2. Attendees introduced themselves.

Presentation: Convergence of TV and Internet by Terry Dugas.
(The summary shown below was based on the presentation slides by Terry Dugas)

Click here for gif animation of Presentation (1375KB).

1. Introduction 
2. TV: streaming video and audio for 70 years. 
3. TV: encoded digital since 1970's. 
• Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) can be used for data transmission. 
• Slow: Four 150 baud channels. 
• Used for broadcasting PSAs, weather, agriculture news, etc. 
• Very expensive.  Killed by cost. 
4. TV: Teletext since 1980's. 
• VBI. 
• Faster: Four 9600 baud channels. 
• Used for delivering magazines, etc. 
• Very expensive.  Killed by cost.  No standards. 
5. TV: Datacasting since 1990's. 
• VBI. 
• Faster: Four 15kbps channels. 
• Used for transmitting stock market quotations, etc.  WAN, V-chip. 
6. TV: Intercasting "Now". 
• VBI. 
• Four 15kbps channels. 
• Microsoft Actimates: Barney show interacts with a Barney doll at home.  One=way communication (from TV to a doll). 
7. TV: Intercasting for "Tomorrow". 
• VBI plus subvideo. 
• 500 kbps channels. 
• Multiple video feeds. 
• Used for software download over the air.  No modem needed. 
• Wavetop: Internet service without an ISP (one-way communication: no interaction) 
• NBC used this for 1996 summer Olympic game. 
• CNN uses for News Digest.  Download in-depth stories. 
8. WebTV 
• VBI based. 
• Faster and Interactive: 10mbps.  Pending FCC approval. 
• Enhanced multimedia reception device. 
• Decoder/modem/hard drive/printer port/stereo tuner/video digitization. 
• Partners: NBC, PBS, Nickelodeon, Discovery Channel, Showtime. 
• Microsoft bought WebTV. 
• 300 mbps using HDTV (High Definition TV). 
• Desktop runs using windows CE. 
• Personalized program guide. 
• Automatic web/software download. 
• Banner advertising. 
• Coupons. 
• Catalogs. 
• Full Internet connectivity (using windows 98). 
• TV channels must pay Microsoft to be on WebTV. 
• No difference between PC and TV. 
• "Lazy" interactivity. 
• No demonstrated customer demand. 
• "point and click" TV. 
• Impulse buying. 
• Opinion polls. 
9. Third Alternative. 
• Websites that enhance rather than supplement TV content. 
• PBS Lewis and Clark.  Archived materials. 
10. Summary. 
• Three alternatives of converge TV and Internet: 
• Intercasting: Wavetop: No interactivity: great data transmission. 
• WebTV: Interactivity: TV becomes a computer. 
• Internet enhances TV contents. 

Click here for gif animation of the Tour of WGCU-TV (3147KB).