Guest Blogger

Introducing WiTV — Browser Based Joost Competition, Apple TV Friendly

I recently rambled on that the StreamCast Player was the most elegant flash player I’d ever seen. The guy behind this fluid browser based video player, Micro Pasqualini, hinted to me he had a “top secret” project in the works called WiTV. Yesterday I chatted with Pasqualini, who shed a bit of light on WiTV… I have to say I am very intrigued by the talk of a browser based Joost with Apple TV compatibility.

WiTV consists of:

crosscast.jpg

  • CrossCast System – The platform/technology behind the delivery of the video content.
  • WiTV – The program guide, video player and user interface. Presumably this is the name that WiTV will be known under. It has taken many of the slick properties of the StreamCast Player.
  • Nomad Cast – The workflow for the video producer.

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YouTube Tests Video Identification Technology

YouTube will soon test a new video identification technology with two of the world’s largest media companies, Time Warner Inc. and Walt Disney Co. This technology, rolled into Claim Your Content, will help copyright holders identify movies that have been uploaded without their permission. Testing of the identification technology, developed by engineers at Google, will … Read more

End of Pirated TV (in Japan)?

Here is something that TV companies like Viacom are going to love: The Japanese government is apparently considering allowing anyone and everyone to upload previously broadcast television shows without permission.Anyone who does upload TV content will need to pay a mandatory license fee to the rights holders.

TV Companies Will Be Upset
While I think this is a great idea because it will spread entertainment and information making it more accessible, the TV companies and rights holders are not going to be happy.

TV companies have been working hard to keep control of their video content so they can maintain revenue models that they are comfortable with.

In other words most rights holders don’t want to lose out on DVD sales, a profitable and successful business model, by making TV shows available online. You need only look at the DRM crippled and overpriced movie download services like Amazon Unbox, or the huge limitations on TV shows being distributed online, such as with the BBC iPlayer.

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Are Paid Internet Video Downloads Doomed?

Forrester Research recently came out with a bold claim that paid internet video downloads have no future. The report claims that paid downloads will give way to ad-supported models.This claim waivers on one major issue: will quality internet video only be a mainly ad-supported business? And the answer is most definitely no.

The reason is mainly tied in with DVD sales and the fact that content owners will not want to switch to a questionable ad supported business when they have a lucrative DVD sales. However, they will be prepared to offer paid video downloads in addition to selling DVDs. Mike Wolf of ABIResearch is also thinking along the same lines.

This is something we can clearly see happening today with a variety of paid movie download sites such as Amazon Unbox, and a lack of legitimate free streaming TV episodes and movies.

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HD Wireless IPTV Set-Top Box Launched

While news was coming out of Streaming Media East in New York, on the other side of the world the IPTV World Forum Eastern Europe tradeshow in Prague was also bustling with the people and products of IPTV. At the event Celrun, an IPTV set-top box manufacturer, along with Metalink Ltd, a leading provider of … Read more

Tip: Getting a Second Wiimote

A tip for new Nintendo Wii owners: when you go to buy a second Wiimote (the controller for the Wii), don’t buy a standalone remote for $40. Instead, buy the Wiiplay bundle — it includes a second Wii controller and 8-9 other games. The games aren’t all great, but there are a couple of fun … Read more

Lost Fans: “Dad In A Box”

Maybe Lost hasn’t jumped the shark after all… things haven’t been as bad since the Hurley-asteroid episode. But I haven’t made up my mind if I’m still watching because I really like the show or because I just want some answers. Anyways, for the Lost fans out there who are also fans of SNL and … Read more