Interoperable Remote Controls

Lord Prox writes "From the HAVi website: "Ever dreamed of how your ideal home could function in the new millennium? A TV with voice recognition capability? Or connected to a video telephone link so that the TV is muted and calls are answered automatically by a voice command? How about a video camera that automatically displays a picture on the TV screen when a visitor arrives; or starts a recording if the same thing happens unexpectedly during the night?" Apparently 8 of the leading consumer electronics companies are trying to get rid of all those remotes and do some cooperation over IEEE 1394. Whitepapers and FAQ available."

Comments

How long until it's crippled?

[jdreed1024]

So, who's taking bets on how long it will be before the **AA forces manufacturers to cripple this or use it to implement DRM in some way? Like, for example, if you're watching a DVD, it will prevent you from turning on your VCR, since you might be using it to record that DVD. Or, if you're playing a CD, it prevents you from turning on your component MP3 player, because, well, you might be using it to record that CD stream and distribute it over the Internet.

Don't get me wrong, I think this would be cool, and I welcome the day when I can dispose of the 4 remotes I have (3 of which are Sony, and they still don't interoperate well). But in this day and age of DRM, I fear that the more we automate things, the easier it will be for those in power to legislate what we can and can't do with them.

Look at DVDs, for example. Sure, the picture quality and sound are miles ahead of VHS. But on VHS, I can fastforward through that FBI warning, and trailers. I can't do that with most DVDs. Nor can I skip chapters, or access the menu unless the disc decides I'm worthy. And I'm forced to watch the MGM splash screen, and some annoying intro that the DVD designers think looks cool. (Yes, yes, I know of the existence of mod chips and hacks for DVD players. That's not the point.) With DVD, the media (as in disc, not newspapers) controls the player, as opposed to the other way around with VHS.

The more we relinquish control over our equipment, in the name of automation and progress, the more we hand control over to another group. Is that the way it has to be? No. Is that the way it should be? No. But that's the way it is.

The Semantic Web?

[captainclever]

This smells like the beginings of the semantic web approach to me..

All devices should publish information about their capabilities using, for example, RDF.

When you answer the phone, anything that has exposed a "volume control" property could be muted until the call ends.. I hope they plan on using better security than WEP for the wireless links though.. :)