IT may be small, but if Mary Devine's experience is any gauge, then the Unison settop box is poised to have a major impact on Irish Internet habits. Ms Devine, a mother of two from Blackrock, Co Dublin, has been using the device, which allows access to the Internet through your TV, since it came on the market a few months ago.
The first thing that strikes you about the Unison box is its size. It is much smaller and more discreet than portrayed in the advertisements. It is about the size of a large hardback book.
"It is easier than a video recorder to set-up", says Ms Devine. The device is connected to the TV using a SCART cable which is included in the package. It is then connected to the house telephone line with another cable. An external unit that requires a power socket provides power to the unit. A remote control and cordless infrared keyboard are provided, as are all required cables.
However, if the telephone point is not near the TV then an extension cable will be required. This can be messy in rooms with wooden floors where concealing a cable is difficult. Alternatively you can have an additional telephone extension installed near the TV.
Once the device is connected to the TV, telephone line and power, the next step is to go through the on-screen setup menus. "I had some help getting through the menus but I found it relatively easy to complete," says Ms Devine.
The Unison box is operated by remote control or a remote, cordless infrared keyboard. The remote control can be tuned to operate the TV so that you are not swamped by remotes. Most functions are available through the remote control but the remote keyboard is the most convenient way to operate the Unison box.
While viewing TV you can switch to the Internet by pressing the TV/Web key on the keyboard. Press the URL key and enter the web address of the Internet site that you want to access. Hit the return key and the Unison box dials the telephone number of the Unison Internet service. When the connection is made the web page will begin to appear on the TV screen. The connection will remain active for a period of time so that the box doesn't have to redial every time a new web page is accessed. After a period of inactivity the connection is automatically broken to avoid large telephone bills. A bar at the bottom of the screen shows the download progress of the Internet page.
The arrow keys on the keyboard allow you to scroll through the downloaded pages. Seasoned PC users will miss the ubiquitous mouse and on-screen pointer and will take some time to get used to the navigation. To move around the screen you must use the arrow keys. Each time you press an arrow key the next link on the page is highlighted. Hitting enter initiates the link. A number of other keys on the keyboard assist in navigation through the service.
Most Internet sites that we visited displayed well on the TV. The text is displayed in a large format so that it can be viewed at a distance. Graphics suffer from the poor resolution of the TV screen but they display in reasonable quality. Many web sites have graphics that contain text and this is one of the areas where the user experience is compromised because of the problems of reading this type of text at regular TV viewing distances. A few Internet sites failed to display and others return errors. According to Mary Devine, this is rare and doesn't detract from her overall satisfaction with the service.
The Unison box provides an easy-to-use e-mail application. By pressing the e-mail key on the keyboard the e-mail menu appears on-screen. You can have a number of different e-mail addresses so each member of the family can have their own. It is possible to grab pictures from the TV or video and attach them to e-mails. Using the built-in microphone on the Unison box you can also record voice messages that can be attached to e-mails. However, the Unison box cannot open most PC-originated files sent as attachments to e-mail such as files composed in Microsoft Word.
While the Unison set-top box provides a soft landing for new Internet users, it is, however, a relatively limited device which does not take the place of a personal computer. One of the device's major shortcomings - the absence of a printer - is being addressed and one will be available shortly, according to Unison. Speed of access is also an issue. The device comes with a 56k modem which can be slow, but then so can PC access at that speed. However, Unison connections to cable provider Princes Holdings could mean that highspeed cable access will be on the agenda in the future.
There is a fundamental problem with TV web browsing. The TV is accepted as a communal broadcast device. The Internet is a highly personalised experience. Can the two merge effectively? Unison obviously believes they can, but it remains to be seen whether or not the public will feel as comfortable with the concept.
The Unison set-top box is available from Power City and other electrical retailers countrywide priced £299.
jgannon@irish-times.ie