January 14, 2013
Volume XLII, Issue 5
CCC at NAB Call for Speakers
The DCIA will present the CLOUD COMPUTING CONFERENCE as a two-day event-track within the 2013 NABShow in Las Vegas, NV on Monday April 8th and Tuesday April 9th.
This year's Cloud Computing Conference at NAB will demonstrate the new ways cloud-based solutions are providing increased reliability and security not only for commercial broadcasting and enterprise applications, but also for government and military implementations.
From collaboration during production, to post-production and formatting, to interim storage, delivery and playback on fixed and mobile devices, to viewership measurement and analytics, cloud computing is having an enormous impact on video delivery.
Topics will include: cloud privacy, reliability, and security issues; advanced capabilities, new features and cost advantages; the impact on consumer electronics and telecommunications; and the years ahead for cloud computing
If you would like to speak at this major industry event, please contact DCIA CEO Marty Lafferty at your earliest convenience. The DCIA is finalizing its conference agenda and speakers list to be included in promotional materials and the conference program now. Call 410-476-7965 or e-mail for more information.
Companies Battle for Digital Content at CES
Excerpted from CNBC Report by Julia Boorstin
CES is all about streaming video this year: nearly all the 20,000 devices featured on the show floor feature access to Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, YouTube, plus content apps like HBO Go, Xfinity, and endless others from cable and satellite TV companies.
Bottom line: access to content has been commoditized, so all these digital and traditional content distributors have to fight to make their content stand out—and their subscription services worthwhile.
So all these companies are trying to distinguish themselves with two strategies: 1) they're investing in original and exclusive content, 2) and they're showcasing flashy new technology, which embraces consumers' obsession with mobile devices and delivers a personalized experience.
The digital distribution business is getting increasingly crowded—with Amazon stepping up investment in original content and Verizon's Redbox Instant joining the fray.
Netflix is also stepping up its game, revealing some new bells and whistles, including a personalized profiles feature it's testing. That means multiple people using the same account can save videos in their queue, and receive custom recommendations to their own profile. (Parents no longer will be barraged with recommendations for Sponge Bob.)
In addition, Netflix is showing off a test of streaming in 3-D, and an app that allows consumers to use smart phones and tablets as a remote control.
Using mobile devices as remote controls is also a trend here at CES. Google-owned YouTube is also showing off its new app, which allows people to find YouTube videos on their mobile device, to watch on any TV— not just a Google TV.
But the biggest news comes from the cable and satellite TV providers as they embrace the web with new mobile apps, designed to keep their subscribers hooked—and prevent them from cutting the cord.
Cox Communications, which has about 5 million cable subscribers, unveiled a new iPad app, along with an Internet-connected set top box, which it created in partnership with Cisco Systems.
The app allows consumers to browse live TV, on-demand content, as well as streaming video options from the likes of Netflix.
The idea is to offer an app to navigate all the possible content options, with the flick of a finger, and without a gaggle of clunky remotes. Cox also said it plans to integrate with more online video and music apps, like Pandora. Much like Netflix's plan to roll out individual user profiles, Cox is also going to offer each member of the family individualized recommendations,
Cox and Cisco are joining Comcast, which is already rolling out its cloud-based X1 set top box. And here at CES, Dish showed off its Hopper digital video recorder.
Now Dish is integrating the Hopper with Sling Media to watch both recorded and live TV on any Internet-enabled device — no longer restricted to their home. Subscribers don't even need Internet access to watch their content — a new feature allows consumers to download DVRed video before say, getting on a flight.
Dish CEO Joe Clayton says the company is evolving to keep up with consumer demand.
"I don't think they get everything they want from apps," he said after Dish's press conference. "It's all about mob video. It's about creating the best TV everywhere experience. We are competing in a saturated market. Content differentiation doesn't exist anymore. We are trying to differentiate based on technology."
Report from CEO Marty Lafferty
 Thank you to all who participated in the DCIA's third annual CONTENT IN THE CLOUD (CITC) Conference within the 2013 CES Show this week.
And congratulations to Gary Shapiro and the entire CEA staff on a very successful show this year.
We agree with CITC keynote speaker Scott Burnett of IBM who said that CES has evolved into more of a "consumer EXPERIENCE" than a "consumer electronics" show, with the advent of cloud-based solutions now empowering companies to rediscover and redefine the businesses they're in.
For DCINFO readers who missed CITC at CES, please click here for the conference brochure.
And please click here for photos from the conference.
In addition, keynote presentations are now posted here in the archival website version of the conference.
