Viera Cast
Viera Cast is a technology by Panasonic that makes it possible to stream multimedia content from the Internet directly into select Viera HDTVs and Blu-ray disc players. Announced on Consumer Electronics Show in January 2008,[1] Panasonic initially partnered with Google to make it possible for YouTube videos and Picasa Web Album photos to be used within the product,[2][3][4] while Bloomberg News and The Weather Channel was also available. Beginning 2009, Amazon Video on Demand service was added.[5][6][7] The first Viera HDTVs with Viera Cast, the TH-PZ850U series, appeared in May 2008.[8] Panasonic introduced Netflix video streaming service and Skype to its Viera Cast line-up beginning with the 2010 model year. Panasonic TV's with Viera Cast from the 2008 or 2009 model years will not be able to access Netflix or Skype much to dismay of those customers who purchased a Panasonic Viera Cast TV from those model years.[9]. Mid-2010 a Twitter service was added.
The Viera HDTVs and Blu-ray players featuring Viera Cast have a built-in Ethernet interface, many models also have wi-fi and thus no external box or PC is required. The service is accessed via a single button on the HDTV remote[10] and is planned to be extended to three series of the company's 2009 Viera G, V and Z series of HDTVs.[11] Panasonic also has three new stand-alone players and one portable Blu-ray player that supports the technology.[12][13]
Availability of services differs per region / country / language. For example: In the Netherlands it's mostly English content/services, but also some German (Bild.de, Tageschau).
Viera Cast is not the only attempt to bring content from Internet to an HDTV - e.g., Sony's BRAVIA Internet Video Link (SIVL), HP's MediaSmart TV offer varying degrees of online connectivity or digital media access.[14]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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- ^ http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h9loZJ8bI1aepugPI869Okjc76oQ
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZeW9hOXCzM
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N-iHQF_kAk
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggzZ7FpEH0o
- ^ http://gear.ign.com/articles/943/943385p1.html
- ^ http://www.gearlive.com/news/article/q408-panasonic-viera-cast-adopts-amazon-vod/
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vjii-ahq-0
- ^ http://www.slashgear.com/panasonic-pz850-hdtvs-with-youtube-picasa-released-2311751/
- ^ http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10455655-1.html?tag=mncol;txt
- ^ http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090118/ART18/901170231/-1/ART10
- ^ http://www.hereshow.ca/news_detail.asp?nid=1651
- ^ http://www.g4tv.com/ces2009/blog/post/692242/CES_2009_Panasonic_Press_Conference.html
- ^ http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6627159.html
- ^ Viera Cast first impressions: Panasonic's version of WebTV
