Will PVR play Peoria?

Last week's Fast Net Futures show had the feel of an intimate party for a bunch of very smart people. I have no idea why I was invited. But since I was at the proceedings, I feel compelled to report that while the broadband future is indeed going to be bold and presented in lifelike color, some of the speakers presenting their ideas seemed to forget a very important element -- the user.

And while there were a lot of interesting speakers challenging the current video business models -- former Intertainer CEO and current USC professor Jonathan Taplin was the most compelling and energetic -- many focused on breaking the model by providing everything on-demand and a la carte.

The concept is perfectly legit: Give users what they want, when they want it. It worked for TiVo (and other personal video recorders), and it may work for telcos if they can get past the technical and legal hurdles. (As an aside, the latter of the two is massive and will be more of an impediment.)

But does the average American user really want TV that's commanded by a personal video recorder? I do. You may want it. But will it play in Peoria? Probably. Let's face it--most of us are downright lazy. Give most people the option of a drive-thru to stuff their face with Atkins-approved dietary richness, and they'll blow right past the GNC to do it. When it comes to the strenuous activity of TV watching, it's just as bad. And that's why letting a machine do the programming for you is so appealing.

The problem, however, resides in the user interface. Current user interfaces, which are essentially the face that consumers see, are pretty to look at, but still a little confusing for most coach potatoes. User training on a TV is unacceptable.

I have complete confidence that history will judge the PVR whether network-based or customer premises-based as the greatest consumer invention since the microwave oven, a device that frees us from the laborious task of waiting 15 minutes for the TV dinner to warm in a conventional oven. But until the face facing the user gets a little friendlier, PVRs will be stuck serving the fast followers.

E-mail me at vvittore@primediabusiness.com.