Why Aren't We Watching Internet Video on TV?

by Jarrett Martineau | December 11, 2007 at 12:41 pm

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Many of us would love to be able to sofa sit, surf the web, and watch any internet video on TV with the same ease and laziness as our simple channel clicking television viewing habits. But at present, as the Wall Street Journal reports, there are just too many obstacles preventing us from enjoying the simplicity of televised internet couch-potato'dom.

It's a case of technological and content proliferation: there are simply too many options, players, boxes, and complications. For now.

But once it gets simple, it's all we'll be doing.

Millions of people love watching Internet video on their PCs. So why can't the technology industry figure out how to get them to watch Internet video on their television sets?

It isn't for lack of trying. For several years, Silicon Valley has bombarded the market with gadgets that let you tune into online video in your living room. Plug one of these set-top boxes into your TV, and you can download a selection of movies and TV shows, or perhaps browse video sites like YouTube.

It seems like a no-brainer: Consumers get a greater breadth of on-demand content than cable offers, and in the comfort of their living room or bedroom, the industry argues.

Yet consumers aren't buying.