A new battlefield for cable service providers and TV operators.

There have always been fierce battles between the cable TV operators and satellite television operators. But if these two weren’t enough, now digital video recording services too have joined the battle. Recording digital TV was always considered to be costly. But now many video recording services DVR companies have started offering TV packages.

Checking out of packages and offers of each and every DVR service providers can be a daunting task, but in the end its consumers who are in a win-win situation.

Previously if you had to buy a DVR player, the only option was buying standalone DVR units from TiVo. Since TiVo was standalone unit and was not in any way linked with other services like cable TV, etc, it lead more number of devices at your home. Like separate device for cable TV, separate device for DVR services, etc. hence it really recommended if you got for DVR services through your cable operator because they device they would be offering would include services like cable TV , DVR all in one box plus with HDTV features and all this cost much cheaper than buying  separate units.

And to attract as many customers they can cable and satellite TV operators are offering more and more better packages of DVR. There is a huge difference thought between what cable operators are providing and that satellite operators are. Most of the DVR provided by the large satellite providers like DISH and DIRECTV are HD capable DVR and it’s not the case with cable TV providers like Comcast and Cox.

A new battlefield for cable service providers and TV operators.

Sky Player now can be run with Freeview set-top boxes

Sky Player is the catch up TV service from Sky that lets you watch TV online with the help of set top boxes with internet option. Thus with the help of Sky Player it’s possible to view Sky TV on your computer and Xbox 360. But now Sky has announced that Sky Player would be now available for FreeView set top boxes which have option to connect to the internet, thus making it possible to view live TV through Sky Player on them. 

Sky has signed deals with LCD TV manufacturer Cello and manufacturer of FreeView set top boxes 3View.
With help of PC with windows media player and a broadband connection it possible to access Sky player. It is also possible to access Sky Player through gaming console Xbox 360 and Fetch TV which TV on demand that lets you view FreeView content with other content. While the Sky customers can access Sky Player for content related to their existing Sky packages free of cost, the other users can watch content of Sky players on pay per view basis.

Sky’s on-demand services director, Griff Parry said that Sky Players partnership with Cello and 3Views shows how vibrantly online video on demand sector is evolving. He also added that Sky is trying to offer Sky Player on more and more platforms so that the consumers have more number of choices when it comes to how they can access to their high quality TV content of Sky.

Sky Player now can be run with Freeview set-top boxes

BT Vision is ready to face the challenge

if you thought that the launch of ‘Project Canvas’ and the consequential streaming of free audio, video and television content on the Freeview and Freesat set top boxes of the consumers will mean effacing of BT vision from the business, then these words of Richard Young will prove you wrong.

The business development director of BT Vision, Richard Young is rather optimistic about the digital service provider’s major involvement in the Project Canvas and is sure that the association will mean more business and goodwill for the company. He conveyed the same views at the IPTV World Forum and added that the major challenge ahead is to emerge as a leader for both free content developer along with the other content stakeholders in the Project Canvas as well as paid for broadcasting content services. A consumer at any step must feel that the content he had paid for is worth every penny and the service is commendable.

The road ahead is surely not easy as with the launch of Project Canvas, a revolution of sorts will unleash in the domain of internet-TV services. The content that will be streamed will be interesting, indulging and absolutely free of cost. In addition to BT Vision, the companies that have agreed to partner with the Project Canvas are BBC, Talk-Talk, IPTV, Channel 4 etc.

BT Vision has this foresight that with the launch of Project Canvas and the resulting free stuff on television, there will be an increase in the competition in the content on demand segment and the company has to adopt various strategic moves in order to merge successful.

BT Vision is ready to face the challenge

Last chance to partner with ‘Project Canvas’

The management authority of Project Canvas has declared April 23, 2010 as the last date by which those ventures that are interested in partnering  as potential investor and stakeholder in the prospective and promising ‘Project Canvas’ may apply for the same. This is a formal deadline declaration only for investors who will contribute to the project in the form of capital investment in providing internet- broadband based content to the viewers of major digital tv as well as broadband services in the country.

The formal deadline announcement for content providers and channel partners will be made later, as and when things get finalized.

The ‘Project Canvas’ gained momentum in December last year after BBC issued a formal proposal invitation to the ventures to partner in the “Project Canvas” and towards the end of the month the official list of those sponsors who had been approved as prospective partners of ‘Project Canvas’ was released. Since then, the groundwork on the format as well as launch of it had been pretty sped up. With this April 23rd deadline, the management hopes to have one more venture partner before the official launch.

Project Canvas aims to provide free TV as well as content to the users of broadband, internet as well as digital services of the major broadband providers, internet service providers as well as digital TV service providers in the country.  Till date, companies such as BBC, IPTV, Talk Talk, BT Vision, Channel 4 etc have agreed to align their support with it.

Last chance to partner with ‘Project Canvas’