Born on the Web

Cross posted at i-wisdom

photo by onion83

In my previous post about better TV integration I was talking about starting to use mythTV. This plan isn't cancelled, but I pushed it a bit further to the future. Why? I wanted to test Vista on my media PC. I got myself a copy at the launch last week. (Thank you MS)

I never used XP media center edition, so maybe for users of XP MCE this is old news, but damn, the Xbox 360 and Vista are really good friends. Just put them on the same network, they kiss and hug et voila , the media center extender does the rest. Watch every piece of media on your network on the tv, in a slick interface. I've not used Vista in my day to day life, currently it's only my media extender. I can't say anything about how it is to work with Vista. But it does seem that Vista has the glue to make every piece of technology work together, of course every piece of Microsoft technology.

Still their are some minor problems / remarks I'm having:

• Video codecs: I'm looking for some decent codecs for Vista. I've found a package called Vista Codec Package, but still not every video format seems to be working. Anybody any ideas?
• In the media center interface there is a section called online media. COOL, IPTV. Guess again, this is not yet available in Belgium. This section is empty. I can't really understand this, we have something nice that is called the internet, this is a global network, so why can't we get the same content as American users get. The whole IPTV story gets a lot less interesting if you're still limited to the same local constraints as with regular cable TV.
• Who will be able to provide content? Only Microsoft partners?
• Can I add a media RSS feed to the Media Center? (youtube stream, flickr photos, podcast, rss-2-torrent, ...)
• Is it easy to develop extensions for the Windows Media Center?

Next step for me is to buy a TV tuner card and check how the TV recordings work. It would be pretty cool if I could stream cable TV over my wireless network (think watching football on my terrace) with the media center extender.

photo by whalesalad

Anyway, I never expected such a smooth integration. I'm pretty possitive about Vista. But I only tested one aspect of it. I can't really say how it is to work with Vista every day.

I blogged about this on my employers' blog, i-wisdom. You can find the post right HERE. If you want more IPTV example be sure to check out my IPTV category.

At the plusminusitv convention last thursday, there was an interesting discussion about the future of tv. I didn't got the chance to give my opinion during the panel discussion, but I would like to write it down, because I think a lot of people underestimate the impact and speed of the change that is going on at this moment. I consider myself as part of a generation that has a different perception of the traditional media, we were one of the first generations to really grow up with the internet. I'm using the internet since I was 11 - 12 years old. The possibilities then were nothing compared to what's possible now. I'm only saying this so you'll understand that the perception of traditional media will change more radically if you look at younger generations. My brother of 14 loves to listen to bbc radio one. The music he likes is not available in Belgium. Those (+-)kids aren't restricted anymore to the media available in Belgium. The traditional media becomes less important, they just choose the information they want from the internet(audio - text - images - video - ...). If you look at studies about iDTV you see a lot of traditional patterns coming back. Studies say that prime time stays prime time and that popular channels will stay popular also when you have like 112 other channels available. Well I'm not pretending that those studies are incorrect, they are definatelly true. But I don't think they will be true if you only look at the new generation of people. Why? Because the younger generations are growing out of the traditional patterns. When they become 25 they don't need the traditional tv anymore to stay informed. They will choose what to watch when to watch it. When they need information about a recent newsfact they're first reflex is not waiting for the 7 o'clock news, they will first check the internet. If we take a look at the current iDTV model in Belgium, it can be interesting for the 35+ segment, but for the new younger generations it will fail. It has almost no extra value for people who are familiar with the internet. Maybe some good movies or series, but I'm sure that in the future they will be available for download from the moment they are released. I don't think young people want to wait untill lost season 2 for example gets aired on a Belgian tv channel. They are in touch with the whole world trough the internet. They want to be able to access the same information at the same time as the people who live in the USA. My brother is a fanatic runescape player. He talks with his friends from all over the world, he get's information from all over the world, he wants to be able to view the same cool tv shows as his friends abroad. Often it's impossible to access that information the legal way so often those kids get it from bittorrent, P2P, ... I think it's pretty logical, they want to be able to talk about the same tv programs their friends talk about. I'm just trying to explain how important it is, not to underestimate the changes this will bring to tv in the future:

• The internet will be the main channel for everything: communication, information, entertainement, ... The new generation just wants different screens and different interaction methods to access that information, communication and entertainment. Cell phone, screen in the living room, laptop, ... every device has access to the internet, to the same information, communication, entertainment.
• Selection will become incredibly important, tv channels will need to evolve to a brand that makes selections of worldwide shows. They will do nothing more than select very specific programs.
• The TV channels will have a stronge community around the brand with very faithfull viewers. They will be able to give feedback to channel, that feedback will be an important factor in decisions taken by the TV channel.
• Poweruser will need to be able to make the selection themselves. Other users can subscribe to their selection, just like RSS works today. You'll be able to view the programs you want on demand. If you think this is the future you're wrong : democracy player, veoh, uTorrent , ... Those tools just need a rss feed and will automatically download the programs you selected.
• The link between the information viewed in the program and other information available on the internet will be very strong. If you're looking at a touristic program, you'll be able to immediatelly check the flight rates to that location. Or plan your route on google maps to that specific location. This will be an important commercial value. Give the viewers the right commercial information at the right time.
• The other way around can also be important, if your browsing google earth, you can view touristic tv programs, news items about that specific location.
• Production companies need a web service that gives access to all their tv programs.

