The gap between watching movies on your TV and watching them on your computer continues to narrow with news that the Vudu online video service is releasing a second-generation platform “optimized for Internet-capable smart TVs.”
Vudu CEO Alain Rossmann said his company will “embed the new Vudu service directly into the TV, eliminating the expense and hassle of purchasing, installing or connecting another device to the TV.”
LG TVs Will Be First
The first participating consumer electronics company will be LG, beginning next month. The functionality of the Vudu BX100 set-top box will be embedded into LG Netcast models, giving access to Vudu’s library of more than 14,000 movies and TV shows. This includes access to more than 2,000 on-demand, 1080p high-definition movies with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound.
Rossmann said the second-generation platform includes such features as instant fast forward and rewind, instant start, and a “faster and more refined user interface.”
There will no monthly fee for the service. Customers will be able to instantly rent or buy movies, and Vudu said new titles from major studios are available the same day as their DVD release.
The move represents a strategic turning point for Vudu, which has been and will continue selling set-top boxes in stores. With its new platform, the service is concentrating on offering its embedded service through consumer devices such as TVs and set-top boxes.
The availability of TV sets with sufficient processor power and Internet connections comes not a moment too soon for Vudu, which laid off 15 percent of its staff in January, following a 15 percent reduction last fall. CEO Mark Jung left the company and was replaced by cofounder and Chairman Rossman.
‘Great Win’
The marriage of Vudu and LG is part of a trend to embed functionality for online videos into hardware. In May, Vudu announced that…