VIZIO Unveils Rhapsody Digital Music Service for VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA) Connected HDTVs
- VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA™) found in VIZIO’s high performance XVT series HDTVs provide consumers with access to Rhapsody’s award-winning digital music service through a rich, interactive and intuitive user interface designed for the big screen
- Easily browse Rhapsody’s catalog of more than 7.8 million songs using VIZIO’s customized Bluetooth universal remote control with sliding QWERTY keyboard all while simultaneously watching TV
Through VIZIO’s VIA™ Connected HDTVs, Rhapsody subscribers will be able to access and enjoy more than 7 million songs right from their easy chair. These connected HDTVs will be the first to offer Rhapsody’s digital music service and are scheduled to hit stores nationwide this fall.
“Today VIZIO is pleased to be unveiling the first connected HDTV implementation of Rhapsody’s award-winning digital music service streaming right to VIZIO VIA™ enabled HDTVs,” says Matthew McRae, VIZIO VP of Products. “Rhapsody is just one of many innovative web-based applications that will roll out on our VIA™ Connected HDTV platform this year, and we’re pleased to be working with Rhapsody to deliver a tightly integrated and rich experience that consumers won’t find on any other HDTV currently in the market.”
Rhapsody Music on Your VIZIO HDTV
Rhapsody subscribers will now be able to browse Rhapsody’s massive catalog of more than seven million songs, all while simultaneously watching TV on their VIZIO VIA™ Connected HDTV. Users will be able to listen on demand to new releases, top albums, artists and songs, celebrity playlists, artist channels and much more from the easy-to-navigate menus custom-designed for the television. Using the VIZO VIA™ remote with built-in slider QWERTY keyboard, searching for any song title, artist or album also becomes truly effortless.
With a VIA™ enabled HDTV, Rhapsody subscribers will also be able to:
- View cover art of new releases and top albums in both sidebar and full screen modes
- Access all their personal playlists and library of favorite tunes saved on other Rhapsody enabled devices including PCs, portable music players, TiVo and other home audio devices
- Create playlists and add their favorite tunes to their personal Rhapsody library right from the TV
- Easily discover more songs from their favorite artists, or similar artists and albums
- Conveniently access playback functions, such as play/pause, FFW/REV, track skip and scan — right from the VIZIO VIA™ remote
- Listen to Rhapsody’s professionally programmed and exclusive music channels and playlists including celebrity picks, decade mixes, genre mixes, special label spotlights and more
- Access Rhapsody’s extensive music guide and discover more music by genre
Once the user makes a selection, the track streams on demand direct to the VIA™ Connected HDTV using wireless (802.11n dual-band) or wired networking that is built into the TV. No dongles or accessories required, consumers can just connect the VIZIO VIA enabled HDTV to their high-speed Internet connection, and with one click, see all of their favorite online services like Rhapsody right on the big screen.
“The availability of Rhapsody on VIZIO HDTVs is a critical advancement toward the fulfillment of our vision of giving subscribers the ability to access Rhapsody everywhere they want to enjoy music for a flat monthly fee,” says Drew Denbo, General Manager of Business Development at Rhapsody America. “VIZIO’s #1 market position and their commitment to building quality electronics at market leading prices makes them an ideal partner to launch the first Rhapsody integrated TV.”
VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA™) — Connecting to the Future of Television
Delivering unprecedented choice and control of web-based content directly to the television with just one button push and without the need of a PC or set-top box, VIZIO’s VIA™ Connected HDTV feature offers viewers the most convenient access to the widest range of top Internet content and services – all while simultaneously watching traditional TV broadcast or recorded video, for truly the ultimate experience in couch surfing
The VIA™ Connected HDTV feature includes built-in wireless (802.11n dual-band) and wired networking, a customized Bluetooth universal remote control with sliding QWERTY keyboard for easy thumb-typing, and interactive setup video to guide users step-by-step to easily connect their VIZIO TV and customize the remote to control their other attached CE source devices.
Previously announced content and service providers who are building VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA™) in 2009 include: Accedo Broadband, Amazon Video On Demand, Blockbuster On Demand, Flickr, Netflix, Pandora and Rhapsody. With today’s announcement of additional partners including eBay, Facebook, Radiotime, Revision 3, Rallypoint Sports, Showtime, Twitter and Vudu, the VIA platform offers by far the category’s most comprehensive and compelling web-based content for Internet televisions.
