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Why all the talk in the Mobile Device Broker Forums about TV Set-Top Boxes? Shall we Explore?
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 Learn why Set-Top Boxes running IP protocol and with Internet broadband connections ARE NOW getting STREAMED VIDEOS FREE and, are
making a lot of additional cash for our Mobile Device Brokers.....engage, enjoy, relax and focus......
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How Mobile Device Brokers Make Revenue With the huge proliferation of Mobile
Devices and Mobile Cloud Computing...the Enterprises-Corporates we work with are now putting thousands of VALUABLE Mobile
Devices onto the IT Asset Disposal pipeline. For example, Hertz Intl in New York just released 1,183 business Laptops from HP...onto the IT Asset Disposal Off-Load channel. These are like new devices - used by their employees only for 122 days. They have embedded 4G Broadband modem, 4GB
Ram, quad core CPU, optical drive; 7500 rpm 2TB hard drive...Windows Professional 7.....wifi
802.11 n.....17.6 wide screen...and Bluetooth. These devices are available to our Brokers for $38 each...on Amazon and eBay the same models sell for $198 to $337 every day. So there is lots of room for profits....but the new Broker has to realize that the units can only be acquired by lot-batches of (usually) minimum 110 to 127. The units have their hard drives scrubbed...then a new version of the op sys is installed....and
usually the basic set of business applications. We have found - without a doubt - that our most successful Brokers make the most money by performing FACE-TO-FACE sales...that is, at swap meets, flea markets, and by the Broker placing small cheap ads in the local newspaper....this is much easier and BETTER than selling on the web....because...we show how, once you make a face-to-face sale, you gain a long term repeat client.
     A set-top box is a device that enables a television set to become a user interface to the Internet and also enables a television set to receive and decode digital television (DTV) broadcasts. DTV set-top boxes are sometimes called receivers. A set-top box is necessary to television viewers who wish to use their current analog television sets to receive digital broadcasts. It is estimated that 35 million homes will use digital set-top boxes by the end of 2006, the estimated year ending the transition to DTV. In the Internet realm, a set-top box is really a specialized computer that can "talk to" the Internet - that is, it contains a Web browser (which is really a Hypertext Transfer Protocol client) and the Internet's main program, TCP/IP. The service to which the set-top box is attached may be through a telephone line as, for example, with WebTV, or through a cable TV company like TCI. In the DTV realm, a typical digital set-top box contains one or more microprocessors for running the operating system, possibly Linux or Windows CE, and for parsing the MPEG transport stream. A set-top box also includes RAM, an MPEG decoder chip, and more chips for audio decoding and processing. The contents of a set-top box depend on the DTV standard used. European DVB-compliant set-top boxes contain parts to decode COFDM transmissions while ATSC-compliant set-top boxes contain parts to decode VSB transmissions. More sophisticated set-top boxes contain a hard drive for storing recorded television broadcasts, for downloaded software, and for other applications provided by your DTV service provider. Digital television set-top boxes are used for satellite, cable, and terrestrial DTV services. They are especially important for terrestrial services because they guarantee viewers free television broadcasting. A set-top box price ranges from $100 for basic features to over $1,000 for a more sophisticated box. It is often leased as part of signing up for a service.
Why
all the talk in the Mobile Device Broker Forums about TV Set-Top Boxes? What's that got to do with my making money as a Broker-Liquidator
in Mobile Computing Devices? Here in this Training_Module we will discuss this - in detail in these sessions and tutorials, but, the main reason is that Laptops, Netbooks, Tablets, Smartphones, Mobile Hot Spots (really BIG now too) and even GPS units, are all directly related to Mobile Device Computing...in the Cloud..this is because the ENTIRE INTERNET is becoming all Wireless...and all Cloud based....except for the "big pipes" that carry the Internet traffic across America and the globe. (for "proof" see web links to Dell and HP's ongoing "war" to acquire the 3 billion dollar Cloud Storage company, 3Par..which does Cloud Storage big time) 
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For
the technical minded, here is what a Set Top box is (STB) - read this because more and more businesses you'll work with (large
Enterprises and Corporates) are disposing THEIR Set Top Boxes along with their regular IT Asset Disposals...these are simply
STBs (Set Top Box) that the companys use in their video demo rooms and during corporate meetings and for their in-house corporate
