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What Is It?
Yahoo Connected TV is an umbrella term for Yahoo’s smart TV initiative. It’s similar to Google TV in that it’s a platform that seeks to integrate the TV-viewing experience with the Internet, but Yahoo’s effort is smaller and more targeted. Indeed, while Google TV attempts to aggregate content from virtually every venue where video is available, Yahoo Connected TV is more of a framework for third-party widgets that leverage live TV and various VOD sources, and bring popular online social media services to your TV.
What's Available?
Widgets from Amazon Instant Video and Blockbuster On Demand enable you to rent and stream movies and TV episodes. Other widgets deliver video content available only on the web, such as Internet TV shows from Revision3. You can also hook into Facebook and Twitter, share digital photos using Flickr, and buy and sell goods on eBay. You’ll also find widgets for weather reports, casual games, and stock tickers.
Devices with Support Built In
As we went to press, the only devices to support Yahoo Connected TV were a handful of TV models from LG, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and Vizio. D-Link has demoed a set-top box that you can plug into any TV, but the product wasn’t shipping at press time.
Pricing
Incremental costs are probably folded into the prices of TVs that support Yahoo Connected TV, but there is no direct cost to the consumer. That said, some of the content widgets cost money and are sold through an app store, but these are entirely optional. And, of course, if you use pay-as-you-go services such as Amazon Instant Video, you’ll have to pony up for those, as well.
Our Take
The technology behind Yahoo Connected TV isn’t nearly as disruptive as the tech behind Google TV, and maybe that's why it seems to be enjoying a bit more early success. We’d rather play games on our computers or tablets than on our TVs, but there are plenty of other worthwhile widgets in the service’s universe. For example, it’s much more fun to share Flickr photos on a big TV screen than to huddle around a PC—and this is another reason why we think an HDTV’s visual quality is so important.
What Is It?
This service, owned by Major League Baseball, points to the future of smart TV sports coverage. Leveraging a sport with lots of teams, a very long season, and an obsession with stats, MLB.TV is a baseball fanatic's interactive dream.
What's Available?
You can watch any regular-season game that’s available in your market in 720p resolution. Games, however, are subject to local-market blackout restrictions. If your game is blacked out, you can’t view it until 90 minutes after the final pitch.
You get in-game highlights, stats, and alternate audio options (you can choose between the home or away team’s audio feed, for instance). A widget tracks the pitcher’s performance in a video overlay, and you can replay any player’s at-bat on demand. A fantasy league tracker alerts you when players you’ve drafted are on-deck, so you can switch to their at-bats via a picture-in-picture.
A premium package adds the ability to watch either the home or away team’s video feed. This package also includes a multi-game mode that lets you watch up to four in-market games simultaneously (using either picture-in-picture or split-screen).
Devices with Support Built In
Various HDTVs from LG and Samsung; various Blu-ray players from LG and Samsung; Roku networked media players; Boxee devices (including the D-Link Boxee Box); Apple TV; Sony PlayStation 3; and Android and iOS devices. Note: Not every feature is available on every device.
Pricing
MLB.TV costs $19.99 monthly or $99.99 yearly. MLB.TV Premium is $24.99 or $119.99, respectively. One subscription can be activated on multiple devices, but you’ll need to purchase and install Major League Baseball’s At Bat 11 app ($14.99 per device) to use the service with mobile devices.
Our Take
Major League Baseball understands what its fans want, and it knows how to leverage the smart TV concept to bring them a great interactive experience—either on the TV or on a second, supplemental screen. Only hardcore fans will be willing to pay the steep entry fees, but there are plenty of those out there.
What Is It?
Google TV is an open hardware and software platform designed to combine the power of the Internet with compelling video content—from Hollywood movies and TV shows, to YouTube clips and other viral fare, to personal content on your local network. Think of it as an electronic program guide that lists not only the content that's available on TV right now and in the coming weeks, but also what's available for streaming over the Internet. On top of that, using a picture-in-picture window or video overlay, Google TV can present real-time information about whatever you happen to be watching: player stats if you're watching a game, actor profiles if you're watching a movie, and so on.
What's Available?
Google’s smart TV technology can deliver any content located on your home network, anything on live TV, anything recorded on your Dish Network set-top box, and virtually any content available on the Internet—just as long as the content owner doesn’t object. Right now, however, all the major television networks vigorously object and are blocking Google TV from presenting their online content. And because the networks own a chunk of Hulu, Google TV can’t deliver that, either.
Devices with Support Built In
Sony's Internet TV, Sony's Internet TV Blu-ray player, Dish Network's set-top box, and Logitech's Revue set-top box.
Pricing
Google TV is only available integrated into another product. It’s not sold as an app, so you can’t run it on a PC. While there are no subscription fees, Dish Network will tack a $4 "DVR integration" fee onto your monthly bill if you connect the service to its set-top box.
Our Take
Google set out to change the way we watch TV, combining the power of Internet search with TV content. But the initiative crashed head-on into entrenched interests that fear Google will interrupt their advertising revenue streams. It's too soon to say if the latest version of Google TV will make the service any more worth having, but we do know you still can't get Hulu or other online content owned by the major broadcast and pay-TV networks with it.
What Is It?
NBA League Pass Broadband and NBA League Pass Mobile allow you to stream regular-season NBA games to your PC or mobile device. In addition to being able to watch games that might not be broadcast in your area, you also get real-time stats and other features. This service is co-owned by the NBA and Turner Sports Interactive, and games are subject to the same blackout restrictions that you’ll encounter with normal TV broadcasts.
What's Available?
