Multi-channel video screen

"Watching TV for a change?"

A multi-channel video screen was a wall-sized video screen capable of displaying at least six channels at once. It also had the capability of freezing to show a still image across all the separate screens that comprised the larger screen, such as a work of art. Through the AT&T system, video telephone calls and video conferences could be held on the screen as well.

Marty McFly Jr. was able to watch six channels at once, and then was disappointed when he could only watch two channels at once on his video glasses.

Behind the scenesEdit

The multi-channel screen envisioned for 2015 proved to be an accurate prediction on the part of Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. In March 2009, six and a half years before the setting for Part II, the "DirecTV" television service provided a feature called "Game Mix" which would allow subscribers to watch four channels for a few weeks while the NCAA college basketball tournament was in progress. "See up to four games simultaneously on a single screen. No need to switch from station to station" was the tagline. Although DirecTV hired Christopher Lloyd to reprise his role as Doc, and recreated Hill Valley, for a commercial, there has been no Back to the Future tie-in in conjunction with "Game Mix". On October 27th, 2009, Cablevision also launched "Quick View" channel mosaic which allowed cable subscribers to watch nine channels at once of either sports, news, or cartoons on a single screen. The audio of whichever specific channel box is highlighted is activated for the viewer, and it is easy to tune to specific channels via the Select button. Viewers can tune back to the mosaic view through the "last" or "B" buttons on the remote.