Fancast Launches Premiere Week, Catch Up On All Your Favorite Shows (And Win A Pair Of Movie Tickets)

At CES in January, Comcast announced their Fancast IPTV initiative and while we were a little annoyed that they held its vast selection of movie and television content close to the chest (no embeds), nor could you watch anything in full screen, Fancast is now out of beta and rockin' TV's fall lineup.

A couple of days back Fancast launched Premiere Week, allowing you to watch new episodes of all this year's hot shows from the big networks plus exclusive cable channels such as Showtime. The great thing about this is that if you happen to miss a new episode of your favorite show, whether it be CSI, Bones, or Dexter, you can just head over to Fancast and watch it at your leisure for free.

They also provide a little added interactivity that you don't get watching your HDTV. Several celebrity guest bloggers have been added to mix to spice things up including two-time Dancing With The Stars winner Julianne Hough, Hannah Montana's Cody Linley, and the Goth Couple from last year's Amazing Race.

In some cases you'll even have access to content before it hits the bigscreen. In the case of Californication, the season two premiere was on Fancast for 48 hours before it aired on TV. I know I'm planning on catching up on last year's missed Dexter episodes in a few, in fact I have to check out the season premiere I missed as well. Why don't you join me at Fancast and check it out!

Watch Your Favorite TV Shows At Fancast

By the way, if Fancast has saved your ass from missing a key television episode since its launch and there's a wild and wacky story behind it, tell us about it in the comments. The funniest story will get its teller a pair of free movie tickets from Fandango courtesy of RocketXL.

Discovery Channel Teams Up With YouTube, Sony To Reach Fans Around The Globe

Discovery Channel is going web 2.0, launching nine YouTube channels "featuring a robust collection of clips from Discovery's family of world-class network brands". The new partnership, says the network, will provide deeper engagement with American fans while supplying a little leverage to push content around the globe. In fact, Discovery has plans for "targeted international Channels showcasing localized and native language content for specific regions around the world".

Meanwhile Discovery's consumer products wing, Discovery Commerce, has paired up with Sony to provide Sony Blu-ray player buyers a coupon redeemable for a high-def program sampler, Discover on Blu-ray Disc. The sampler will feature episodes Fearless Planet and Sunrise Earth and the program will begin October 5 in over 11000 US retail locations.

Intel, Yahoo, And Comcast Team Up To "Webify" Your HDTV

Both Yahoo and Comcast have called upon Intel to develop an architecture that will bring interactive widgets directly to your TV screen. In Yahoo's case, widgets will be based on the current Yahoo Widget Engine and distributed via a dedicated Widget Channel from which you can view all kinds of interactive and useful internet content such as stock prices and news reports. You'll also be able to interact with your online friends, throwing a bit of a social networking component in the HDTV mix.

Comcast is planning on building the Widget Channel on top of its tru2way platform, a next-generation cable platform that'll bring a whole new level of interactivity into your HDTV viewing.

via betanews
(Picture Credit: BBC)

Report: 50% Of Online Viewers Replacing Traditional TV With Web Video

We've long thought that the real winners in the web video revolution would be the hardware makers that created the most innovative and usable streaming devices so web TV viewers could actually watch internet content on their big-screen TV's. Turns out we may be wrong.

A report from Integrated Media Measurement Inc. says about 20% of all traditional TV content is viewed online. Nothing really new there, but what's really interesting is that 50% of online viewers classified their web video watching as a complete replacement for TV. And what do these web video hardcores that have ditched the big screen for the small screen look like? IMMI says they're most likely between the ages of 25-44, bringing home upwards of $80, 000, and tend to have an extensive post-secondary education.

While most of us think that the younger generation, those between 13 and 24, make up the majority of online viewers, that's just not so. In fact, this demographic lagged making up only 19.1% of web video viewers compared to 29.1% of traditional TV watchers. Check out the thumbnails below to get a closer look at the findings.

Via Contentinople

NFL's Sunday Night Football Moves To The Web Thanks To NBC Agreement

The National Football League has been more than a little slow in moving into the internet world. But according to the LA Times, that move is finally about to happen. Starting September 4, when the Washington Redskins play the New York Giants, the NBC network will broadcast their television feed on their website and that of the NFL. That game happens to fall on a Thursday, but after that all of NBC's Sunday Night Football games will be streamed over the web, complemented by blogs, highlight clips and other interactive features.

