Business News Holding

Tag: content-providers

  • Geek Brief's live switching call answered by Vidblaster

    Call for an affordable live switching application by Geek Brief star Cali Lewis answered by Vidblaster

    Geek Brief star Cali Lewis’ request for someone to come up with an affordable live switching application that would work with services like Ustream.tv and Stickam has been answered.
    After making the call a few weeks ago, the Geek Brief team began working with Mike Versteeg, the developer of Vidblaster.
    Lewis wanted a lower-cost live switching application for the growing network of video-podcasters streaming out near-professional HDTV quality live shows.
    She said there were analogue solutions but they cost over US$1,000, while the best options were priced at US$9,000 or more.

    These are beyond the price range of the new generation of low-budget producers – everyone from churches, city councils and community groups to individual bloggers.
    Now on her latest webcast, Lewis said Versteeg had worked on the Vidblaster software to add “functionality” and make it work with streaming services.
    “There’s a growing need in the market for this application, and Mike is now offering it at an affordable price so churches, community groups, schools, and individuals can have access to software that gives us all a live TV studio at our fingertips,” she said.

    Lewis explained that when the call was put out, Vidblaster did not work with any of the streaming services.
    But after introducing Versteeg to one of the founders of Ustream.tv that “barrier” was addressed.
    “Now we have an actual software application that any church, community group or school can afford,” she said. “So they can start broadcasting to the world at a very low entry cost.
    “Now you are able to do something for less than US$400 that previously would have cost someone a couple of grand at best.”

    As well as adapting VidBlaster so it can be used with streaming services like Ustream.TV, Versteeg has added various new functions:
    – single key camera switching
    – cueing up of video, audio or still images for use on live streams
    – graphic and text overlay

  • DVD still dominates but Blu-ray sales up

    DVD remains the most popular home entertainment choice but Blu-ray disc sales up more than 500 per cent in the UK

    Sales of Blu-ray discs for the first half of 2008 have grown by 506 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to the British Video Association (BVA).
    Yet, despite the huge increase, the format still only represents 1.2 per cent of the total UK video market, with sales of nearly one million units.
    The BVA’s half-year results show total sales in 2008 are up 3.3 per cent compared with the same period last year, a rise it attributes to the increased level of consumer choice provided by the HD formats – both BD and HD-DVD.
    In the US, DVD also remains the most popular home entertainment choice but there are differences emerging among age groups.

    Lavinia Carey, director general of the BVA, said the availability of DVD, Blu-ray and legal downloading meant viewers now had more options when deciding how to consume their home entertainment. She said this increased supply of choice was  a factor in the growing demand.
    “Last year proved a bumper year for the home entertainment industry with 250 million videos sold and DVD accounting for 99 per cent of that,” she said.
    “We are delighted to see that the half year 2008 figures reveal an increased demand for home entertainment, especially in the current challenging economic climate.”

    Other figures released by the BVA include:
    Ratatouille is the best seller of 2008 so far with over 1.2 million copies sold
    Stardust, Atonement and The Golden Compass have also experienced high sales each exceeding 800 thousand copies on DVD alone.
     Titles such as Family Guy, Die Hard 4, Alien vs Predator and Alvin & the Chipmunks have made 20th Century Fox the best selling studio of the 2008 so far.

    Research from Knowledge Networks in the US found that 98 per cent of the 30- to 43-year-old Gen X and the 13- to 29-year-old Gen Y groups, and 88 per cent of 44- to 54-year-old Young Boomers, said they use DVDs.
    But the report, “How People Use the Video Marketplace”, shows that 67 per cent of Gen Y said they buy DVDs at least once a month, 71 per cent of Gen X and 51 per cent of Young Boomer.
    Additionally, 67 per cent of Gen Y said they rented at least once a month; 65 per cent of Gen X and 44 per cent, Young Boomer.

    The pattern starts to diverge with Web-delivered content, with 52 per cent of Gen Y, 37 per cent of Gen X and just 21 per cent of Young Boomers saying they stream video.
    With downloading, the breakdown is 37 per cent Gen Y, 18 per cent, Gen X and 11 per cent, Young Boomer.

