SmartVideo to Launch Live On-Demand Content at CES

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=29816' target='_blank'>http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=29816</a><br /><br /></div><i>"SmartVideo Technologies, Inc., a Microsoft Windows Media(R) 9 Series Certified Hosting Provider, today announced that the Company will launch its premier streaming video service on January 6 at the world's largest consumer electronics show, CES International 2005, to be held in Las Vegas . As part of the launch, SmartVideo will announce its specific national content and distribution partners and will demonstrate the Company's state-of-the-art, high quality mobile video application. SmartVideo's initial content package, targeting mainstream consumers, will include live news, weather, sports, entertainment, children's programming, and a host of other content genres. SmartVideo's robust delivery of fully synced live video and audio to media mobile devices, including cell phones and mobile PDAs, at a minimum of 15 frames per second, provides a unique outlet for owners and distributors of live and on-demand video content to deliver their programming to any audience, anytime, anywhere around the world"</i><br /><br />This sounds pretty cool, but I just don't have the desire to watch live on-demand video on my phone. I would prefer to capture it on a PVR and then choose when I want to watch it and on what device. Is live video on your phone too little too late?

[TomB]

The killer in this whole deal is the content owners who are really gun-shy of 100MB copies of their $20 million films on the web - "secure" or not. So I think it is great that someone is out there aggregating mobile content in any format. It can only help pave the way for more services and competition. In fact, if you every want to see legal copies of anything recent on your mobile device, it is a good idea to support everyone who tries to break the mobile distribution ice.

I can't begin to tell you how much work and frustration it is to clear copyrights for a deal like this. Then you find that the video feeding frenzy you expected is over at BitTorrent where the content is what is in theaters now at zero cost. No way you can win considering you have to charge something to offset your $$$$$$$ content investments and all you can afford is "C" list content.

They have an uphill battle especially with their delivery model but best of luck to 'em anyways!