Our opening keynote by Microsoft's Dr. Jin Li answered the question What Is Content in the Cloud, Really? How should cloud computing be defined? What are the key economic considerations and prospects for sustainability of the cloud-enabled delivery phenomenon?
Our next keynote by GenosTV's Mike West explored Consumer Benefits of Cloud-Delivered Content: Ubiquity, Cost, Portability Improvements. What advantages do cloud-based solutions applied to popular entertainment bring to users? How do they compare to older methods of online distribution? What is the role of social networking in this arena?
Dow Lohnes' Jim Burger balanced this in his keynote by examining Consumer Drawbacks of Cloud-Delivered Content: Privacy, Reliability, Security Issues. What has been the experience to date concerning confidential data being inadvertently leaked or intentionally hacked? What can users do to mitigate not having access to their applications or accidentally losing their data when they go offline? What happens if a cloud provider goes out of business?
The follow-on keynote by Akamai's Kris Alexander summarized Telecommunications Industry Benefits & Drawbacks of Cloud-Delivered Content: New Opportunities vs. Infrastructure Challenges. What advantages do broadband network operators gain with cloud-based solutions applied to popular entertainment? How does the on-demand, always-accessible nature of cloud-based entertainment delivery challenge conventional distribution systems?
IBM's Scott Burnett, in the next keynote, highlighted the top-line Entertainment Industry Benefits & Drawbacks of Cloud-Delivered Content: Flexibility and Reach vs. Disruption and Accountability. What improvements does cloud computing offer the content distribution chain? What issues do rights-holders face in adopting their internal content management processes to cloud-based media storage?
Our final keynote by Huawei's Lucia Gradinariu outlined Consumer Electronics (CE) Manufacturer Benefits and Drawbacks of Cloud-Delivered Content: Expanded Opportunities for New Products and Recurring Revenue Streams; New Challenges Related to Interoperability and Data Security. What unforeseen impacts, both positive and negative, do cloud-based solutions applied to popular entertainment properties bring to CE manufacturers?
In addition to these stimulating and thought-provoking keynote addresses, four lively panel discussions examined four key areas where cloud-based solutions are impacting the content creation and delivery ecosystem.
Our first panel with Radio Mitre's Guillermo Chialvo, YuMe's Ed Haslam, Endpoint Technologies' Roger Kay, IC4's Theo Lynn, The PADEM Group's Allan McLennan, Phoenix Marketing International's John Schiela, and Trend Micro's Natalie Severino discussed The Impact on Consumers of Implementing Cloud Computing for Media Access and Storage. How do cloud-based streaming and storage affect users' ability to access entertainment content and to own copies of movies, music, TV shows, games, etc.?
Then a panel with Octoshape's Scott Brown, Strategic Blue Services' Rob Kay, Equinix's Jon Lin, KPMG's Mark Lundin, Iris Media's Dr. Wolf Siegert, Devoncroft Partners' Joe Zaller, and Aspera's Kip Schauer evaluated The Impact on Telecommunications Industries of Cloud Computing. What does cloud computing mean to broadband network operators in terms of managing their intellectual property (IP), allocating network resources, and developing and provisioning new services?
The next panel with Front Porch Digital's Brian Campanotti, Playcast Media's Meir Friedlander, American Standard Television's Ian Donahue, Rovi's Leander Carell, Wiredrive's Bill Sewell, Gaikai's Robert Stevenson, and Gracenote's Roger Tsai considered The Impact on Entertainment Industries of Cloud Computing. What do cloud storage and distribution mean to content rights-holders in terms of managing their intellectual property (IP), realizing cost savings, reaching new audiences, analyzing usage, and implementing new business models?
And finally our closing panel with Altman Vilandrie & Company's Stefan Bewley, Coughlin Associates' Thomas Coughlin, Pioneer Corporation's David Frerichs, Youneeq's Murray Galbraith, Hughes Hubbard & Reed's Wayne Josel, IHS Automotive's Dr. Egil Juliussen, and Navigation Solutions' Linda Senigaglia explored The Impact on CE Manufacturers of Cloud Computing Deployment. Remotely accessing applications and data has implications for elements that must be integrated into networked end-user devices. What about servers and other edge storage hardware products? What new hurdles must be overcome with these technological solutions?
Please plan now to join us for the DCIA's upcoming events, the CLOUD COMPUTING CONFERENCE at the NABShow April 8th—9th in Las Vegas, NV and CLOUD COMPUTING EAST 2013 May 19th-21st in Boston, MA. Share wisely, and take care.
Bill Clinton Crashes CES to Talk Politics and the Internet
Excerpted from CIO Report by James Niccolai
Former US President Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance at the International CES on Wednesday, where he talked a little about technology and a lot about hot-button political issues like the environment and gun control.
