RCA/MSN TV 2 Internet and Media Player
Not your daddy's WebTV
Tired of paying $24.95/mo for what was essentially an obsolete e-mail device, I decided to replace my old WebTV plus unit which we had used for 8 years with something more high tech.  I got a pocket PC for my wife to use for her e-mail, scheduling, some web browsing (quick weather check), etc.  From the beginning I had problems configuring the pocket PC with our DSL network.  Sometimes it connected, and sometimes it didn't.  I also couldn't get the Outlook interface to work with the e-mail settings.  It would receive, but it wouldn't send.  Since my wife is decidedly non-geeky, I was afraid she would give up using it in frustration, and it would become a very expensive paperweight. <br /> <br />In the meantime I was selling the WebTV unit and looking for a pdf of the Users Guide when I happened to check out the information on MSN TV 2.  It was a revelation.  WebTV had gone broadband!  The more I read the more it seemed like the perfect solution - maintain the familiar comfort level of WebTV for my wife and add new and faster functions using our existing network.  I immediately ordered one and that night returned the pocket PC for a refund and picked up the MSN TV 2 unit. <br /> <br />Set up was very easy.  I used Ethernet cable (not included) to connect to the router and the supplied wiring to connect to the TV.  It immediately found the network and walked me through setting up and transferring the account from the old WebTV to MSN TV.  I chose the discount broadband option (goodbye $25/mo!).  The response time was very quick, the keyboard has a nice feel to it, and we played around with streaming video and audio from the internet.  Everything worked as advertised.  Later I connected over the network to my laptop PC with no trouble and ran a slideshow of our latest camping weekend trip.  I was also able to view video saved on the laptop's hard drive.  The MSN TV 2 network interface was quick, and the file structure mirrored what was on the laptop.  All I had to do was share out the files on the laptop to make it happen.  My wife picked right up and caught up on the e-mail that had been piling up since I bought the pocket PC. <br /> <br />Broadband makes this unit well worth the price and then some.  I wouldn't have picked it if it still only operated using dial-up and didn't offer the networking option.  Two small concerns keep me from giving this 5 stars instead of 4: (a) there is an OK key on the keyboard right where I would expect a Scroll Down to be; I keep opening a new page or link when all I want to do is move down the page.  (b) Because I set the account up using my old WebTV address, that account can't access the Junk Mail or POP mail retrieval options described in the Help section.  Tech support (quick but overseas) tells me that change is coming, however.  For $100 (after the $100 rebate offer), this is a GREAT DEAL, especially as a second unit in the living room attached to a BIG monitor! <br />