- Works on More Devices Than Any Other Media Player
- Compatible With PS2s, 1,100 Mobile Phone Models, PCs, Internet-Connected TVs and Blu-ray Players
- Aimed at ‘TV Everywhere’ Service Providers
Widevine and Qtv have worked together to develop a media player that works on all "three screens" and plays Internet-based and locally stored videos and audio files. It allows a user to start watching on one device, say the TV, pause, and then start viewing at the same point on another device like a mobile phone or PC.
Qtv will soon launch its Internet TV Media Player which has the same user interface when used on any device. The company said it supports all popular music, video and picture formats.
Widevine is supplying its video optimization and copy protection (DRM) technology.
Qtv’s marketing target is the pay-TV industry — cable, satellite and telco — that can use the player in their "TV everywhere" offerings.
Widevine said its technology will allow content providers such as the pay-TV industry to rapidly expand the distribution of their content to new devices and customers with Qtv’s media player.
When it’s released in a few months, Qtv said, the media player will work on more devices, such as Sony’s PlayStation 2 (PS2), than any other media player. Qtv allows the PS2 to be used as a set-top box when connected to a TV. PS2s are installed in more than 140 million homes worldwide with 40 million in the US.
The Qtv media player can also be used on over 1,100 models of mobile phones — those that run Windows CE (3.x-5.x), PocketPC , Windows Mobile Smartphone (5.x-6.x), Palm, Linux and Symbian operating systems.
It works on PCs that have Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems.
The company said it’s adding support for the new Internet-connectable TV, set-top boxes and more mobile phones. It did not say which models.
Doug Light, Widevine senior VP of business development and sales, said Qtv will be able to deliver video and audio content, which Widevine technology has optimized and protected, to what may be the largest installed hardware base of any existing media player solution.
Widevine said its video optimization and DRM platform is supported in nearly all major brands and types of network-connected consumer electronics, including televisions, Blu-ray players, mobile devices and gaming consoles.
Widevine’s video optimization technology and multiplatform, multi-format DRM is a perfect fit with Qtv’s integrated three-screen solution, Qtv CEO Stacy Cook said.
Users can search and browse for content and also play their own content.
Each family member can have his own user name and password. Each can set up his own favorites, keywords, playlists, friends, payment settings and Internet and private content "channels."
Qtv also allows users to share their favorites with others.
It offers parental controls that allow the parent to rate the content that can be accessed or set the time of day that content can be accessed.
The price of the Qtv Media Player is $49.99; the company is offering it at a pre-launch price of $39.99.
Qtv says its media player will allow users to access:
- Internet Video: Live TV and on-demand movies, TV shows, shorts, clips and special interest videos, such as educational videos.
- Music videos, music subscription music services and Internet radio.
- Shopping: Online stores, auctions and food delivery.
- Services: News, weather, sports scores, games and local events.
Qtv promised to add more content providers.
The Qtv media player can be used to manage owners’ content and account settings for each content provider. It allows them to select only the "channels" they want, both those on the Net and those on their own devices. They can select which "channels" they want on each device, whether TV, mobile device or PC. Favorites from "channels" such as YouTube are automatically synched with the Qtv media player.
The media player’s content manager allows a user to add money to a wallet that can be use to shop for not only movies but also pizzas.
Austin, Texas-based Qtv is a division of privately held BroadQue International of Dublin Ireland. Qtv’s Web site is http://www.q-tv.com. |
