BBC confronts standards issues with blank canvas
Erik Huggers, the director of future media and technology at the BBC used a keynote at the annual summit of the Digital TV Group in London to outline his vision for the proposed Project Canvas. This aims to promote a standards based open environment for internet connected television devices. Everyone, it seems, is in favour of standards, which is perhaps why there are so many different standards initiatives.
3DTV looks closer than you might imagine
The first regular television transmissions in 3D, or at least stereoscopic vision, could be on air sooner than you might imagine. Sky has been experimenting with the technology for a while and hopes to launch services once displays are commercially available, which could be as early as next year. Now there is an urgent need for standardisation.
Next generation networks deal with video on demand
Migration to next generation networks will be important in enabling significant take-up of online video services. A study concludes, as informitv has often maintained, that video traffic can be accommodated by increasing the total bandwidth available, without necessarily using special techniques to maintain quality of service. Next generation networks will cope even when almost all television viewing is on demand and delivered over data networks in high definition.
Traditional TV advertising revenue to fall by 75%
Traditional television advertising revenue will fall by 75% within ten years, as broadcasters lose control of their monopoly on distribution. That is the alarming projection from a British research company. It suggests that these losses could be offset by targeted interactive advertising delivered over the internet.
Norwegian public broadcaster promotes BitTorrent
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation has set up its own BitTorrent service. After successful tests last year it is planning to use this form of peer network distribution on a more regular basis. NRK is promoting the free and open source Miro software as its preferred BitTorrent client.