Arguably the most buzzed-about topic at CES 2012 was the state of Smart TV, what it is and how to get it. It's quite possible that you've invested in a high-performance, well-featured high-definition display that might be lacking in the brains department, or without internet access, to the extent that a quick firmware upgrade won't raise its IQ. So how to stay current?
The award-winning VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA) platform is about to get better in two ways. First, it will expand in scope and functionality to include the latest version of Google TV, prompting the evolution to the new VIA Plus. And it will also be made available in a dedicated set-top box designed to deliver the VIA Plus experience, and subsequently in multifunction CE products such as Blu-ray players.
The VAP430 Stream Player is part of the VIZIO Internet Apps Plus ecosystem, in essence a portal to the internet and so much of what it has to offer, combining the powerful, entertainment-focused Google TV with the easy-to-set-up-and-use VIA Plus interface. With the VAP430 connected to an HDTV via HDMI cable (and high-speed internet of course, wired or 802.11n wireless), users can search favorite online destinations for content, services and new apps by using the included Bluetooth premium universal remote control with QWERTY keyboard and integrated touchpad.
In addition to movies, TV shows and music on demand, the VAP430 lets users search the web for even more entertainment options using the Flash-capable Google Chrome browser. The sophisticated remote also makes it easier to access personal media (videos, music, photos) stored on a computer or a hard drive connected to the same home network, or a smartphone over Bluetooth, or we can reach into The Cloud for even more choices. High-res photos and HD videos benefit from the big high-def TV screen, and audio can play through the good speakers. We can also plug in USB drives directly for local storage.
As with previous Google TV hardware, the VAP430 has an HDMI pass-through that lets the user connect a cable or satellite box to the stream player and then forward the signal to the TV for seamless viewing. VIZIO's Smart TV interface is laid over live video signal so multitaskers and ADD sufferers can search for the next thing to watch without leaving the current program.
Users can also shop the latest apps from the expanding Android Market, which has been customized for use in the home theater realm, filtering out those that would require, for example, GPS as we'd find in certain Android phones. The VAP430 is the first VIA Plus device to launch this year, followed by the VBR430 Blu-ray 3D Player, which will combine the features of the VAP430 with high-end audio and video disc playback.
Preorders for the VAP430 will begin in the spring, but while some proposed pricing figures were thrown around during meetings, they are not for publication.
Where to Buy:
More News from CES:
