• This interview by arranged by Cole Castellarin and recorded at the Visual Unity Global office in Prague, on the 6th of May 2014.
• As part of the course, Managing Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Turbulent Times, students were asked to conduct an interview with a local start-up company. The objective of the assignment was to gain an in-depth understanding of how these companies operate and grow within the business environment. Students were encouraged to seek out the obstacles and challenges that start-ups face, relative to their large multinational competitors. Also to determine which sort of advantages that can leveraged, to compete with established firms into the future. Conducting an in-person interview with the management team of a start-up allowed the students to obtain first hand, practical knowledge on the topic of start-up companies – specifically within the hi-tech industry.
• Vysoká škola ekonomická, Prague (VŠE)
• The University of Economics, Prague (VŠE) is currently the largest public university of economics in the Czech Republic. VŠE offers its students the ability to learn in many different fields, having six different faculties including: Finance and Accounting, International Relations, Business Administration, Informatics and Statistics, and Economics. VŠE offers not only a Bachelor’s programs, but also Master’s and Doctoral programs. Through the schools accreditation with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), VŠE has been able to establish a strong international presence, partnering with over 200 other schools across the globe, and sending over 700 students on exchange programs on an annual basis.
2nd Screen, Broadcast, Cole Castellarin, Connected TV, Digital Video, Gabriel Dusil, Internet Video, Linear Broadcast, Linear TV, Multi-screen, Multiscreen, New Media, Online Video, Online Video Platform, OTT, Over the Top Content, OVP, Recommendation Engine, Search & Discovery, second screen, Smart TV, Social TV, Streaming Video, Television, TV, TV Anywhere, TV Everywhere, University of Economics, Visual Unity, Visual Unity Global, Vysoká škola ekonomická, VŠE
6. Transcoding Challenges with H.265 HEVC & 4K UHD
• The video quality of entertainment is constantly improving, while viewing behavior is changing rapidly as well. H.265 (otherwise known as High Efficiency Video Coding, or HEVC) promises double the amount of video with the same bandwidth compared to H.264. Or viewed from a different perspective, video will be transmitted at half the bandwidth compared to H.264.
H.265 is becoming synonymous with 4K (4096×2160) and UHD (3840×2160). And true 4K from a broadcast perspective is becoming synonymous with HDMI 2.0. These three technologies need to converge to bring consumers to the next level in digital video.
The foundations of the H.265 standard were finalized over different stages throughout 2013, but it will still take time before consumers see this codec supported in consumer electronics. In addition, the industry still has to learn how to optimize the quality of compressed content so that it is bandwidth efficient, while still maintaining consistent high quality. Even though H.265 promises 50% efficiency, we’re not there yet as early tests reveal compression efficiencies to be between 15% and 35%. Bandwidth efficiency also translates to lower storage requirements which will be a welcome improvement for cloud service providers.
Figure i – H.264 vs. H.265 – Encoding Time
At the moment, encoding in H.265 is expected to take ten times longer than H.264 at the same frame size, so this will initially be a burden to encoding and transcoding services at the ingest stage. But this metric doesn’t tell the whole story. H.265 encoding should also be understood from the context of 4K encoding and higher color bit depth. Figure i attempts to show the encoding burden against time, represented along the horizontal axis[1].
When 4K becomes mainstream, and with 4K frames at four times the size of HD frames, it is estimated that encoding will take 40x longer than today’s HD @ H.264. That’s assuming we’ll be happy with 8-bit encoding (typically found in Blu-Ray and DVD movies). Time will tell whether the industry will accept 8-bit at 4K. It’s also possible that 10-bit will be synonymous with 4K, or maybe even 12-bit as the technology matures.
Time will tell…
[1] These are just estimates, and have not yet been lab tested.
• Entertainment Challenges in Today’s Digital Society
•? Check out additional thought leadership answers to the entertainment challenges in today’s digital society:
1. Is 2nd Screen a threat to broadcasters? What are the challenges for OTT moving forward?
• Understanding the entertainment market from ten thousand meters helps industry executives make strategic decisions. This leads to tactical initiatives that drive innovation, new services, and revenue growth. This Q&A series takes a top level view of today’s digital landscape and helps decision makers navigate through the latest technologies and trends in digital video. Gabriel Dusil, Chief Marketing & Corporate Strategy Officer from Visual Unity, discusses the ongoing developments in Over the Top (OTT) services, how these platforms are helping to shape today’s digital society, and addresses the evolving changes in consumer behavior. Topics include 2nd Screen, 4K Ultra High Definition video, H.265 HEVC, global challenges surrounding content distribution, and the future of OTT.
