Set-top electronics and network interface unit arrangement

DETAILED DESCRIPTION There is a need for a set-top computer/audio/video/graphics electronics that with a television display forms an entertainment terminal and network interface arrangement in a single home to access the data from multiple external networks.
These and other needs are met by the present invention which provides an arrangement in which the set-top electronics that support the media output devices, such as televisions, are separate from the network interface units that interface to external networks.
The separation of the network interface unit functions from the set-top electronics allows a single network interface unit to be used to interface with an external network and provide programming selectively to a multitude of set-top electronics and televisions within the home.
This reduces the need for duplication of the network interface functions at each television or other end product (media output device) and thereby reduces the costs for the typical homeowner who will have more than one television set in the home.
Further, having multiple separate network interface units on the network allows the consumer to pick and choose among available services, and not be constrained to a single service provider.
Changing a service may be performed simply by exchanging or adding a different network interface unit configured to interface with the new external network.
The foregoing and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.