WHO鈥檇 want to skip an episode of Friendsjust so their flatmate could
write an e-mail on the TV screen? That鈥檚 exactly what we are being asked to do
by broadcasters, like Sky Digital in Britain, who are adding e-mail, Web access
and shopping services to their TV channels. Pace Micro Technology, Europe鈥檚
largest maker of digital TV receivers, believes arguments over screen sharing
would ultimately prevent the TV set becoming the nerve centre of the wired
home.
Needless to say, Pace has come up with an answer: it鈥檚 worked out how to
switch e-services delivered to your TV to a computer and a separate home
shopping terminal鈥攍eaving the TV free for programmes.
Pace鈥檚 Gateway Expander system is a base station that conforms to DECT, the
standard for digital cordless telephones. It connects to your digital set-top
box and phone line and feeds data at 552 kilobits per second to a PC for
Internet surfing, to a special handheld device鈥攍ike a Palm Pilot鈥攆or
home shopping and a standard cordless phone. The system has a 50-metre indoor
range.
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Pace, based in Shipley, West Yorkshire, will launch the Gateway base stations
some time this year for around 拢150鈥攕hopping terminals are extra.
Pace hopes broadcasters will be able to earn revenue using Gateway technology,
as families will simultaneously be able to watch TV shows and respond to
electronic offerings鈥攕o the broadcasters may eventually give the Gateway
hardware away free as a lure to subscribers.
Pace decided not to use the computer industry鈥檚 nascent Bluetooth wireless
home networking system, which connects devices using 2.4 gigahertz radio waves.
鈥淏luetooth microchips are unstable and its 10-metre range is too short,鈥� says
Andy Trott, Pace鈥檚 technology director. 鈥淢ost homes would need several repeater
stations if we used Bluetooth.鈥