Audio Video News

In the ongoing battle to lure consumers away from their PCs, TiVo has become the latest consumer electronics company to announce plans to bring Internet-based video content into the living room. TiVo will join Apple TV as the other hardware box shoveling coveted YouTube content to TV's when the service launches later this year. TiVo users will be able to search and browse videos and log into their YouTube accounts to access playlists via the TiVo menu.

Only TiVo owners with Series3 TiVo HD units connected via broadband to the Internet will have access to YouTube content.

TiVo and Apple will have company. Panasonic told journalists at meetings in New York yesterday that it will offer YouTube as part of a menu of Internet content available via an upcoming service called VieraCast that will be available on PZ 850 series TVs later this year. Panasonic officials promised more details on the launch in coming weeks.

Sony, Samsung and Sharp have also joined the Internet TV world. Sony recently announced it would add content from CBS.com to its menu of offerings for Bravia VideoLink-equipped TVs. Sharp and Samsung plan services bringing in weather, sports, traffic and other information to Ethernet-connected consumers in an on-demand format.--Rebecca Day