Microsoft Demos SideShow for Media Center Remote at EHX
By Alexander Grundner |
March 30th, 2006
Comments (4)
It looks like EHX is full of surprises this year. CE Pro has learned that Microsoft’s SideShow technology will soon be ported to Windows Media Center remotes, giving the users visual access to a PC’s electronic programming guide (EPG) and other media-centric features without disrupting what’s being shown on the television. As you may recall, SideShow is a new technology that’s being integrated into next-gen laptops to give users quick access to information on a on small display located on the exterior LCD cover. CE Pro adds: “SideShow can be implemented on virtually any piece of hardware capable of connecting, whether by WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Ethernet, you name it. These auxiliary devices grab ‘gadgets’ from the PC. Gadgets are mini applications that are sent, in an encrypted format, to the remote hardware by the computer.” Expect to see SideShow when Windows Vista launches early next year.
March 30th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Hi all!
This SideShow implementation could work well in the concept of providing interactive or extended TV services. Think of the many times where there are polls or sweepstakes run in conjunction with sportscasts, public-affairs TV shows, reality shows or other similar shows. Rather than one remembering or writing down phone numbers or text-messaging sequences in order to cast their poll or enter the sweepstakes, the user could invoke an “interactive-TV” applet which appears on their remote control and simply do what they need to do.
This can also be extended to bringing up information about participants on the remote control rather than masking out vision with such information. As far as sports or similar events are concerned, the remote SideShow display could work as an always-up scoreboard or leaderboard.
With regards,
Simon Mackay
March 30th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
Good point. You’re probably right. It would fun to see interactive TV features enabled with this technology.
April 3rd, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I am wondering how many people are using this or other types of “super” remote controls. I got one when I purchased my Marantz home theater receiver about 6 years ago. I spent a couple of hours trying to program the thing to no avail. Then when I did use it, it would chew thru batteries at an astounding rate (8 AA’s a month). The remote that came with the TV would last ~1 year on 2 AA’s. I realize technology has progress a lot in that time, but to this day I still mostly just change channels and/or volume. What are people doing with these uber remotes?
Don
April 20th, 2006 at 6:02 am
I really think the gadgets (and now sideshow) are truly endless.
Like the other commentors said, you can have scores, or stats. Gadgets on Vista alone can control almost anything…if you know how to code for it. Think of American Idol…they can have you download a small gadget, and to coincide with you watching it, they can toss data up, and have voting that way.
I really like where the Gadgets are going.