Internet Protocol Television

New Delhi, January 16 - It's been a bumpy ride so far for Internet TV, but loyalists insist it won't be for long.

When television viewers in New Delhi and Mumbai went in for set top boxes, in order to continue watching their favourite pay channels, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) players were still fiddling with their networks and discussing content delivery problems.

In short, they missed the bus. Akin to a distant star, IPTV players insist that it is “a reality in the offing.” The number of global IPTV subscribers is expected to grow from 4.3 million in 2005 to 36.8 million in 2009, with Europe leading the market, followed by Asia and North America, says a report by US-based Multimedia Research Group.

In the absence of a regulatory framework, IPTV is not covered within CAS or the Telegraph Act and players are groping for a commercial platform.
“Telecom majors like MTNL and BSNL have the bandwidth to initiate IPTV services and private players like Reliance and Bharti are also piloting IPTV roll outs,” says Sujata Dev, managing director and CEO, Time Broadband.

Dev, who calls herself a content aggregator and delivery platform, insists that unless TRAI decides on a standardised tariff plan for IPTV players and allied services, the future of Internet television looks bleak.

Presently, the set top boxes required for IPTV cost between Rs 7,500-9,000 and there is no subsidy that players can fall back on. Lack of content could be another hindrance for the young IPTV industry since only the channel bouquet from Star Television is currently available and players hope to get Sony and Zee bouquets some time soon

Intel, Eros Offer On-Demand Bollywood

Intel Corp has announced its collaboration with media and entertainment company, Eros, to launch on- demand Bollywood service on Intel Viiv technology-based PCs. Eros and Intel demonstrated the new service at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which delivers access to online selections of Bollywood entertainment content, such as high definition movies, music videos, day and date premieres andclassics, from the Web to Intel Viiv technology-based PCs on large screen TVs. The Eros service will offer rental, subscription, download to own at launch and even download to burn models in the future.

Kishore Lulla, Chairman and CEO of Eros, "Our effort with Intel will give us the opportunity to serve an even broader audience worldwide, enter new markets and gain new revenue streams, while exploring and embracing a variety of exciting new digital distribution technologies, such as Intel Viiv technology. We are a content company that believes in empowering consumers so they can watch what they want, when they want, how they want.




"Intel Viiv technology-based PCs powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors helps connect the PC and TV, and enables consumers to access, manage, share and enjoy a growing assortment of digital entertainment, including Hollywood movies, TV shows, music videos, sports, games among others.Kevin Corbett, Vice President, Intel's Digital Home Group and general manager of the Content Services Group said, "Intel's goal is to accelerate the availability of broadband-delivered entertainment into every home. And, with Intel Viiv technology, we're helping to change the economics of distribution and allow more people around the world to enjoy exciting content, irrespective of their physical location.





" Building on the availability of the 'Bollywood' service, Eros will debut the broadband premiere of 'I See You' on Intel Viiv technology-based PCs within a few weeks of its global theatrical release on Dec. 29 and ahead of its release on DVD.

Free television shows to your portable media player devices

If you are tired of paying Apple to download their television content via iTunes, here is an alternative (and legal way).

BroadClip MediaCatcher is a non-subscription service that allows you to fill your portable devices with television shows for free. The package is specifically designed to help schedule and record television shows for your portable media player devices.

Current supported players include the iPod family, and nearly all other portable media players, including Zune, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, Creative Labs Zen, and SanDisk Sensa.
With MediaCatcher installed on a PC, you simply:
- Schedule the shows you want to record using an online web interface
- Leave your computer on during those show times and watch it automatically record and convert the shows
- Sync the shows to your iPod via iTunes

The BroadClip software bundles for $39 but comes with desktop and laptop packaged bundles at $99/ $149 respectively. No more fees and licenses to pay after that. Krunker reviews the bundles and software installation in detail.

Nikon Ships New Capture NX Software

Nikon Inc., has begun shipping the new Capture NX software to Nikon authorized retailers across the nation. Capture NX is designed specifically for photographers, providing an easy-to-understand interface with necessary tools, but without complexity and clutter.

Users with compact digital cameras such as Nikon's Coolpix series will enjoy the simplicity of using U Point technology to quickly enhance their JPEG pictures, eliminate any red-eye using the automatic red-eye-correction tool and even resurrect underexposed images with the software's D-Lighting feature.

Though Capture NX includes many features targeted to the typical consumer, professional photographers will benefit from the time saving using the new U Point technology to make edits to their images, as well as fully utilize the more than 25 new tools in the software, including powerful batch-processing capabilities, advanced color-management features, distortion-correction enhancement and the ability to make every edit non-destructively when a JPEG, TIFF, or NEF image is saved in NEF format.A 30-day trial version of Capture NX is available for download at the Nikon USA web site. The full-version is available for purchase at select Nikon authorized dealers for US$149.95, as well as at the Nikon online store. A special limited-time upgrade price of US$89.95 will be offered to current owners of Nikon Capture 4 software in the U.S. market. This upgrade will only be available online.

Crysis coming to the Xbox 360?

The rumor mill’s started up a bit early this week and thanks to 1up.com, we get word that Crysis, Crytek’s upcoming DX10 shooter may be coming to the Xbox 360; only thing is that the game won’t be a direct port of the PC version, it’ll follow the same trend set by Far Cry (Far Cry Instincts on the Xbox was a totally different game).



The Xbox 360 version (if made) will follow the same story as it’s PC counterpart but will vary in gameplay, physics and all that. This news is pretty contradictory to what we heard sometime ago when one of the game’s developers felt that Crysis would never come to next gen consoles since they couldn’t "handle" the game. I, for one really hope this is true since I don’t have a gazillion dollar PC at my disposal.

YouTube Users To Attend Sermons Online

Users of Video sharing site, YouTube.com will soon be able to access Christian sermons on worship services, due to the efforts by Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

According to the Telegraph (UK), the Church of England aims to counter the dwindling presence of youth and churchgoers with its 'Fresh Expression initiative' to reach the Internet generation via YouTube. The church also plans to upload another video on YouTube later this month, urging other churches to adopt the contemporary style of their services.

A Lambeth Palace spokesman told the paper, "The potential of YouTube is enormous. It provides limitless access to what any minister has to say. You have to preach where people are listening.

"Church of England has lost nearly eight per cent of its worshipers between 2000 and 2002. Since YouTube sees upto100 million clips daily and over 20 million visitors each month, Rev Steve Croft, team leader of Fresh Expressions, says the popular video sharing site could provide the perfect way to reach teenagers.

Also, the Bishop of Lichfield has posted a message YouTube to encourage more people to attend Sunday services. He also called for support for a national Back to Church Sunday campaign in September which will invite local people to give their churches another try.