The NFL receives about $3.7 billion per year in fees from networks for exclusive rights to broadcasts and this has been the main reason the football league hasn't gone digital in the past. With that kind of money exchanging hands, the NFL has been fearful of ticking off their broadcast partners and losing valuable television time. The project will run as a "one year experiment" for the time being.

Mark Cuban Knows How To Save Internet Video

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and an opinionated HD fanatic, has long thought web video to be dead when others think it's just a baby. But maybe it's not dead after all, as his latest online rant chronicles the strategy he believes could be the saving grace for internet TV. In a nutshell, scrap your computer, let the satellite and telcos handle it (and charge you for it) and bring it straight to your HDTV. How does this work? "Move the video cloud to the node and encode and insert into the traditional video distribution systems", says Cuban. That's right, video can be sent straight to a service provider's set-top box from where you can create custom playlists right from the comfort of your TV screen. TV distribution systems as they are work, so why not just move internet TV to traditional distribution systems and let your service provider handle it? Here's one reason why not: maybe we don't want an even bigger cable or satellite bill!

Via Blog Maverick

SanDisk's TakeTV and Fanfare Service Shuts Down

We told you about SanDisk's TakeTV PC-to-TV USB device and its accompanying Fanfare video portal back when it was first launched but it hasn't really been on our radar since. It seems it wasn't on anyone else's radar either, as SanDisk has announced it's closing down the service a mere 8 months after it first came to market. The TakeTV was a simple USB flash drive that carried content from the computer to the television, but with SanDisk's lack of experience in the content distribution market and only a couple of Fanfare deals with NBCU and CBS, the service never really got off the ground. If you already own a TakeTV flash drive, it'll still work, but you'll have to find your web video from other platforms than Fanfare.

Via paidcontent

Online Video Viewers To Move Into The Billions By 2013

According to a new research study by ABI Research, Over-The-Top Internet Video Strategies for Carriers, the number of online video viewers will hit the 1 billion mark by 2013. Online video is supplied by a growing number of players including content owners, user-generated video sites, internet portal, broadband video sites, and internet TV providers and distribution methods are constantly changing in order to reduce strain on broadband networks.

ABI says "content distribution networks that cache content closer to the user, peer-to-peer networks which leverage users' PCs, and hybrid networks which combine these two approaches" are becoming the most used online video distribution methods. While this is all and good, the real reason for outlining this data is to help out pay-TV broadcasters to come up with a game plan is they want to continue to compete. ABI says "providers should refrain from knee-jerk responses, or adopting defensive measures aimed at discouraging consumers from using those services...produce resentment from subscribers and likely defections from their services" but instead adopt an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach.

Pay-TV owners already have an existing broadband infrastructure giving them a technical advantage right off the bat, and can use this to supplement their traditional broadcasting methods.

Via ABI Research

Samsung OLED Laptop Hints At Web TV's Future

While we think web TV will hit its eventual "tipping point" once the home computer and home theater system have completely converged, for those that would just rather watch television on their computer screen may now have a high-end display solution. Samsung's 12.1-inch OLED laptop prototype features a WXGA AMOLED display which is the largest so far in size and resolution (1280x768). Ultra-thin and with a "kickstand" in the back, the keyboard features touch keys which we personally think would be a little awkward to work with on a computer. Interestingly, Samsung says by using thin film transistor (TFT) technology in the display, manufacturing costs are lower than with typical LCD displays and use less energy. What we're really wondering is if the recent revelation that Sony may have fudged the expected life of its XEL-1 OLED TV display says anything about risks associated with buying an OLED laptop. We have time to figure it out, it's only a prototype.

Via GoodCleanTech

HP Bringing YouTube To Its MediaSmart TV's

Just a few weeks after HP released a firmware update to the MediaSmart TV, bringing web video directly to the big screen via Windows Media Extender, the company has just announced it'll be bringing YouTube vids to the big screen as well. Users will be able to login to YouTube right on the MediaSmart set using the remote control and then watch, share and edit videos as well as create playlists. YouTube product manager Jim Patterson says that "people want to participate in the YouTube community in ways that fit their individual lifestyles" and that's why the monolithic video site feels bringing its vids to the living room is a smart choice.

Via HP

Hulu Launches YouTube Channel: Why Is Everyone So Surprised?

