Improve the Television

There are too many channels and I can't find what I want.

My television needs to work like Google.  Instead of scrolling through the 100's of channels looking for CNN, I should be able to type CNN and have it come up.  The numbers are meaningless to me as a user.

In addition, I should be able to search by the name of the program or actor if I choose.  If I type Survivor, take me there!  I can do this with my DVR, do a search for the show and select if I'm going to watch it or record it, but there are a few problems with this current setup.  First of all, the on screen keyboard is clunky and slow.  Secondly, doing this type of search is buried in menus and is designed if you are looking to record something.

I admit that while thinking about this blog, I went into the menus where I would search for a program to record and I typed in CNN.  On the search results was a spot to take me to the channel.  WHY does this need to be buried in the menus?  There should be one button on the remote that brings up a text box.

I want a small keyboard, similar to a cell phone keyboard, built into the remote.  The software in the cable box or satellite reciever needs to be updated to allow for these quick searches.

I feel like it's still 1990 when I'm watching TV.  I know some of the things I'm asking for can probably be had if I had a Google enabled or Apple TV.  Those exist but do you know anyone that actually owns one?  Anyway, what I'm asking for should be basic.  It should be standard for every TV.

Why is it necessary for me to slowly scroll through three hundred channels before I can find ESPN?  I should be able to hit one button, use the keyboard on my remote, type ESPN and click GO.

Someday my kids will be sitting on the couch with their kids saying, "Back in my day channels had numbers and to watch something you had to remember the damn number".

Next up on improving the television; content.