[CES 07] Sony Skips PC for Internet-to-TV Video
January 10th, 2007 — By Christopher JonesSony TVs Get Internet Video Pipe
Video content on the Internet is growing and mutating faster than ever, and Sony wants to help people browse and view some of the madness directly from their living room TV.
The company’s new Internet Video Link HD product is a small stand-alone device that attaches to any new Bravia flat panel TV and can be hooked up to the Internet with either a DSL or cable modem connection. Once attached, the device gives you access to video content without the need for a PC as middleman.
Sony has enlisted the help of partners AOL, Yahoo, and Grouper Networks to get people started with Internet video browsing and streaming. Sony’s music division also plans to make files available using the device, and RSS feeds—news, sports, stock tickers—can also be streamed. With a broadband connection (8Mbps and up), high-definition video is possible, and judging from the demos here at CES, looks very sharp. Most videos on the Internet, however, are formatted for PCs and much smaller screens. Videos can be re-sized, although resolution suffers in doing so.
Using the Bravia TV remote you can navigate and control the user interface, which should look familiar to Playstation gamers—it’s the Sony Xross Media Bar that has been in use on the company’s gaming consoles and portables.
The BRAVIA Internet Video Link will be available this summer, and pricing has not been announced.
