NBCcoverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics is in full swing and the numbers tell you that people are watching. While there was some disappointment over the amount of online coverage, Microsoft, provider of Silverlight technology powering the Smooth Streaming, was quick to point out another side of this year’s coverage:
Now less than two years after Beijing the focus shifts from the amount of content available to how viewers interact with the content and the richness of the experience.
Every major Pay TV service provider, be they Cable MSO, Satellite, or IPTV, has some interactive offering, and engadget has a nice round-up of the major ones here, including:
However, no one is making a bigger splash than Ma Bell
AT&T* today launched the U-verse NBC Olympics Application, a new TV app that lets you watch up to four different channels featuring Olympic content on your screen at one time. The app also provides NBC Olympics athlete bios, event schedules, and the latest headlines and medal counts straight from Vancouver to your U-verse TV screen.
via AT&T- News Room.
Not only does AT&T bring the Olympics to your home, but they are powering the whole pipeline back from Canada for NBC
With consumers using more platforms than ever – including TV, PCs and mobile phones – to view high-definition video, NBC needed reliable network bandwidth to effectively deliver live and recorded Olympic Games content. Under a seven-event contract through 2012, AT&T is providing a managed private networking solution that connects NBC’s space in the International Broadcast Center (IBC) production facilities at the Olympic Winter Games with NBC facilities in the U.S. Through this networking arrangement, AT&T is able to transfer bandwidth-intensive, high-definition video from the Vancouver Games to NBC’s U.S. facilities, which are then able to distribute the coverage on televisions, AT&T mobile phones and NBCOlympics.com for video streaming of events.
via AT&T- News Room.
Enjoy a video clip of the interactivity below and Happy Viewing.