Web TV: Surfing the Web without a paddle

By Richard Morochove

First published September 24, 1998

Cheap, easy access to the Internet. That's the promise of Web TV, an innovative box built by Sony complete with software from Microsoft.

For the most part, WebTV delivers on its promise. It's hard to beat Web TV's list price of $299.95 for the base unit, complete with handheld remote control.

If you already have a PC, then Web TV is not for you. It's like adding training wheels once you learn to ride a bike. However, if you've hesitated buying a PC because you fear it's too complex to connect to the Net, then Web TV could be just what you're looking for.

I used Web TV for about a week, but I figured I wasn't the right target user. So I loaned my evaluation unit to someone who had absolutely no experience using the Internet, my mother.

"It's so easy to operate," she said. "The large screen on TV is very good for seniors."

She used it to explore Web sites with movie reviews and information about food preparation. She also sent e-mail to family members, including my brother in Tokyo.

Web TV delivers a combination of television programming and Web information that's remarkably well-integrated. It's easy to switch from one to the next. Or you can use the Web TV's picture-in picture feature to watch a television program in one corner while you surf the Web.

I have not-so-fond memories of fiddling with a Commodore 64 computer some fifteen years ago and trying, without much success, to get reasonably legible text on the television set it used as a monitor. However, Web TV looks much better than I expected.

It displays Web pages using a special font that's optimized for readability on a television set. If you have a 25-inch or larger set, you should have no problem reading the text of a Web page.

The Web TV box is larger than a TV converter, but smaller than a VCR and fits easily atop a TV. Yet Web TV contains a microprocessor, memory and hard drive, just like a regular PC.

Web TV does have its limitations. While there are occasional software upgrades you download from the service, you cannot install your own software. Furthermore, it's a little behind in some areas. For example, I found it did not work properly with Web pages that featured Java applications.

There are also some nifty things that are easier to accomplish using Web TV than a standard PC. For example, you can plug in a camcorder, snap a digital photo (a video freeze-frame) and then easily attach the electronic photo to an E-mail you send to a friend or far-flung family member.

Web TV lets you plug-in an ink jet printer to print hard copies. There's also an expansion connector for future possible options, such as a DVD (digital video disc).

The television listings are integrated with the Web. For example, a movie might link to a Web site with a review of the flick and additional information on the stars. You can search the Web TV database (it holds 7 days of TV listings) for specific types of programs, such as adventure movies, or all the showings of a certain television series.

Web TV can remind you when your favourite programs are on with a notice on the screen or it can automatically switch channels when the program begins. The unit also includes a "blaster", an infrared transmitter on a cord you aim at your VCR to instruct it to automatically tape programs.

You can create up to five user accounts in addition to the one that comes with Web TV. Each account can be password protected, so junior can't read Dad's e-mail. Each user's home page can be customized for particular interests, such as sports scores and stock price quotations. In addition, access to portions of the Internet service, such as chat rooms, can be blocked by user.

Every night around 2:00 a.m., the Web TV box automatically dials the service, updates television listings, and collects any e-mail. If you have unread e-mail, the box displays a red message light, similar to a telephone answering machine, a nice touch. If you don't use the Web component for more than a few minutes, it automatically hangs up, so you don't tie up your telephone line.

A subscription to the Web TV service, which allows unlimited use of the Internet, costs $24.95 U.S. monthly. It's reduced to $14.95 U.S. per month if you already have an account at an Internet Service Provider. The first month is free. Eventually the service will bill in Canadian currency. If you plan on sending a lot of e-mail, I'd recommend you also buy the optional wireless keyboard ($99.95).

If you can set up a VCR (video cassette recorder), then you should have no trouble installing Web TV. There are just three key connecting cables: one for the TV signal, another for the phone line and the third for AC power.

If you have cable TV, you connect the cable signal to Web TV and then plug another line (included with the unit) to connect Web TV to your television set. WebTV also works with satellite TV systems and a standard antenna. The unit comes with 25 foot telephone cord and a duplex connector you plug in to your modular telephone jack.

Once you've set up the hardware, the one-time software configuration is a breeze. Just enter your billing information and postal code. Then Web TV dials a toll-free number to obtain your local Web TV number. Later, it calls the local number to retrieve the next week's worth of television listings.

I'll leave the last word to a woman who's had it all my life.

"It's so cheap a lot of people would like to have it. I think this is going to be a big seller for people who are computer illiterate."