Pioneer creates iTunes, YouTube rival
Web-based telly
A Pioneer-created TV service will soon enter public testing and allow consumers to download unlimited numbers of TV shows for a monthly fee.
SyncTV: how the service could look
Dubbed SyncTV, the project began inside Pioneer’s research labs, and will eventually enable users to subscribe to individual channels for between $2 (£1/€1.50) and $4 (£2/€3) per month, with the option to download episodes individually for an additional fee.
It’s not known exactly which TV channels will be available through the service yet, or how may there’ll be to choose from, but it’s expected that users will get access to every programme broadcast by each channel featured on SyncTV.
The service is currently being put through an internal testing process. But in Janaury, it’ll be launched to a select group of public beta-testers.
SyncTV's President, John Gildred, told Reuters that the service will provide “home theater quality” content and a picture resolution as good as DVD, and perhaps even high definition.
Gildred added that downloads will be based on "open standards" and that the company is currently “courting” consumer electronics manufacturers to develop devices capable of playing the standard. He expects such devices to be available in 2008.
Wanna-be guinea pigs can apply to get involved in the test programme through SyncTV’s website.
COMMENTS
Apple?
Why is Pioneer creating iTunes, which is to be a YouTube rival? Someone should tell Apple...
Lesson for the BBC
Pioneer seem to have no problem supporting Mac and Linux from the outset, it's time the BBC provided a platform independant download service or scrapped their MS only product.
In the UK
So most in the uk will be able to see a couple hours of TV a month, then in kicks your "unlimited" usage policy and your screwed.
Downloading, not streaming
"Ensuring it reaches a target audience several hops and contention ratio's away at the same quality it was put on the wire is another matter."
Its does not appear to stream the shows but download them so the quality should not be affected just the time it takes to download.
Dilema
Should I now remove my Freeview PCI card which also acts as a PVR then sign up and pay to watch poorer quality TV?
I think not.
The president of the company tells you it will provide home theatre/DVD or even HD quality. Now that's an easy claim to make, setting up high quality video streaming is a very simple task. I can access the streaming output of my freeview card anywhere on my 100Mbs LAN, and it is perfect, therefore I can provide high quality TV. Ensuring it reaches a target audience several hops and contention ratio's away at the same quality it was put on the wire is another matter.
It's just more frivolous and pointless bandwidth hogging in the hope of making money.
