How Vizio will stand out among the sea of Web TVs

As Internet-connected TVs become more popular, set makers are looking for ways to stand out from each other. Vizio, which made its name by undercutting much larger names in electronics on LCD sets, is no longer just looking to attract buyers at Costco. It's now trying to compete directly on the number of bells and whistles with the likes of Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony.

Announced in late June, Vizio's Via HDTV has some things going for it that its competitors' sets do not: integrated 802.11(n) Wi-Fi--which means no separate dongle for connecting to the Web--2GB of flash memory, and a well thought-out remote control.

The remote design is almost a no-brainer in retrospect, and makes you wonder why it hasn't been done before. It looks like a standard model, but with this one, Vizio took into account what the user would be doing with it: interacting with Web applications like Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo Sports, and Flickr. The TV maker put a slideout QWERTY keyboard on the back of the Bluetooth remote, so users can type as they would on some smartphones, instead of keying in letters one at a time. And, it doesn't seem to add much to the price of the Via HDTV: the 42-inch version will begin at $999 when it starts selling in stores in November.

Vizio is also looking to differentiate itself with developers who will create more applications for the TV. Yahoo developed its TV widget engine last year, which brings a range of preselected applications like Twitter, eBay, Flickr, Yahoo Sports, Showtime, and many others right onto the TV screen. Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, and Vizio each offer it. But Vizio says it wants to appeal to application developers, so it integrated Adobe Flash directly into its Via HDTV.

(Credit: Vizio)

That way, developers like Netflix, for instance, can decide if they want to make a Flash-based app or a Yahoo widget to deliver its streaming video service to a TV, according to Matt McRae, Vizio's vice president of advanced platforms. So far, Netflix and Rhapsody have created Flash-based versions of their services for Vizio. Rhapsody's app is exclusive to the Via HDTV. McRae said allowing Flash-based apps on its TV would allow for better animation or anything with vector-based graphics

But while Vizio is keen on bringing Web-based activities like Facebook, Twitter, and others (there will be more next year, the company says) to the TV, one thing we definitely won't see on a Vizio TV is a browser.

The experience of surfing the Web on a TV screen "looks awful," said McRae. And while Vizio believes consumers want to do some Web activities on TV, they don't want to duplicate how they'd use a computer. "It's just a different experience."

[kingrah1]

I wish the ps3 remote was like this, maybe they will make a bluetooth remote like this?

[TSSaloic]

From the article: "The TV maker put a slideout QWERTY keyboard on the back of the Bluetooth remote, so users can type as they would on some smartphones, instead of keying in letters one at a time".

[BogusBasin]

I hope someone comes up with an iPhone app remote for this. I like the touchscreen interface.

Amen

[kswa1987]

this looks fantastic, i have a 37" vizio right now and it has performed incredibly well over almost 2 years so far with no hiccups. definitely going to look into these new features when I purchase my next vizio... built in wi-fi is genius, i have always wondered why they upsell the wireless connectivity when its so easy and a killer addition to a product (see: $100 microsoft xbox wireless adapter)

[ddesy]

Now if only Netflix would bring a Flash based app to the PC! The Silverlight one has been nothing but a nightmare.

Silverlight has been a solution to my problems. I would get all sorts of warnings/errors when I would pause from one PC and resume on the other one. Now it works all the time as designed. I still want PARENTAL CONTROLS on the Netflix Media Center add-on...

[ddesy]

Silverlight was a solution? You're in the minority based on most of what I've seen.

Slower performance than the old player paired with lower video quality including major tearing issues are the norm. Many people who could play high definition streams on slower computers (such as Pentium 4 systems) cannot even get a smooth standard definition stream now.

The video quality with the Silverlight player has been nothing but awful if you ask me.

[DMAN3k]

Based from what I've seen, Silverlight is the savior to PCs using windows. Flash took too much processing power and not enough GPU.

[DMAN3k]

Older versions of Silverlight didn't support H.264. Silverlight 3.0 does now. And it's still way more efficient than Flash. Go google a test result.

Seriously, the latest Flash is way worse than the latest Silverlight by far. There's really no comparison on Windows or MacOS. Linux with Moonlight, however, is another story.

[doctorjays]

FacebookTV

[DMAN3k]

This is the only reason I'm holding off right now to buy a TV.

[The_happy_switcher]

Integrating wifi into tvs is hardly rocket science. 2010 will probably be a big year of convergent devices. I expect Apple will have something late 2010 or early 2011.

[monkeyfun14]

Most ideas aren't rocket science its just that no one thinks to do it.

[Random_Walk]

Intel has been beating on this idea since at least 2007 (google for "Canmore"). I wonder if Vizio is using that particular chipset or...?

[ccmike72]

most ideas aren't rocket science because most ideas don't involve rockets. lol

[stigmattaman]

Would still like a browser, Flash-capable if possible. Opera does some decent stuff on the Wii, it doesn't look fantastic but it's usable.

[whattaguy62]

I dunno, i think their qwerty pad is poorly designed; the chicklets are uniform in size and shape including space, tab, enter, and the rows are not staggered...they should have put some more thought into it

[nophototoday]

I find this a little confusing. The TV will have wifi but no web browser. I have a mac mini connected to my current 32" LCD Tv and I wouldn't have an LCD TV any other way. Having a built in web bowser is a great feature without it the wifi might be good for streaming movies from a server but of little other use. What a waist of a good wifi connection if you can't browse the internet. I sometimes use the Hulu browser but I don't really find it all that great since it locks me in to it like a fixed TV channel. I like to be able to have multiple windows that only a real browser can provide. I don't like just having channels. I want a full multi media experience and that includes both broadcast / narrowcast TV and the internet. Let the people have all the choices available not just some.

[ChristianTParker]

Apple is missing the boat here. iPod touch apps, which are designed for a small screen, would also look good on your TV across the room. This is what a Apple TV should be. Websites optimized for mobile phones also should on the TV across the room. Visio got the right idea, just take it further.

[roncleaver]

How much did Vizio pay for this ad?

[k9jdk]

As a Vizio owner for about a year and a half now, I'm #1 impressed with the HDTV and #2 with this new innovation. I wish them success.

From a (very) satisfied Vizio customer.

[PaulMaxx]

I find it interesting that this is the first time that I know of that Vudu and Netflix will be going head to head in the same TV (not sure if Netflix is in the LG line or not). I have both and while Netflix is good as a freebie it just doesn't hold up to Vudu's execution. I wonder when compared side by side what the average consumer who may not currently know of Vudu or have a Netflix account will think and if they will spend the money on Vudu's pay as you go or a Netflix subscription.

Link to Vizio Pres Release naming Vudu as one of it's partners:

http://www.vizio.com/about.aspx?cid=3544&id=1318