Panasonic Demonstrates new Viera Connect Application Social TV

About two weeks ago, I was invited to Panasonic Hollywood Labs to get an update on developments with Panasonic’s Smart TV system, Viera Connect, formerly known as Viera Cast.

Present at this demonstration and discussion:

Jeff Samuels, Public Relations Strategist, Panasonic

Merwan Mereby, Vice President of Interactive Content and Services Group, Panasonic

Kate Solovyan, Merchandising and Operations Manager of Interactive Content and Services Group, Panasonic

Ken Reeves, Vice President and General Manager, ATN (speaking for Accu Weather)

Cameron Westfall, Director of Affiliate Relations for Wealth TV

After a series of introductions by Jeff Samuels, Merwan Mereby gave an overview on the growing number of HDTV units with IPTV capability.  The number grew to 40 million in 2010 and is expected to surpass PC sales by 2013.  Merwan described the new HDTVs as becoming a kind of “Digital Hearth”.  He described the difference between old and new with a simple distinction.  With traditional content, everything flows in one direction, from the provider to the viewer.  With IPTV, the interactivity can flow in both directions.

Viera Connect has already been available on Panasonic’s various HDTVs, and the available content has been expanding over time.  In its current form, viewers can access various services online via the Viera Connect function, including weather, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Netflix, games, news and sports applications.

Merwan described the latest application available on Viera Connect, which is called Social TV.  This application, which comes with the latest firmware update (called PEAKS when you download it into your HDTV), allows the viewer to view whatever programming is being played on the television, while simultaneously posting comments on Facebook or tweeting on Twitter around the margins of the screen.  This application is clearly intended for younger viewers, who want to multitask or who are constantly updating their Twitter or Facebook profiles.

Merwan’s discussion of the various applications hinged on the idea of integrating the television experience with the internet surfing experience.  This capability is expected to grow to as much as 250 million households by 2016.  I should note that this is not a straight-up browser function.  This is directed browsing, where Viera Connect allows specific applications to access the internet either through an Ethernet cable, or through wifi, using whatever router the viewer has installed in their home.  The applications access a Panasonic server, which in turn brings the content from the internet locations directly to the television.

Ken Reeves then presented the current version of the Accu Weather application, which allows viewers to set up to 5 presets of various locations around the world.  The HDTVs tend to come preset to weather in New York, but this can be reconfigured by the viewer.  (For myself, this functionality is a bit sticky – I have reset the weather forecasts with varying levels of success.)

Cameron Westfall then gave a summary of one of the specific programming applications, the channel called Wealth TV, which can be downloaded for free, but is a service that runs 99 cents per month.  Wealth TV provides a VOD cable feed of its channel in High Definition.  3D content is also available as a PPV option, usually at $2.99 per viewing.   This content has been recorded on native 3D cameras, and is not a post-production conversion, according to Westfall

Merwan then resumed his discussion, covering the Viera Connect shopping options, which allow viewers to purchase both channel options and hardware that can be billed via credit card and then shipped.  Hardware includes game controllers, memory cards and internet cameras to service the Skype functionality the HDTVs have. 

The Vieras can also be remote controlled via smartphones using either Android or Apple operating systems. 

Kate Solobyan then demonstrated Social TV, as well as various other applications and purchasable sports functions which allow viewers to access previously aired games from the NHL, MLB and NFL.  (I’ve checked for NBA availability and it’s not there yet…)  Hulu Plus and Netflix are also available, along with other online streaming video options. 

I should also note that the Viera Connect system does not use the current UIS modes – particularly in that the Viera system does not make use of Flash architecture.   That may be rendered moot within another year or so, as the various presentation methods are updated.

Finally, the Viera Connect system also allows viewers to access multiple online games, including a racing simulator demonstrated for our group.   Panasonic has been able to transfer several games that other systems have not – and I should note that these games are coming from Gameloft.

In summary, the level of interactivity is being expanded with the newest presentation of Viera Connect.  Younger viewers will get the most out of it, particularly since this all seems to be laying a foundation to a few years down the road when the internet and programming landscape may look quite different.

I'll try to look into this a little later in the week.

I'd also like to clarify a few things here.  I did not ask about 5.1 sound coming through applications used on Viera Connect.  I had thought that any such thing was limited to the sound capabilities of the television.  Further, I would think that you wouldn't normally try to route the sound from the television TO a receiver.  The usual configuration I'm used to has the TV essentially used as a monitor, with the picture information coming in from an HD receiver, which also distributes the sound to the speakers in the home theater.  I had never thought of bringing in signal from the television and then sending that out to the speakers.  This may just be my naivete.

Do you normally try to run things through your television, and then out to the speakers from there?  You mentioned that you can access Netflix on your PS3 at 5.1 - it sounds like the Netflix and other streaming options are better through your separate player if you want to get the 5.1 sound, but that you have the option to watch things directly on the TV at 2.0 through this app.

I'm also unclear about whether there are any other sets with HD streaming capabilities that allow for 5.1 sound to come to the television for output elsewhere.