Today it offers 81 programmes weather photo archiving recipes

After access providers, Internet and television manufacturers to rush in turn into the breach of IPTV ("Internet Protocol Television"). Several manufacturers were presented at the Funkaustellung International (WBI), the show dedicated to consumer electronics Berlin, TVs and services to connect to the Internet. Specifically, the viewer accesses these often exclusive content by clicking the remote control on interactive icons ("widgets") that appear on the screen.

Thus, the Japanese manufacturer Panasonic (Matsushita Group) unveiled its Viera Cast service, which will be proposed as current 2009 year next in Europe on its PZ 800 models. The client can access Picasa photo sharing service, but also to exclusive content: video on demand (VOD) with YouTube, stock portal via Bloomberg, but also available in 5 languages Eurosport. To do this, Panasonic has signed a partnership privileged with the chain, which will also propose a VOD service in high definition, free at least until 2010. "This service will be free for purchasers of televisions PZ 800 with an Internet connection." "It may that is then added revenue options", says Charles Lelong, head of television in Panasonic product. Already, in the United States, Panasonic offers since the beginning of the year a similar IPTV service through a partnership with Google.

Thematic content

On the South Korean Samsung, he presented his Infolive service, which will be proposed on a dozen models in Europe from mid-September. Making Ethernet network or a Wi - Fi connection used to connect the TV to the computer network of the House (so its audio files, photo and video), and especially the Internet. Samsung has, he also established partnerships, for example with Yahoo!, to bring content to Internet (weather, quotes, RSS feeds...) on the living room TV screen. "The library of content, with other thematic streams (cooking, games, photo, fitness... album)". "will be downloadable from our Web site and will evolve over time," said Jongwoo Park, President of the Digital Media of Samsung Electronics, the presentation to the press.

Philips also unveiled a prototype of TV to access its own service Net TV. To do this, it currently brings partners such as Reuters, MeteoConsult, software games FunSpot, German films Kino.de or Ticket Online site. Yet, the research and development of the Dutch manufacturer service does not launch date of the service, originally announced for this fall.

Other manufacturers highlight just their offer: German Loewe had so discreetly to IFA's first prototype. Our information, this is an "open" model, whereby the viewer not gained access to exclusive content, but operating on the Web since its TV. The remote control would consist of an alphanumeric keyboard to enter the addresses of the sites.

Common to the Japan Portal

To impose on the IPTV will be complicated for builders. Several are currently seeking partnerships with content providers to provide exclusive offers. Furthermore, "to lead to"true"IPTV, need to escape enclosures ADSL", considers Guillaume Villecroze, head of public and photovoltaic electronic marketing at Sharp. Manufacturer's Japanese, already present in the United States and the Japan prefers even expected to launch in Europe.

In the land of the rising sun, the IPTV market is thriving since 2006. Local manufacturers (Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba, Hitachi) and So-Net Entertainment Corp. met in a joint-venture, Activila. This portal provides a direct connection to the TV without going through a box of ADSL connection. Today, it offers 81 programmes (weather, photo archiving, recipes...) and video on demand service. A kind of partnership envisaged a day for manufacturers in Europe