Manufacturers have long recognized the value of some form of integration between the internet and their flat panel TV's; this integration is now taking shape.

The technology has been around for a while and the likes of Samsung, Panasonic and Sony now believe that consumers are ready to embrace the internet through a medium they previously reserved for TV programmes or movies.

Panasonic's desire to integrate the web with their TV's has seen the introduction of 'Viera Cast' internet-enabled flat panel TV's in Japan and the US. They enable consumers using a dedicated cast interface to easily browse and watch free videos from YouTube and view photos from Picasa Web Albums. These IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) enabled screens will eventually offer a whole host of streaming services over the internet and will arrive in Europe in Spring 2009.

IPTV is similar to 'Internet TV' but there are some subtle differences. Both use IP (Internet Protocol) to deliver their services, but Internet TV makes use of the global internet to deliver services while IPTV is delivered over a private managed network. An IPTV service such as BT Vision is contained within a closed system which allows greater control over content and quality.

With the arrival of their Series 7, 8 and 9 LCD TV's, the Korean manufacturer Samsung has introduced InfoLive. InfoLive streams up-to-date information (news, weather and stock information) through RSS feeds, working in partnership with Yahoo!. The InfoLive service is operated direct from the TV's remote control and has been designed so as not to 'swamp' the screen with content. A tickertape of news items, share prices or weather forecasts runs in tandem with the current TV programme.

Of course, for services such as 'Viera Cast' and 'InfoLive' to work, consumers must have broadband access to the internet . Panasonic and Samsung make it a relatively straightforward operation to configure a wired network connection (i.e., using an Ethernet cable) or a wireless setup to use their internet based services.

The DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) protocol offers another route to internet content on the TV. DLNA members share a vision of wired and wireless interoperable networks where digital content such as photos, music, and videos can be shared by compliant products from any manufacturer. DLNA offers the promise of a more generic method of bringing the internet to our TV screens.

Sony's X4500 LCD TV is DLNA Certified, allowing it to be seamlessly networked with other DLNA Certified devices within the home. It will allow users, for example, to stream multimedia content from their PCs (although video is not currently supported).

Being DLNA 1.0 compliant, Pioneer's BDP-LX70 Blu-ray player can play compressed music, video and photo files from across your home IP network. Using an Ethernet connection the player can make these files accessible to your TV. You can even stream 1920 x 1080p material from your PC to your screen via the player.

Internet access through your TV looks set to become more and more sophisticated, with simple operation through the TV's remote making the access of these services as natural as watching your favourite TV programme.

Of course, if you can't wait for all of this integration to materialize, there is a simple solution. You could by a cheap PC to sit alongside your TV and make the connection using the video card's DVI, S-video or composite input or via a VGA. A wireless keyboard with built-in mouse stick or trackerball and you are ready to go.

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