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TOKYO -- TV Portal Service, a digital TV service provider, will launch a VOD service this September.

To receive the service viewers will need a flat panel, Internet-connected TV. They will not have a pay a membership fee, but will instead fork out between Y200 ($1.69) and Y300 ($2.54) to their Internet provider to view one of 2,000 or so titles on offer, including pics and toons, both foreign and domestic. They will be able to see the content as many times as they want within a certain period.

TV Portal Service was launched in July 2006 by six companies -- Sony, Sony Communication Network, Matsushita, Sharp, Toshiba and Hitachi -- that are makers of Internet-enabled digital TVs. It started its AcTVila portal site in February, beginning with basic lifestyle info services.