TDG Opinions

March 2010 - Posts

• More Guide Innovation on Show at IPTV World Forum

  One clear theme that stood out at IPTV World Forum in London last week was some fresh approaches to the ubiquitous TV Guide. I saw several companies with new designs for their interface. Most focused on leveraging the new-found space on HD flat panel TVs. But a couple of them went a little further too really help the user avoid some of the traditional pitfalls of the guide. ... Posted Mar 29 2010, 05:42 AM by Colin Dixon with no comments Filed under: Colin Dixon, Orca, IPTV World Forum, Orca Compass, TV Guide, Netgem, Remote, iPhone

• Bringing the Web to the TV – Déjà Vu All Over Again?

  Two recent announcements sent me spinning back in time to my early days with the WebTV team: Google, Intel, and Sony collaborating to bring the Web into the living room through a new generation of televisions and set-top boxes. Hillcrest Labs releasing a new browser optimized for viewing Internet video on PC-connected televisions. Both of these efforts have one thing in common: they seek to bring open Internet access to the television (hence, my “déjà vu” moment). But is there any reason to believe that things will be different this time? ... Posted Mar 22 2010, 09:43 AM by Colin Dixon with no comments Filed under: Colin Dixon, Google, Hillcrest Labs, Loop, WebTV, Kylo

• The Answer to On-Screen Keyboards: Your Cellphone?

  The Answer to On-Screen Keyboards: Your Cellphone? Colin Dixon, Senior Partner, Advisory March 15, 2010 One of the most heinous things about TV interfaces is the ubiquitous on-screen keyboard. I hate the things and will do almost anything to avoid using... Posted Mar 18 2010, 08:59 AM by Colin Dixon with no comments Filed under: Colin Dixon, PayTV, Cellphone remote, TVOT, "Cloud TV", ActiveVideo Networks, On-screen keyboard

• Cablevision Stokes the Legal Fires, Once More

  Cablevision is at it again. With its newly announced PC-to-TV ‘Media Relay’ service, the MSO is set to once more provoke Hollywood, only this time it has nothing to do with networked DVR services (at least not overtly). Instead, Cablevision wants to give consumers TV-based access to any and all Internet media content, as well as content stored on their PCs and (eventually) other networked media devices. While the latter application is interesting, the former could be game changing.... Posted Mar 04 2010, 11:57 AM by Michael Greeson with 4 comment(s) Filed under: OTT, set-top box, Internet video, video delivery, Michael Greeson, video streaming, access, Internet TV, Cablevision, QoS, online content aggregators, PC-to-TV Media Relay

• thePlatform Wants to Socialize Video

  One of the things mainstream media produces have been slow to do is embrace social media. In particular, content providers have been shy about allowing their online viewers to share clips of favorite videos with friends through social sites like Facebook and MySpace. thePlatform aims to change that today with the announcement of their new social media player at the TV of Tomorrow Show 2010 in San Francisco.... Posted Mar 02 2010, 11:15 PM by Colin Dixon with no comments Filed under: Colin Dixon, Social Media, TV of Tomorrow, TV Everywhere, clip sharing, thePlatform