When you are designing your Web page you have to keep in mind that different browsers see things different ways. There are some HTML codes that can't be seen or won't work in Netscape and conversely there are some that can't be seen or won't work in Internet Explorer. Once you have this all figured out and have your site designed so that it looks good in both then you have to worry about the other browsers.
It's true, Netscape and Internet Explorer are not the only browsers out there. You may be wondering why you need to worry about these other browsers when they are used so little. Think of it this way, if there are half a million users of these browsers out there and they can't view your pages then there are half a million page views your site is missing out on. Some of the other browsers in use are Mozilla, Opera, Voyager, and the list goes on. Then there is WebTV.
WebTV has a lot of the same problems that other 2nd class browsers have such as lack of updated plugins, not being able to handle things like Java and certain codes not looking right. On top of all this it also has some very unique problems all of it's own mainly due to the fact that it's not used on a computer but on a big bulky TV.
No matter which version of WebTV a user has they still have the same main problems. On the plus side it can handle frames, JavaScript, Macromedia Flash, several different audio formats, MPEG and SSL. On the down side there is no mouse for point and click use. Also there is no real memory. This means that the user can not download an updated form of a plugin when needed so if you use something new on your site they will not be viewing it. Occasionally the WebTV engineers implement "upgrades" that allow their users to do more and view more but these are too few and far between for the user's taste. For you this means that if you are using the latest and greatest technology on your site then you are taking the chance that these people will become frustrated with not being able to view your content and will never come back.
Because the WebTV user is viewing the Internet on a TV, rather than a computer, the way your site will be displayed is different and should be taken into consideration when you are designing your site. One of the things you should do to make your page display better is to keep the layout and navigation simple. This just simply means keep it organized and free of clutter.
Another thing you can do is not to use bright colors. It seems that colors are much brighter on a TV than they are on a computer monitor. A white background will look so bright that it will be nearly unreadable. After deciding on your background color you need to decide on a text color. Try to contrast the colors as much as possible to make it easier to see the letters against the rest of the page thus making it easier to read. The designers at WebTV use a dark background with light-colored text for their service pages. This is because it looks better on the TV and is easier on the eyes when reading.
Watch your text size. If the text is too small it will just look like a big blur on the page. Also don't place big sections of text on a page. People on the Net generally don't like to read too much. If you have a lot to say break it up into small paragraphs. If you have tons to say then you need to take text and break it up into several pages of small paragraphs.
The WebTV browser has a screen size of 420x560 pixels. Some of this space is taken up by a title bar and margins on the sides and top. Then if this isn't bad enough it can only scroll vertically. This means that if your page is wider than 560 pixels the browser will take your beautifully designed page and scrunch it up so that it will fit in the space allowed. This will really mess up your page if you have used anything like tables or pictures. All you need to know to prevent your pictures from making you look distorted and fat is to keep their size small enough to fit a screen width of 560 pixels and you won't have any problems.
After you have completed editing your Web site so that it looks good on WebTV you can make sure it really does look good. There is a tool you can download for free called a WebTV Viewer. There is a version for both Windows and Mac and it lets you see what your page will look like on WebTV. It can't show you exactly how the colors will look but it will give you a general idea and help you make sure it all fits right on the screen and is viewable on that browser.
Besides the potential for losing WebTV users if you don't follow these simple guidelines you also run the risk of loosing other viewers as well. The guidelines I have put forth here for you are good guidelines to follow no matter what browser you are setting your site up for. The easier it is for your viewer to navigate and see your site and it's text the more likely they are to come back again and again. Isn't that the goal you're trying to accomplish anyway?
