LG Blu-ray beams up CinemaNow, YouTube
Getting a jump on CES, Blu-ray player maker LG said it has reached content deals with CinemaNow and YouTube.
The online video sources will join Netflix movies on LG disc players to be released in the first half of the year. Netflix already provides movies through LG’s network BD300 player (pictured).
CinemaNow brings premium (pay per view) content from most major studios and TV networks. YouTube, of course, offers a sea of user-generated content, how-to vids, vintage clips and curios. Netflix’s streaming content includes a lot of catalog fare at no additional cost to subscribers.
Netflix and CinemaNow already provide high-definition movies and TV shows; YouTube has been experimenting with HD for almost a year and recently went to wider screen sizes to accommodate the content.
LG’s move makes sense, as consumers continue to seek good reasons to upgrade to Blu-rays over DVDs. The high-definition format pleases videophiles and others who don’t mind sinking bucks into home entertainment, but the lower-cost DVDs continue to meet the needs of most consumers, market research shows.
The added functionality also would lower consumer resistance to yet another black box in the viewing room.
Samsung also has bundled the Netflix streaming video channel with a pair of Blu-ray units.
Similar moves by, say, Sony or Panasonic would open a new front in the home electronics wars, although many Blu-ray manufacturers seem to have their hands full trying to ensure the format’s discs work in their players.
Consumer confusion would be another sticking point for the combo Blu-ray and streaming video players.
“With these new alliances, LG continues its innovation leadership by allowing consumers easy access to multiple entertainment options in one device,” said Tim Alessi of LG Electronics USA, faithfully delivering your canned quote of the day.
CinemaNow recently was bought by Sonic Solutions. It has focused on delivering content via consumer electronics via deals with TiVo, DivX, ARCHOS, Dell, EchoStar Communications, Hewlett-Packard, Macrovision, Microsoft, Samsung and Technicolor.
YouTube stretches out for HD content
YouTube’s slow dance with high-definition content has picked up a bit of speed with the introduction of an “HD”-only section and another wider video screen that looks quite good.
YouTube, you probably recall, played around with low-grade high-definition video before surprising users last month with a widescreen player used for all videos. That 16×9 screen measures about 640 pixels wide. Now, a wider version of the HD player automatically appears when selecting HD video, rolling out at 850 pixels wide over the 965 page.
Videos that appear to have HD-quality images tend to stutter a bit, even for those with decent bandwidth.
Here’s the latest super-popular “Where the Hell Is Matt” video that YouTube has been pushing as a demo for the new HD player. You’ll start out in standard, before clicking on “Watch in HD” at bottom right of the screen. Pretty impressive, especially if you’ve never caught Matt’s act.
Joost P2P model gone in a Flash
Online TV and movie service Joost has abandoned its core concept, P2P distribution, redirecting subscribers to the the company’s Flash-based web site.
The company said it wanted its users to have a “common experience.” The move, announced via email, follows the crowd to browser-based video — like the big boys YouTube and Hulu.
joost.com launched in early fall. The company also pushed a browser plug-in.
Joost’s blog said the move was all in the master plan: “It was always our intention to discontinue the Joost software application.”
“We have a significant amount of intellectual capital built up around P2P technology — but the reality is that most people don’t care how their video is delivered to them as long as it’s delivered to them reliably,” the blog stated.
Joost CEO Mike Volpi told NewTeeVee that he’s looking for the “right application” for the P2P-based video technology the company developed, backed by CBS and Viacom.
Joost told the subscribers via email that support for its P2P app would end today (Friday).
The announcement comes the same week as Veoh transitioned from a desktop client to a browser model.
tv.com does a rerun on Hulu design
You know, that brand-new redesign for CBS Interactive’s tv.com looks a bit familiar. Make that a lot familiar. Hmmmm.
Apparently, Hulu’s influence on the online video industry doesn’t end with its business model and format for streaming content — now it’s the wide-open design as well. Man, that’s bold of CBS. Almost note for note. At least they added an ugly ad.
One detail lingers, however. Why … it’s the rest of the web site! The tv.com home page has the new look, but that’s about it. Perhaps we’re looking at a working beta, who knows.
Copy-cat busting aside, the tv.com home page looks great. The comments off to the side of the top module work pretty well, photos are dynamic with lots of impact, and the list and chart are clean and easy to read.
Oh, and that gray-screen text block from Hulu looks just as good on the left side of the main photo as it does on the right. Way to innovate, guys.
Hat tip to Tech Crunch.
Veoh Player rubbing out VeohTV
Veoh’s move to a web-based browser is nearly complete, with the online video service shutting down most of its VeohTV system. Meaning viewers won’t be downloading and launching a resources-draining proprietary system.
Veoh’s users have been getting a stream of email throughout the transition period, talking up the web-based Veoh Player. “Starting next week, the ‘Download to VeohTV’ and ‘Watch on VeohTV’ options will no longer be available from Veoh.com,” the latest missive says. Before that it was the VeohTV channel guide and search that faded to black. Users still have to download a plug-in for the player to work.
Slicker competitor Joost made the move to a browser in September.
Veoh.com offers more content than the older system, the free service says, including Veoh, Hulu, CBS, ABC, Warner Brothers, Sony BMG and YouTube. Video publishing (uploading of free user content) is being done via a new stand-alone app.
Viewers can watch videos of any length in the browser (some users seem to disagree) and download movies without being online, Veoh says. The move hasn’t done much to solve the online video service’s clutter of professional and amateur video content, however.
