The original BRAVIA Internet Video Link device DMX-NV1 shipped in July 2007, just before Klaus joined the San Diego team. The device connected to specific BRAVIA TVs and provided for the first time in the industry streaming internet video to consumer TV, integrated with the main user interface, and therefore creating the world’s first “Smart TV”. Three IPTV services have been supported at the time, including AOL and Yahoo. The development in San Diego included the service backend.
BRAVIA Internet Video Link (BIVL) attached to a compatible 2007 TV
The team then moved forward under Klaus’ management to integrate the functionality with the TV software itself, i.e. without additional hardware. The results shipped in 2009, where many more services have been available, including YouTube, Amazon, Netflix and others. As another world first, customers could stream the feature film “Hancock” before it was released on DVD or Blu-Ray Disk, creating a new window for revenue.
Hancock offered for BRAVIA Internet Video Link customers
The service was also expanded to Blu-Ray Players and gained global coverage. More than a hundred service providers supported the system, including music services like Slacker in 2008 (another “first” for TVs). The support for Slacker was an engineering initiative from the San Diego team.
Blu-Ray Player User Interface for Amazon on BRAVIA Internet Video
The network infrastructure was also the basis for Sony’s Video Unlimited service for TV and BDP. The BIVL service itself is still operating, but will be eventually replaced with HTML based applications.
Service List from 2009
Portfolio 