I have obviously had internet access at home for some time now, but tonight I feel as if the internet has arrived at my home for the first time. I bought a Panasonic Blue-ray DVD player, not because I bought into the blue-ray hype, but because connected to your TV the DVD player turns into an internet connection straight to YouTube. That’s right, YouTube live on your TV. I wonder whether the creators of YouTube thought of that when they started out. Maybe they did and we are just catching up.
It is possible to go full screen with the movie but the quality obviously gets distorted on a large size screen. The YouTube images are not exactly HD format, but it is exciting to have the range of choice that YouTube offers that cable can’t compete with.
The DVD player also allows you to connect to Panasonic’s intranet giving you access to various net services including Tsutaya Video on demand.
There are many videos to choose from.
There are also options to listen to music, display saved personal photos or videos, watch movies from SD cards and also of course take advantage of that blue-ray feature.
To see the full range of YouTube videos all you need to do is login via the dvd/tv with your normal YouTube account. All of your favorite clips and channels will appear on the tv screen for quick access.
This definitely looks like more fun than searching on cable for shows that repeat again and again. Here is a clip of a well known blogger to be found at www.dannychoo.com that I was able to watch on TV via YouTube.
The feature is not offered on all Panasonic DVD models. It is currently on their BW750, 850 and 950 models. They have also been offering the YouTube tie-up feature on some of their TV’s. I am sure the other TV/DVD makers, namely Sony, Sharp, Toshiba will be heading over to Shibuya to talk to Google about partnerships as well.
Now if they can find a way to enhance the quality and use live streaming broadcasts then the unique role of the traditional television broadcaster is getting harder to define.
8 comments
Ok – I have to admit – this was way cooler than I thought it would be when I clicked over to the article. I kinda want it… Ha ha.
Yes, I was so excited about it, I didn’t really get the title right. I really think this is a big deal for the internet. YouTube just left the internet stratosphere and found its way into my living room.
Asoka. More than a year ago, I got a Panasonic digital TV Viera, which can utilize the Actvila service. But, you have to pay extra for that, right? (Also, could you come to my home and connect my TV to the interweb?)
http://actvila.jp/
You need to check whether your TV can connect to the internet, which mine could, or whether it can connect to YouTube, which mine could not, hence welcome the new DVD player. The Activila service is available on a wide range of Panasonic TV’s and you can plug straight in with a normal Ethernet LAN cable. The YouTube feature only seems to be on the PZR range of TV’s e.g. PZR 900. They may produce a software upgrade download in the future, but haven’t heard anything yet. Which TV model do you have?
Here is a good link to the announcement they made recently
http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/02/24/panasonic-viera-cast-on-demand-tv-service-announced/
Kind of sad at the same time :/ I would’ve loved if Youtube actually brought the same features to the computer television brings to your TV. But its damn cool.
Sorry if this is a double post, seems to have gotten slightly bugged **
There has been debate for years over whether the PC can beat the TV at delivering content or whether the TV would kill the PC. Looks like the Internet and cloud computing could kill the PC as we know it, but the TV as a media to deliver content is far more sociable to those in your house than the PC. However, the PC as a social networking media beats the TV if you are reaching people outside your house. Maybe there is room for both.
Amazing. I’ve been pondering on whether or not to invest in a blue-ray. And seeing that it works with youtube I’m sold.