Veoh Will Also Make Web TV Software More Lightweight

Veoh, which is perhaps best known for its web portal but also has a downloadable long-form Internet TV app called VeohTV, is, much like its startup brethren, trying to make it easier for users to watch long-form, high-quality video in their browsers.

Veoh isn’t discontinuing VeohTV, but over the next week will release a browser plug-in that’s “significantly lighter than the VeohTV app,” according to Veoh spokesperson Gaude Paez. The plug-in was in tests over the summer.

Usually when Veoh users want to watch a piece of content that lasts more than 30 minutes they are required to download VeohTV, but with the browser plug-in that will no longer be the case. It will initially only be available for PCs (both Internet Explorer and Firefox), but Mac and Linux versions are in the works.

“We continue to offer VeohTV,” said Paez, “but based on viewer feedback, we know that many of our millions of VeohTV viewers would prefer to just view in the browser — so now we’re giving them that option.”

Also this week, Joost released a plug-in alternative to its downloadable client (which it is ditching entirely), and said it would soon make its content available in Flash with no download required at all. Meanwhile, blinkx released a Flash alternative to its downloadable client as well. What’s driving all this change, in part, is the (U.S.-only) success of browser-based Hulu, which already has risen to No. 8 on comScore’s U.S. videos-viewed leaderboard.

In addition, Veoh is making all of its content available in H.264, something it’s already done for its markets outside of North America. Remember that Veoh is the video company that shut down access to its site from hundreds of international markets, citing a desire to refocus resources.