Only the geekiest early adaptors would get all worked up about the phrase “Internet protocol television delivery.” Of course, that means its perfect for The Chaser.
The translation into plain speak is a lot more tantalizing, at least as Microsoft has been explaining it for the past couple of years, admittedly with plenty of hyperbole. TV watching is better, better, BETTER! Content selection expands and navigation features get a boost. Multiple programs can be recorded simultaneously with a DVR (nice!) and, per Bill Gates’ oft-repeated objectives, the TV media experience now taps into video, music and photos found within a user’s home network.
The most recent IPTV development happened on Monday, when content distribution specialist [hardware maker] Scientific-Atlanta Inc. and Microsoft publicly announced a partnership to develop set-top boxes for what it deems “the growing worldwide demand for IPTV technology.” The team-up also gives support to Scientific-Atlanta’s advanced network known as “Project Lightspeed.”
Here’s how the company’s describe the benefits to media users and operators:
The new line of Scientific-Atlanta IP set-tops, which will be integrated with the Microsoft® TV IPTV Edition software platform, will support advanced codecs such as MPEG-4 Part 10/H.264 and VC-1 and will include standard-definition (SD), high-definition (HD), and whole home SD/HD digital video recorder (DVR) devices, as well as innovative gateway products that can serve an entire home with a single device. Additionally, these new set-tops will support a “no new wires” strategy for operators, which will enable IP video to be delivered over existing coax cable already installed in millions of homes. To help expedite the global implementation of IPTV services, country- or region-specific versions of the new Scientific-Atlanta set-tops will support U.S. or international standards.
The Chaser doesn’t profess to know the ins and outs of IPTV, but the release caught our attention because of the high-profile partners and the key phrases “high definition… whole home SD/HD digital video recorder (DVR) devices” and “no new wires.” For media users, high-def DVRs are becoming tech must-haves, and for operators, the ability to distribute IP video over pre-existing cable should mean a faster rollout.
No matter what language you speak, IPTV’s opportunities merit a place in discussions of future media consumption patterns and emerging technologies.
