The Future (as I see it)

So, you like displaying your DVDs as trophies? If so, this post is probably not for you. But you still might want to read on!

Let's say you have some digital media accessible on your computer alone. For example, you downloaded Office from Itunes and now you want to watch on your tv. What do you do?!!!

Or,

Let's say you want to watch youtube on your TV, or, simply put, you want to route your computer signal to your tv. Easy as 1,2,3...

1. Gen a new computer/old computer you are not using. Don't get a monitor, you don't need it. just the system block.

2. If you are not wirelessly routing your internet connection in your home, I don't know what are you doing reading this post. Assuming that you have a wireless connection, make sure your new computer/media center has connectivity. You may need to install a wireless card into the desktop, since most of them don't come with it, or you can just run a wire to it, but that's hideous.

3. If you are using an older system, odds are it probably doesn't have component video-out jacks (even newer systems may not have it), instead, it has VGA out. Buy this. Connect your new/old PC to your TV. That's it.

Now put you old DVDs away. Rip them onto this hard drive, or external drive and watch any flick you want without having to change DVDs. Get a wireless mouse and put it next to your stash of remote controls. Now you can youtube on your TV, without getting off your couch.

*You will need to figure a way to work your computer sound. It's really easy if you have a home theater system. Otherwise, you will need a sound cable running from your sound card to your TV inputs.

**All this is useless if you have a cutting edge system that is capable of putting out composite video/audio and you connecting it directly to your HDTV. Then you don't need any adapters. Or you can also use an s-video cable if you computer has an s-video out jack (quality awful).

***This idea is a dream of cross-compatibility/connectivity/access to any information/media on all your electronic devices. Why shouldn't you use you huge HDTV as a computer screen? Why can't you browse the Internet on your TV? Why can't you listen to your songs on your tv.... etc... Why can't you write your paper on the couch using the TV as a monitor and then wirelessly print that paper on your printer in the other room. You can!

Finally, if your media is stored on a connected computer instead of on DVD on your shelf, you can access that media instantly from anywhere. This set up allows you to stream Godfather onto HDTV in Russia from a hard drive in Mechanicsburg in PA and do so legally (assuming you bought your copy of Godfather). Enjoy!

Forgot! Apple partially realizes this dream for you starting at $229.