    However, both younger and older generations indicate they normally do not pay for this new media video usage. With video streams, 3 per cent of Gen Y said they bought monthly; 4 per cent, Gen X and 3 per cent, Young Boomers. With video downloads, 2 per cent of Gen Y said they bought monthly, 2 per cent Gen X and N/A for Young Boomers.

    David Tice, VP and group account director at Knowledge Networks said DVDs were the “bread and butter” of content providers.
    “But the growing availability of video in digital forms is impacting on peoples’ expectations,” he said.
    “We found, for example, that 84 per cent of consumers expect to be able to watch video on the device of their choice.”
    The question is, will consumers be willing to pay for the convenience of access in the digital world? And how can content and service providers encourage repeat use and buying in the new media? We’re interested in hearing your thoughts.

  • NBC uses Olympics to promote HDTV and study viewer habits

    NBC has made no secret of the fact it plans to use the Beijing Olympics as a campaign platform for HDTV.
    Now the US network has announced that the summer games will also act as a research lab to guage how viewers use different media platforms.

    The network hopes its research will reveal how people combine, for example, high def TV coverage of an event with tools such as video streaming, video on demand and mobile phones.
    Alan Wurtzel, NBC’s research chief, said the company would publicly issue a TAMi (Total Audience Measurement Index) for the first time.
    This is designed to measure the full range of cross-platform media consumption of the Olympics throughout the 17 days of coverage.

    NBCU will also conduct the largest research project in its history, taking advantage of the unique scope and duration of the Olympics to further the industry’s understanding of cross-platform media usage.
    “An event of this magnitude requires the biggest and most sophisticated research effort to measure it,” said Wurtzel.
    “The size and duration of the Olympics presents us with extraordinary opportunities to gather data on viewer behaviour.”

    NBC has scheduled 3,600 hours of Olympics programming on its main network, along with Telemundo, USA, Oxygen, MSNBC, CNBC and Bravo.
    In addition, the company is planning to make 2,200 hours of streaming video available on NBCOlympics.com.
    Consumers may also get video on demand via their computer and Olympics content through their mobile phones.
    “Not only will we measure these Games in a way we’ve never done before, but we’ll also be able to gather data that helps us better understand the new media consumer,” said Wurtzel.
    “At the end of the Olympics, no other research entity in the world will have as much knowledge on cross-platform usage as NBC Universal.”

  • High definition sports schedules continue to grow as coverage of major sporting events like Wimbledon and Beijing Olympics become more commonplace










    The US’s NBC network is to broadcast both the women’s Wimbledon final between the Williams sisters and the men’s match between Nadal and Federer on its HD channel.
    The addition of this year’s Centre Court battles is just the latest addition to a growing selection of sporting events being shown in high def.
    Sports programming is perfectly suited to high definition because of the fast motion and action in sports.
    The 16:9 aspect ratio of HD provides a vastly better perspective and coverage of a game than SD.
    Viewers can see, for instance, the entire ice in a hockey game or the baseball field in a baseball game.
    So impressive are the results that they influenced an estimated 2.4 million high-definition television sales prior to this season’s Super Bowl in the US.
    Aside from the tennis action, Panasonic has announced that it is to partner the Eurosport HD channel in a deal that ensures it uses the company’s equipment, including the HPX2100 and HVX201 high definition cameras during coverage of this summer’s Olympic Games.
    It also means Panasonic will get plenty of airtime on the station, promoting its VIERA line of HDTVs, as well as running local marketing events.
    Eurosport HD, which simulcasts with the standard definition Eurosport channel, began broadcasting in May this year.
    And with just 30 days to go before the events kick off in Beijing, the broadcast plans in the US are getting clearer.
    NBC Universal has the exclusive rights to the Olympics – for which it paid US$5.7 billion – and will produce over 3,600 hours of sporting coverage, all in high definition.
    The HDTV broadcasts will be carried on NBC, USA and Universal HD, but it remains unclear what time slots will be carried on each network.
    Ma Guoli, a Chinese Olympics broadcasting official, has said that he expects the Olympics to attract four billion viewers – one billion more than in Athens four years ago.
    Beijing Olympics Dissemination Corporation Ltd is expected to use 65 high definition relay vehicles and 1,000 high definition cameras, as well as building a broadcasting centre with an area of up to 80,000 square metres.
    “High Definition signals will be used for TV relays for all 28 Olympics events,” he said.



