Must read post from Stoned (at RB)...
By: stoned
Reply To: None Sunday, 16 Apr 2000 at 12:10 AM EDT
Post # of 182337
NAB : final notes/thoughts ?
Forgive the random and often scattered notes, especially if repeated earlier on RB.I have found it impossible to keep up with all the posts! Below are my notes from several discussions with personnel from many of the booths I visited ?
WXP is a competitive product to Geocast. Difference is mainly they have a closed system, we are open. As a result, Geocast has been turned down by broadcasters who want to utilize an open standard. WXP has NOT YET been turned down by anyone they have approached !!! Feedback has all been positive. WXP rollout is on track. Deals are in the works. We have at least a 6-9 month LEAD over Geocast.
I was told to keep this in mind --- signing up the independent stations, like Sinclair, is MORE SIGNIFICANT than signing a major network, at this time !!! (more eyeballs, I think because the independents have more stations in any given viewing area (they might be in a major and several surrounding minor cities), whereas the networks have only one station in a major area, and don't have much presence in the suburbs. But it is safe to expect agreements in place with major networkS (notice the "s") within one year.
The rollout of WXP will occur faster for PC's, than for STB (because of the sheer numbers involved).
WXP intends to be available in select markets by Christmas 2000. The reason for the "select" is due to the availability or lack thereof of RECEPTION, and in highly populated cities.
When I specifically asked about the existence of any OBSTACLES to deployment, I referred to the minor kind,
such as normal production time, time to get deals signed, product shipping times, and other normal steps expected
and anticipated in a normal product rollout versus major stumbling blocks such as : production snafus, product doesn't work, major objections by potential vendors or partners, etc. ANSWER : NO MAJOR OBSTACLES. The product has been manufactured and tested with total success. One possible sticking point is that the tests were all done at 2Mb speeds. WXP would like to see speed capabilities increased to 15mB - not sure how long this will take manufactures to achieve, or if it will be easy. Also, DTV reception is/will be spotty, as is regular TV reception and this is a small limitation for folks in rural areas or those surrounded by buildings ( a la NYC).
I saw demos and had WXP explained in each of about 6 booths I visited. It is TRULY AWESOME !!! The streaming video of a fashion show was incredibly. Victoria's Secret would have died to have had this during their Super Bowl Broadcast ! Other content shown was Rawdio, Games, News, Weather, Stocks. Similar to DVD in that you get to select what you see. For instance, you could look at a text screen on the left of the screen showing all of the content of the 11 o'clock news. Then you could select the parts (stories) you wanted to see. Skip right to Sports first, leave out the commercials and the Weather. All in all a classy screen, and great features. User can select how much of their hard drive they want to devote to WXP, i.e., when they get downloads, how much content do they want to receive (in Mb or as a % of their free disk space). An on screen meter tells user how much of that space is available for more content downloads - similar to the bar chart that shows the progress during a program installation. User can COMPLETELY customize the screen to show only the types of content they are interested in.
When you choose to use software that requires a subscription (a game, or a software program or news service, etc.) you are automatically brought to a WAVE menu for practically one click payment, and then the item is auto loaded !!!! SLICK, QUICK & EASY !!!
I asked if Viruses were an issue ?.. Not really since the source is usually a trusted content provider. But one could always buy a subscription to an anti-virus software program and it would instantly and automatically download new updates when they became available and then run !
WXP is focusing on the Broadcaster for now, consumers will come later - without the former, no consumers will sign up. KILLER CONTENT is the KEY !!!
Cybercom trials went well. Expect an announcement SOON !!!! Wave is it !!!!!
WXP / ITVU / Phillips won OVERALL BEST OF SHOW .
Beta testing this summer, where we will try to learn which content is of most importance to the CONSUMER. USB dongle WORKS. Not in production yet, but will be soon.
HAUP has a new digital TV tuner card (Theatre model) with the Wave chip built in -available NOW at Comp USA. Much has been said about the fact that HAUP was in the Microsoft Partners booth. It's a bit involved, but not much should be made of this non- event. Instead, know that WXP and Microsoft WERE TALKING at NAB, but I don't know the gist or seriousness of the discussions, or who approached who.
ALL personnel I spoke with were extremely excited. To quote one discussing WXP :
" Its' Gonna Work !!!"
Sorry for the long diatribe ! That's it ? |
