Sony, as anticipated by many news sources over the last few weeks, has introduced its answer to the Apple TV, in the form of the ‘Bravia Internet Video Link’ that will allow most of its new televisions to access Internet video content, including HD content, from providers including AOL, Yahoo! and its own social networking subsidiary Grouper, as well as Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony BMG Music.
This week it was largely understood that Sony was either closing or de-emphasizing its online music Connect service (see separate story) and taking content directly to a TV set, or to a PS3 seems like Sony’s chosen direction now.
The internet ready TVs will be able to receive streamed video, but don’t actually have disk storage like Apple TVs, which is why Sony can afford to bundle them into TV sets. Content can be accessed directly from a broadband line, over an Ethernet connection (not wirelessly) and no PC is required.
‘We are shifting content experience from a lean-forward PC exercise to the comfort of the big screen TV in your living room,’ said Randy Waynick, senior vice president of the Home Products Division at Sony Electronics. ‘Internet video will clearly be the next step in the evolution of high-definition television, giving users more control over the content they view.’
Customers will use the Xross Media Bar icon based user interface to navigate Internet video, as well as the standard TV menu features, which is already used on the PSP and PS3.
Sony has included the feature on most of the new TV models it introduced this Spring, and pricing for adding it to existing TVs will be announced in the next few months.