  • High definition broadcast of 4th of July fireworks from US capital promises to be a spectacular affair


    It’s billed as America’s biggest birthday party and one that even those not able to attend in person will be able to enjoy on HDTV.
    Demand from viewers has led to coverage of this year’s Capitol Fourth celebrations from Washington DC being given extended coverage on the US public broadcast network PBS.
    The Independence Day fireworks will be captured live by 18 cameras positioned around the capital as national landmarks such as the US Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials are silhouetted on the skyline.
    An estimated 100 million homes in the US own HDTVs – around 41 per cent of TV owners.
    Jerry Colbert, executive producer of Capital Concerts, said that if you couldn’t be in Washington, DC for the event, watching it on HDTV would be the next best thing.
    “We heard from our viewers that they’d like to see more of the most amazing fireworks display in the nation,” he said.
    “We are pleased to respond to our viewers’ requests, not only with extended coverage of this year’s fireworks, but we’ve also added more TV cameras that will capture these dazzling and colourful pyrotechnics in high definition from virtually every panorama.”
    The event will be broadcast on PBS Friday, July 4, 2008 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET.
    Capping off the show will be a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” complete with live cannon fire provided by the United States Army Presidential Salute Battery.
    Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning film, theatre and television actor Jimmy Smits will host the 28th annual broadcast of the concert, featuring musical performances from some of the country’s best known and award-winning artists.
    Grammy winners Huey Lewis and the News, American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell, classical superstar Hayley Westenra and soprano Harolyn Blackwell will perform a selection of music with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Erich Kunzel.
    Olympic Gold Medal winner Scott Hamilton will lead a tribute to Team USA members competing in Bejing.

     

  • Boost for mobile broadband as T-Mobile UK improves photo and video upload speeds


    Mobile operator T-Mobile UK has deployed HSUPA technology on a nationwide basis to improve upload speeds for users.
    The operator has promised the change will result in an improvement of to fivefold in the time it takes to upload photos and videos to web sites at speeds of up to 1.4Mbps.
    T-Mobile claims it is the first UK carrier to have committed to the data access protocol.
    The company said it is also upgrading the download capability of its HSDPA 3G network to 7.2Mbps, initially within the M25 zone encircling London but rolling out to other major cities during the second half of the year.
    T-Mobile is also trying to drive data usage, by cutting data roaming charges 80 per cent, to £1.50 per MB while travelling in EU member countries.
    Customers signing up for Mobile Broadband before October will also receive a £5 discount, knocking the price down to £10 per month.
    An online ‘postcode checker’ also allows potential customers to gauge the coverage and strength of 3G signal at their home.
    Jim Hyde, T-Mobile UK’s chief executive, said: “Mobile Broadband has come of age.
    “Today, 25 per cent of new contract customers are signing up and we expect to quadruple our user base in 2008.”

  • Japan to use audience rating system to discover IPTV programme preferences

    A viewer rating system developed by Oki Electric Industry is to be used in Japan to collect information on the viewing habits of IPTV users.
    Existing ground-based broadcasting systems have the means to gather viewership data, such as user preference and viewer history.
    Broadcasting companies say this information is important in enabling them to improve services.
    However, until now there has been are no equivalent user information collection functions for IPTV services.
    OKI’s IPTV Audience Rating Information System allows service providers, with the authorisation of users, to obtain information about when and which channel and programs the users watched.
    The system will collect the viewership data in the form of an “audience rating library” on the user’s device, which will then be encrypted, sent to and registered in the database server at the IPTV distribution centre.
    This information will then be printed out as viewership reports which service providers can offer to programme producers.
    Masa Saito, general manager of IP Systems Division at OKI, said the system, which uses the company’s eVideo technology, would ensure the efficient delivery of high quality video over IP networks.
    “We have been proposing the technology to handle audience rating information to ASTAP, Asia’s communication standard organisation and FG-IPTV in ITU, the UN’s agency for information and communication technologies, as we believe open standards are important in improving IPTV service and technologies,” he said.
    “We will continue our activities within IPTV-GSI, the IPTV standardisation initiative, to promote international standardization to enrich IPTV services.”
    Telecom carriers in Japan are expected to increase their IPTV service provisioning with the start of next-generation network (NGN) services, and as the ITU works on setting international standards.

