Now that HD DVD is dead and Blu-ray lifts its fists in triumph, my first thoughts were about how long it would take HDTVs to come down to a price I could afford, but now I’m not so sure. In my house old tech usually ends up serving in the bedroom until it dies or is replaced by less old tech. Last weekend saw an ancient Sony CD player and a no-name VCR replaced by my original Xbox and a fancy, but still obsolete, Philips VCR. Both of these are now connected to a 17 year old, 13 inch Sharp TV. This TV doesn’t usually get much love, but I was excited to have a way to play DVDs in the bedroom without using my computer. So I put in some Outlaw Star and discovered that the small screen didn’t bother me one bit.
Indeed, upon further thought, the small screen has become not only ubiquitous, but the primary way a lot of people consume video information and entertainment. Playstation Portables, iPods, cell phones, and YouTube all deliver video via the small screen. So why are living room televisions big in the first place? I can guess that originally a larger screen was intended to recreate the movie experience at home. The widescreen format that’s becoming the standard is a further testament to that goal. But it seems that the game has changed and now portability is trumping screen size.
Ten years ago, I would whip out a book to read while waiting for a movie to start, or riding a bus. But now I’m just as likely to pull out my iPod to watch a podcast, and all is well with the world.