JamieG Analysis

I common theme of my blog is is the road map to the future of Video on the net.  In short, the use and implementation of proprietary processes and set top boxes is going nowhere fast.

I have also referenced the BBC as an example of an organisation who actually “GETS IT”.  Their latest developments are starting to show why and make everything else look like a child who is not getting his way.  (Read the BBC blog entry below for examples)

See “Wii becomes home of online video” on the BBC blog.

The BBC have realised that supporting standards that allow video to be displayed on all devices, especially Set Top Box (STB) type devices like the Wii, is what will drive the move to online video in a big way.

This is where the BBC is doing a big favour to the rest of the world.  Currently we have a lot of consumer devices that could bring video from the web to our TV very simply.  If they only decided to follow a standard.  Unfortunately this is not what they want as each player is trying to capture the market in a kind a walled garden in which they own the viewer. (Ie the view will either purchase content of them , or watch free content with advertising inserted by them..  Either way, they intent to clip the ticket.)

To bypass this, BBC has basically implemented the many different “CUSTOM STANDARDS” or more precisely, the exact requirements of many STBs and wireless devices.  In effect the tail is wagging the dog.

In effect, what this is likely to do is to demonstrate that we do not need the proprietory AppleTV’s, PS3, Xbox, MediaCentre etc type devices to make working models for the distribution of media.  This will demonstrate that in most, if not all cases, direct producer to consumer models can work.  And if you consider this takes out an expensive middle man, it is a win-win for the consumer.

If a standard was developed, it is likely that it would be adopted as was the typical “Analog TV Tuner” that has been in every TV sold such that we could plug it in, plug in the aerial, switch on and watch.  It follows that in the future of the internet society we will have the same functionality for moden day TV’s.  In this case, instead of an ariel, its an connection the the internet.

The BBC’s massive growth in viewers demonstrates this unavoidable future and is hopefully de-constructing the FUD (Fear, uncertainty and doubt) marketing of the Apple, Sony and Microsoft of this world.

BBC you are my hero.