training sessions). A Set top box” (STB) is a term that can include any type of accessory that may connect to the HDTV. Common STBs are satellite receivers, cable TV receivers, OTA receivers, DVD players, VCRs, and so on. In the HDTV era, an STB usually has a large memory where the image is reassembled out of the MPEG-2 data. Standard DVDs do not have enough capacity for HD. Blu-ray Disk (BD, which requires a blue laser) is generally the only choice for HD movies. Most BD players will also play standard DVDs. STB video output options: At the present time it is a mistake to buy a TV or STB that does not have an HDMI connector. HDMI has become the industry standard, but other types of connections still exist. Any STB you acquire will probably have more than one of these output connectors. When you buy an HDTV and an STB, try to select units that can connect to each other directly. Otherwise you will have to pay for a transcoder or a video switch box. CH3/CH4 output ATSC output by this method is very rare. Many converter boxes output NTSC this way. Composite video This 1-wire standard, in use for many years, conveys complete video images. It is designed for NTSC and cannot transport HDTV images. Phono plugs are standard. S-video This 2-wire standard is an improvement over composite video. But it was designed for NTSC and cannot carry HDTV images. Component video This 3-wire standard, originally designed for DVD players, can carry HDTV via three wires with phono plugs. The three wires carry analog raster (image scanning) signals, either red/green/blue or Y/Pr/Pb. (Y=intensity, Pr=red-Y, and Pb=blue-Y.) Some units can handle either color scheme. You must verify that both units can use the same scheme. Neither scheme is better than the other. Phono plugs are standard. VGA This 5-wire standard, originally devised for computer monitors, carries HDTV raster signals, usually red, green, blue, Hsync, and Vsync. However in some units Y, Pr, and Pb can substitute for the colors. Usually the 5 wires are bundled into a single cable. Five separate cables are advised for runs longer than 12 feet. The connector can be either a 15-pin VGA connector or five BNC connectors. Warning: some HDTVs have VGA inputs that only accept computer formats, such as 600x800 and 720x1024. Many makers use the term RGB in place of VGA despite the confusion that causes. DVI (Digital Visual Interface) This connector conveys HDTV raster-like signals in binary data form. The data rate is very high (typically 1.65 Gb/s). Binary data is preferred by monitors that are not CRTs, such as plasma, LCD, DLP, and others. It also has a control line (DDC) that allows the STB to sense the monitor’s state and native formats. HDMI This miniature connector replaces DVI. It is backward compatible with DVI, and an adapter will connect it to a DVI unit. It has 19 pins and carries DVI plus digital audio. It also has another control line (CEC) that lets units control each other. Cables longer than 15 feet are possible but require special care and possibly special repeater boxes. IEEE
1394 Also called Firewire
or i.link, this is a high-speed serial bus common in computers. IEEE 1394 is fast
enough to carry compressed MPEG-2 video data plus audio and controls. There is an encryption standard for
IEEE 1394, called DTCP (Digital Transmission Content Protection, also called 5C copy protection).
But since IEEE 1394 is an open standard, Hollywood has less control over it. Since it is a two-way
bus, it could allow units to control each other. IEEE 1394 is just a connector definition plus a software
shell. Additional software is required for the units to talk to each other. 1394 has important technical advantages.
All outboard recording devices will likely use 1394, but Hollywood does not want to allow outboard (dismountable) media.
Some companies have developed radio schemes for moving audio/video material around a home wirelessly. But
these schemes usually require 1394 and might become useless if 1394 is blocked.
USB Mainly camcorders use this. Its workings are a lot like IEEE 1394. If the STB has any of these connectors, it is only for standard definition
images. When a high-def program is being received, these connectors are either disabled or carry an image
that has been down-converted to NTSC. VGA and component video
are sometimes called “analog” because they carry signals that are not binary. DVI, HDMI, and
