The Coming Media Center On Your Notebook
ETC Editorial
Entertainment Technology Center
Your notebook computer will soon become a television, radio and a GPS device. CrestaTech is showing OEMs their inexpensive programmable media receiver that allows notebooks and other mobile devices to display television, radio and GPS.
The technology consists of a hardware and software combination that can either be built into computers or attached via a small USB module. The hardware can be programmed to receive current (OFDM, QAM, 8VSB) and future standards for broadcast, digital cable or digital radio.
A demo of their yet-to-be optimized technology showed some frame skipping but the result was still very watchable.
The GPS data is used to determine local broadcast frequencies without requiring a lengthy scanning process. But GPS can also be used for location-based advertising and services determined by the content provider. You can also turn your mobile device into a navigation system.
The founders envision media sharing with friends such as watching your favorite live shows or sports together via an embedded player in a Facebook or MySpace page while everyone chats or Skypes away. Content can also be “shared” and uploaded to video sharing sites like YouTube.
Where to see it:
- CrestaTech, Renaissance 28