I know these are pretty progressive ideas, but if I look at my own environment and things happening on the internet. I'm pretty sure tv is evolving this way. I believe Belgian tv stations urgently need to start experimenting with this new evolutions. What will be the value of Lost season 2 for VT4 if ABC made it available for download FREE? TV stations urgently need to look for new business models, if they want to keep there privileged place in the market. Related: The ironic future of traditional media Microsoft: IPTV to reach critical mass this year

We'll present our project for the module experimental media there. It's not really an ITV specific project, more a cross media game for kids. If you like to know more about it, check out the site. You're invited ...

Free video knowledge available !

LIFT is about teaming talented observers, explorers, and builders with people whose work depends on understanding current challenges and creative solutions presented by emerging technologies. Attendees will face cutting edge business models, bold predictions, radical thinking -- ideas to inject into their own part of the planet. LIFT has a simple goal: connect people who are passionate about new applications of technology and propel their conversations into the broader world to improve life and work

Coming very soon ... for the moment only American content(NBA, CSI, NCIS, ...), but I guess more is coming soon. Larry Page announces Google's video store on CES Some Google Video movies : Waterborne (www.waterbornethemovie.com ) WATERBORNE, the independent feature film that debuted to an Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festivsal, follows the fictional aftermath of a terrorist attack on the water supply of LA. Starring Jon Gries (Uncle Rico of "Napoleon Dynamite"), Ajay Naidu ("Office Space"), Chris Masterson ("Malcolm in the Middle") and international star Shabana Azmi. Featuring the original score by Dredg. Kintaro Walks Japan Kintaro Walks Japan is the meticulously filmed and edited story of Tyler MacNiven's 2,000 mile trek from the bottom of Japan to the very top. His five-month odyssey was meant to impress a girl and to find his American father's Japanese birthplace. Tyler arm wrestled 100-year old ladies, dodged trains in tunnels and walked into the hearts of the Japanese people, quickly becoming a celebrity. Kintarowalksjapan.com I haven't seen the movies, but love the concept of google video movies...

love it ! The loading time is a few seconds here on ADSL, and the quality is really stunning. I would love some on the demand video with this loading time and quality. It looks like Flash is winning the game in online video broadcasting tools ... so fast, so easy, so customizable. So make a nice platform for it and give me some decent IPTV. But there are some other great streaming technologies out there. Divx Browser Plugin does a very good job, I installed and looked at the mission impossible trailer, resized in the browser it isn't that impressive, but if you right-click the screen and go to full screen, it really shows off. It's hard to believe it's streaming video your watching. Compared to this quicktime(on pc) and windows media player are really slow.

Here in Belgium we have a complicated IDTV landscape. We have 2 providers : Belgacom and Telenet. Belgacom is Belgium biggest telecom provider and also has an adsl and cellular network, Telenet owns the cable infrastructure and provides telephony, cable tv and cable internet. They both have their own distibuting system, telenet trough cable and belgacom trough telephone lines. Well you will say, what's wrong with that? Well nothing, BUT they decided they will both use a different IDTV platform. So this means that an application you made for telenet digital tv will not work if you are a belgacom subscriber. Great news for the designers and developers hu? ... NOT ! This really bothers me, didn't they learned anything from the internet story over the last 10 years? After the whole XHTML and CSS story and Internet Explorer not respecting the W3C standards ... really f*ck it ! I don't want anything more to do with the current format of IDTV. And what's that sh*t about being interactive? I can't image anything more than maybe some video-on-demand or voting applications. But ok, two different platforms, we developers are used of that, but it gets worst!? Why did they both adapted a new technology, if we already have a great network and technology for interactivity, the internet! The IDTV providers act like they invented something new and it is a step forward in technology. Well it's not! Everything that they are trying to make, is another world wide spread network but then specifically for television. And the stupid thing is we already have a world wide network, yes ... the internet. So why are both the Belgian providers (who both provide internet access) so stupid to ignore this? Why are they investing money in creating a new network if there already exists one for more then 10 years and is widely adapted? Well my guess is, just for the money. They just want to find a new way to get more money from the people. If the providers want to bring interactivity to the television screen, why not make use of the internet. Not in it's current form, but in a television friendly way(f.e. windows media center). And if they're so desperate to earn money, they'll still be able let the users pay for the content they get. Stream the television programs over the internet, make them as interactive as you want with an existing technology like for example Macromedia *kuch* Adobe Flash. Let users, chat, email, like it's nothing. Because your tv is connected to the internet. One of the advantages is that I'll be able to access the same TV programs on my laptop. I'm not in need of a television to watch the IDTV programs. Because internet access is enough. On a mobile phone it's just the same, you just need an internet connection to have access to the same information you can get on your tv of pc. Content stays the same, layout just depends on the functionalities of your device. I can't understand why they decided to use a whole new technology for this medium, as developers we are struggling to get everything on the same standard (example: different css styles for a different devices). They just completely ignored that. Well maybe I'm overreacting but I just can't see what they are trying to achieve with this. IPTV by microsoft What are your taughts ? comment...

There are some good resources out there... :

Fabchannel: They stream really cool concerts... bloc party, arcade fire, roisin murphy, ... They even broadcast concerts live ! Tuesday 22.00 the Stereophonics in Amsterdam.

Google video has some nice videos, you just need to find them.Try typing in the name of a band or song. You'll be amazed by the results. Example: the cool clip by soulwax - e-talking, or a fragment of top gear update You can even embed google videos everywhere you want. Check out paul stamatiou his tutorial.

Shoutcast TV is streaming video for winamp. There is a lot of absolute crap in the list, but if you look closer, you'll find something to look at.

You know more ? comment away ...