1394 are sometimes called “digital” connections. Analog connections are inferior to digital connections when the monitor is not a CRT, but this inferiority can be insignificant if the cables are chosen with sufficient care. Neither VGA nor component video is superior to the other. For a cable length of six feet, VGA is more convenient. For longer runs, component video is usually more convenient. Component video is the prevalent analog output, and VGA is becoming rare. Very few displays will draw both 1080i and 720p. If you feed the set a format that it cannot draw, you will get either a blank screen or garbage. (The law requires a set to receive all 18 modes. But the law only regulates tuners, not these intermediate inputs.) An exception to this is fixed-pixel displays that will re-digitize component video. Decryption DVI and HDMI come with a decryption option called HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), which will decode encrypted programs such as first-run movies. The motion picture industry requires distributors (HBO, etc) to use HDCP encryption on all high-def movies. HDCP decryption hardware is proprietary, and any hardware manufacturer must sign a contract in order to include it in his product. That contract can forbid hi-def analog output (VGA or component video) when encryption is enabled, and allows HDCP decryption to take place only in the monitor. This is an attempt by Hollywood to prevent unauthorized copying and distribution of hi-def material. But it means that millions of HDTVs already sold that have only analog inputs could in the future become useless (or low-def) except for viewing whatever sitcoms or dramas the networks allow. Some people think the FCC would forbid that for a while but not forever. While all blu-ray disks are encrypted, the disabling of analog HD output is a separate flag, called the “Image Constraint Token” (ICT). Thus far, all of the available movies have the token turned OFF, so analog HD output is allowed for these movies. How long movies will be introduced with the token OFF is unknown. The state of the token is supposed to be printed on the packaging. (If the token is ON, the image on component video output will be down-converted to 540p.) Many know that Pros will not carry out its threat any time soon. What Big Money is most concerned about is movie piracy via the Internet. That is currently not practical at high definition because it takes too long. But if it should become practical and piracy proliferates, Hollywood wants to shut down those STBs that contribute to it. (Hollywood would then not release films to distributors who enable STBs with piratable outputs.) The FCC will certainly side with Hollywood if movie piracy makes movie making unprofitable. This is not all bad since it guarantees home access to first-rate films. STB audio output optionsAn STB is likely to provide one or more of the following audio outputs: 6 channel audio (6 wires with phono plugs) Coaxial digital audio (1 wire with phono plug) Optical digital audio (1 TOSlink fiber optic line) IEEE 1394 audio and video HDMI audio and video The HDMI Audio Area HDMI carries
digital audio, but it is carried on the video signal lines during the video blanking periods. This audio
is in a form that is not easily convertible into SPDIF (optical or coaxial digital audio). SPDIF is the
normal input for A/V Receivers (audio power amplifiers). This is not a problem if you are going to rely on the speakers or audio power amplifiers
that come inside the TV. It is also probably not a problem if your system has only one HDMI source.
But if you have more than one HDMI cable (multiple HDMI sources) then you might discover you have no way to connect
up the A/V Receiver. Options:
1. Just connect the TV SPDIF Output to the A/V Receiver. Unfortunately many TVs lack this connector. If your TV provides neither SPDIF nor “line” audio outputs then there is no way to connect it to an A/V Receiver. The A/V Receiver probably has multiple SPDIF inputs. But if it
does not have multiple HDMI inputs then you must use the TV to switch HDMI. You will have to use two remotes
every time you want to switch sources, or buy a universal remote and learn how to program it. Or you could
buy an HDMI switch box that also switches SPDIF. But most HDMI switch boxes do not have an SPDIF output. More about DVIDVI was originally developed for
computer monitors, but has been adopted by HDTV. DVI comes in different versions. All
versions use the same 29-pin connector. Sometimes you can tell which version you have by seeing how many
of the 29 pins are missing. DVI-D is the version most commonly used
for HDTV. The five large pins are usually missing. There is a single link
version of this that uses only 18 of the 24 small pins. Single link will work properly with all HDTVs.
DVI-I uses all 29 pins. The five large pins pass analog VGA signals. Presently, DVI-I is used mainly by the computer industry, but front projector HDTVs by a number of makers support DVI-I. There are DVI-to-VGA adapters and adapter cables available for these units. Front projectors from a couple makers will accept component video signals through their DVI connectors. These companies will provide DVI-to-Component adapter cables. However this is nonstandard. These adapter cables only work with DVI-I. In most cases, if you want to connect a DVI unit to a VGA or component unit, these adapters will not work. That would require a transcoder circuit that can convert between analog and digital signals. HDMI is a single link DVI plus digital audio and a control line in a miniature connector. It carries no analog signals.
