONE NORTH ANALOGUE,, again BBC ONE EAST MIDLANDS ANALOGUE etc etc....
Your DTV box can be hidden out of site and the supplied remote is unneeded
(the base remote includes buttons like SUBTITLES, WIDE, TEXT, R,G,Y,B etc, and a Quick Menu for simaler options to be added for the device - i.e. the Q-Menu would add AUDIO on Freeview channels) - you need never know that you have a freeview box.Then you decide to buy a PVR - this then adds a record option to the EPG (like the Autoview on Sky in conjunction with EXTLNK VCRS), and a new option on the main menu to watch recorded shows. SUPASMART scheduling would work out which shows are being repeated and record as many as possible alerting you of clashes it can't solve. A Second PVR would be unnoticable to the End user, but assuming you had enough tuners or the clashes were confined to analogue, you could record twice as much
Pressing Menu, "Watch Recorded Programme" would bring up the Tivos menus - but as they would have been passed via the data line as XML the TV displays them in it's format.
If you then try and watch another channel the TV will inform you that programme "X" is being recorded, do you want to cancel? But trying to view that programme or one avalible via another source (analogue) will show you it
You then buy a SUPALINK Scart Switcher and another SUPALINK Freeview box. Then you can watch one channel and record another - the TV being smart enough to choose the right source on the correct box and route it though the system the correct way.
SUPALINK Scart Switchers (the advanced models anyway) have advanced Common Interface sockets for a CCTV or Caller ID module.
The Caller ID module for example would pop a message on screen like "John is calling from Mobile...." so while watching a show you can choose to answer or ignor.
The CCTV Module would connect to your CCTV system and when movement is detected pop up a 1/4 screen picture which you can toggle with Blue to see who's at the door.
This sort of thing would, in one stroke, remove the fear of being able to control a new device with totally different way of working and menu structure, and the second problem of finding the correct remote (out of the million you have) to change channel on one box to record on another.
Other devices avalible would be
1. a lighting device (i.e. dim the lights, i'm going to bed etc etc),
2. Bluetooth (for a Mobile phone caller ID - i.e. "Mark is phoning John's Mobile.....")
3. Mic add on for phone hands free, and possible voice control
4. SUPALINK Cable Decoder
5. SUPALINK Sky Digibox
6. SUPALINK DVD Player
7. SUPALINK DVD Jukebox
8. SUPALINK Webbrowser / EMAIL
etc etc.....
Now for the questions?
Is this technically possible?
Would the manufactures ever co-operate for this to happen?
Would you buy SUPALINK stuff - assuming only Mid Range or better gear would have it and a £5 / £10 price premium would be added?
What additional modules would you like [that are not listed]? (VCR seams the only akward option as you would have to add some sort of ID Tag to your tapes and then let the VCR calculate where and how much space is avalible)
