Why doesn’t the web link to my television?

I’m not talking about using a TV to access the internet, or watching network shows on a computer. I’m talking about a missing link.

Take this tweet for example:

081215dexter

That message should be followed by tv://sho.com/dexter/season3finale.tvml (or a shortened version of that URL). And here is what how that link should work:

  • If someone clicks on the link while the show is on, the nearest set-top-box should switch the TV to Showtime.
  • If someone with TiVo clicks on the link hours after the show airs, the DVR should play the recorded Dexter finale, or offer to record it the next time it is shown.
  • If someone clicks on the link 6 months from now, a set-top-box should look for the finale “on demand” and play it or ask the user if he wants to pay to watch it.
  • If someone with a very forward-thinking TV-content provider clicks on that link, the  show should stream right onto her computer.

Using the show Dexter on the Showtime network as an example, a TV address should act like its web “http” counterpart.

  • tv://sho.com should switch a TV to the Showtime network. Like an IP address, the user doesn’t have to think about the channel number. 
  • tv://sho.com/dexter should link to the current episode of Dexter, or show past episodes (like a blog), or offer to schedule a reminder or record future episodes.
  • tv://sho.com/dexter/episode3.tvml should link to a particular episode.

Like the internet, the link should work with various devices.

  • Digital televisions
  • Remote controls
  • Set top boxes
  • Digital Video recorders

Like “http://”, the ”tv://” URI scheme …

  • shouldn’t be owned by any one entity. No television network, cable provider, computer platform or browser developer should control it.
  • shouldn’t require any advanced computing technology. No special operating system, CPU or graphics card.

Anyone with expertise in this field interested in writing up the draft specifications?