Sometimes the leaps at which technology shoots forward impresses me enough that I’m in awe. High Definition television adoption is just on the cusp of reaching the masses, and most major networks have made the leap to HD.

There is, however an emerging technology that might throw a wrench in everyone’s plans. The H.264 video codec (wikipedia link here if you’re nerdy enough to handle it) is finally being rolled out in Flash 9 and the results thus far are amazing.

If you don’t already have a high definition tv, all is not lost. Take a look at any of these free samples from Adobe to get an idea of just how good streaming video can be.


It would have seemed far fetched even two years ago to think that streaming video online would surpass the quality the average person could afford from their television by 2008; but this is going to happen.

If you’re a resident of the US, you’ve probably already heard about a new breed of sites cropping up like Hulu.com which major networks like FOX and NBC are using to present their programs in an alternative format, (which has played a large role in the recent writers strike).

Why Should You Care

If you’re wondering why I’d bother to make a post about this there’s actually a few driving factors. One of them being money, the second being money, and yes, a third but equally important element, money.

New Business Markets Will Emerge

High Definition content on the web will be “the next big thing” in online entertainment. If you work at home, or want to find a way to work at home, now is the time to be jumping into this business. Think about everything the average joe would need to supplement the sites being put out by the large networks. Perhaps a site which acts as a tv guide for all the HD content currently online; you’d capture the early adopters of the technology early and have a great start at being a destination to go for info on finding great streaming HD content. That’s just one idea of a site you could start today and have little to no competition.

If you’re a savvy investor, what about a company like NetFlix which offers streaming video rentals. I can see business going up tremendously as users no longer need to shell out any additional money for a high definition DVD player plus television. I am a huge supporter of NetFlix and believe they will take full advantage of this increasing the value proposition of their services.

Consumers Will Save Money

As I stated briefly above, wouldn’t you rather spend $30 a month for a high speed internet connection than deal with costly equipment purchases, purchasing discs, and having your TV be out of the date a few months after you get it? With streaming high definition content you will be able to watch your favorite show or movie for next to nothing, anywhere where there is an Internet connection.

To sum up this one, I think that if you have an interest in television and the Internet this opportunity is a great chance to make money, if you invest in companies that embrace and support this technology it is a great chance to make money, and for consumers, it’s a great chance to save money.

Who knew such a tech oriented topic would provide so much opportunity to both make and save money? :)

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