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Make Your HDTV Web-Ready How to browse the Web, run apps,
play music and games--and most important, watch what you want, when you want it. Illustration by Bryan Christie DesignBy now, you're used to watching all kinds of video
via the Web. You get caught up on your favorite TV shows with Hulu, enjoy a movie or two with Netflix Instant Watch, maybe even
sneak in a cat video or two (or a dozen) on YouTube during your lunch break at work. You're used to searching the Web to find
what you want to watch when you want to watch it. The moment you're home, though, you turn on your
TV, tune in, and zone out--no interaction or Internet required. Nothing on? Guess you'll watch some Law & Order: Criminal
Intent reruns. That Vincent D'Onofrio--whatever happened to him, anyway? If only your TV was a little bit more like your PC. "Smart
TV" is the new hot buzzword these days. Imagine, for a moment, that your HDTV combined the simplicity of the normal TV-and-remote
experience with the powerful search features and video-on-demand libraries you're accustomed to on the Web. Toss in social
networking, photo sharing, music, gaming, and a hundred kinds of Web content. That's what "smart TV" means. It means
never needing to settle for anything less than having what you want to watch (or hear, or play) running in big-screen glory
right now, while you master the universe from the couch with your all-powerful remote. Don't
let all the TV and tech companies out there fool you, however. You have many ways to make your existing TV smarter, other
than just buying a new connected TV with all the bells and whistles built in. You don't have to purchase a brand-new PC or
yet another set-top box, either. And you don't have to let your cable-TV subscription hold your eyeballs (or your wallet)
hostage with hundreds of channels you'll never watch. Instead, we'll walk you through the products and services that can feed
the Web through your TV--without breaking the bank. Connected TVs LG’s Magic Motion controller
moves a pointer on the screen to choose a viewing or app option. Looking to buy a new HDTV? Choose the right TV--one that connects directly to the Internet--and
you can enjoy loads of Web features and apps without having to buy any add-ons or boxes. But choosing may not be easy: All
the major TV manufacturers now have some package of Internet-connected features built into their midrange and high-end models. In early
Internet-connected TVs, packages included only a few additional "channels"--Netflix Instant Watch, YouTube, and
a few video-rental services like Amazon Instant Video, Cinema Now, and Vudu. Connected-television features have since advanced
quickly. New
connected TV sets come packed with apps, games, and Internet video channels, often with op tions exclusive to the manufacturer. Cost:
You'll have to pay for the television (usually $1000 to $2000 now for midrange to high-end sets). The good news: You don't necessarily
have to pay a premium for an Internet-connected TV: Some manufacturers, such as Vizio, sell low-end models that are priced
in the $750 to $830 range. The cost of an HDTV will generally de pend on the set's size and on its panel technology
(a 50-inch plasma set will cost more than a 50-inch LED one). And you won't have to pay for access to the smart-TV service
itself--just for the subscriptions to specific services such as Hulu Plus or Netflix, as well as the video-download rental
fees. Advantages: Connected TVs are simple and elegant. You can use your TV's own remote; you
don't need to worry about running extra power cords or audio/video cables as you do with a set-top box or a home theater PC;
and many HDTV sets include built-in Wi-Fi support (so you don't even need to plug an ethernet cable into the back). What's
more, newer TV sets often come with new remote controls that make it easier to use the Internet features. For example, LG's
Magic Motion remote is a gesture-oriented remote control similar to the Nintendo Wii controller (just point the remote at
the TV to move your cursor) and is designed to let you more easily use the built-in Web browser of LG sets. Vizio's high-end sets include a
Bluetooth remote with a slide-out keyboard to facilitate typing. Disadvantages: Connected TVs aren't
particularly versatile. If your set-top box doesn't have a channel you want, you can go buy a new one, but you won't be able
to do such a thing so easily with a big, expensive HDTV. Also, if you're big on live TV, you'll still need your cable-TV subscription,
as the Internet features are mostly on-demand video only. Advanced tips: Most connected TVs
include USB ports and DLNA support (see the glossary on the second page, near the end of this article), meaning that you can
watch your locally stored video, photos, and music from a USB drive by plugging it straight into your TV or from other PCs
on your network--handy for the times when the video you want to watch is sitting on your PC in the den. Future-proof?
Yes--but only if you choose wisely. Although early Internet features in HDTVs looked pitiful compared with what a standard
set-top box could offer, the big players in the HDTV market (LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio) are each looking to
make their Web-connected TV sets your entertainment hub by adding new features, video channels, and even their own app stores.
For
example, Panasonic's Viera Connect Internet features include Facebook, Skype, Twitter, and even downloadable games from Gameloft
in addition to a whole host of media-streaming services like Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Pandora. Set-Top
Boxes Apple
TV turns your HDTV set into an extension of your existing iTunes library.A relatively inexpensive, simple, and easy-to-install
way to add more channels to your TV, set-top boxes vary in size, shape, and content selection. They rely on your home Internet
connection to stream media from Internet sources such as Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, and many other video-on-demand channels.
