Since Internet-based streaming services are becoming an increasingly important vehicle for multimedia content delivery, the manufacturers of Ethernet-enabled set-top recorders/players are starting to enter some pretty lucrative partnerships with the aforementioned services, thus seriously expanding the end-users' range of available entertainment options. And one of the latest announcements of this type comes from Korean company LG, who has just entered a deal with two of the most important video delivery services around, namely CinemaNow and YouTube.

According to this new partnership, the CinemaNow and YouTube services will be fully accessible directly on one's HDTV, even in the absence of a computer. This will be possible (of course) by using LG's 2009 line of Network Blu-ray Disc players, which will be fully disclosed at the forthcoming 2009 International CES event.

As some of you might know, this is not LG's fist foray into multimedia content delivery. Thus, last year, LG's Network Blu-ray players were the first to support such a video streaming service, namely Netflix. Of course, Netflix will also be supported by all of LG's future Blu-ray players as well.

Leaving aside its strategic importance, this partnership also brings about quite a lot of advantages for the end-user. Beside being able to access all the videos from YouTube, people who opt for LG's players will also have access to loads of Pay-Per-View movies (standard definition and HD as well, depending on the specific title) from major studios, television shows and music videos, all streamed by CinemaNow. Of course, none of these services will be free, so you'll also have to get a subscription (if you don't have one already).

Given the fact that Blu-ray has not managed to establish itself as the only high-definition content delivery system, it's becoming quite clear that it has some pretty hard times ahead of it, given the increased competition provided by Internet-based streaming services. However, it's very likely that the two will co-exist, at least on the short-term, until broadband Internet becomes fast, widespread (and affordable) enough to completely eliminate the need for any type of discs.


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