ITV

Tag: NBC Universal

  • Visiware makes interactive TV game from ‘Fast and The Furious’ film

    Visiware makes interactive TV game from ‘Fast and The Furious’ film

    MUMBAI: Further to the license agreement between Visiware and Universal Studios Consumer Products Group to bring Universal Pictures properties to interactive TV gaming, Visiware has driven its latest game, The Fast and the Furious to the starting line.

    Inspired by the action film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, this sporting arcade game challenges players to experience the atmosphere of the underground Tokyo drift. For the uninitiated, this is a form of racing that replaces simple drag racing with a rubber-burning, automotive art form that consists of an exhilarating balance of speeding and gliding through a course of hairpin turns and switchbacks racing world. Viewers can do this all on their television screens.

    The game features three different modes in which the goal is to become the new Drift King. In Drift King mode, players race head-to-head against one to three opponents. In Pursuit mode, players must prevent their opponents from catching their car, while in Time Attack mode, players strive to set the fastest lap time. Authentic sound effects and images from the film are featured in the game.

    Visiware chairman Laurant Weill says, “We are happy to be partners with a group that has really made efforts to understand the interactive TV gaming market. It is a pleasure to work with Universal’s creative and professional team, especially on such an exciting project as The Fast and the Furious. We believe this is the best racing game available to date on interactive TV.”

    Universal Studios Consumer Products Group VP interactive Bill Kispert says, “The new film is an adrenaline ride, and Visiware embraced the challenge of creating an innovative racing game for iTV.

    “Whether racing against the clock, or fender to fender with an opponent, it’s fantastic that players can become armchair racers — and experience The Fast and the Furious brand — all with a click of their TV remote controls.”

    NBC Universal director of interactive TV, Jon Dakss says, “Visiware continues to push the boundaries of gameplay on the iTV platform. This game has wonderful balance and will appeal to racing fans and casual gamers alike.”

    The Fast and the Furious is the third game released by Visiware in collaboration with Universal. The first two games developed under the partnership were based on the blockbuster King Kong — included a quiz game and an arcade game.

  • The 2006 New York TV Festival announces MSN as the official online sponsor

    The 2006 New York TV Festival announces MSN as the official online sponsor

    MUMBAI: The New York Television Festival (NYTVF) has announced that MSN will provide online support and awareness as an official signature sponsor for the 2006 NYTVF scheduled to be held from 12-17 September 2006, in Manhattan.

    Currently in its second year, the festival provides an opportunity to artists to showcase original, independently produced TV pilots directly to network executives and industry officials.

    Commenting on the same, NYTVF founder and executive director Terence Gray said, “The goal of the NYTVF is to provide independent artists with a platform for getting their work seen by the decision-makers in the TV industry.”

    According to an official release, the Festival’s alliance with MSN is one component of a larger initiative the NYTVF is launching to unite independent artists from TV, music and film in the NYTVF Online Community. NYTVF will collaborate with MSN integrated services, MSN TV and MSN Spaces to create a resource to pilot-makers looking to interact or collaborate with other creative people locally and globally, where anyone with an original script can receive the guidance and support necessary to get an independent pilot off the ground.

    As the official online sponsor, MSN will provide the following services:

    MSN Video will have exclusive online rights to stream all NYTVF pilots submitted to the Festival’s Independent Pilot Competition at http://tv.msn.com/NYTVF, beginning in July.

    MSN Video will deliver an Internet webcast of the Festival and on-demand video content of panel discussions and special events featured at the 2006 Festival.

    MSN Spaces will be the official blogging platform for NYTVF participants for the organization’s Online Community.

    In an attempt to present independent pilots to a worldwide audience, MSN GM Entertainment and Video Services Rob Bennett said, “Through the MSN relationship with NYTVF, consumers have the unique opportunity to see new television concepts and pilots in their purest form.”

    The release states that officially selected pilots featured at the 2006 NYTVF will be placed in one of the following five categories: comedy, drama, reality, educational or animation. To be considered for competition, pilots in all categories except animation must have a running time of between 15 and 22 minutes. Animation pilots must have a running time of between two and 20 minutes.

    The date of submission for the 2006 Independent Pilot Competition is 7 July. There is no fee for students with a valid ID.

    In its inaugural year, the 2005 NYTVF received more than 230 original independent pilots produced by artists from 24 states and seven foreign countries. The 2005 NYTVF was presented in association with TV Guide. The Festival worked in partnership with the William Morris Agency and in conjunction with the mayor’s office of New York City. Official network sponsors included NBC Universal, FOX, Comedy Central, VH1, VH1 Classic, Spike TV, A&E Networks, Rainbow Media, TV Land and Court TV, adds the release.

