Giving Brains to the Boob Tube

With the advent of devices that allow PCs to converge with televisions, TV watching is taking on a whole new dimension. Connecting PCs to TV sets is nothing new, but so-called "media adapters" will allow TVs to network wirelessly to PCs or laptops, so a viewer can easily access video, music or photos stored on the computer. The adapters, many of which are debuting at this month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, will retail for between $200 and $300, and can transmit data at speeds up to 100 megabits per second.

Even when they reach electronics stores, many media adapters will appeal primarily to early adopters who have the very latest in broadband networking in their home. Some models are designed to operate on "powerline networks," which use a building's existing electrical wiring for data transmission.

Source: MIT Technology Review