Clinton was greeted by rousing applause when he appeared toward the end of Samsung's CES keynote, and at the end of his speech a portion of the audience gave him a standing ovation.
He began with some light-hearted talk, remembering that when he entered the Oval Office, cell-phones weighed 5 pounds and there were only 50 sites on the Internet. "There have been more than that created since I started talking," he said, in an understatement.
He talked about the importance of the Internet and mobile phones in raising living standards in poor countries like Haiti and he spoke of the importance of bringing broadband to all Americans. South Korea is number one in the world for download speeds, while the US is 15th, Clinton said.
"Our speeds are one-fourth of theirs," he said of South Korea.
He also urged the gadget-happy CES crowd not to take their comforts for granted. "You'd be shocked if the video failed and the screen went dark," he said, while others in the world don't even take drinking water for granted.
He soon turned to other, non-tech topics that took up a good part of his 30-minute address. In the wake of the December mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, Clinton called for tougher action on gun control. The US is about to have a "raging debate" over "our unjustifiable neglect of gun safety," he said.
"Why would anybody need a 30-round clip for a gun? Why does anyone need one of these things that carries 100 bullets?" he asked.
The world faces three main challenges, he said: chasms of inequality, instability created by the financial markets and terrorism threats, and climate change. The US just had its hottest year on record by 1 degree, Clinton said. "Perhaps the deniers will finally be quieted," he said.
Technology can help solve the world's problems, but technology alone is not enough, he said. "If you look what the Arab Spring did to use social networks to topple an oligarchy, you realize it's not a total solution," he said.
The "messy real world" requires more than digital connections to ensure a fair political process, he said.
Some of Clinton's comments were sure to divide the audience and lead to questions about whether CES is the right place for a largely political speech. That's ironic, since Clinton also said the biggest issue the US faces today is division.
The country has come a long way in addressing racism and homophobia, he said. "The only remaining bigotry we have is we just don't want to be around people who disagree with us," Clinton said.
Amazon to Launch Auto Rip, an Effort to Sex Up CDs
Excerprted from CNET Report by Greg Sandoval
The compact disc (CD) has long been left for dead by most tech-savvy music fans, but Amazon apparently still sees some life left in the format.
Amazon managers are expected to announce soon that CD buyers from now on will automatically receive copies of the same tracks stored in their Amazon cloud, free of charge, multiple sources with knowledge of the plan told CNET. The cloud-stored tunes can then be accessed from Web-enabled devices.
The feature is being referred to internally as "auto rip," but the sources cautioned that the name could change. An Amazon representative wasn't immediately available. I'll update as soon as I hear back from the company.
This is the most significant initiative involving the CD in years, but try this one on: Amazon may also decide to store songs from past CD purchases free of charge, according to the sources. That could represent a lot of music. A decade ago, before iTunes launched, it was Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos who was king of online music sales. This was in the days when purchasing web music meant ordering a CD, back before downloading songs became popular.
Amazon's strategy is similar to what Hollywood has done in the past year. Five of the six top film studios are trying to breathe life into DVD and Blu-ray discs with an effort they call UltraViolet. A consortium of studios, hardware and software companies teamed together to develop standards for distributing movies in the cloud.
The group seeks to make movies purchased off the web compatible with any device or service in the hope of enticing people to buy and collect these movies the same way as DVDs. One of the ways UV backers are trying to generate interest is by rewarding disc buyers with access to a cloud-stored copies of their films.
The entertainment industry hasn't given up on physical media and there's a good reason for that. Lots of people still buy discs.
According to 2012 music sales compiled by research firm Nielsen Soundscan, the CD is still the dominant music format. Still, the CD is definitely in decline — sales fell 12.8 percent last year while digital album sales increased 14 percent and digital tracks rose 5 percent. CDs and DVDs certainly do not represent the future.
But Amazon, which is well back of Apple's iTunes in music sales, will be able to tell the large number of consumers who still prefer their music on disc that they're getting more value for their money, and this could help the retailer take a larger share of that business. It's a smart move.
CES Shows Off Cloud Based Mobile Marketing
Excerpted from Mobile Marketing Watch by Michael Essany
Everything is going to the cloud these days, including mobile marketing.
This week at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Total Communicator Solutions (TCS) showed off its new Mobile Marketing Communication Platform.
As widely discussed and demonstrated on the convention floor, the cloud based platform enables a company to communicate with their clients who download the company's mobile app via a simple web-based dashboard interface.