• About Gabriel Dusil
• Gabriel Dusil is the Chief Marketing and Corporate Strategy Officer at Visual Unity, with a mandate to advance the company’s portfolio into next generation solutions and expand the company’s global presence. Before joining Visual Unity, Gabriel was the VP of Sales & Marketing at Cognitive Security, and Director of Alliances at SecureWorks, responsible for partners in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Previously, Gabriel worked at VeriSign and Motorola in a combination of senior marketing and sales roles. Gabriel obtained a degree in Engineering Physics from McMaster University in Canada and has advanced knowledge in Online Video Solutions, Cloud Computing, Security as a Service (SaaS), Identity and Access Management (IAM), and Managed Security Services (MSS).
• 2nd Screen, 4K, Broadcast, Connected TV, Digital Rights, Digital Video, DRM, Gabriel Dusil, H.264, H.265, HEVC, Internet Video, Linear Broadcast, Linear TV, Multi-screen, Multiscreen, New Media, Online Video, Online Video Platform, OTT, Over the Top Content, OVP, Recommendation Engine, Search & Discovery, Search and Discovery, second screen, Smart TV, Social TV, TV Everywhere, UHD, Ultra HD, Ultra High Definition, Visual Unity
Below please find one of our videos we presented at NAB’14 this year. Our approach was to take the top seven pressing questions of our target audience, and provide a few touch points in how Visual Unity Global addresses these challenges. I am proud of our marketing department for the stellar preparation of these materials, and our overall presence at NAB’14.
We hope you also find this informative.
Press Release
Las Vegas, NV, USA:Leading OTT platform and multiscreen solution provider, Visual Unity Global will showcase the latest versions of its award-winning vuMedia™ and vuMobile™ platforms at NAB 2014 (South Upper Hall, Stand SU5514).
Winner of the ConnectedWorld.TV award in 2012, and ConnectedWorld.TV bronze in 2013, for the Best Use of Online Video by a Non-Broadcaster, Visual Unity’s vuMedia™ is an end-to-end OTT platform that allows broadcasters and content owners to control how their brand and assets are managed, delivered and monetized in the multiscreen environment. Highly scalable and modular, vuMedia™ delivers a cutting-edge live viewing experience on the web or any mobile or connected device. vuMedia™ also enables comprehensive Video on Demand services, social network integration and secures the distribution of content – all of which can be deployed into existing workflows and business processes.
The vuMobile™ is a cloud-based mobile web publishing and mobile marketing platform. With vuMobile™ clients can to build their own mCommerce (mobile commerce) store presence within 5 minutes. Through a modern responsive design, clients are able to categorize different types of products (for example consumer electronics or e-products) and choose from more than 40 payment systems. vuMobile™ incorporates capabilities that are designed to rapidly mobilize businesses and empower partners and resellers.
The latest improvements to vuMedia™ and vuMobile™ included a more streamlined user experience, enhanced payment and advertising capabilities, additional content monetization options, improved statistics, and much more.
Visual Unity will also be showcasing their new vuDiscovery™ service. This option is a robust recommendation engine integrated within vuMedia™, helping content owners and distributors to enhance their revenue streams through search & discovery. This modern recommendation engine combines viewing and purchasing habits, demographics, a collaborative engine, and other metrics, to provide suggestions that fuel viewing into the long tail.
“Visual Unity’s unique blend of broadcast and online video skills, coupled with proven experience in web and mobile delivery, is a crucial advantage to providing robust end-to-end digital video solutions,” says Tomas Petru, CEO of Visual Unity. “Visual Unity streamlines the integration of new multiscreen workflows into existing linear processes so that content can be efficiently delivered over the Internet or to any combination of mobile, tablets, laptops, or Smart TVs.”
Gabriel Dusil, Chief Marketing and Corporate Strategy Officer, adds: “vuMedia™ and vuMobile™ opens doors to a wide range of companies that have been waiting for an ideal cloud based service to monetize their past, present, and future content. Monetizing content is not just about selling content, it’s about building a business, awareness, and communication strategy around your brand. Furthermore, vuDiscovery™ further increases the average revenue per user [ARPU], since subscribers that stay longer within an OTT application, will inevitably spend more money”.
About Visual Unity Global
Visual Unity Global is a global provider of video and digital media solutions, enabling our clients to deliver premium quality video content over the internet. Our clients can measure, analyze and optimize their libraries over time and achieve optimal business success. Our platform capabilities inspire our clients to deploy their assets across multiple devices, screens, and media formats. Visual Unity helps clients manage, deliver and monetize their digital content.
