Jason over at TechAU has had a pretty fascinating idea – a TV with modular components that can be upgraded by the consumer. The question is, would it work?
According to Jason, the list of potential components available for upgrade components is pretty much everything except the screen itself. CPU, RAM, digital tuners, HDMI ports, networking (WiFi, Bluetooth), USB/SD slots, HDDs for PVR functionality, optical drives, and even modules for Pay TV. Having this kind of modular TV would do away with the need for set-top boxes underneath your TV, making it an all in one home theatre PC or media streamer in one device.
Given it’s just a concept at this stage, there’s no real information on how each module would attach to the product, or how the device would handle things like firmware. In fact the video confuses things by introducing ideas like a 0mm bezel and 360 degree rotating stand, without explaining how (or why) they’ve been achieved. But it does also raise a very interesting question – panel technology, while improving every year, doesn’t seem to have changed dramatically in recent times, at least since 1080p became the de facto resolution for screens. Most of the updates since then have been more on either the design – thinner screens, smaller bezels etc – or the software side – features like 100Hz or IPTV are what differentiate screens these days. But given that we don’t tend to replace screens as frequently as the boxes underneath it, could a user-upgradable TV be the answer? Tell us what you think below.
[TechAU]
Sam Cook
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 11:04 AMHell’s yes I would buy a modular TV! While obviously screen technology is improving year-on-year lately; being able to just slot in a BluRay or DVD drive, or add connectivity like Bluetooth or WiFi to my TV would be of huge appeal. It’d also eliminate a lot of expensive cabling too.
Incidentally, its worth noting that some of Acer’s earlier LCD TVs (namely the AT3201W) dabbled in this concept. They were shipped with dual boxes that slotted in behind the planet. One had an analogue tuner, the other with additional component and composite connections. The idea was users could purchase digital tuners later on which replaced the existing boxes in the TV, which would add functionality such as built-in HD digital TV, and dual tuners for live picture-in-picture viewing. The idea was quickly dropped though and never eventuated.
Matthew Deshon
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 11:34 AMthis is a good idea but this is nothing new.
the imac is almost this idea.
give the imac a tv tuner and its almost there
Nodeity
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 11:39 AMBeing a tinkerer myself, I’d love it, but I wouldn’t advise my Gran to buy one! :)
Tim
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 11:42 AMWould definitely favour this over a standard TV.
Caveat being, they’d have to have an independent standards group settings guidelines which all modular TV components were built in accordance with… because I generally hate proprietary ports.
matt
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 12:41 PMI do like the idea, but my idea has always been to put all this stuff into the AV Receiver instead.
just have the TV be JUST the screen, with everything from the tuners and inputs, to the image processors in display settings, being part of the AV Receiver. then you just have the Native elements of speakers and display as their separate thing, and all the upgradeable ‘brains’ electronics and what not, in the one box. that could even be like a PC, with a case you open, and PCBs you replace.
this also increases efficiency, as you don’t have to worry about having an ‘audio feedback’ feature for your TV’s tuner audio, and you don’t have a bunch of wasted inputs on your TV.
when you buy your TV, you either just get it as a bundle with its own mini ‘Receiver’ (think, like sony’s wireless TV set-up) or you can just buy the screen, and get the components to add to your existing AV Receiver (they may be hardware, or even just software)
Viddy
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 1:35 PMI think the idea is a good one. Personally I think it should be marketed with a ‘build your own PC’ format with, ideally, the option that the screen should be upgradable too.
Build a TV for the specs you require/can afford at the time and upgrade in the future according to requirements/cash flow.
With a cleaver chasis design the options could potentially be limitless.
No more wasted components (not as many at least) and even a trade-in option would be possible for parts under a certain age/condition. It may even stem the surging trend of old technology being dumped on the curb, like so many CRT screens I seem drive past lately.
ozoneocean
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 1:38 PMSeems like it would be a good idea… but it isn’t; not in practise anyway.
What would happen if you bought into such a concept? Pay say $2000 for you great big upgradable TV, buy all the best modules for it, upgrade it… then wait for them to make new modules.
The company then decides the idea doesn’t have enough traction for some reason (not profitable) and stops making modules and you’re stuck with an upgradable device with nothing to upgrade it with.
Sorry, but that scenario happens over and over. The only way this could work is to have a diverse ecosystem of manufacturers making universally compatible parts to set standards as people currently do with PC hardware. I can’t see that happening with TVs.
Viddy
Friday, February 18, 2011 at 10:59 AMRED seem to be doing ok.
moloko
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 1:52 PMOr you could just use a HTPC
Kris
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 2:20 PMThe day that we can get screens with zero bezel will be awesome..
We can get a bunch of small screens that interlock together to form a large screen.
Want a larger screen? simply buy more modules and join them to the sides to upgrade from a 42″ to a 50″ to unlimited.
Sam Timmins
Friday, February 18, 2011 at 5:35 AMConsidering with my giant CRT TV I had to squint to read words in Mass Effect 2, I say make cheaper HDTVs, forget the modular crap!