Now that broadband is prevalent, the answer is to do all the processing of interactivity and video in the cloud, and stream video to the end device. This takes the device limitations out of the equation, which is what causes all this "nfurication". One platform in the cloud that streams to every device. Makes sense for content providers/MSOs, and it makes sense for the consumer. Furthermore, the platform in the cloud should be built on web-standards so creative teams don't have to learn new skills. What did you say? That platform already exists? It's called CloudTV™ by ActiveVideo, and it's already got nearly 5 million users.
Interesting point, and you were able to put in a shameless plug all at the same time. ;) One thing we've been tracking more closely is cable's move toward cloudy, video CDNs, which would seem to be a great fit for cable's TV Everywhere ambitions. Doing more follow up on those developments and it seems that video CDNs under development should work as advertised, but that it's a trickier proposition because this is video... so ops have to be especially sensitive to jitter, latency, etc. since consumers won't tolerate much of that. Anyway, we'll have more on those video CDN challenges soon enough. JB
One of the most challanging developments will be to deal with 3D as it comes in heavy via satellite and DBS. The memories of how quickly HD took centrestage once services were introduced can barely be forgotton. Platforms on Dish Network and DirecTV moved exclusively to HD channels.
The same phenomena seems to now happening with the new Avtar of 3D. It will come quicker than anticipated and standards work for this will overshadow many brave efforts we have seen so far.
I just question if 3D will take off at the same speed as HD. Millions of consumers have already upgraded to HD sets without 3DTV, so I don't see a great number of them buying another HD with 3D capabilities right away since there's not much 3D content (video, games, etc) yet. They might consider 3D-based TVs in the next cycle of upgrades , but i think that adoption will be more gradual than straight HD was. However, there might be a market for 2D-to-3D converter devices, such as the one that Motorola showed off privately at The Cable Show, but if the quality is poor in could turn consumers off on 3DTV before it has a real chance of taking off. JB
My guess is that 3D will not start with broadcast in bulk but with recorded programs. Systems are struggling with HD deployment (how much 1080p is really being broadcast?) and 3D is another jump in bandwidth needs.
So, I think you will see the TVs for quite awhile before you see lots of 3D channels.
Can't disagree there... fewer than a handful of linear 3D channels have even been announced, and the first of the lot, ESPN3D, is a part-time channel that goes dark when there's no 3D programming on the schedule, which, for now, is almost all the time. Offering 3DTV content on VoD or the linear, event-driven stuff using SDV would seem to be a more efficient use of limited bandwidth. JB
Now that broadband is prevalent, the answer is to do all the processing of interactivity and video in the cloud, and stream video to the end device. This takes the device limitations out of the equation, which is what causes all this "nfurication". One platform in the cloud that streams to every device. Makes sense for content providers/MSOs, and it makes sense for the consumer. Furthermore, the platform in the cloud should be built on web-standards so creative teams don't have to learn new skills. What did you say? That platform already exists? It's called CloudTV™ by ActiveVideo, and it's already got nearly 5 million users.