Visual Unity is a Multiscreen Solution Provider, bridging the gap between linear broadcast, IT and IPTV to help clients reach and engage audiences on any screen. Since 1991, the team has been designing and delivering turnkey broadcast and complex multiscreen solutions worldwide – from HD outside Broadcast (OB) vehicles and major playout facilities to live internet streaming and Video on Demand services. Visual Unity’s award-winning vuMedia™ platform helps broadcasters and content owners control how their brand and assets are managed and monetized in the multiscreen environment. vuMedia™ is a highly scalable and a modular architecture, delivering a cutting-edge live viewing experience on the web or any mobile or connected device – all of which can be deployed into existing workflows and business processes.
Visual Unity is based in Prague, London, Munich, Nairobi and Los Angeles.
Gabriel Dusil from Visual Unity Global is Announced as a Featured Speaker at the OTT Video Executive Summit
April 14th, 2014. Prague, London, Dubai— Visual Unity Global, a leading OTT platform and multiscreen solution provider,announces Gabriel Dusil, Chief Marketing and Corporate Strategy Officer as a featured speaker at the Over-the-Top Video Executive Summit (www.OTTVideoSummit.com), to be held at Boston’s Lenox Hotel on April 16. Mr. Dusil will speak on topics of “All things content— licensing, transformation, DRM, tracking”, and “Integrating OTT with Social”.
The OTT Video Executive Summit brings together thought leaders to discuss topics crucial to the development of streaming video and evolving Pay TV business models. The conference topics range from content, enabling technologies, to discussions on the evolving viewing behavior of consumers. In addition to experts and executives, the conference includes a panel of everyday people from various demographics. The event is also gamefied, with the leading point-getter being awarded the “OTT Genius” trophy.
“Our audience will benefit greatly from Gabriel Dusil’s experience and perspective on this dynamic industry,” said Brian Mahony, CEO of event producer Trender Research™ Inc. (www.trenderresearch.com). “The industry is going through a period of rapid change, and innovation from companies such as Visual Unity puts it in the driver’s seat.”
In addition to the topics where Mr. Dusil will be speaking, the additional sessions include:
“Netflix and net neutrality, who wins?”
“Economics of hybrid Pay TV/OTT video services”
“Content discovery and navigation— way beyond channel surfing”
A focus group of from various demographics will also provide insights on their viewing habits. These include profiles such as “Chatty Tween,” “Working Mom”, “New Vision for Univision”, and “Nana.”
“The OTT Video Executive Summit is an excellent venue to peer into the future trends of video streaming,” said Gabriel Dusil. “The OTT market has grown at an unprecedented pace, from its birth less than ten years ago. The thought leadership represented at this event will help industry leaders to make informed and strategic decisions in how they shape their online revenue opportunities.”
The OTT Video Executive Summit is a one day event and is open to executives across the industry. For more information or media inquiries, contact Brian Mahony, bmahony@trenderresearch.com, +1 508-479-7254.
About Visual Unity Global
Visual Unity Global is a global provider of video and digital media solutions, enabling our clients to deliver premium quality video content over the internet. Our clients can measure, analyze and optimize their libraries over time and achieve optimal business success. Our platform capabilities inspire our clients to deploy their assets across multiple devices, screens, and media formats. Visual Unity helps clients manage, deliver and monetize their digital content.
Visual Unity is a Multiscreen Solution Provider, bridging the gap between linear broadcast, IT and IPTV to help clients reach and engage audiences on any screen. Since 1991, the team has been designing and delivering turnkey broadcast and complex multiscreen solutions worldwide – from HD outside Broadcast (OB) vehicles and major playout facilities to live internet streaming and Video on Demand services. Visual Unity’s award-winning vuMedia™ platform helps broadcasters and content owners control how their brand and assets are managed and monetized in the multiscreen environment. vuMedia™ is a highly scalable and a modular architecture, delivering a cutting-edge live viewing experience on the web or any mobile or connected device – all of which can be deployed into existing workflows and business processes.
5. How is digital video affecting global communications?
In today’s digital video landscape there is a battle between the entertainment, computing and communications industries. The entertainment industry includes content owners and those that license content for distribution. In computing we find companies that provide hosting, storage, and application-based services. Within the communications sphere are telcos, network service providers (NSPs), and Internet service providers (ISPs) that distribute data around the world. P2P networking is a good communications example of a transport protocol riding on top of the Internet.