The company says that their solution delivers a mobile app that can be dynamically changed and controlled by the CRM system. The first company to use the application is Enlightened Hospitality Group of San Diego, CA.
The platform is targeted for use by a company's marketing department. It enables automatic delivery of messages, content and offers based on a variety of parameters. These include location, activity and past behavior within the app. The solution can also reward those that use the app to share with others through their social networks.
"We have created a business solution by combining cutting edge mobile technologies such as an Augmented Reality (AR) solution with a powerful cloud based CRM system. With this we have developed a simple to use Mobile Marketing Communication Platform," says TCS CEO Erik Bjontegard.
Beyond the CES Floor
Excerpted from Online Spin Report by Dave Morgan
For folks trying to understand consumers and marketing and the future of electronics and technology, Las Vegas and the mammoth CES took center stage this week, just as in years past. Everyone wants to know (at least, according to the pundits) about the next smart-phones, tablets, connected TVs, 4K TVs (four times more pixelization), handheld gaming devices, music players, smart forks, cars that drive themselves, programmable drones, and 3D printers that can output everything from car parts to animal organs. More than 150,000 people from around the world come here to see these products.
I am here because I believe that understanding the transformation of consumer electronics is critical if you run any business today. I am also here because the world of media, advertising, and marketing has recognized the show's importance and have descended en masse, with no small thanks to the work of groups like Medialink to build great programming and parties; media agencies like Publicis/Vivaki, IPG Mediabrands, and WPP's Group M, who convene their clients here; media owners like Scripps Food Network and CBS/Cnet, with strong, on-site presences for their companies; and trusted individuals like Jack Myers and Shelly Palmer to help summarize and translate what happens here.
Of course, it's not just what happens on the exhibit floor. A lot is happening at informal meetings, meals, and parties. After checking out the floor and the informal scene, here are some of my early, high-level thoughts about what all these technology developments might mean:
Internet as omni-utility for life and devices. You don't need to see more than the smart fork to realize that we are finally seeing the manifestation of the Internet as an omni-utility, digitally linking all electronic devices in our lives together and enabling them all to be smart and operate in a coordinated fashion. "Plug-and-play" interoperability — driven by Internet protocols — is now becoming the norm. The device-to-device Internet -- within the home, between the home and the car, between the home and the car and your mobile devices, etc. -- will be an enormous growth area over the next five years. It is critical to see the emerging connected devices not just as media or marketing channels, but as powerful consumer utilities. We have barely started scratching the surface of understanding what that will bring.
The true power of smart, connected TVs may be in their "back-end," not front-end. TV-based apps are not yet a story for marketers — consumers barely use them at this point — but most of the major TV manufacturers are deploying opt-in anonymous video/ad viewing and direct video/ad viewing measurement within millions of the devices. This will transform TV and cross-platform measurement, encompassing not only better multichannel TV measurement, but linking it to all DVR, VoD streaming, and IP-based web and mobile browsing, and e-commerce.
Mobile apps are more important for TV viewing than TV apps. Watch carefully the growing sector of TV-related apps on phones, tablets, and PCs and their ability to enhance the TV viewing experience — for example, Twitter, GetGlue/Viggle, Shazam, etc. Also, we're seeing the emergence of apps that are making mobile devices serve as TV remote controllers. All these apps will probably have a much bigger impact on TV over the next year or two than any apps on the TV themselves.
Consumer electronics companies may have challenges "getting" media. Many folks are wondering whether consumer electronics companies like Samsung, LG, Sony, Intel, etc. will be able to execute against the data and device-driven digital media strategies that they are rumored to be pursuing. Most folks believe these companies are chasing these new strategies because they have to 1) keep up with Apple, and 2) find a way to enhance the anemic margins that they get out of hardware alone. But none of them have shown an ability yet to execute well in the intersection of hardware, software and media. Sony, for example, has never been able to build synergy between its media and consumer electronics divisions, despite having market-leading positions in both for decades.
Microsoft Prepares Cloud OS Updates
Excerpted from Talkin' Cloud Report by Joe Panettier
Microsoft will bang the drum for its Cloud OS initiative on January 15th. The software giant plans to discuss new management products and services that "deliver against Microsoft's Cloud OS vision."
When Windows Server 2012 launched in September 2012, Microsoft claimed it was the first true cloud operating system. The company's Hyper-V hypervisor, System Center management tools, and Windows Azure public cloud also play into the cloud OS strategy -- which faces stiff competition from established Linux offerings and emerging open source platforms like OpenStack and CloudStack.
