Unboxing and Exploring the Web TV Set-Top Box from the Late 90s

📺Web TV was a popular platform in the late 90s that allowed people without a computer to access the internet on their TV.

💻The web TV set-top box came with a TV tuner, allowing users to watch TV while browsing the internet via picture-in-picture.

📡Web TV boxes required a phone line connection to access the internet, and users could even schedule their VCR to record shows remotely.

🔢Web TV boxes had limited storage for local data like TV listings, allowing users to have a weekly view of TV channel schedules.

⌨️While a keyboard was not included, users could type using an on-screen keyboard or purchase an accessory keyboard.

What was the main purpose of web TV?

—The main purpose of web TV was to bring internet access to people who didn't have a computer, allowing them to browse the web, send emails, and even create web pages.

How did the TV tuner feature work?

—The TV tuner feature allowed users to watch TV while browsing the internet by using the picture-in-picture function. This was a convenient feature that allowed users to multitask.

Why did web TV require a phone line connection?

—Web TV required a phone line connection to access the internet because it relied on dial-up technology. Users would connect their web TV box to the phone line and use the existing infrastructure to access the web.

What was the storage capacity of web TV boxes?

—Web TV boxes had limited storage capacity, typically around 1.1 gigabytes. This storage was used for local data like TV listings and web pages.

Could users connect a keyboard to the web TV box?

—While a keyboard was not included with the web TV box, users had the option to purchase an accessory keyboard. This made typing and navigating the web much easier.

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