Figure i – Industry Wars between Entertainment, Communications & Computing
For several years, ISP’s have observed an increase in bandwidth of a magnitude higher than they were accustomed to before video streaming became popular. It may be argued that the turning point was around 2005 with the introduction of high definition video at a time when Internet bandwidth was fast enough to stream good quality video. The popularity of Apple’s iPhone, together with the launch of YouTube, accelerated the use of video to the mass market.
This has forced ISPs to upgrade their back-end and last-mile infrastructures in order to meet these higher bandwidth demands and maintain quality of service (QoS). The issue is when we look at service usage in OTT providers like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and others. With Netflix subscribers exceeding 40 million and Hulu now over 5 million, typical bandwidth usage for these subscribers far exceeds that of a typical user. The average Netflix user watches five TV shows and three movies per week[i]. This can easily generate up to 80GB of traffic per month if we’re talking about high-definition content. Power users can easily exceed 160GB per month when P2P downloads are taken into account (see Figure ii). Compare this to figures released by Sandvine[ii], wherein Europeans average around 13GB per month on their fixed line service. Their USA counterparts are over three times higher, averaging 45GB. So in countries where OTT is relatively mature, bandwidth usage can easily skyrocket.
Figure ii – Internet Usage Comparison – Europe vs. USA
The bottom line is that ISPs are not earning the same incremental revenue from OTT because these are existing subscribers that are already paying for their ISP service. But now they are also using the connection to download video from their OTT provider. From an infrastructure perspective, when Netflix doubles their users, they can effectively use those funds to double the capacity of their OTT service. On the flip side, the ISP sees an accelerated increase in bandwidth usage, reaching and exceeding 10 times more than normal with no foreseeable increase in revenue. But they still must upgrade their networking infrastructure in order to meet capacity. Some see this as ISPs getting the short end of the stick (Figure iii).
Figure iii – ISP vs. OTT Revenue Compared to Infrastructure Cost
Certainly bandwidth usage cannot be blamed on OTT providers themselves. Video is also streamed from websites, video is downloaded through P2P networks, and corporate infrastructures are increasingly using video for communications. Regardless, in markets where video streaming services are prevalent, bandwidth usage per subscriber can burden network infrastructures.
ISPs may feel they are losing power over their subscribers. As a counter-offensive, we’re seeing examples where ISPs are vying to bring control back to their camp. One way is through bandwidth caps on fixed line services (similar to bandwidth caps on mobile services). ISPs are looking to regain control of the subscriber through what could be viewed as a form of Internet governance: charging extra fees based on the type of traffic traversing their network, or traffic shaping, whereby certain traffic such as P2P or OTT video is set to low priority or blocked all together, with traffic being prioritized in a way that is preferred by the ISP. This serves to stifle the use of high bandwidth applications such as OTT and may result in higher fees for heavy Internet users. Essentially this is a way for ISPs to level the playing field.
Increased bandwidth usage due to digital video brings new challenges to an infrastructure provider. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing for all those involved as threats can also be turned into opportunities. Some Internet providers (eg. cable companies and satellite companies) are working towards regaining control of their market space by investing in OTT – essentially adding OTT as an extension to their communications portfolio. Triple play[iii] (Internet, telephone, and television) and quadruple play[iv] providers (who include mobile services) are already heading in the right direction. ISPs that are already responsible for transmitting video envision hosting and managing entertainment assets as a strategic expansion of their communications portfolio. This speaks to the convergence of communications, computing and entertainment industries through a conduit that converges onto OTT.
It’s not just ISPs that have seemingly lost control and are being relegated to utility providers. Mobile providers have also been bumped from the pedestal of supremacy. The three applications they owned – voice, contacts, and text messaging (SMS[v]) – have now been over-shadowed by the millions of applications accessible through the Internet. Mobile providers no longer control the handset, applications, or content. And for that reason they are under threat of becoming a utility, an infrastructure of interconnections, where their borders are wireless base stations, not end-users. To regain relevance in their market telcos need to reach consumers once again. From an entertainment perspective, telcos have an opportunity to extend their participation in the content value chain – creating, uploading, managing, delivering and consuming content by investing in OTT services. This investment solidifies their value in the virtual supply chain of digital video.
