Cablevision Intros PC To TV ServiceCablevision Intros PC To TV Service

The convergence of content from PC screens to TV screens seems to be getting closer: Cablevision Systems announced Wednesday that its PC to TV Media Relay service will soon allow its customers to send images and data from their PC screens to their TV screens in real time.

The "first-of-its-kind" service requires a simple software download; no cumbersome plugging and unplugging of cables is required to utilize the wireless feature, Cablevision said.

"With our PC to TV Media Relay service, we are putting an end to the need for families to huddle around their laptops or PCs to watch content together. This new service will make it easy for our television customers to take broadband services including Internet video, as well as family photos, or anything else displayed on a computer screen and move it to the television with the click of a mouse," said Cablevision CEO Tom Rutledge in a statement. The company said it plans to begin a technical trial of the service by June.

In addition to streaming Internet video content, the Media Relay service will enable Cablevision subscribers to send data stored on their computers like photos, home videos, documents, and even e-mails to their TV screens for display.

Cablevision indicated the service utilizes its network facilities to create a dedicated channel that is viewable only by individual customers.

The cable company said the service may be extended to include handheld or other consumer devices in addition to TVs. PC to TV Media Relay for Mac is also being developed, Cablevision said.