Just before last October's beta launch of Hulu, the NBC and FOX network-backed online video platform, NBC pulled all of its content off of YouTube in order to throw full support behind its fledgling web video startup. Just before the March 3 public launch of Hulu, NBC signed up for its own Hulu channel on YouTube, leading some to question whether Hulu is struggling with traffic numbers, forcing to leverage its main "rivals" massive traffic numbers to boost its own. But everyone seems to be forgetting that around the time of the beta launch in October 2007, there was a rumor circulating that stated NBC fully intended to head back to YouTube eventually, one day hoping the company would become a formal distribution partner to Hulu. NewTeeVee's Liz Gannes was able to contact Hulu and a spokesperson said, It was absolutely planned by Hulu. We know that there are opportunities to find audiences all over the web. These are short promotional clips and we're working with NBC and FOX on this.

Even though the YouTube Hulu channel is not part of a formal agreement between the two companies, it is catching the eye of millions--literally. With only 37 clips, all under 3 minutes long, the channel had about 4 million views in April, mostly in the form of Family Guy clips. And while that's impressive, we wonder how many viewers are heading back to Hulu. Is Hulu unwittingly turning itself into nothing more than a web video distributor rather than a destination site?

Broadcast TV Will Only Be Useful For Big Events In 15 Years: NBC's Ben Silverman

If you happen to be a broadcast TV fanatic, none to happy about the growing web and mobile TV sectors, you need to read this. Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC, predicts that within the next 15 years broadcast TV will be event-driven. The prediction, made during Silverman's keynote at the Upfront Summit, means that broadcast TV would be useful for nothing more than live events such as the Super Bowl and reality shows such as American Idol. Although traditional episodic shows will debut on broadcast TV, they'll have to extend to multiple platforms to survive. NBC plans to experiment this fall, attempting to drive TV viewers of its new series, Kath and Kim, online after each episode with extra scenes and storyline continuations completely unique to the web. Looks like it might be time for you to either look for an HD computer monitor or start tweaking your HTPC setup.

Via TVWeek

Apple Expected To Announce Big iTunes Movie Deal Today

Apple is expected to announce today a bunch of partnerships with movie studios that would see digital versions of newly released films to be available on iTunes the same day they're released on DVD. The releases are expected to come from the likes of Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate and New Line as well as boutique studios, Magnolia and Image Entertainment.

Back in January Apple announced that it had signed all of the major studios to a movie rental agreement, but has so far only offered older movies titles for sale via the iTunes platform. However, sales of older titles have been impressive enough for all of the major's to take the next step, even risking cannibalizing DVD sales by offering day-and-date digital releases. In fact a few titles as of late, such as the wildly popular Juno have already been released on iTunes the same day as the DVD release.

The announcement today should give us some more insight into Apple's iTunes movie revenues so far, which given today's announcement, we expect will be impressive.

Update: Sure enough Apple did indeed announce iTunes movie releases day-and-date with DVD releases. Says the Apple press release: "New releases and catalog titles will be available from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios. Movies purchased from iTunes can be viewed on an iPod® with video, iPhone™, Mac® or PC or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV®, with new releases priced at $14.99 and most catalog titles at $9.99."

Via Reuters

Blockbuster The Latest Partner In The Viacom-Led Premium TV/VOD Joint Venture?

Remember that Viacom joint venture we told you about last week? You know, the one which will culminate in a new premium TV channel and VOD service rolled out in the fall of 2009? It looks like Blockbuster will be an additional partner in the JV, exchanging an investment in the business for digital rights to its content. "According to people familiar with the situation", Blockbuster would be an obvious addition to the partnership, which also features MGM, LionsGate, and Viacom's Paramount. Viacom previously owned Blockbuster and its top-level execs know its business well.

Blockbuster has been in the process of digitizing its business as its bricks-and-mortar rental stores have been struggling badly ever since the inception of Netflix. In fact, it's been struggling so badly that one CNET editor predicted an upcoming bankruptcy for the rental franchise. Last year Blockbuster acquired internet movie provider MovieLink in a bid to distribute a greater proportion of its rentals online and has been on a bullheaded run to secure as much exclusive content for the service as possible. Taking in a part in the new venture would bring some high-quality movie content to the service.

So far Blockbuster has been pretty tight-lipped about any involvement. A spokewoman for the company only had this to say: We are busy transforming Blockbuster into a multiplatform provider of convenient access to media entertainment. To that end, we're exploring our options so it's not surprising there are rumors out there. We've heard that line before and from those past experiences we'll predict that what the spokewoman meant to say was: Yes, Blockbuster will invest in the Viacom JV in exchange for exclusive MovieLink content.

Via WSJ