• Understanding the entertainment market from ten thousand meters helps industry executives make strategic decisions. This leads to tactical initiatives that drive innovation, new services, and revenue growth. This Q&A series takes a top level view of today’s digital landscape and helps decision makers navigate through the latest technologies and trends in digital video. Gabriel Dusil, Chief Marketing & Corporate Strategy Officer from Visual Unity, discusses the ongoing developments in Over the Top (OTT) services, how these platforms are helping to shape today’s digital society, and addresses the evolving changes in consumer behavior. Topics include 2nd Screen, 4K Ultra High Definition video, H.265 HEVC, global challenges surrounding content distribution, and the future of OTT.
• About Gabriel Dusil
Gabriel Dusil is the Chief Marketing and Corporate Strategy Officer at Visual Unity, with a mandate to advance the company’s portfolio into next generation solutions and expand the company’s global presence. Before joining Visual Unity, Gabriel was the VP of Sales & Marketing at Cognitive Security, and Director of Alliances at SecureWorks, responsible for partners in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Previously, Gabriel worked at VeriSign and Motorola in a combination of senior marketing and sales roles. Gabriel obtained a degree in Engineering Physics from McMaster University in Canada and has advanced knowledge in Online Video Solutions, Cloud Computing, Security as a Service (SaaS), Identity and Access Management (IAM), and Managed Security Services (MSS).
• 2nd Screen, 4K, Broadcast, Connected TV, Digital Rights, Digital Video, DRM, Gabriel Dusil, H.264, H.265, HEVC, Internet Video, Linear Broadcast, Linear TV, Multi-screen, Multiscreen, New Media, Online Video, Online Video Platform, OTT, Over the Top Content, OVP, Recommendation Engine, Search & Discovery, Search and Discovery, second screen, Smart TV, Social TV, TV Everywhere, UHD, Ultra HD, Ultra High Definition, Visual Unity
• The entertainment landscape has changed more in the last decade, than in the 60+ years of broadcast. Much of this disruption can be attributed to the growth of the internet. From this infrastructure, several battles are raging under the feet of consumers; Broadcast has a new adversary called OTT (Over the Top Video); ISPs are struggling to keep up with bandwidth demands of video; mobile infrastructures have also witnessed significant changes in consumer behavior as applications overshadow handset features. This presentation explores the various battles taking place between the communication, computing and entertainment industries. The global landscape in subscriber behavior continues to change rapidly, and OTT has the potential to be at the center of it all.
• View the recorded video presentation from Visual Unity’s Web Seminar Series
4. How is OTT evolving, and what’s in store for subscribers?
Figure i – OTT Adoption – Vertical & Horizontal tiers
The adoption of OTT is evolving internationally along three main tiers:
Tier 1– These are global and national broadcasters that are adopting their own OTT service. In the context of the technology adoption life cycle[i], they are the innovators of online streaming services. Their entertainment library is delivered as either subscription-based Video on Demand (SVoD), transaction-based VoD (TVoD), or advertising-based services (AVoD). The most popular OTT method according to recent studies is SVoD[ii], although TVoD is also gaining in popularity. This points to the desire of subscribers wanting more granular control of their entertainment.
Tier 2– These are regional broadcasters, distributors, and content aggregators that see OTT as an opportunity to expand their traditional portfolios by distributing content over the Internet. This tier also includes telcos and network service providers (NSP) looking to expand their services into entertainment by hosting and managing OTT content. These companies collectively represent the early adopters.
Tier 3– This is a relatively new market opportunity in the context of OTT. Here sits the early majority, which includes online retailers, higher education, and houses of worship, to name but a few. These companies have large treasure troves of videos for product promotion, training, advertising, and video blogs for public consumption. But some videos need to remain confidential, for partner usage only, or to a select number of subscribers. Typical file-based storage solutions are not appropriate for the real-time and bandwidth-intensive nature of video. And the added complexity of ingest, transcoding, metadata, and multiscreen viewing results in enterprises looking for a more suitable private OTTplatform. Within this tier there are libraries that lie dormant, waiting for an appropriate OTT service that allows control over their subscriber base, implementation of strong protection, and a service that retains their content rights.
Figure ii – OTT Evolution – Geographic Distribution
These tiers are serviced somewhat differently across the globe. In emerging markets such as Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or Africa, the main opportunities continue to reside in the higher tiers. For developed markets such as Western Europe and the USA, there is untapped potential in the lower tiers. At the moment, the USA leads the market in OTT development. Europe, Canada, and selected countries in Asia are around 18-24 months behind the USA in deployments. The remaining third-tier and emerging markets are 36-48 months behind the USA.