Consider them a supplement to your cable subscription, rather than a replacement, since they won't have much in the way of
live TV programming. Right now, Roku's box leads the pack with a very broad channel selection, but since it doesn't
support DLNA, you can't use it to access the mu sic, photos, or videos stored on your network's PCs. Some other contenders
in the field, such as Western Digital's WD TV Live series, do support DLNA. If you're
already heavily invested in music and movies from the iTunes Store, go for an Apple TV box--you'll be able to stream your
existing iTunes content from your home network's iTunes libraries. For both the versatility of a full Web browser in your
HDTV and a search feature that could cover your satellite-TV listings, locally stored recordings, and the Web, grab a Google
TV set-top box like the Logitech Revue. Also in this category are game consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii) and Internet-connected
Blu-ray players. While not dedicated Internet TV gadgets, they have Hulu Plus, Net flix, DLNA support, and other Internet-connected
features. Cost: $60 to $250 plus subscription fees (when applicable). Advantages:
Set-top boxes are very easy to set up and use, and they typically don't cost very much. Also, new services tend to be added
to the selection over time--the longer you own the box, the more content it should be able to deliver. Disadvantages:
Most set-top boxes don't include a full Web browser, so you can't always watch the videos you want, especially if your favorite
shows are found only at live streaming sites or from the TV networks. And, as noted, you don't have many options for streaming
live TV with a set-top box. Advanced tips: You can hack most set-top boxes, including the Apple TV and the Roku, to
add new features, channels, and applications. For example, you can jailbreak your Apple TV and install the XBMC media-center
app to enable 1080p video playback, which the stock Apple TV doesn't support. Future-proof?
The set-top box's place in the future of smart TV is iffy at best. You can't really do much besides watch the ported Web video.
That may be okay for now, but we ex pect Web video to continue proliferating--and standard set-top boxes will struggle because
they lack Web browsers. While the Web video services that run on set-top boxes often add new channels, you have
no guarantee that your set-top box developer will add the ones you want when you want them. But the boxes are relatively cheap,
so buying a new one every few years could be one way around that problem. Apple
TV and Google TV have two different approaches to the set-top box. Apple's turns your TV into an extension of your iTunes
Library--great if you own a bunch of other iOS devices, or if you prefer to pay the TV/movie rental fees over a subscription
fee. Google's
offers many of the benefits of a home theater PC, such as a Web browser and (future) access to apps via the Android Market,
without the expense or hassle of a full-blown media PC. Also, the search function on Google TV could radically change the
way you watch television simply by making it far, far easier to find what you want to watch. However,
even these forward-looking set-tops won't get far unless the various networks and content providers open some doors for them.
Hulu, for example, is currently blocking the Google TV browser. All the same, the Apple TV and Google TV platforms are still
in their formative period and may both be around long enough to see the day when content owners have come to accept the model
these devices use for distributing video. (In an effort to boost Google TV, Google has just bought set-top box maker Sage TV.) We
expect that these two set-tops will be the ones to watch over the next few years.
 Google has teamed up with Dish Network to offer a set-top box based on the Android operating system, the major Pubs report. The box is said to be operated via a keyboard and will deliver You Tubes right to a TV set. The
partnership between Google and Dish Networks will allow users of the set-top box to search through video content from Dish
and YouTube, and also personalize video playlists, sources close to the matter told NYC Tech Google has been testing the set-top box service since last year, the report says, but only a very small number of the company's employees had access to it. The WSJ notes that the project might not see the light of day and could be scrapped at any time. Working with Dish—and its 12 million subscribers—Google has a chance to leverage its TV ad-brokering business, as well as push YouTube videos into our living-rooms. But the Fox Network report says Google has even more ambitious plans than that. Google is reportedly asking several other unnamed TV service providers and hardware manufactures to use its Android OS, in order to offer a broader range of programming and personalized ads, though it is unknown whether any other company other than Dish accepted the deal so far. It's also unclear how the Google ads would be displayed on-screen or whether this advertising model would subsidise the price of the set-top box. Important - Google tech rivals Microsoft and Apple have been making forays into the
TV market for years with their own Internet-linked products such as the Windows Media Center and Apple. TiVo also introduced last week
a Web conenected STB, which will bring cable programming and
streaming content from Internet to TV screens. 
Apple unveils new TV set-top box Apple Inc. last Wednesday unveils a new version of its TV set-top box which is smaller and
cheaper. The new Apple TV is a quarter of the size of the previous version and can be easily held
in people's hand, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said at a media event held in San Francisco. The device
supports video streaming from Netflix Inc., a company that offers movies and TV shows rental by mail and online. Apple
TV can also stream content from websites such as YouTube, as well as music, photos and videos from users' computers to their
high definition (HD) TVs. Users can rent first run movies for 4.99 U.S. dollars the same day they are released on
DVD and rent HD TV episodes at the cost of only 99 cents. The TV show rental service gives
users up to 30 days to start watching and then 48 hours to finish or watch multiple times. Apple
confirmed that ABC, ABC Family, Fox, Disney Channel and BBC America have agreed to offer shows for streaming. "We
think the rest of the studios will see the light and get on board with us," Jobs said. He also
announced that the price of the Apple TV will come down from 229 dollars to 99 dollars. Apple
said the new product will be available later this month and can be pre-ordered beginning Wednesday on the company's online
store.
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