Couch Surfing Gets Smarter With TV-Web Combos

Sellers of consumer electronics are betting that when you buy a new TV for your family room, you'll be willing to cough up a little extra cash to be able to dash off e-mail, chat, and view the Web while curled up on the couch.

TV surfing is surfacing in a bewildering array of configurations. The delivery modes, payment models, and enabling technologies range wildly, but features and interface are fairly consistent. Don't expect to see Netscape or IE on your TV screen, though: These look like more polished versions of the TV Guide channel, emphasizing ease of navigation for the longtime couch potato. Many options from a myriad of vendors were on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.

The newest twist on "Web TV" is a design that incorporates the Internet connection hardware and browser, eliminating the need for a set-top box.

High-Definition Web Debuts

For the videophile, Ch.1 has created a platform to put the Internet into high-definition TVs. At the show Princeton Graphics Systems announced the first HDTV-capable set to use Ch.1's hardware specification and carry its service.

The AI3.6HD is a 36-inch display you can use with either dial-up or broadband Internet service. It also accepts input from VCRs and DVD players, and it is scheduled to ship in January priced at $3499. A proprietary remote incorporates a small keypad for pecking out e-mail, but the AI3.6HD is also compatible with infrared cordless keyboards. The Ch.1 interface comes with a subscription fee: You can use it with an existing ISP account for a between $10 and $14 monthly, depending on the number of users and whether the optional Web site filtering is chosen. For an additional $10 monthly, Ch.1 offers dial-up ISP accounts.

Channel-Surf on Two Mediums

Ch.1 is an offshoot of Princeton Graphics, but Princeton isn't the only manufacturer to offer Ch.1-compliant TVs. At CES, NadaPC also announced 27-inch, HDTV-ready sets that include a wireless keyboard and remote, to be available in late March. These will be priced at $199, with a 36-month subscription to NadaPC's dial-up Internet service at $21.95 per month. NadaPC plans to offer a broadband plan starting in April and announce subscription options then.

Like most of the TV-Web-browsing schemes shown during CES, Ch.1's interface emphasizes easily flipping through bookmarked Web sites with the proprietary remote, as though you're flipping TV channels. You can also quickly switch between the TV and Internet or view both at once through a picture-in-picture configuration. As with a portal, Ch.1 offers preset categories such as shopping and news that you can customize.