Did you know that most new televisions on the market are designed to be connected to the Internet? You may have already heard terms such as Internet TV, Connected TV, and Smart TV in the media. Connecting your TV to the internet is like opening up a fire hose of content. Think of searching the internet before Google. All of the content you wanted was out there but you couldn’t find it or it wasn’t in a format that you could use. That’s where we are now with TV. There is now a new world of shows, movies, apps and games for your TV – all you have to do is figure out how to navigate it.

Welcome to the fresh new world of TV 2.0 where (as usual) Google is leading the way. Sony’s Google TV makes viewing fresh again by blurring the lines between devices. It updates software on it’s own and yet you can watch local channels on it by using an old-school antenna. Is it a computer? Is it a television? With the direction that Sony has taken with Google TV we will think about this distinction less and less often.

If you want to be an early adopter get ready for fun and frustration in almost equal measures. The fun lies in seeing just how many new free viewing options you have, on-demand, that do not require anything but an internet connection. It’s also interesting to explore the apps and there are some really great ones, like the TV & Movies app from Google. This app brings together viewing choices from local channels, cable or satellite, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, etc., and lets you know whether you can buy or rent content or if it’s part of an existing subscription. Without it I can imagine making the error of paying for a movie that I already paid for on a subscription or could have watched for free.

The frustration is that most apps don’t seem as useful or well put together as the TV & Movies app. Not to mention setting up the TV took more time than I thought it would. If I think of it as a computer it really didn’t take that long, but in terms of TV it seemed to take too long. It’s seven (or more) steps depending on how you are accessing television content (i.e. antenna, cable, etc.) and how many other devices you want to connect with the TV.

Setting up your Google TV

Step 1: Select Viewing Environment Residential or Commercial
Step 2: Enable Quick Start – keeps TV in standby mode so you don’t have to wait the 30-40 seconds for it to start when you turn it on. If you don’t enable Quick Start it saves energy.
Step 3: Connect to the Internet. Connect the TV to your wireless router or ethernet cable. All you need to know is the password.
Step 4: System updates itself and restarts
Step 5: Connect to your google account by logging in to google. Choose to keep your statistics private or share them.
Step 6: Enter zip code for local programming information
Step 7: Set up TV service via cable, satellite or antenna

During installation you will need to switch back and forth between the “mouse pad” and the arrow pad on the remote. This is true with the apps as well and it can cause even more cognitive dissonance. Also, a Google account is required to use Google TV so you might want to set that up in advance if you don’t already have one.

Once the Google TV is up and running how do you get access to all this free content? Can you tune in via television or do you need an app? Is there an app or do you stream over the internet? It’s confusing even if you are tech savvy. There really is no one source for support right now because the level of customization that is possible is mind-boggling.

I think that’s the most fun and most frustrating aspect of exploring this new universe of content on your TV. Or is it a computer? Because content is available in so many new and different ways at least for now you’ll need to rely on Google, your TV service provider(s) and the TV manufacturer. Even the way you use the remote varies with each app or part of the system you’re using.

Most of the irritating aspectings of using new technology disappear as more people adopt it and the programmers and service providers learn how to make it better. If you’re getting a new TV this weekend I’d recommend Sony’s Google TV. They are going to make Smart TV easy for you faster than anyone else.