YouTube Will Soon Block Access From Set-Top Devices

It won’t affect your PS3, Wii, TiVo or other licensed YouTube partners, but Google’s streaming video service will start blocking access to TV-connected devices as of December 2.

The COO of set-top box maker Popcorn Hour writes that the firm tried to negotiate with YouTube to retain the service, but YouTube/Google seems to be standing firm — just as the site starts to transition to 1080p video. TV-oriented apps will certainly find work-arounds — Boxee, for example, uses a Mozilla-based browser to stream otherwise blocked videos — but it’s not a promising vision of the media centre landscape. [Connected and Digital Media via Engadget]