The TPN Backchannel is a recorded version of the actual behind the scenes coverage of CES2009 when we cannot stream live video for reasons of time or bandwidth access.
The most current episode of TPN Backchannel is shown below. For earlier footage, check the Events tab, CES2009 Backchannel Videos
Over the Air, plus Digital is enough for me. This CES might well be the final straw that pushes a lot of consumer household out of the television Consumer Electronics mainstream and into an online and over the air mode. It's equal parts austerity, and it's frustration.
If you are taking a critical look at your budget - how you spend, what, and why - I'd bet that your cable, satellite TV, satellite radio and DVR are all getting a close look. And compared with the budget item for Fast broadband access - all are on the chopping block at my home. Bandwidth is not discretionary for geeks of almost all income levels, but a lot of the rest of the Consumer Electronics / Content dollar is. Crummy content is going to spill into a lack of hardware and software sales.
Unless the purchase involves computers, unlike most geeks I am firmly in the late majority segment of the consumer market, especially regarding television. The decision to move towards a 42" 720p screen only 18 months ago is not going to impress anyone with geekly credentials. And, the driver was spouse driven "Flat on the wall" and "what to do about the TIVO" and DirectTV when the conversion came in 2009, not movies, gaming or some other driver. So granted, I am not ripe for an upgrade unless there is some compellng reason (make that content) to incent me to do so.
I'm getting grouchy about content, and if others are like me, that's having a direct effect on the equipment near and dear to the CES manufacturer's interests. The packages from DirectTV/Comcast are so full of stuff that I don't want - the effort to program it out sets up another set of dis-satisfiers. Don't get me started on XM+Sirius. I don't even keep up with the RIAA and MPAA's antics any more, other than to further polish their negative image.
I can get news, entertainment and information online - the only thing that I can't feed is the background noise wall display. When I could do that easily, it did not bother me. But in today's economy, I wonder just how much entertainment value I am really geting.
I just hope that the rest of consumers are in a better mood than I am - or that somewhere in the halls of Las Vegas there is something that is worth the most limited commodity of all - the time to watch it.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 January 2009 04:13 )
CES Unveiled - Press Event CES2009
Written by Andrew McCaskey
Tuesday, 06 January 2009 23:18
The First Peek at CES
The magic price point is : $199 . That seems to be the conclusion that we reached as Todd Cochrane and I covered the initial Press Event at CES2009.
And if a manufacturer had any chance of getting to that point where people seem to be guessing what defines, "affordable", that is where it gravitated. The automated Sign Language translator for the hearing impared. The Novatel wireless access point. The combination sunglasses/mp3 player and bluetooth headsets. The H.264 OEM chipsets for realtime encoding. And so forth.
Netbooks were, of course the main exception - as well as several companies that were aiming at the higher end of the automotive marketplace. Combination aftermarket units that integrated the GPS, DVD player, mp3 on CD, ipod and bluetooth into a single box. Or the new internet radio that used your 3G cellphone's data plan. I guess that would also tweak the $200 price point - in overcharges on your cellphone data plan if you weren't careful to set up an unlimited contract.
No video today - there is going to be lots of video later in the week. Here's what to expect in the Techpodcast Network coverage of CES.
I arrive in Las Vegas Monday 1/5 ,followed up shortly by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine podcast. We will be getting our initial set up done on Tuesday, and as soon as Todd Cochrane from Geek News Central arrives on the Redeye flight from Honolulu we will begin to get organized, credentialed and staked out. Andy Brown will join us from Chicago, and we'll be ready to go.
We have two big pre-show events, beginning Tuesday night - the CES Unveiled and then on Wednesday the Pepcon reception. These are both "Press Only" events where we will get an advanced peek at some of the products that will be revealed for the first time at CES. A lot of the information will be embargoed - in other words we will be shooting video but will not be able to release it until the official opening of the CES show on Thursday. There will be as many as three channels of video active at various times during the week, and all at the site at SDRNEws.com.
All will be announced on Twitter @axmc
TPN Backchannel. This is the real story of the behind the scenes activities at CES - what it is like to cover the show as a podcaster. If you thought SDRNewsroom was reality TV you will see that it is super professional compared with the backchannel. You will meet the team and we will punch up video as quickly as we can to realtime, depending on where we are, what bandwidth we have, and what we have to report.
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