Panasonic announces first Tru2way TV, Comcast plans more ways to charge you

For those of you that have Cable and have a set top box, have you ever wished those damn pieces of crap could just get out of the picture? I mean you got this sweet TV and a neat wall mount and then you still need a damn dresser or another shelf system to hold your Cable box. I could complain for hours about this damn thing, but in the near future, I won’t have to! Yayyyyyy!!!! This is because Panasonic has just announced the first 2 Plasma TVs with Tru2way technology built right into the TV itself.

Panasonic’s 42″ and 50″ VIERA models are the first televisions to include a standardized software technology that allows your TV to communicate with the Cable company. This allows you the ability to use Video-On-Demand (VOD) functionality, games, interactive ads and much more, just like you would with your current set top box.

Panasonic partnered with Comcast to push forth the tru2way brand, which is the successor of what was called OpenCable. The basis is to have a standardized Platform that all cable companies can use, so you buy TV’s, third party cable boxes, etc with Tru2way and don’t need to rent anything from the cable companies, and you can own the hardware!

The TV’s are being released first in the Denver and Chicago markets in late October, and will  retail for $1599.95 (42″) and $2999.95 (50″). I’m sure that Cable companies will find someway to recoup the funds you are saving by using the Tru2way software, but it will at least be humbling to know that Comcast doesn’t own a single thing in my home, you know, until Fios is available.

Thanks Engadget