  • LCD HDTV to be sold in Japan which allows simple transfer of high def content from the PC to the TV


    Watching high def content downloaded from the Internet is going to get a whole lot easier for viewers in Japan.
    A liquid crystal display high-definition television made by byd:sign Corporation is to be the first with DivX Certification sold in the Japanese market.
    The video format will let viewers watch digital content from PCs on the HDTV – rather than on a PC monitor.
    Katsumi Iizuka, chief executive officer of byd:sign Corporation, said DivX videos had enabled consumers to enjoy high-quality content through the internet.
    “DivX Certification enhances our HDTV features and gives added value,” he said. “We plan to provide more valuable entertainment to our customers in working with DivX high quality content and devices in the future.”
    Kevin Hell, chief executive officer of DivX, said the DivX certified LCD TV would allow the Japanese market to easily transfer high-definition videos directly to their TVs.
    “DivX is the only video format that offers consumers an easy and flexible way to move video content across devices, guaranteeing interoperability between the PC, TV, DVD players, mobile phones, and more,” he said.
    “Byd:sign’s compact LCD HDTV is a prime example of the simple transferability of high-quality content in an open, digital system.”

  • Movies from every major Hollywood studio now available in HD


    The Weinstein Company became the final major studio in Hollywood to release movies in high def.
    It has announced that its first offering in HD is to be the horror movie The Mist, which will be released in Blu-ray this August 5th.
    The Weinstein company, distributors of Dimension Films, briefly supported HD DVD, but pulled out before releasing a title after the format’s downfall.
    The extensive extras present on the standard DVD are set to be included on the Blu-ray.
    These features include and audio commentary with director Frank Darabont, making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, and theatrical trailers.
    Both the original theatrical version and the stylised black and white version of the movie will each be present and each on their own disc.
    Each will be presented in 1080p with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio track. Price has been listed at US$ 34.98.

  • Olympics and Tour de France to be aired as Europe's public channels add to their high definition options


    The UK’s BBC has begun testing the transmission of high def services over Freeview in a move that could see the introduction of full HD terrestrial by the end of 2009.
    The broadcaster has started transmissions from a Guildford-based transmitter using the second-generation DVB-T specification DVB-T2.
    Justin Mitchell, leader of the DVB-T2 modem development team at the BBC, said the trial could enable the introduction of HD onto Freeview by December next year.
    DVB-T2 is said to offer 30 per cent more data carrying capacity as DVB-T under the same conditions.
    Across the Channel, the HD version of public channel France 2 has been launched on several platforms, including CanalSat DTH and Numéricable.
    As has been the case with other broadcasters across Europe, including VRT in Belgium and Nederland 1 in The Netherlands, France 2 will show sport events such as the Tour de France and the Beijing Olympics in HD.
    Freeview currently uses the ten-year old DVB-T standard. DVB-T2 was developed for use in a “post-Analogue Switch-Off environment”.
    UK communications regulator Ofcom has said it wants to convert at least one of the nation’s DVB-T multiplexes to DVB-T2 by the end of 2009.
    The test comes as HDTV services begin to flourish in the UK, which has almost 10m HDTV sets currently in use.
    While Sky – the main provider of HD broadcasts in the UK – has barely half a million subscribers signed up to its Sky HD service, much is being made of the May launch of Freesat.
    The venture – a joint initiative between the BBC and ITV – has the potential to give millions of UK viewers access to free HD programmes for the first time.
    Its launch has prompted Sky to cut the price of its Sky+ HD set-top box by 50 per cent.
    Virgin and Apple have also improved their HD offerings recently.