• On GameSpot: So-called 'Halo killer' gets 23 to life
June 2, 2009 12:18 PM PDT

YouTube making jump to TV screens

by Greg Sandoval

A YouTube manager demonstrates the new YouTube XL viewing page.

(Credit: Greg Sandoval/CNET Networks)

Like everyone else, YouTube hopes to make its way from the PC to a more prime entertainment location--the TV set.

Google's video service is rolling out a new browser feature, called YouTube XL, designed to present YouTube videos on big screens, company managers said Tuesday.

During a demonstration before a handful of media, YouTube showed how XL is designed for people who have hooked up their TVs to their laptops or video game consoles, such as Xbox 360 or Sony PlayStation 3.

How does it differ from YouTube's typical Web page?

It's a much more stripped down player. There are no scroll bars or viewer comments. There's little more than a search field and video thumbnails to help direct users. YouTube XL will work with any Web-connected device and on any browser.

The new feature is another sign that the battle in online video now is being waged in the living room.

One of the drawbacks is that you can't yet watch YouTube's modest library of movies or premium TV shows, as the company is working through licensing issues, managers said. I can see this being used by people who might want to throw in some user-generated fare into their TV-viewing mix.

YouTube XL brings along the same basic UI that came to game consoles, but it can be accessed on normal PCs.

(Credit: CNET)
Greg Sandoval covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News. He is a former reporter for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. E-mail Greg, or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sandoCNET.
Recent posts from Digital Media
Judge halts BlueBeat's sale of Beatles tunes
EMI to offer instant concert recordings
Sesame Street, Droid get Google's love
Jimmy Wales on what's next for Wikipedia
eBay's Skype sale gets go-ahead with settlement
No Doubt says 'no' to Band Hero depiction
Beatles copyright case down a legal rabbit hole
Getty and Flickr deepen photo-licensing ties
Add a Comment (Log in or register) (4 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
by jamesburns00 June 3, 2009 4:36 AM PDT
Interface does not look like television
Reply to this comment
by Heebee Jeebies June 3, 2009 8:46 AM PDT
Why? YouTube is 99% low quality krap. I mean really do people really have such pathetic lives that they actually find wasting time with this krap worth while? But, they must they waste time making it. Pathetic.

Robert
Reply to this comment
by socialnetworkingsoftware June 3, 2009 9:51 AM PDT
how are they making money? with this then? cpm?
Reply to this comment
by ed_salgado June 3, 2009 12:25 PM PDT
Simply put, this is the way TV will work in the future. As a software provider for television stations, we see this as an eventuality. You'll go home, decide what you want to watch, and enter it in a search box. So if you want to watch "Boston Legal" you'll see all the episodes right there. The system will remember which ones you've seen and which ones you haven't. It'll download those episodes you want to your DVR for faster viewing. Think Star Trek. It's TV on *your* schedule.

With all that said, we are still quite a ways from there. There is still no one spot for going to see all episodes of everything. Google is trying to make YouTube that source, but CBS has TV.com and everyone else has Hulu. Unfortunately, for Google, they have pretty much placed themselves opposite the content producers by siding with advertisers in all of their campaigns thus far. Eventually a shakedown will occur and one day, you'll have a source or two for everything. We've already gone through this with iTunes, Napster and the other portals for music.

As to how this will all be monetized is anyone's guess. CPM is one way, CPV (cost per view) is another. Advertisers will help subsidize this as well once the technology comes about that will allow insertion into streaming video. The commercials will be targeted to boot. Think Minority Report. Based on previous searches, shows watched, and sites visited, the system will place commercials that you are most likely to watch.

And all this is just the tip of the iceberg!

-ed
www.OneDomain.com
Reply to this comment
(4 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
advertisement
Click Here

FAQ: Buying the right Windows 7 upgrade

Readers still have lots of questions on just which version of the software they need to buy in order to upgrade their PC. CNET News tries to offer some answers.

N.Y. lawsuit details Intel's 'largesse' toward Dell

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's federal antitrust case filed Wednesday alleges a longstanding symbiotic relationship between Intel and Dell.

About Digital Media

The Web is now the place to go for news and entertainment. Look here for the latest on blogs, music, video, virtual worlds, social networking and more.

Add this feed to your online news reader

Digital Media topics

advertisement
advertisement

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right