Video Breakthroughs

France Telecom’s Viaccess-Orca launched a service package for second screen integration and engagement with a focus on enhanced metadata at IBC2012.

Called DEEP (Data Enrichment and Engagement Platform), the package enables pay TV operators to link PCs, tablets, smart phones, games consoles and other IP devices in the home more tightly to the service, and stimulate further activity around the content.

DEEP builds on existing standards such as DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) that facilitate automatic device discovery, and also on browser technology, adding new metadata creation methods developed by Viaccess-Orca itself, along with key contributions from two partners, TVersity and Audible Magic. TVersity provides the media server technology on top of DLNA, UPnP or the browser to enable devices to exchange content, supporting games consoles, most set top boxes, Blu-ray players, smart TVs, phones, PCs, and tablets. This comes as software loaded onto a PC, which can then discover devices automatically if they are DLNA or UPnP client. If not then the device can join in by pointing its browser to the PC.

Audible Magic’s contribution is its patented SmartID and CopySense automated content recognition (ACR) system using digital fingerprint technology to identify content by analyzing either audio or video image signals. Audible Magic claims that the system identifies content correctly over 99 percent of the time with zero false positives, at sub-second response time, and can do it on video clips down to five seconds in length.

The latest release of the zeebox television companion app adds a remote control feature. Virgin Media subscribers in the United Kingdom will be able to use the zeebox app on an Android smartphone as a remote control, while zeebox will automatically recognise which channel they are watching. Similar features will be coming to Sky+ subscribers and users with an Apple iPhone or iPad.

Anthony Rose, the co-founder and chief technology officer of zeebox, told informitv that zeebox connects over a local wi-fi network and uses DLNA Digital Living Networking Alliance and UPnP Universal Plug and Play protocols to query what is playing on the device and can control any number of set-top boxes on the same network, collectively or individually. 

It is pretty clear where the major Connected TV vendors are heading this year, adding value to their platforms by integrating companion screen experiences (initially focused on tablet/phone remote control and programme guides) and by making multimedia content sharing around the home easier. Both of these will provide a value-add for consumers beyond the provision of on-demand or even increasing volumes of live TV through the apps. The expansion of tablet ranges means there will be more focus on multi-screen delivery of video content as well, with Sony likely to lead the way there thanks to its Video Unlimited content offer.