by ·Comments Off on SMPTE provides a glimpse of future TV tech

SMPTE logoThe SMPTE (Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineering) Annual Tech Conference was held last week in Hollywood. It’s one of those tools meetings, where most of the focus is on which technologies will carry the industry forward. Everyone wants the next big technological hit while avoiding perceived failures such as the 3D fad of a few years ago.

My buddy Andy Marken was on hand to cover the show in his own bite-sized style. For example, “Mary-Luc Champel, standard director for the MPEG ATSC (Motion Picture Experts Group, Advanced Television Systems Committee) noted that in studies as many as half of the folks got physically ill and that the industry would have to move slowly so VR didn’t suffer the same end as 3DTV.” Virtual reality is amazing, but maybe it’ll have trouble going mainstream? It’s much too long for me to run the whole thing here, but you should check out Andy’s full report and see for yourself.

by ·Comments Off on Most folks still watch video on TV

Cartoon figure reclining and watching televisionThe Video Advertising Bureau released its latest State of Digital Video report (PDF), and none of its results are very surprising to anyone who’s been paying attention. Going by the number of minutes watched, 89% of video viewing was on a television set, 10% on a desktop computer, and only 1% on a smartphone. If you go by monthly reach, 93% watched TV but 83% used a smartphone. That just makes sense; no one uses their phone to settle in for a binge.

The VAB report also says that the smart TV is the fastest growing platform. If you drop by a Walmart or Target, it’s easy to see why; at least half of the TVs on the shelf are smart, and at competitive prices.

On the other hand, fewer people use desktop computers on the internet, and it looks like most of them switched to smartphones. Which is why I had to revamp this blog and FTAList.com to be mobile-friendly.

I could go on about all the info-nuggets from the infographics of the 33-page report, but if you’re curious, you really should go read the PDF!

by ·Comments Off on Study shows growth in OTT subscribers

Parks Associates logoAlmost two-thirds of US broadband households subscribe to at least one over-the-top TV service. That’s one of the findings of a Parks Associates report released this week. The report that also lists the top 10 OTT TV service for US viewers and notes that all of them gained subscribers since last year.

Here’s that Top 10 list:

  1. Netflix
  2. Amazon Video (Amazon Prime)
  3. Hulu
  4. MLB.TV
  5. WWE Network
  6. Sling TV
  7. HBO Now
  8. Crunchyroll
  9. Showtime
  10. CBS All Access

Not only are these OTT services adding more viewers, those viewers are watching more often on their TV sets instead of their computers. “We are clearly seeing OTT video moving to the television,” said Brett Sappington, Parks’ Senior Director of Research. “OTT users watch OTT services on their TV screens between 17-20 days per month, much more than platforms such as a PC, smartphone, or tablet.”

There are a lot more details in the announcement about the report, so you really should go read it!

by ·Comments Off on CES 2017 open for registration
Robot at CES playing beer pong

Where can you watch robotic beer pong other than at CES?

The January 2017 edition of CES (don’t you dare call it the Consumer Electronics Show) is now accepting registrations here. Every year, the show is a wonderful tumult of innovations in various stages of development (prototype, half-baked, blueprint, or vaporware). Some of those products will definitely make a difference in your life in just a few years, or even sooner. CES is also a great place to meet the people behind the TV innovations that we enjoy.

In past years, I’ve enjoyed some of you who read the blog, and it would be really nice to meet more. So sign up and drop me a line so we can get together and explore CES again.

by ·Comments Off on Vudu freebies improve DVR+ experience

Logos for DVR+ and VuduVudu released some great news for Channel Master DVR+ owners. Now Vudu will offer thousands of ad-supported feature films to view for free. That’s true on all of Vudu’s platforms, but it’s an especially good match on the DVR+,  which doesn’t require a monthly subscription fee for its guide data.

According to an article in Variety, the plan is to squeeze a little revenue out of some of the older films on Vudu’s virtual shelf. I’m also guessing it’s a way to bring in a lot more viewers who might be persuaded to pay a few dollars to rent the latest Hollywood blockbuster. “There’s no better value than free,” said Jeremy Verba, VP and GM of Vudu. “We see a gap in the marketplace for watching free HD movies on-demand.”

Vudu has been on the DVR+ for a long time now, but every title had to be purchased or rented. (Vudu also regularly offers TV pilots that can be “purchased” for free.) With YouTube and over a dozen other digital channels, it’s a strong incentive for DVR+ owners to plug into the internet. With a good set of broadcast channels, there’s no need to pay for entertainment.