A second screen app that works; server systems down!

Posted on May 31, 2013 by theboss

Finally some clever people cracked it and created an interactive TV app that gets a high viewer engagement. Interestingly (??) on an activity that is natural with the content: namely answering the questions on a knowledge quiz.

The participation is so high that the servers could not handle it any more. Some figures: around 2M viewers (out of 17M people total), 2M downloaded apps, 300k active users. Is this a breakthrough: probably not. But there is some value if the TV content is suited for user interaction. Will try it myself one of these days. Do read more in the article on Richard Kastelein’s website.

Dutch TV Gameshow Format Second Screen Engagement Numbers Off the Chart [2147] | Second Screen – TV App Market – Second Screen, Social TV, Transmedia, Connected TV and the Future of Entertainment.

Viacom Report on TV-Related Social Media Use

Posted on May 24, 2013 by theboss

Good article giving the headlines on Viacom research about how users interact with social media about TV. Solid stuff, must read for those interested in social media with Tv or second screen interactivity. Good work Richard Kasteleijns from appmarket.tv.

Viacom Releases New Data on TV-Related Social Media Use [2128] | Social TV – TV App Market – Second Screen, Social TV, Transmedia, Connected TV and the Future of Entertainment.

Here is another link to summary information: http://allfacebook.com/viacom-social-tv-study_b117984

Here is a viacom.blog promo about social TV. Not exactly research but I guess it helps in hgetting a (rather positive) understanding about the phenomenon.

And not about this research but again trying to get more understanding about social TV…

A somewhat more detailed results report is here.

TV panel makers bet on Ultra HD growth

Posted on May 23, 2013 by theboss

UHDTV panels will be in the market. The success is yet unclear. But even with good HD content UHDTV panels should be able to present the picture more crisply and with more freedom to scale than today’s HD panels. Of course this only works in a normal living room on really big screens: that will limit the appeal somewhat.

TV panel makers bet on Ultra HD growth.

Lessons from a National TV Pilot

Posted on May 17, 2013 by theboss

This is an interesting report based on real experience demonstrating to the (overly?) critical reader that second screen interactivity with a TV show simply is an existing social network OR a very simple voting app. There will be an app for the Eurovision song contest: wonder if that is going to make a difference to the experience. It is the ultimate TV voting occasion though. Otherwise we do recommend Richard Kastelein’s site App TV Market for all your latest and greatest about the second screen and apps on TV.

via Screach: What We Learned About Second Screen From A National TV Pilot [2004] | Opinion – TV App Market – Social TV, Connected TV, TV Apps, Second Screen, Transmedia.

Motive Special: Tablet TV, TV-anywhere and takeway TV

Posted on May 15, 2013 by theboss

Streaming DTV to the tablet: ok for Free To Air! Some commercial stations object to this model. There probably can be no objection if the signal is FTA, which is the case in the UK. For Germany Satellite this is not the case for the commercial HD channels (they are on the encrypted HD-plus service). Apparently Motive has also done work on PVR, EPG and CAS/DRM integration and does sling-TV type TV-anywhere and downloading of recorded programs to portable devices, the latter two have loads of rights issues. All in all an interesting company. Read more on the links below.