Philadelphia —Screen Dreams Publishing, producers of still-image content for PC screen savers and digital television sets, launched this week its first “HD Imagery” gallery for broadband-connected HDTV sets — a nature-themed collection of 1080p digital photos called Living Earth — on Sharp Aquos Net-connected LCD TVs.
The service aims to pickup where now-defunct still-image-content provider GalleryPlayer left off. GalleryPlayer had partnered with a number of TV manufacturers to present still image content on flat-panel TVs.
Screen Dreams’ initial Living Earth collection, which was selected in honor of Earth Day this week, is the first of many art and professional photography collections that have started streaming to Sharp Aquos Net-connected LCD TVs.
The series includes individual collections showcasing the great beaches, deserts, forests and mountains around the world.
“There is astonishing beauty in every corner of the world that few are fortunate enough to experience in person, but Screen Dreams is determined to bring this into the homes of Sharp Aquos Net LCD TV owners starting now,” stated Stephen Spivak, founder and president of Screen Dreams. “These are images that stir the imagination, warm the soul and remind us all of the great importance of protecting the environment.”
“Our goal with Aquos Net is to bring really useful content and services to our customers and Screen Dreams fits right in with this goal,” said Bob Scaglione, Sharp product and marketing group manager and senior VP. “There’s no better way to complement the beautiful design of an Aquos television than with stunning images from Screen Dreams photography collections.”
Aquos Net is Sharp’s system for bringing Internet content directly to select Aquos Net-enabled TV sets through an Ethernet jack. In addition to Screen Dreams’ HD Imagery, the feature enables access to a variety of independently supplied Web-based content, which can be personalized to viewer preferences.
The system employs “widgets” to present various forms of information, including weather, stock quotes, comic strips and casual games such as Sudoku. Such content can be displayed either full screen or split screen.
The Ethernet connection also allows Sharp to deliver firmware upgrades to the sets or to remotely assist customers with setup of diagnostic issues.
