New Sky Box To Pack Broadband For On-Demand TV
Speculation is mounting over the future direction of Sky’s consumer offerings, with reports this morning suggesting that the company’s forthcoming high-definition set-top box will include a broadband modem, enabling the broadcaster to deliver rich content via the internet, as well as through customers’ satellite equipment.
It is already known that the new equipment will feature PVR functionality as standard, with customers required to subscribe to a Sky+ package in order to activate the technology (see Sky Gives Sneak Peak Of HDTV Launch). However, the latest speculation, unconfirmed by Sky, suggests that the broadcaster may target users of on-demand services, such as HomeChoice, and Telewest’s fledgling Teleport product, more closely.
The move would allow Sky to pipe movies and television content directly to set top boxes, potentially providing true on-demand content, rather than its current system, which allows viewers to purchase a ‘viewing slot’ for film screenings, requiring them to sit down at a specified time to watch.
The technology would also allow DVD-style control for customers, allowing them to pause, rewind and fast-forward content at will.
A broadband connection, coupled with the new product’s PVR capabilities, would enable Sky to deliver movies and similar material direct to the set-top box, enabling local storage and playback, protected by digital rights management software. The new technology also has the potential for use by advertisers to deliver electronic content, such as product brochures or demonstration videos, following action by the viewer, for instance in response to an interactive TV campaign.
A spokeswoman for Sky said: “We will be making announcements on [high-definition TV] over the next six to eight months. The only thing that we will confirm is that the set-top box will have PVR functionality similar to that of Sky+ as standard.”
The broadcaster recently announced the launch of its first online-content delivery system, allowing broadband users to access sports and movie content via their PC. The new service is expected to be launched in the autumn, putting pressure on on-demand broadcasters and DVD rental companies alike, with Sky’s service seeking to cement its core customer base of sports and film buffs (see Sky To Provide Content Via Internet Downloads).
However, the technology to provide high-quality broadcasts via broadband is already a reality, with London-based HomeChoice demonstrating considerable success, recently expanding its customer base outside the M25 (see HomeChoice To Double Coverage With Expansion).
Elsewhere, cable operator, ntl, has unveiled trials of its first high-definition TV services, using new ADSL2+ broadband technology to provide massively increased connection speeds without the need to install expensive fibre optic lines to customers’ homes (see NTL Trials High Definition TV With Ultra Fast Broadband).
Any move by Sky into the on-demand arena is likely to build upon its fledgling Sky By Wire brand, currently employed to provide Sky’s sports and movie channels to HomeChoice customers via their broadband connection (see Sky Boosts Audience Reach With HomeChoice Deal).
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