On January 15th, at least two Microsoft executives will update the company's cloud OS strategy. Both Michael Park, Corporate VP of STB Carketing and Mike Schutz, General Manager of STB product marketing, will be on hand for the virtual press briefing, according to a media invite. Microsoft has also promised to have Cloud OS customers on hand to share their perspectives.
Frankly, I've been impressed with Microsoft's cloud software strategy. A recent Forrester Research report suggests Windows Azure is coming on strong -- though Amazon Web Services remains the runaway market leader. Also, Windows Server 2012 has generated favorable feedback from partners and customers since the upgrade's 2012 launch.
What's next? The answer arrives January 15th.
Verizon Announces FiOS TV Media Server
Excerpted from TechCrunch Report by Sarah Perez
Remember that FiOS home Media Server Verizon was talking about a year ago? Well, the company is finally starting to make things official, with an announcement and product details revealed today at CES. Launch date and pricing info still remain elusive, however.
Verizon and Motorola have jointly developed the new Media Server platform, which doesn't have a snazzy name like "Apple TV" or "Google TV," but is rather called the Motorola Medios+ VMS1100 Media Server and the Motorola Mediaos+ IPC1100 IP-based set-top. (Oh, you guys and your clever names!) But the naming isn't as important here, since the idea is that this would one day just replace your Verizon set-top box (STB).
In any event, the solution will address several pain points for current Verizon FiOS subscribers. The server will support up to five separate TVs, meaning each TV can be tuned into different programming without any conflicts. To be clear, that's one TV connected to the Media Server itself, then up to four other STBs.
Even if you don't have a house filled with nearly half a dozen TVs, you'll be able to take advantage of the Media Server because it will allow you to record up to six TV shows at the same time, which can then be viewed on all the connected TVs. Seriously, this would solve a huge issue in our house where we're constantly interrupted with "conflicts detected" messages as multiple programs kick off recording at the same time. And if you're not around to respond, Verizon's DVRs currently default to your Series Manager lineup rankings, which is often a poor reflection of the TV you actually care about seeing since most people don't take the time to re-order their programming by priority.
For all those extra recordings you'll now end up with, the Media Server offers one terabyte of internal storage, which equates to 100 hours of HD content or weeks of SD programming. The IPC1100 client set-top box accesses that content over a coax cable, similar to how Verizon FiOS's multi-room DVRs operate today. The client, however, has a lower profile than the current DVRs, as it's described as being "as thin as paperback novel."
The Media Server also includes performance improvements, says Verizon, which should hopefully make browsing the on-demand library and content guide a bit speedier. And it offers a feature that will let you shop from over 15 home shopping channels and purchase items using your remote. If only this functionality worked with TV commercials. Maybe one day?
Other widgets are available, too, as always, including the YouTube widget which lets you search for and view video on the TV. Previously, this widget required users run desktop software on their PC, but the Media Server will not.
The Media Server and client devices will run Motorola's Medios+ DreamGallery software, which supports smart searches and personalization via favorites, customizable menus and recommendations. (The DreamGallery link points to a video showing software than looks different than what Verizon shows in its own video above, thankfully).
More importantly, well, perhaps to TechCrunch readers, is that the Media Server platform works with iPads, Xboxes, and Connected TVs. Verizon FiOS, in fact, recently launched an iPad app which lets viewers watch live TV while connected to the home's Wi-Fi network. It's not a bad experience, either, except for the fact that DVR recordings aren't available — although that has to do with licensing issues, as opposed to Verizon's choice.
While the iPad app was a great addition for FiOS users, Verizon notes that 80% of its customer base prefers watching TV content on TVs. That seems to be par for the course, Nielsen also noted today in a 2012 year-end wrap up report.
The delay to launch in the previously announced 2012 time frame may have had to do with issues surrounding the FCC rule mandating a December 1, 2012 deadline for working with open home-networking standards. Verizon commented on TiVo's request for a waiver of those rules, saying that the FiOS Media Server worked with standards from the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), but those standards were a "work in progress." Verizon also noted that DLNA's next standard would probably not be approved until 2013. The FCC later extended the deadline for compliance to June 2, 2014, which paved the way for the FiOS Media Server's launch in 2013.
Octoshape & NAGRA Forge Internet TV Partnership
Octoshape, a leading cloud streaming innovator, today announced that they have partnered with NAGRA, the digital TV division of the Kudelski Group and the world's leading independent provider of content protection and multi-screen television solutions, to enable the secure and efficient delivery of broadcast TV viathe Internet by integrating Infinite HD-M, the Octoshape suite of multicast technologies, intoNAGRA's multiscreen television solution, NAGRA MediaLive.
