Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/118463
9 Broadcasters Show Daily SES: TRANSMITTING MEDIA INNOVATION Handheld devices. Interactive programming. On-demand access. Change and adaptation are nothing new to the media industry. But the pace and volume seems to be more relentless than ever, primarily because innovation and development in other sectors such as consumer electronics and internet technology are converging on media distribution. SES is working hard to innovate and develop standards to bring content to consumers through a variety of direct-tohome models, which now take into account the explosion in end devices that is fuelling a move away from traditional TV habits. For more than a year, SES has been working with customers and industry partners to develop the SAT>IP protocol. The idea is to maintain it as an open standard available to everyone to help keep satellites at the forefront of broadcasting innovation. In SAT>IP, a set-top box about the size of the average wireless network router demodulates satellite signals and converts them to IP before feeding the signal into a home or larger network. Since the signal is then sent through the entire computer network, SAT>IP offers end users the opportunity to watch the full variety of satellite TV programming, including HD channels. The type of home network is irrelevant, whether it's using traditional cables, wireless functionality or even powerline networks that rely on a home's electricity network. Current prototypes allow viewing of up to eight HDTV programs simultaneously on eight different screens in a sin- gle network. Each device communicates with the set-top box using standard internet communication protocols to request access to individual programming, which are then served up by the set-top box. "This gives millions of consumers access to satellite TV on multiple screens at the highest quality possible," said Thomas Wrede, VP Reception Systems, SES. "Everyone in the house can watch what they want with no degradation in quality and even move around within the network without losing connectivity." The intriguing angle to the protocol is not just getting the IP signal onto handheld devices and TVs, but also its scalability. Commercial applications are a serious consideration for the technology and allowing satellites to provide pay TV and interactive TV services in hotels, hospitals and other large institutions opens up a number of possibilities. Even though SAT>IP is still in its infancy with many yet-to-be discovered opportunities, SES is already thinking of the next steps. Whether it's watching a championship match in the backyard, downloading an episode from years past in the kitchen or ending the constant battle over what to watch – or for valuable bandwidth, SES satellite technology has the future of media distribution covered. For more information, visit booth SU1911, go online to www.ses.com.com, call 609-987-4267 or email namarcoms@ses.com. TMS DISCUSSES SECOND-SCREEN APPS AT DIGITAL HOLLYWOOD MEDIA SUMMIT By Shannon Oborne, Vice President of Marketing Second-screen apps: immersion or distraction? That was the question posed at the Digital Hollywood Media Summit recently to a diverse group of panelists. I had the privilege of sharing the stage with experts from Verizon FiOS, EPIX, Nielsen and Cisco for a fascinating discussion that ranged from economics to consumer behavior. Some interesting takeaways from the event: When it comes to companion apps, enhancement of live viewing shouldn't necessarily be the goal. Playing along with the Oscars is one thing (see Chuck Parker's excellent post). But linear TV content generally doesn't benefit from polls, trivia and other real-time distractions. What's the better strategy? Keeping the fan base engaged before and after their favorite shows air on TV. An exception to this is children's programming. The touch-screen generation moves easily from passive viewing to interactive play, creating fertile ground for apps that are tied to a live show. Developers who capture this imagination (without improperly capturing private data) may be among the most successful winners in the second-screen game. Content discovery and navigation are core functions for the most popular apps. Personalized favorites, recommended content and the new Social Soundtrack (credit Deb Roy from Bluefin Labs) have replaced channel surfing in our lives. One provocative comment—that 30 percent of FiOS subscribers use game consoles or other devices in lieu of the traditional set-top box—sparked a lively debate on the future of hardware. For service providers, the adoption of these devices is an economic win that takes significant support costs out of the equation. But don't expect this model to be the norm any time soon—the wide majority of households just aren't ready to drop the box. After an hour of conversation, did we ultimately answer the question? Not exactly. And that's OK—this story arc has only begun to play itself out. For more information, visit www.tribunemediaservices.com, call 518-792-9914 or email TMSMarketing@tribune.com.