Lets start this story at the beginning, many years ago TV was invented, it was all live broadcasts and it was all in Black and White. Many years later colour TV was introduced and with it pre-recorded programs became common place. Then VCR's were introduced much like cassettes had been for music players and people enjoyed their favorite programes at their own leisure as repeats were few and far between. TV trundled along for many years with pay TV stations on cable and satellite being introduced and a raft of programs from around the globe on our sets.
Then the digital age hit, DVD's gave us access to more of the programs and films long since forgotten, the government forced us to switch to digital, but for once it brought benefits like more channels (though not all good but we were used to that on cable and satellite) and more opportunities to access our favorite programs from around the globe. The internet then opened up more opportunity to share those videos we couldn't get on terrestrial TV, or on DVD, or in our own country. We now had access to all those old show and new internet only material, like we'd seen happen with music online, access to the content we wanted when we wanted.
The broadcasters pushed the government to bring HD to the terrestrial mold, the government dragged their heels for years until they saw the paid TV channels were leaving everyone else behind, then almost too late for the majority of people they created a new standard that was so individual people won't actually get HD for five more years, when they upgrade hardware again.
But the another standard was launched by the internet and cable companies in the form of Video on Demand, ways people could access vast amounts of legal video (not the bootleg copies) without buying lots of DVD's. It brought digital files more inline with the music industry.
So all the terrestrial broadcasters got together and tried to make their name in Video on Demand with a project called Kangaroo. It could have saved British TV from its own sliding figures and brought high quality programs back to another screen. Alas it wasn't to be (but that's another rant) instead it became another commercial operation. These broadcasters were not beaten they knew their next stage was to bring the internet video to the TV set so they launched Project Canvas.
What we know about canvas is little, the reason being, simple politics. BBC Trust, Office of Fair Trade, Competition Committee and anyone else you can think of won't just support a format that could possible bring money to the UK, no that would be silly when American companies do so well taking it out.So the project has had to be secretive until it can get over all these hurdles, but who can blame them after Project Kangaroo was so shamelessly knock down.
What we know about Canvas:
- It's designed for freeview, freesat, IPTV - does this mean I only need one piece of equipment for all saving me, the consumer money to spend on paid services.
- It brings Video on Demand to TV - meaning I can never miss a show, plus there will at last be something good on as older shows should be available, increasing my enjoyment and their life span.
- All the major terrestrial players are involved - great, at least I know it will work.
- It will be up datable software- sorry up datable you mean I get new services without paying for new equipment, its too good to be true.
While canvas will bring everything to a standard that will update and improve regularly over time, and whilst it will straighten out the random manufacture specific interfaces not everyone is happy. Mainly cable and satellite companies.
So lets ask why, satellite doesn't like it. Satellite doesn't like doing anything unless a) its profitable or b) it prevents others gaining on their market. Well I say wake up, this is an opportunity for you to help mold something very successful, that could increase your profitability and what have you got to loose, err stubbornness. Your a company who could make international profit from this by taking it out of the UK and making it a global standard, you could also make all your brands accessible to all countries, again being a profitable trend setter whilst saving you money.
With cable companies why are they moaning its mainly due to them making a new interface with Tivo. Lets be honest we hate Tivo in the UK, it never took off and I hate to say it, but it might never do again. I'm a big fan of cable TV as they introduced me to Video on Demand and through friends, many weird and wonderful shows and guess what? I paid for content because of it. But you've been slow on moving on, you brought video on demand to the masses but never continued to push up with it, you brought forth HD, but now your only thinking about pushing it to viewers properly. You needed to do more sooner, your behind the times and loosing because of it.Canvas could help you catch up and push you forward quicker and cheaper.
So both of you just stop bloody moaning your the heavy waits in comparison and as we all know there is safety and more affect in numbers so how can you blame the project canvas group. Quit getting defensive and look at the possibility of joining the ranks of project canvas, if I could buy a box that meant just popping in cables and viewing cards to watch premium content then I'd be first to do it but I'm sure I wouldn't be the last. And if it was a familiar interface it just makes it easier for me to access it all.
I'm sure I'll talk more about project canvas in the future and I'm sure there will be things I will hate about it, but anything that will help me access more of the programs I love on my TV can only be a positive. Particularly if those are programs from long ago, rare or ones I've not seen since broadcast.
So bring on project canvas.
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