The partnership will allow service providers to answer consumer demand for premium over-the-top (OTT) content with broadcast reliability and deliver the highest quality linear and on-demand content, whether free-to-air or high value assets, to a broad range of consumer devices withoutcompromising security or video playback quality.
"Adding Octoshape's network into our multiscreen solution will enable an even higher quality end-user experience with a financially compelling offer for service providers by bringing more efficiency into the mix," said Jean-Michel Puiatti, SVP Multiscreen Product Unit of NAGRA. "This option brings a unique quality and economic value proposition through CDN cost optimization to service providers that implement NAGRA MediaLive."
"The partnership with NAGRA creates the first demonstrable multicast enabled secure IPTV platform over both the public Internet and private networks globally," said Michael Koehn Milland, CEO of Octoshape. "The combination of the award-winning innovation in the NAGRA MediaLive system with the quality, scale, and economic aspects of our multicast technologies will create an unbeatable consumer video experience on broadband connected devices and enable an enhanced and sustainable model for broadcast TV over broadband."
The integrated and end-to-end Octoshape and NAGRA solution brings together NAGRA's world-class content protection and multiscreen television management systems available through NAGRA MediaLive, and Octoshape's Infinite HD-M multicast network which enables the distribution of broadcast signals via native IP multicast without requiring that service providers upgrade their Internet capacity or expand their current on-net capital investments. The combined solution extends to devices such as PC, tablets and smartphones by using NAGRA's secure player, NAGRA Media Player (NMP).
Digital Lockers Have Mass Market Appeal
Excerpted from Ezine Mark Report by Tom Roberts
A recent online-based study shows that US consumers are staying informed about digital lockers and cloud-based file sharing services, but it seems as though they still crave more information when it comes to cloud-based storage and how it relates to video files.
More specifically, respondents said they would be more apt to pay for video downloads including purchases and rentals if they could access the content via a cloud-based file storage service from any of their devices, from anywhere, at any time. The majority of the confusion for consumers is related to the rights you are purchasing when you pay for an online video rental or download.
As consumers demand greater mobile access to video content, the question of a user’s rights when it comes to video streams or downloads becomes more important. 90% of survey respondents said they were interested in the concept of digital lockers or cloud-based storage services when rentals were available, which shows that there could be definite mass market appeal of these types of online tools within the online video content vertical.
However, people are still very confused about what renting or downloading a digital video file really means as far as their rights are concerned. Unlike a physical DVD, a digital download has limits to whom it can be shared with and what you can do with it. As we’ve seen in recent cases, consumers who pay for a download don’t actually own any rights to the video, they simply own the ability to watch the video for personal use. When consumers share their video files with friends, family, or others it then becomes a question of illegal file sharing.
The survey found that 28% of people would be even more interested in digital lockers if purchase content only was available there, rather than making rentals available across all platforms as well.
Though the numbers tell unique stories, the main gist of the study is that people would be more likely to pay for digital video content if they were able to access the content from a cloud-based file storage service such as SendMyWay or DropBox since they believe that if they pay money for it they should be able to watch it when and where they want, just as if they owned the physical version.
Consumers noted that they were heavily engaged in downloading and streaming online video files and that TV shows and movies were their top types of content that they view online. Not only are people downloading them to their PCs, but they are also accessing their content via mobile and gaming devices, which makes it clear that more information is needed when it comes to digital lockers and consumer rights to share that content across platforms for their own use.
Overall, consumers felt knowledgeable about digital file sharing services and their options when it comes to digital lockers and cloud-based file storage. However, it is interesting to note that those who currently engage in file sharing were more confident about their knowledge than those who don’t.
A Compelling Multi-Screen User Experience
Excerpted from CED Report by Kirk Edwardson
Managed service providers, telcos, MSOs, and satellite broadcasters alike are facing intense competition from over-the-top (OTT) service providers such as Netflix and Hulu. These new market entrants are rapidly building their subscriber base by providing premium video and video-on-demand (VoD) services on any device, including mobile phones, tablets and PCs, threatening incumbent operators’ customer bases and revenues.
To respond to these challenges, managed service providers must implement an open multi-screen service delivery platform, enabling full control over the multi-screen user experience. This allows operators to provide customers with the anytime, anywhere, any device experience they are rapidly becoming accustomed to. This article will examine new technologies essential to an open middleware system and how to build a successful multi-screen service.
There are several advantages to deploying an open service delivery platform, one of which is the ability to easily integrate the middleware with other best-of-breed systems within the video infrastructure – including VoD, conditional access (CA), encoding, and digital rights management (DRM) systems – through the use of open interfaces and development toolkits.
