Impressionism in HD

Welcome to the age of the highfalutin' home theater.

Counting the beads of sweat on Tom Brady's face and seeing every flicker of action in the latest blockbuster movie may seem like high art to some, but Comcast's latest on-demand offering can transform the TV into a digital canvas.

Using GalleryPlayer On Demand, digital cable customers with HD service can go to Comcast's menu to watch Claude Monet's "Water Lilies" linger over soothing classical music at the holiday party. Or Mona Lisa may smirk enigmatically at the La-Z-Boy in the living room.

"This big ugly box -- it's 50 inches long -- it's a big ugly hole in my wall" when it's off, said Kevin Akeroyd , chief executive of GalleryPlayer. "This is ambient imagery where you can access the world's finest art and photography and put it on any display."

GalleryPlayer's creators imagine the free service will have all kinds of uses: changing scenery for the Tupperware party, a travel slideshow for people thinking about taking a trip; something to augment the coffee-book tables people already buy at the art museum.

And, perhaps, something to appease family members who don't care about seeing "Monday Night Football" in high definition.

"Together, we're delivering a new service that transforms the way our customers use and interact with their high-definition TVs," said Comcast spokeswoman Shawn Feddeman .

CAROLYN Y. JOHNSON