The future of lounge-based entertainment is going to be defined by internet TV (IPTV), according to Sony at its IFA 2009 conference today.
With TechRadar in attendance at Sony's IFA 2009 show 'n' tell this week, the Japanese consumer electronics giant announced that it is set to fully integrate Web TV into its Bravia range.
The company has already got a number of broadcasters interested in the technology. But there's only one who has signed up from the UK so far and that's Five – with the Brit broadcaster having made its Demand Five catch-up service available.
Alongside normal TV, however, there will be myriad online video sites that you can access, including perennial favourites such as Daily Motion and YouTube.
Fujio Nishida, President of Sony Europe, who announced Bravia Web TV at the Sony IFA conference said: "Watching long-form programmes on a PC is an unsatisfying experience. It would be much more enjoyable if these [catch-up] products were available on your TV.
"Bravia Internet Video will free viewers from the limitations of normal TV."
Nishida also announced that "from October onwards, many of our TVs will now come equipped with DVB-T, DVB-C and DVB-S inside."
This essentially means that no separate box will be needed for decoding channels and recording programs.
Nishida also announced that the next batch of Sony Blu-ray players will be Wi-Fi enabled and that we should see Bravia Web TV functionality on these devices.
Interestingly, Sony will be using the XMB to navigate through the many web channels and catch-up services that will be on offer. As you can see from our pictures right here, navigation looks like a cinch!