This is extremely beneficial for a service provider that is interested in delivering multi-screen content to different viewing devices, as well as to set-top boxes. It allows them to work with incumbent systems for STB-based services, while using another system for multi-screen devices like smart-phones and tablets. This approach enables an operator to choose VoD, DRM, and other equipment that best matches their needs, rather than face the limitations of a closed middleware platform incapable of working in multi-vendor scenarios.
By harnessing the power and flexibility of a single, unified, open middleware platform, a service provider can change and add equipment to the video ecosystem as business and technology requirements evolve. As a result, they’re able to manage multiple VoD, CA, encoding, DRM, and other video headend equipment, streamlining the deployment of multi-screen services.
In addition to multi-vendor support, some operators may also look to deploy multi-networking solutions that allow them to support multiple video networks on a single platform across satellite, cable, terrestrial, IPTV, and hybrid managed services. With a powerful multi-network solution, they can leverage the service delivery platform to expand their services without requiring a substantial infrastructure investment. Lastly, this open and multi-vendor, multi-network platform must be highly scalable to allow service providers cost-effective delivery of multi-screen services to millions of subscribers.
An open platform also simplifies the integration of new systems in emerging technologies, such as enhanced advertising and recommendation engines. With an open middleware platform that easily supports future technology advancements, an operator can continue to evolve the services into a compelling and differentiated offering in a highly competitive multi-screen marketplace.
The second advantage of an open back office IP middleware platform is that it enables service providers to take advantage of new client device standards, such as HTML5 and CSS 3D, to deliver a more powerful and immersive multi-screen user experience.
HTML5 is an open web standard that is being widely adopted by all connected devices, including Smart TVs, smart-phones, tablets, and STBs. Through a wide array of capabilities, HTML5 allows service providers to leverage a powerful, universal authoring platform that ensures a consistent and interactive user experience across all multi-screen devices. Additionally, because HTML5 is an open standard, it eliminates the need for service providers to own a specialized, proprietary user interface development tool.
Prior to using a browser technology like HTML5 for media delivery, content developers were required to write and maintain a separate native application for every operating system, screen size and environment. This process was time-consuming and costly: Each connected device required the native application to be ported and tailored to account for the changes in screen size, screen resolution and other physical factors – like the chipset being utilized.
HTML5 standardizes audio, video and a wide range of other sophisticated technologies into the browser, and because the browser technology is software-based, the content is abstracted from the hardware. Therefore, developers can launch interactive applications and complex graphics across a wide range of connected devices without knowing the physical characteristics of the target device. When authored in HTML5 and hosted in the cloud, applications can be written once and deployed to many different devices, reaching a greater audience.
An HTML5-based browser supports high-speed animation and sophisticated visual effects, enabling content providers to deploy more engaging Web applications onto multi-screen devices. One of the technologies supported by HTML5 is CSS 3D. It allows content developers to create 3-D-like graphics and deliver them across any viewing platform. Through another technology called WebGL, developers can create content similar to what is available on today’s 3-D video games, including eye-catching animations with shading, smooth textures and real-time responsiveness to user input.
Once content providers begin deploying services to multiple viewing platforms across the open Internet, they are faced with a whole new set of challenges that didn’t exist in traditional content delivery to set-top boxes, including the need for powerful content security, place-shifting and subscriber self-management technologies. An open middleware platform must support all of these technologies, streamlining content delivery across multiple devices.
Some of today’s more sophisticated open middleware platforms include robust content security, giving operators the power to control programming based on a user’s location and deliver geographically relevant information to any mobile device.
Delivering video services over the open Internet gives consumers the ability to potentially share their accounts with friends. To counter this, video service providers require a service delivery platform with advanced content security capabilities, like content leasing. Using a feature like content leasing, service providers can control the number of simultaneous viewers of a movie rental while enabling the content to be viewed on second household screens – like an iPad, for example. This eliminates the threat of content being paid for once and shared amongst endless viewers, maximizing a content provider’s revenue potential.
Delivery of video services over the open Internet presents other security challenges, as well. For example, content rights are based on a strict geographic licensing arrangement. In a simplistic content delivery environment, where content is sent to an in-home TV or set-top box (STB), service providers were easily able to meet their content licensing arrangements. In today’s multi-screen world, with a growing number of mobile devices in the hands of consumers, service providers must ensure that content isn’t being viewed outside of the area where the provider has secured rights to that content. If a subscriber travels outside of their home country, for example, an operator requires a service delivery platform that employs geo-blocking to restrict access beyond the agreed region.
