TV IP

Review of U.S.-based TV-IP developments, in The Washington Post:

“Now comes a fresh group of contenders for the Internet TV throne, all trying new twists on sending video over the global computer network. They carry funky names, too, like Akimbo, DaveTV, RipeTV and TimeshifTV. All are trying to exploit the increasing number of high-speed Internet links in homes and the declining costs for transmitting and storing digital video Some offer personalized entertainment networks, ones you or I create by mixing and matching niche programs that appeal to our inner couch-potato. Like TiVo, the digital recorder company, these services are trying to break away from the static program lineups that dominate today's TV. Unlike earlier Web video networks -- flops such as Pseudo.com and Digital Entertainment Network -- today's contenders collect content from other companies rather than producing their own. Most of the new players are operating on the fringes of the Internet video free-for-all. That's because virtually all the leading cable and satellite companies, along with the movie studios, are rushing to develop their own video-on-demand services. “ (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2165-2004Oct27.html?)

European TV-IP plans reviewed by Wired

“The BBC is quietly preparing a challenge to Microsoft and other companies jostling to reap revenues from video streams. It is developing code-decode (codec) software called Dirac in an open-source project aimed at providing a royalty-free way to distribute video. The sums at stake are potentially huge because the software industry insists on payment per viewer, per hour of encoded content. This contrasts with TV technology, for which viewers and broadcasters alike make a one-off royalties payment when they buy their equipment. Tim Borer, manager of the Dirac project at the BBC's Kingswood Warren R&D lab, pointed out: 'Coding standards for video were always free and open. We have been broadcasting PAL TV in this country for decades. The standard has been available for anyone to use... If the BBC had to pay per hour of coding in PAL we would be in trouble.' ( http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65105,00.html?)

TV Over Internet, http://www.tvover.net/TVStation.aspx, says it is " the most detailed guide of free TV over the Internet. The stations below will either be live TV or video on demand broadcasts. Below each description of the TV station, you will find the category and type of video stream in bold."

Actlab TV

URL = http://actlab.tv

"A non-profit based in Austin, TX is merging the free software and Copyleft communities through a new internet TV station: ACTLab TV. They are streaming Creative Commons, Copyleft, public domain content, and original videos using Alluvium software and their own media player. It's all open source, encouraging others to make their own audio and video streams. Their website was released this week and the player and demo stream will go public next week."(from slashdot)

An overview article on P2P 'streaming' infrastructure at http://open4all.info/up2speed.pdf It mentions the Open Source Streaming Alliance and the Direct Video Network.