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What more possibly could they offer consumers?

As I sit back and think what might be coming to the consumer AV market in the near future, I can only think that there will likely be more integration between the internet and home entertainment media - maybe more access to home automation from the intenet, from cell phones, etc. So, what is posibly left for the AV industry to suprise us with here in the next ten or so years from now? I mean, sure, they'll likely be offering higher resolution video potentially, upscaling to 4k, etc. But really. How important is that to the average consumer who will have nothing more than a 55" flat pannel tv? I think it's not a big deal accross the board. And certainly the HD video disc is gunna go away, and all will stream over the net, it appears. (surely, they won't make a killing selling 4k HD discs, cause discs sales are slowing down) Only those who do UBER LARGE displays, projection systems, etc, will really get any benefit here...the sucess of which is no more likely than the "mass-less" exodus from people buying 720p displays going up to 1080p flat screens, or DVD discs to BluRays, and so on?
Face it. Who's gunna swap out there 1080p 50" LCD tv for the same size in 4k? I would submit about as many as who did the same in upgrading from 2D HD tv's to switch to 3D LED TVs!!! -Yeah, exactly.
Beyond the obvious melding of streaming videos and internet through your TV/Media center, and all TV being integrated with the web, what other supprises could be coming to the consumer in the Audio/Video arena?
I could possibly immagine Holographic images hovering in my room, with virtual surround froma single sound source, possibly. But maybe higher end sound procesing or even more surround speakers to have to place around the house? Can't even get my fiance to go with more than the two that are built into our TV!!!...let alone 9.2 or 11.2, etc!
Let's face it, we are more intregued by how smart our phones are, and that segment seams to be ever evolving. I mean it was like, what, less than 3 years ago that the Motorola Razor was the hottest selling phone on the market?! - YYYYYEEIIKES!!!
I just can't envision anything that'll be coming our way for AV, anytime soon, that will be a major game changer, or the "next big must-have-thing!" And unless the gaming industry is picked up by 40-somethings and the aging, how impactful is going to be wrap-around video gaming screen setups in your closet?
I'm visionless for what could be coming at the present, personally. All i can see for the next decade is my 7.1 channel receiver (I'm barely using 5.1 channels of it, and mostly 2 ch stereo) with my Ipod connected, my Netflix enabled BluRay player for HD and streaming, and my 1080p JVC projector and light rejecting projector screen. Beyond this, I can't envision much else
avgoround
theo's avatar
theo
2,694 posts
 
It does cause one to wonder, what more could be invented to improve on what we have at our finger tips. I am afraid that as our entertainment becomes more and more intergrated with computers and internet distribution, and the reproduction technology continues to improve, will we actually get better sources? Or will the quality decrease as it has by the use of compacted files. I know that some argue that a high quality DAC and MP3 files can rival that of, for example SACD. I just have difficulty in believing that to be true. So as not to drift to far from your comments, I wonder if it will actually be better, or just a device to create motive to purchase. So will it be a way to drive the market or will make life better. Convenience can be a two edged sword. The microwave is quicker and provides a tastey edible meal, but isn't a home cooked meal better. Will we trade overall quality for convenience?
Just a thought from a "old fashioned" mentallity. One last thought, as we grow more dependant on the internet for our intertainment and we allow it to interweave with our lives, will privacy become obsolete?
baka1969
101 posts
 
"Everything that can be invented has been invented." -Charles H. Duell 1899

Even if that quote is an urban legend, you understand the point. The answer to you question is simply, much much more than you can possibly imagine.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Privacy is obsolete now, credit bureau knows more about you than the KGB knew about their worst enemy.
rdavwhitaker
173 posts
 
My personal guess is that the emphasis for the next several years will be on integration and customization software, and not on hardware (I'm afraid the TV manufacturers and home theater audio manufacturers may be in for a long dry spell -- they aren't offering anything new that's interesting or useful, and nothing seems to loom on the horizon). Apple currently leads the way with continuing integration of iTunes Match, Apple TV, Airplay, etc. We will probably see new aggregation products and services intended to make it easier for us to quickly access our favorite content.

Imagine, for example, an automobile audio system with a built-in iTouch or iPad (possible now, since IOS5 is untethered from iTunes for software updates) that uses Data services from AT&T or Verizon to stream pre-selected Pandora channels, or MLB.com Gameday audio for your favorite teams, and would also give you access to you iTunes albums from the iCloud.

Meanwhile, Apple TV adds a DVR function (perhaps licensed from TIVO) and gets re-designed to focus more on finding desired content, regardless of source, checking across all your available sources (Netflix, iTunes Store, Amazon, Network websites, etc.) to find the content you are looking for.

Just random, and perhaps pie-in-the-sky, examples. But I think those sorts of things are what is coming next.
glenfihi
525 posts
 
Have to agree with Baka1969, in his comment and point. derived from the quote,
"Everything that can be invented has been invented." -Charles H. Duell 1899.

There will always be some new version of old or old version made new again. Someone out there is already at work on the next new mouse trap.
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