by Television certainly has come a long way since it was first invented, hasn’t it? As little as 50 years ago television meant a small, flickering black and white box, but today we have a much more sophisticated experience with large, full color screen in high definition – not to mention all of the other features such as on demand services and live streaming. Let’s take a look at how technology has improved the TV watching experience!
Social TV Viewing
One of the biggest changes that technology has brought with it in terms of how we watch television is introducing a social aspect to our viewing. Sure, people have always watched television with friends and family, but now we share out viewing habits with a global community. During airing of big television shows like American Idol or Breaking Bad and special events like the Oscars, viewers are encouraged to use hashtags on social media to discuss what is happening in real time. This connects viewers from all over the world. In addition to this stars and hosts are Tweeting and Instagramming from behind the scenes and even the shows themselves have their own social media accounts to really engage with fans!
Breaking Free From the TV Guide
Another major change in the way that we watch television has come from on demand viewing. Not too long ago, you had to rush home to catch your favorite show or record it on your VCR if you were not going to be at home when it aired. However, all that is behind us and we are no longer slaves to the TV guide! The majority of networks offer on demand or ‘catch up’ services which allow us to watch tv on our own schedule. There is also the opportunity to record shows direct to our cable box via the likes of TiVO.
We Have Unprecedented Access to Programming
Aside from being able to access TV programming on our own schedule, we also have greater access to television than ever before. We are no longer restricted to choosing between network, cable and satellite television – we can also select streaming services and web shows to boost the amount of programming that we have to choose from. Streaming services have taken advantage of high speed internet connections and the fact that internet bundling is available from most television providers to bring themselves into the mainstream when it comes to television and while services like Netflix started out as DVD rental services, they are now producing and airing their own original television series as well.
It’s All About The Apps
It is not only the internet that has made changes to our viewing habits. The ever increasing growth in the mobile industry is also having a massive impact. There are now many different TV and entertainment apps available for smartphones and tablets that allow us to watch our favourite shows from anywhere via our mobile devices. We also have SmartTV sets that are hooked up to the internet and use apps just like a tablet would which not only opens up more viewing opportunities, but also introduces the ability to play games or browse the internet right from our televisions.
Improved Picture Quality
Aside from changing the way that we watch television, new technology has also improved the quality of the picture thanks to higher screen resolutions offering new formats like HD, 4K and UltraHD. This means that the viewing experience is far more immersive than it was in the past.
In conclusion, as technology continues to march ever forward, the way that we watch television has changed for the better. As new technologies continue to emerge our viewing habits will evolve with them. In coming years we can expect to see even higher resolution pictures and more opportunities to watch television anywhere and at any time.
Imtiaz Ali Love to write technology articles please read his new article Positive and Negative Effects of Technology
