Vudu on-demand movie service lands on Panasonic's Viera Cast Blu-ray disc players

On-demand instant-streaming movie service Vudu, which just last week said its service would be available on Sony's PS3 gaming platform starting this week, today announced it also would be available on Panasonic's line of Viera Cast-enabled Blu-ray disc players. The service is picking up its game as streaming giant Netflix also announced plans to offer a streaming-only service tier.

Vudu's instant streaming offering through IPTV-enabled HDTVs and Blu-ray disc players requires no computer or cable/satellite TV service, no subscription and no monthly membership fees.

"Connected TV will continue to become an increasingly important feature for consumers and Panasonic is working tirelessly to build upon the already robust entertainment and connectivity experiences our Viera Cast customers can enjoy," said Panasonic Corporation of North America Vice President, Merwan Mereby. "The addition of VUDU to our 2010 VIERA CAST offerings gives consumers access to a virtually endless library of TV and High Definition movie content when they want it and instantly streamed into their TV without ever having to leave the couch."

Vudu was acquired in February by mega-retailer Walmart for a price that has been estimated to be as high as $100 million. The deal gave Walmart a way to get back into the VOD market, something it has tried--and failed--twice to enter. It currently is available on personal computers, and on several HDTVs, Blu-ray players, the latest Boxee platform (For PC and Mac), and the just released D-Link Boxee Box.

"Our core mission is to deliver the best selection of movies, at the highest quality possible, directly to the customer's living room," said Edward Lichty, General Manager of VUDU

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