Mobile
Open browsers needed to ensure OTT video growth
Editor ©RapidTVNews | 25-08-2010
The emergence of open browsers will drive the widest, fastest adoption of OTT video services by best addressing the requirements of both content service providers and connected TV manufacturers, argues a new white paper.
One of the biggest potential hazards to the emerging OTT video market is the interface that viewers will be presented with at their TVS. Many experts agree that a poor interface, as well as problems with EPGS, could well deter mass rollout.ad
In its white paper, on-demand TV software and solutions provider Espial argues that by adopting an open browser strategy, content service providers (CSPs) and TV manufacturers can achieve the best possible OTT performance, lowest total cost of ownership, least risk to deployment, and the highest scalability.
Espial says that CSPs typically build customised, embedded applications to deliver their services with brand differentiation and security. Even though this approach is attractive for CSPs, Espial warns that there is a real risk that it will eventually slow down market adoption of OTT services as when the number of OTT-enabled TVs increases, it will become more difficult for TV manufacturers to keep up with the volume of customised, embedded applications.
Indeed there could be a double-whammy where CSPS get overwhelmed with integrating and delivering upgrades and updates to the CSPs custom applications and also find it increasingly unrealistic to support the broad array of web-enabled devices they will want to target with their services.
Advocating the use of open standards, Cesar Bachelet, Senior Analyst at Analysys Mason said: “The use of open browser technologies will facilitate the economies of scale needed by key players within the value chain to accelerate the deployment of these services, whilst stimulating innovation and reducing development costs, thus driving mass market adoption.”