Another powerful functionality of an open middleware platform is place-shifting, which enables users to set up account rights across multiple devices, including set-top boxes, in order to optimize content for different household users. Through place-shifting, a subscriber can begin watching a movie on a smart-phone while on their commute home from work, and then continue watching the same movie at home on a Smart TV, without losing their place in the movie. Subscribers have the flexibility to pause, stop and continue viewing video content; watch movie and TV show trailers; purchase VoD content; tag content as “favorite” content; and much more – all while maintaining a consistent user experience from one device to another.
As service providers begin delivering content across the open Internet to a plethora of devices, subscriber self-management also becomes increasingly more important. Historically, a provider operated under a content delivery scheme that delivered service to a single household device and location. Subscriber self-management was not an important feature under this setup, because subscribers were only watching television content on one device: the TV. But in today’s multi-screen world, it is essential that service providers embrace an open middleware platform that supports multiple users and devices.
Using an intuitive user interface, subscribers can register all of their household devices and appoint a household administrator, who can efficiently maintain individual preferences across many devices. After setting up the household’s users from a portal, an endless number of devices and user accounts can be managed. Without an effective subscriber management tool, subscribers would be challenged to set up controls for all of their IP-connected devices. For example, if one household consumes television content on 10 different devices, it would be time-consuming and complex to manage all of the devices without a unified subscriber management system.
Subscriber management is also an essential tool for challenging use cases like a family who, for example, watches television content across a broad range of devices, including tablets, netbooks, smart-phones and Smart TVs, and wants to set up parental controls to restrict youth from watching violent or expletive content.
Service providers today have already achieved deployment of multi-screen video services. Their next step is to provide a unified experience across all devices.
Most of today’s multi-screen services are based on a siloed approach rather than a single back office middleware solution. Utilizing a siloed content delivery method, all data for tablet devices is managed on one closed middleware system, while smartphone data is controlled by another closed system, and so on, meaning a service provider cannot offer unique features such as place-shifting and parental controls because they are operating disparate systems that don’t communicate with one another.
Powering multi-screen video services with an open service delivery platform, service providers can choose best-of-breed video equipment and more rapidly deploy value-added multi-screen services with sophisticated functionalities, like place-shifting and parental controls. An open middleware platform also enables immersive 3-D graphics and a level of customization not possible with closed, proprietary technology, enabling operators to deliver video services based on language, region and a variety of other parameters that all add up to a superior quality of experience for end-users.
IT and Business Execs Differ on Cloud Advantages
Excerpted from Baseline Report by Dennis McCafferty
The cloud has established itself as a valid, value-enhancing computing option rather than just another techno buzzword.
Four out of every five new commercial enterprise applications are deployed on cloud platforms, according to industry research, and more than half of Global 1000 companies will store customer-sensitive data in the public cloud by the end of 2016.
Yet, while cloud adoption appears to be a must-have for many organizations, the motivating factors that drive this trend differ among IT and business executives, according to a recent survey from Host Analytics.
Technology leaders primarily turn to the cloud to achieve better ways to meet compliance requirements, with a secondary goal of improving ROI on IT investments. The business side, however, focuses primarily on ROI.
IT execs and their staffs also view the cloud as a means to resolve a lingering issue that affects the bottom line: the abundance of outdated — yet business-critical — on-premise applications. More than 325 CIOs, IT managers and business executives took part in the research, which was conducted by Dimensional Research for Host Analytics.
Coming Events of Interest
2013 Symposium on Cloud and Services Computing - March 14th-15th in Tainan, Taiwan. The goal of SCC 2013 is to bring together, researchers, developers, government sectors, and industrial vendors that are interested in cloud and services computing.
NAB Show 2013 - April 4th-11th in Las Vegas, NV. Every industry employs audio and video to communicate, educate and entertain. They all come together at NAB Show for creative inspiration and next-generation technologies to help breathe new life into their content. NAB Show is a must-attend event if you want to future-proof your career and your business.
CLOUD COMPUTING CONFERENCE at NAB - April 8th-9th in Las Vegas, NV.The New ways cloud-based solutions have accomplished better reliability and security for content distribution. From collaboration and post-production to storage, delivery, and analytics, decision makers responsible for accomplishing their content-related missions will find this a must-attend event.
Digital Hollywood Spring - April 29th-May 2nd in Marina Del Rey, CA. The premier entertainment and technology conference. The conference where everything you do, everything you say, everything you see means business.
CLOUD COMPUTING EAST 2013 - May 20th-21st in Boston, MA. CCE:2013 will focus on three major sectors, GOVERNMENT, HEALTHCARE, and FINANCIAL SERVICES, whose use of cloud-based technologies is revolutionizing business processes, increasing efficiency and streamlining costs.
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