YouTube Plans Jump to TV Sets

SAN BRUNO: YouTube has launched a browser-based version of its online video-sharing service that has been optimized for larger displays, mainly TV sets or big computer monitors.

YouTube XL boasts an extra large video player and streamlined navigation controls. Features on the site such as suggested videos and viewers comments have been stripped out to keep the interface clean on the bigger screen. Users need to link their computer or browser-enabled game console to the TV to access YouTube XL.

The service will feature nearly all of the site’s content, though rights restrictions will keep some premium shows off-limits, as they do with similar sites. In addition to the simplified navigation, YouTube XL offers a continuous play feature, which will let viewers search for a topic and then press "play" once to watch all of the videos sequentially on that topic.

YouTube has been facing stiff competition from sites such as Hulu, which, just a few days ago, launched a a downloadable desktop version of its video website. Hulu Desktop provides access to Hulu content for a "rich, full-screen" video-watching experience.