OTT is also evolving based on how users are consuming content. Or rather: how they wantto consume content. The days of bundled pay-TV services may be numbered. Why pay for 500 channels when the average user watches channels whose number can be counted on one hand? Consumers only want to buy what they consume – no more, no less. This change in consumer behavior will be a threat to niche channels, but it may also be an opportunity for the long tail to differentiate its content and attract subscribers directly.
Buying a pay TV service is like going to a book store and having to buy the entire section of the store for just one book. Subscription-based services are closer to obtaining a library card and just borrowing the books you want. Borrowing in the OTT context is the same as licensing: once all the content resides in the cloud, then subscribers get a virtual license to access that content. And all that content is readily accessible, whether the subscriber knows it’s there or not.
This brings us to the evolution and need for recommendation engines and their need to accurately present content that is relevant to each and every user. The modern recommendation engine combines viewing and purchasing habits, demographics, friend recommendations, collaborative engines, and other metrics to provide suggestions that fuel viewing into the long tail.
Figure iii – OTT Evolution – Content Discovery
Adolescent Collector
My dad drove me home from school one day when I was eight years old. I remember enjoying the song that was playing on the radio but had no idea who sang it or what it was called. I distinctly remember thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great if I could have a copy of every song that I ever liked?”
This was the developing mind of a collector, and my imagination didn’t stop there. I dreamt on and thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if I not only had the songs that I knew I liked, but someone would give me all of the songs that I liked, but didn’t even know existed?”
As I sat there in the passenger seat, barely able to see out the window (booster seats didn’t exist then, and I probably wasn’t wearing my seat belt), I imagined how big my collection would be. How many songs did I know and already liked? How big would my collection be if it included songs I wasn’t even aware of yet? What type of machine would be able to do all that?
Our Dodge station wagon wasn’t a great ride by any stretch of the imagination, and certainly the audio system was paltry. Forget surround sound. Forget the Internet, too. Eight-track tapes were on their way out and vinyl was the audiophile’s chosen medium. But it didn’t seem to matter at the time. I didn’t own any cassettes or records until I began to collect albums in my teens. Then I recorded my own compilations onto cassette tapes. In the 90’s, I migrated my entire collection to CD’s, and eventually even ditched all of them once I stored the entire collection onto my computer. I had the forethought to rip my collection in 320kbps MP3, which was complete overkill at the time due to 128kbps being the norm. But I realized that as technology progressed, the demand for higher quality would persist, and if were to rip 500 audio discs, I would do it only once in my life.
The computer, Internet, and some incredibly smart people were eventually born into this world to bring us technology where we can quickly search for new or related musical interests. We can sample artists that are in visual cluster maps similar to artists we already like[iii]. We can do the same for song titles as well. Spotify, Rhapsody and Apple’s Genius allow us to discover artists that we never even knew existed.
Many years have passed since my childhood dream of collecting all that content, and I find myself in a world where this collector’s dream has now become a reality.
4. How has social interaction evolved from broadcast to OTT?
Entertainment is About Communication
It’s worth mentioning at this stage that I strongly delineate between the average consumer and the avid collector. For example, most people are happy to visit the local library. But collectors want to bethe library. There will always be collectors that find personal satisfaction in owning vast libraries of music and movies. But it’s the average consumer that drives the industry, not the collector. The average subscriber is where the bulk of OTT revenue will come from, and online services need to cater to the behaviors of the mainstream consumer.
These days I use Facebook to view what my friends ‘like’ and scan Twitter to see what they’re chatting about. I follow others with similar interests and monitor their comments. I also read recommendations from like-minded individuals to guide me to new material. Even the viewing statistics of people that I don’t know help me determine whether a view count is high enough for me to check out. I will also check out suggestions from my content provider hoping to find something new and exciting to watch.
Technology is evolving to a level of detail where subscribers are presented with personalized lists of suggestions that dig deep into media libraries and present suggestions that are both accurate and compelling. We’re getting to a level of sophistication in search and discovery where these engines will know our interests better than our best friend– maybe even better than we know ourselves. That seems scary, but let’s not get side-tracked. It can also be an opportunity.
If a recommendation engine can provide suggestions that are extremely accurate, then subscribers will pay more attention to the service. This will help drive subscriber loyalty and higher revenue opportunities.
