Collaborative Google TV would add another set-top box

Just what the home entertainment center needs: another box. That, apparently, is what Google plans as part of its Google TV project.

Google TV was originally thought to be competitive with cable and satellite providers, using its Android platform to combine TV and Internet and provide a new way for consumers to access home video entertainment. The most recent news reports, however, indicate Google is looking for a much more collaborative effort with other providers and will actually daisy chain its new set-top in with existing set-tops via an HDMI connection.

To confuse things even further, the set-top box will be built by Sony, which was expected to eventually put Google TV into its television platforms. The Google box will be sent to retail for $299, but the Internet search company would like cable and satellite companies to add it to their packages for another $10 to $15 a month.

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