  • Optibase provides SmartVideo to Verizon & Cingular cell users in US

    Optibase provides SmartVideo to Verizon & Cingular cell users in US

    MUMBAI: A provider of advanced digital video high-end solutions, Optibase Ltd has announced that its IPTV streaming platforms are enabling SmartVideo to provide full motion TV to Verizon and Cingular mobile subscribers in the United States. SmartVideo is a provider of management and delivery solutions of content to mobile and cellular devices.

    Georgia-based SmartVideo is using the Optibase MGW 5100 TV streaming platform to encode and transmit live video received from satellite provider Crawford Communications over a dedicated network to SmartVideo’s facilities.

    At SmartVideo, the video is decoded using Optibase’s MGW 200 decoders and transmitted using SmartVideo’s proprietary technology to cell phones and other smart handheld devices. The content offering includes news, weather, sports and children’s programming from ABC news, NBC Universal, Fox Sports, The Weather Channel and others, informs an official release.

    “We are excited about the prospects in the cellular streaming market and this opportunity to take part in an innovative broadcast service that provides high quality live television directly to mobile devices,” said Optibase Inc president Adam Schadle. “SmartVideo benefits from the combination of our encoding and decoding offerings that yield a high quality, end-to-end video streaming solution.”

    “SmartVideo has distinguished itself from other service providers by its ability to deliver high-quality, reliable interactive video, audio and graphics simultaneously,” said SmartVideo president David Ross. “The Optibase platforms provide 24×7 services ensuring our customers receive the best possible service.”

  • NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    MUMBAI: NBC Universal and its 213 affiliate stations have formed a joint venture called National Broadband Co to sell news, lifestyle, sports, weather and other video generated by local stations,.

    The new company is intended to gives NBC stations access to millions of dollars in advertising migrating from traditional TV to the Internet.
    NBC Affiliates Board chairman Terry Mackin said, “The joint venture will allow us to serve the market that seems to have an insatiable appetite for video.”

    The company will be majority owned by NBC and offer behind-the-scenes and other video from the NBC Universal library along with footage produced by affiliates.

  • NBC Universal unveils new division to boost digital media

    NBC Universal unveils new division to boost digital media

    MUMBAI: NBC Universal has formed a new business unit, the Technology Growth Center (TGC), within the media giant to focus on new business opportunities in digital media. NBC Universal has tapped Darren Feher, the company’s chief technology officer, to run the group.

    Feher will be reporting to NBC Universal’s technology and operations division president and chief information officer of Media Works John Eck.

    “Today, consumers want to enjoy media any time and any where,” Eck said. “The TGC will help fulfill this demand by providing the necessary technology to foster a greater variety of distribution methods.”
    The new division will coordinate NBCU’s approach to technology across the company’s various distribution channels.

    TGC is organized into four divisions: Technical Product Development, developing technology in the areas of broadband, iTV, electronic-sell-through, mobile and wireless, DVRs and gaming; Policy, Strategy and Standards, focusing on increasing the influence of NBC Universal’s industry positions among standards consortia and in Washington; Emerging Technology and Research, working with GE’s Global Research Center and universities; and Anti-Piracy Technical Operations, with an emphasis on forensic watermarking, cracking down on Internet piracy, and raids and investigations, stated a media report.

    The division has already developed the technology that allowed NBC Universal to digitally send its TV content to Apple for distribution on iTunes, eliminating the need for digital beta tapes. Other TGC projects underway include DVD point-of sale activation, forensic watermarking, new peer based distribution technologies, download-to-own technology, DRM standards and automatic closed captioning.

    The TGC has also launched several interactive television projects, including a service that enabled DirecTV, EchoStar and Time Warner Cable subscribers to access medal counts, athlete biographies and news during broadcasts of the Winter Olympics in February. More recently, the TGC has facilitated online voting in several NBC shows, including Deal or No Deal.

  • NBC Universal signs deal with UK video on demand firm FilmFlex

    NBC Universal signs deal with UK video on demand firm FilmFlex

    MUMBAI: UK video-on-demand (VOD) service provider FilmFlex has signed a multi-year licensing deal with US media conglomerate NBC Universal to offer the studio’s current and library feature films.

    FilmFlex is a joint venture between Sony, Disney and the pay-TV specialist ON Demand Group.

    The deal covers films like King Kong, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Jarhead, Nanny McPhee and Pride & Prejudice. FilmFlex MD Andrew Keyte says, “The depth and breadth of films on offer is one of the key features that attract users to VOD. We are delighted that NBC Universal is providing some of its great movie classics and new releases for the FilmFlex service which further underpins our objective in creating the pre-eminent movie experience for cable customers in the UK.”

    FilmFlex says the deal makes it the largest movie Vod service provider in Europe, with some 500 films available at any one time.