The Future of TV Predicted at NewTeeVee Live Conference? Maybe.

Submitted by Sam on Thu, 11/12/2009 - 02:19

Today should be an interesting day in San Francisco. I've been looking forward to NewTeeVee Live conference for a couple months now. I'll admit this is somewhat due to the fact that Elemental is featured as one of ten of GigaOM's "favorite startups," but also because the conference has a terrific lineup. The startups invited were asked to talk about what they think is the "Next Big Thing"; there should be some interesting responses! Elemental is the first company to present, and I'm very curious to hear what the following companies (including some of the most exciting companies in the space like Boxee, Ooyala and Inlet) predict.NewTeeVee Live logo

Beyond the "Next Big Thing" portion, the schedule features a buffet of intriguing conversations with new media thought leaders and companies. I've been especially looking forward to hearing more about:

  • what Quincy Smith (CBS Interactive) foresees as the big picture for getting traditional media online,
  • what Hunter Walk (YouTube) predicts about building market space in uncharted waters (something we're very familiar with at Elemental),
  • what Andy Mitchell (CNN) and Randi Zuckerberg (Facebook) have to say about the potential for merging the viral phenomena of online communities and online video.

GigaOM says the theme of the day will be TV Everywhere, the proposed authentication system around subscriber online access to premium TV content. This program has been percolating over the last year, including Comcast and Time Warner's pairing to pilot a test program over the past few months. The three-screen experience (TV, PC, mobile) definitely seems like a "next big thing" that's already becoming mainstream, at least according to the incoming customer requests for mobile device support. There should be a lot to learn today about TV Everywhere's prospects and limitations. Knowing GigaOM, there will be ample reporting all day, including webcasts from the conference floor, so be sure to follow the action on the web or on twitter (newteeveelive or elementaltech).

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Turner Launches NBA Mobile Streaming App

Submitted by Eli on Thu, 11/05/2009 - 18:20

On the heels of my experience streaming the Trail Blazers' first game, Turner Sports announced the release of NBA League Pass Mobile, an Apple iPhone and Google Android app giving users streaming access to more than 40 live games per week.  It will also provide scores of other games as well as up-to-date statistics.  At $39.99, it's expensive compared to your typical mobile app, but with over 40 games a week for the entire 2009-2010 season, it may be worth it to the big time basketball fan. This is yet another example of the demand for video to be delivered anytime, anywhere.  "It's important for us to get our content in front of as many fans as possible," said Bryan Perez, senior vice president of NBA Digital, in Ryan Lawler's coverage of the announcement over at Contentinople.  We feel the same way, Bryan!

NBA game streaming on a mobile device

Speaking of streaming, the Trail Blazer game on Friday night vs. the San Antonio Spurs will be the second online streaming opportunity.  I will definitely be tuning in, especially after a very unique customer support experience.  Click through to read about it.

The day after the first game, I was attempting to access the stream online, since when I purchased I was assured I'd be able to for the next 24 hours.  The stream was down, however, so I emailed RayV customer support and was informed I'd be answered the next business day.  That doesn't quite cut it when you only have 24 hours of access, though!  Next, I brought up their Live Chat support, but my "approximated wait time" was 89 minutes!  Really?  Well, I had other things to do, so I left the window open and checked it periodically.  About 89 minutes later (they sure can estimate, I'll give them that), a representative finally sent me a message and answered my questions. (Yes, they were having problems with the POR-HOU stream.  No, they didn't know when it would be accessible.  Yes, I'd be granted access if it became available after the 24-hour period was closed).  Satisfied, I went back to my business.  About four hours later, I checked again to see if the stream was up.  It wasn't, but I noticed the chat window was still open.  Out of curiosity, I asked the support person if they were still there.  They were!   Unbelievable.

I also emailed the Trail Blazers to provide them with the mixed review of my streaming experience.   Not only did the team respond and thank me the next day, but I received a refund, the next streaming game for free, and two tickets to an upcoming game!  That is some great customer service.  Kudos to the Trail Blazers for listening to their fans and actively seeking feedback.

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The Rising Tide of Content

Submitted by Andy on Wed, 11/04/2009 - 15:17

Matt Smith (from my old haunts at Inlet Technologies) recently wrote up an excellent overview on the rise of adaptive streaming as a disruptive technology and I couldn't agree with it more.  Adaptive bit rate architecture embodies innovation because it leverages existing infrastructure while exponentially improving the user experience.

With the adoption of Adaptive (be it HTTP adaptive for the iPhone, Smooth Streaming for Silverlight, or Dynamic Streaming for Flash), we're seeing some classic problems that have plagued online viewers—like the guesswork around plug-ins, data rates, etc...—go away.  We're also seeing improved features make an appearance, such as real-time chats and social media connections, which allow the user both a unique and collective experience. 

But all this new technology AND the growing popularity is having a tsunami effect on the amount of work content creators now have to deliver.

The disruptive technology tidal wave

Can content creators keep their heads above this rising demand?  Not with the familiar options that are handy today - the CPU-only workflows will only get you so far.  Adding more computers just gives the operators more things to keep track of and eventually efficiency just flatlines as you add more systems.  Traditional acceleration avenues exist, but have long been a pariah for being so costly and proprietary. Click through for more.

Ah, but there is a stand out from the standard options: GPU-accelerated video.  Now, we're talking about a disruptive innovation that leverages existing infrastructure, while exponentially improving the user experience.   Taking advantage of off-the-shelf technology, Elemental has written software that outperforms any CPU-only system on the market today.  Our solution, which utilizes both CPUs and GPUs efficiently, also gains the acceleration of massively parallel processing at a fraction of the cost of other hardware acceleration. This is one innovation well suited to handle the demands we're seeing in the market today and for the foreseeable future.

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