![]() ![]() Viera Connect on HDTVs has an app store.) Though there's definitely a theoretical advantage to having an app store, we haven't found it offering much of advantage so far for 2011 content portals. While Samsung has fully adopted the app store model with Samsung Apps (and LG has dipped its toe in the water with LG Apps), Panasonic remains committed to a curated content portal. VieraCast user interface Panasonic's Viera Cast content portal has plenty of high-quality streaming-media services and one of the simpler user interfaces. Viera Connect has several additional excellent apps, including Hulu Plus, MLB.TV, NHL Gamecenter, and NBA Game Time, and the addition of those services would make Viera Cast on Blu-ray the hands-down best streaming-content portal. Viera Cast could be the overall best option if Panasonic offered the same services available from Viera Connect on HDTVs. We're expecting to get a compatible Skype camera shortly and we'll update this post with more hands-on testing. The ability to make video calls right from your couch is definitely somewhat of a niche feature (although it seems great for families), but it worked well in the demos we've seen. Unfortunately we didn't have the compatible Skype camera on hand for this review. Skype capability requires a $170 camera add-on, but if you can get past that price barrier, the functionality is pretty impressive. Sony offers Amazon, too, but its user interface isn't quite as good. If you want Amazon Instant, we'd consider Panasonic's main competition to be LG's Smart TV. That being said, CinemaNow offers a solid collection of TV content, so it really comes down to which service you prefer. If you're looking to "cut the cord" or just supplement your existing cable subscription, we've found Amazon Instant Streaming to be the best TV content provider. We also appreciate that Amazon Instant is tied into the viewer's account, which means we're able to watch our purchased content in a browser as well. ![]() While competing services like Vudu are a compelling alternative for video-on-demand movies, Amazon Instant offers by far the largest selection of TV shows for pay-per-view watching, including both network and cable shows. Viera Cast has the fewest streaming-media services, but it includes all of the standard services (Netflix, Pandora, Vudu) and a few standouts, including Amazon Instant and Skype.Īmazon Instant Streaming is our favorite extra, especially for cord-cutters without cable. competitorsĮditors' note: The chart doesn't list every streaming-media service available on each content portal for the sake of simplicity, we chose those we considered most important. Panasonic Viera Cast streaming services vs. Additionally, note that the entry-level DMP-BD75 doesn't offer the full Viera Cast suite, instead offering access only to Netflix, CinemaNow, and Vudu. Panasonic Viera Cast is the same on most 2011 Panasonic Blu-ray players-and home theater systems with built-in Blu-ray players-but considerably different from the Viera Connect content portal offered on Panasonic HDTVs. There's no app store or cross-platform search, but it has a solid collection of streaming-media services and an easy-to-use interface. Today, we're looking at Panasonic's Viera Cast, which takes after LG's Smart TV in its simplicity. With every manufacturer having a different collection of streaming-media services, we've been taking an in-depth look at each company's content portal for 2011. They may be called Blu-ray players, but in 2011 they're as much about streaming-media services as they are about high-definition discs. Panasonic's Viera Cast content portal has plenty of high-quality streaming-media services and one of the simpler user interfaces.
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