Subscribers can enjoy suggestions from recommendation engines and social interaction thanks to the bi-directional nature of the Internet. Broadcast, for the most part, is unidirectional. Their audience is anonymous and any feedback is “out of band”. But OTT is inherently bi-directional. And that opens new doors in subscriber engagement and personalization. The entertainment industry is only now beginning to tap into the full potential of real-time bidirectional communications. Reality shows utilize text voting and Twitter. Television offers second screen apps for live broadcasts[iv]. Despite this, advertising and social networking have yet to find their full potential in the context of online entertainment. At least we are on the right track with the industry’s bi-directional communication experiment, and that is leading to higher engagement and personalization.
Figure iv – OTT Evolution – More than Just Video
Up to this point we have focused on OTT as an entertainment platform. But OTT is becoming more than just live, video on demand, or premium content. OTT is on its way to becoming a platform that serves entertainment, computing, and communication. The culmination of all three of these industries merges on OTT where a) video, music and gaming fall under entertainment, b) productivity applications and storage reside in computing, and c) conferencing and social networking are part of communications.
• Understanding the entertainment market from ten thousand meters helps industry executives make strategic decisions. This leads to tactical initiatives that drive innovation, new services, and revenue growth. This Q&A series takes a top level view of today’s digital landscape and helps decision makers navigate through the latest technologies and trends in digital video. Gabriel Dusil, Chief Marketing & Corporate Strategy Officer from Visual Unity, discusses the ongoing developments in Over the Top (OTT) services, how these platforms are helping to shape today’s digital society, and addresses the evolving changes in consumer behavior. Topics include 2nd Screen, 4K Ultra High Definition video, H.265 HEVC, global challenges surrounding content distribution, and the future of OTT.
• About Gabriel Dusil
Gabriel Dusil is the Chief Marketing and Corporate Strategy Officer at Visual Unity, with a mandate to advance the company’s portfolio into next generation solutions and expand the company’s global presence. Before joining Visual Unity, Gabriel was the VP of Sales & Marketing at Cognitive Security, and Director of Alliances at SecureWorks, responsible for partners in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Previously, Gabriel worked at VeriSign and Motorola in a combination of senior marketing and sales roles. Gabriel obtained a degree in Engineering Physics from McMaster University in Canada and has advanced knowledge in Online Video Solutions, Cloud Computing, Security as a Service (SaaS), Identity and Access Management (IAM), and Managed Security Services (MSS).
• 2nd Screen, 4K, Broadcast, Connected TV, Digital Rights, Digital Video, DRM, Gabriel Dusil, H.264, H.265, HEVC, Internet Video, Linear Broadcast, Linear TV, Multi-screen, Multiscreen, New Media, Online Video, Online Video Platform, OTT, Over the Top Content, OVP, Recommendation Engine, Search & Discovery, Search and Discovery, second screen, Smart TV, Social TV, TV Everywhere, UHD, Ultra HD, Ultra High Definition, Visual Unity
Yes, there is a future for 4K in broadcast but it will take some time. Broadcasters will trail in the adoption of 4K Ultra-HD video (UHD) for a few reasons – the main one being the tremendous amount of bandwidth real estate needed to transmit 4K over a broadcast service. Looking back at high-definition adoption, many broadcasters still transmit HD video as 720p (1280×720), and not full HD (1080×1920 video). This way they can save on precious bandwidth while improving their quality of service and still offer marketing support for HD programming. Only a few global broadcasters on an international scale are utilizing full HD video for their premium channels. This is partially due to the fact that each 1080p channel takes up as much as six standard definition (SD) channels. Replacing SD with HD programming requires a solid business case – a combination of substantial revenue potential, consumer demand for higher quality, and competitive pressures. At the moment, the HD business case justification has been established in the arena of Pay TV such as sports bundles, movie channels, and other premium content like the Olympics. But for mainstream programming, SD is still the norm.
These same broadcast challenges face 4K adoption since this signal takes up 4 HD channels or an equivalent of 24 SD channels.
Meanwhile, 4K is becoming synonymous with H.265 (otherwise known as High Efficiency Video Coding or HEVC). Without consumer grade equipment to decode H.265, 4K currently must rely on H.264 which needs at least double the bandwidth. It is also worth noting that in the absence of devices that support HDMI version 2.0, there is little motivation at this early stage for broadcasters to implement 4K. This is because HDMI v1.4 only works up to 30 frames per second (in the USA, or 25 fps in Europe) at 3840×2160 (Quad HD)[i]. Broadcasters require televisions to support 50Hz in Europe and 60Hz in the USA and that requires HDMI v2.0. Thankfully, the development of the standard was ratified in September 2013. Consumers typically need to wait at least one year before the implementation of a new standard is found in consumer electronic devices.
