Get ready for the revolution: internet TVs

LG

LG’s 2009 range didn’t include any connected sets though some, like the SL9000 that we looked at around Christmas do have media playback from USB, with reasonable format support. We’ll look in more detail at the NetCast options on the 2010 range along with the updates to the other manufacturers’ connected sets later on in the year.

YouTube on LG's NetCast

What to buy?

It’s quite clear from looking at the sets that connected TVs are still in their infancy. There are some common niggles: you ought to be able to view 4oD content from YouTube on devices that claim to have YouTube built in, for example. Lovefilm's TV VoD selection should match that offered to PC users.

With the honourable exception of Samsung, the range of supported formats is often quite poor.

For some folk, that’s not an issue. If you’re a big YouTube fan, for instance, you might prefer the ability of Panasonic’s VieraCast to sign in with your user name and access favourites. Other users might appreciate the EuroSports headline clips, in preference to the ability to call up a horoscope widget and play back MKV files.

Crucially, most of the vendors seem committed to extending and evolving the internet experience their TVs offer. As manufacterers' review units become available, Reg Hardware will be looking at their internet offerings in more detail than this simple survey can. ®