The Broadband package lets you watch as many as 40 regular-season games per week, including up to three games at the same time. Games available in high-def are streamed in an unspecified level of HD to your device, with live stats overlaid on top of the video. A DVR function allows you to produce your own instant replays, and you have access to a full season's worth of archives (on-demand replays are available 48 hours after they've been played). The Mobile package allows you to watch up to 40 games per week on your iOS or Android device.
Devices with Support Built In
This service is available on a Mac or Windows PC, Roku devices, as well as iPod, iPhone, and Android devices (via apps). There is also limited support for Apple TV.
Pricing
An NBA League Pass Broadband subscription is included in the purchase of an NBA League Pass TV subscription (prices vary per cable or satellite provider). If you’re not paying for the TV channel, however, you can opt for a Broadband “Choice” subscription (which allows you to follow up to seven teams) for $24.99 per season. To follow all 30 NBA teams, you’ll need to pay $49.95 per season for the “Premium” subscription. NBA League Pass Mobile subscriptions cost $16.99 per season.
Our Take
The NBA is off to a good start, but pro basketball could take a few lessons from Major League Baseball: The full version of NBA League Pass should be available as a widget in connected TVs and set-top boxes (only NBA Game Time Lite is available on those devices today). Regardless, both the NBA and MLB are way ahead of the NFL, which doesn’t offer interactive squat.
Comments are closed on this article
SalladDazed
January 31, 2012 at 8:17pm
Bizarrely, we found out (the hard way) that 2011 and (I believe) 2012 Samsung connected TVs (using their Smart Hub interface) do not natively support Amazon VOD.
Apparently, this used to be offered via the Yahoo Widgets app (still available in the Samsung app store) but is not for model year 2011 and going forward.
Samsung recently has issued some bizarre but hopeful signs this may change at some point. Yahoo has made no official comment. Though Amazon's site provides arguably misleading language indicating Samsung TVs support their video streaming services, it has released no official comment on the situation.
We have been monitoring a thread on Amazon's site Since April of 2011, but nothing much has changed. Though a recent firmware upgrade included language in its feature list, the language was so poorly worded as to make little sense, and there was no change in the TV's ability to playback this content.
http://www.amazon.com/forum/home%20theater/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg1?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx2DJH5MIDFPGUV&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=Tx2FSR7GPIMOR0C
jerryfrost
January 31, 2012 at 8:15pm
my friend's step-aunt makes $84 hourly on the computer. She has been fired for 9 months but last month her income was $8799 just working on the computer for a few hours. Go to this web site and read more u.go2.me/57V
MrSelatcia
January 31, 2012 at 8:40am
Good luck getting the MLB network working fully on your Roku, or even android for that matter. Never mind that the Roku's advertise the compatibility. Full MLB access on anything other than a PC or Apple product is an exercise in futility. Maddening considering what they charge.
Atomike
January 31, 2012 at 8:04am
No mention of ESPN 3? This is the only real way to stream sports. And it's not mentioned. Article is wildly incomplete.
Morete
January 31, 2012 at 2:05am
I was told that "due to movie studio restrictions", Vudu content is not streamable to PC in 1080p and it's only allowed to stream to HD TVs at that resolution.
OCFRED
January 31, 2012 at 1:08am
What is the common denominator? lower overall cost than a cable/DVR package. I may grab one of those logitec units since it seems to offer the only experience tailored around what the user wants rather than pushing whats most profitable for content holders and adverts. Lets face it and admit that the net has supplanted and enhanced "stealing" cable in more wonderful ways than we who grew up with VCR's could have imagined. What erodes the old profit model most is that nearly all new content created is complete Sh*t, no artistic integrity with scripted "realities" more perverse than bawdy fiction; at networks there are likely 50 suits selling airtime for every one fostering new talent. I'd rather keep getting 3 classic flicks at a time from Blockbuster through the mail for $22 with no due dates and personal control of playback free of ads. Web offerings are rough but growing everyday and evolving expression with returns for the artist instead of some talentless hack "managing" for indifferent, insatiable shareholders.
Sooner go back to video tapes or buy tickets to live performing art than endure network broadcasting. Entertainment's genesis from live theater to pictures, radio, TV and cable onto the web is only being criminalized by lawyers and the thugs behind them intent to keep their beaks saturated while audiences are left to die of thirst rather than be empowered to change the channel.
JohnP
January 30, 2012 at 9:24pm
I am consistently disappointed with embedded media boxes inside other products. XBox360, DLNA enabled TVs, Blu Ray players with network ports, Apple TV and on and on. Try getting High def and 5.1 surround sound out of these "appliances" is an exercise in frustration. Streaming TV always have their weak points and are only available in certain places in certain formats in certain codecs in certain audio types.
I cannot empathize how well a decent HTPC can rule the roost over all of these myriad formats and types. There is just nothing better out there which makes all these embedded media boxes both unnecessary and an expensive useless device. Just say no.
hades_2100
January 30, 2012 at 6:39pm
No XBMC? I only have 4 XBMC installations in my home and it just wouldn't be the same without it.
DaemonSeed
January 30, 2012 at 3:21pm
Very good article. However I was extremely disappointed that while you posted a bit about Boxee Box, you neglected its root primary parent from whence Boxee came.
XBMC is one of the most awesome media centers around today. I currently run XBMC Eden (Beta 2) and its rawked to the max. The XBMC Team do some really awesome work.
XMBC also has a nice healthy plug in repository to add more features to your HTPC experience. Check it out XBMC.org , available for OSX, Windows, Linux, Apple TV and you can even run a live dvd/usb distro. Do not pass this one up people!
In adittion, XBMC has a great live support forum so you can learn and expand your XBMC knowledge!
athlon11
January 30, 2012 at 3:12pm
If you included the MLB and NBA in that article why not the NHL? So much better than basketball.