The transition to 4K is often compared to the 3D hype of the past. But it’s unfair to compare 3D with 4K when discussing the next frontier of video technology. Unlike 3D, which had several false starts over the past 60 years, 4K shows much more promise. History has shown that consumers are driven to better quality and a more engaging entertainment experience. Consumers want to be immersed in their entertainment, and 3D, with its cumbersome glasses and requirements for an optimal seating position takes all the fun out of it. Try to lie down or tilt your head while wearing 3D glasses and you’ll see what I mean. As home entertainment moved from VHS to DVD and then to Blu-Ray, the video quality and subsequent frame size grew significantly with each upgrade. Consumers considered 36” CRT screens huge in the 90’s, while 50” screens became the new benchmark in the naughts. Now 80″ screens as considered massive. Higher resolution allows for larger screen sizes and creates a more immersive experience from the comfort of one’s living room sofa.
Figure i – Audio-Video Adoption in USA Households
Some consumers, and even the media, consider that 4K is coming to market too soon. But this is certainly not the case when one looks back at recent history. There was a fourteen year wait between the introduction of CDs and DVDs. Consumers then waited nine years for Blu-Ray. The introduction of 4K televisions at the beginning of 2013 shows a seven year gap since full HD televisions were launched. Entertainment is moving at an increasingly faster pace, and these windows of adoption are shortening with each subsequent introduction of new technology. In fact, as shown in Figure i, looking at the adoption curve of entertainment technology over the past two decades, 4K is arriving just in time[ii].
What initially strikes us as extraordinary soon becomes normal, and eventually becomes expected. So even today’s massive screens will eventually become passé. As consumers hunger for larger televisions, they will also need higher resolutions. Therefore, the successful adoption of 4K is just an evolutionary step to its successor 8K, which will take the reins sometime in the next decade.Some consumers, and even the media, consider that 4K is coming to market too soon. But this is certainly not the case when one looks back at recent history. There was a fourteen year wait between the introduction of CDs and DVDs. Consumers then waited nine years for Blu-Ray. The introduction of 4K televisions at the beginning of 2013 shows a seven year gap since full HD televisions were launched. Entertainment is moving at an increasingly faster pace, and these windows of adoption are shortening with each subsequent introduction of new technology. In fact, as shown in Figure i, looking at the adoption curve of entertainment technology over the past two decades, 4K is arriving just in time[i].
In spite of 4K broadcast challenges, a recent study by IHS Electronics & Media estimates that there will be one thousand 4K channels by 2025[iii]. In the meantime, consumers will enjoy 4K by other means, mainly through the Internet and OTT services.
[i] or HDMI 1.4 supports up to 24fps at full 4K (4096×2160)
• Understanding the entertainment market from ten thousand meters helps industry executives make strategic decisions. This leads to tactical initiatives that drive innovation, new services, and revenue growth. This Q&A series takes a top level view of today’s digital landscape and helps decision makers navigate through the latest technologies and trends in digital video. Gabriel Dusil, Chief Marketing & Corporate Strategy Officer from Visual Unity, discusses the ongoing developments in Over the Top (OTT) services, how these platforms are helping to shape today’s digital society, and addresses the evolving changes in consumer behavior. Topics include 2nd Screen, 4K Ultra High Definition video, H.265 HEVC, global challenges surrounding content distribution, and the future of OTT.
• About Gabriel Dusil
Gabriel Dusil is the Chief Marketing and Corporate Strategy Officer at Visual Unity, with a mandate to advance the company’s portfolio into next generation solutions and expand the company’s global presence. Before joining Visual Unity, Gabriel was the VP of Sales & Marketing at Cognitive Security, and Director of Alliances at SecureWorks, responsible for partners in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Previously, Gabriel worked at VeriSign and Motorola in a combination of senior marketing and sales roles. Gabriel obtained a degree in Engineering Physics from McMaster University in Canada and has advanced knowledge in Online Video Solutions, Cloud Computing, Security as a Service (SaaS), Identity and Access Management (IAM), and Managed Security Services (MSS).
• 2nd Screen, 4K, Broadcast, Connected TV, Digital Rights, Digital Video, DRM, Gabriel Dusil, H.264, H.265, HEVC, Internet Video, Linear Broadcast, Linear TV, Multi-screen, Multiscreen, New Media, Online Video, Online Video Platform, OTT, Over the Top Content, OVP, Recommendation Engine, Search & Discovery, Search and Discovery, second screen, Smart TV, Social TV, TV Everywhere, UHD, Ultra HD, Ultra High Definition, Visual Unity
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