Panasonic to build Internet video into high-def TVs

August 28, 2008 - Panasonic plans to build Internet video into its high-definition TVs, the company has revealed at the IFA event currently taking place in Berlin.

The system, called VieraCast, incorporates an on-screen menu page that presents Panasonic's partners content that can be selected and played using the remote control, provided of course that the television is connected to broadband. Partners listed include EuroSport, Bloomberg, Google's Picassa and YouTube, with many more in the pipeline according to Panasonic. The company also promised that the content will be free and not require registration to access, however it will be localised for each country and language.

TVs with VieraCast will go on sale in the spring of 2009, and Panasonic has committed to extending the service with exclusive content in the following year.