Spotlight

  • The Convergence Sandwich
    New TV technologies are helping people watch more of the TV they love, whenever and wherever they want. Lindsey Clay, Marketing Director at Thinkbox takes a birds-eye of view of these developments and looks at how The Convergence Sandwich enables us get what we want from today’s telly.
  • YouView
    YouView is the brand name for the internet TV initiative formally known as Project Canvas and backed by the BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, TalkTalk, Arqiva and Five. YouView combines Freeview digital channels with many of the UK TV companies’ catch-up services. It will launch in the UK in 2011. You can find out more about it here.
  • Television's super media status strengthens
    The professional services firm, Deloitte, has just published its 2011 technology, media and telecommunications predictions report which focuses on major trends in the next 12-18 months that are likely to have significant long-term impacts on companies in TMT and other industries. Amongst a wide range of topics, they address the strengthening of TV's status as a "super media", the 30 second spot's enduring strength as DTRs proliferate and also the power of live and scheduled television in a section titled "push beats pull in the battle for the television viewer". Here you can get the top line on their findings and also link through to their full report. It's well worth a read.

Inside the TV Technology Zone

  • The Thinkbox Interactive TV emulator
    If you'd like to see for yourself what happens when you press red (or green), you can experience it online, from the comfort of your desk, using our interactive television emulator. And this is the place to do just that.
  • Digital Television Recorders (DTRs / PVRs)
    What's really going on in households who own a Digital Television Recorder (DTR/PVR) and where is this brilliant piece of kit going next? Here are the facts.
  • TV Technology Glossary
    This is the place to bring all those tricky questions, like "what on earth is it, where can I get some and what are the advertising opportunities?" Digital TV; Internet/ web TV; Mobile TV and Devices; Broadband and Internet. Demystified terms, key facts and examples; there's plenty here.
  • Green Button Advertising
    Green Button, or “bookable” advertising further extends the long-form advertising opportunities offered to advertisers on commercial TV. But what is Green Button Advertising? Which brands have used it and why, and most importantly, how has it worked for them? You can read all about it here, and also take a look at some Green Button video “walk-throughs”.
  • 3D TV: your guide to this next generation technology
    With the arrival of Europe’s first 3D channel in UK homes, and people starting to enjoy a new immersive viewing experience, we take a roundup of who’s doing what in the world of 3D TV and look at how advertisers can engage with it at the moment.
  • New TV technologies, new ad opportunities
    Today’s TV is part of a digital solar system made up of many different devices and delivery systems that have revolutionised the way people can choose to watch their TV but where the big telly in the sitting room remains the central fixed point. Whether you are after information on live or time-shifted viewing, Digital Switchover, DTRs or HDTV, or perhaps would like the top line on 3DTV or TV on-demand you can find the key trends and figures for 2009 right here.
  • Delivering TV on demand
    TV on demand (TVoD) enables viewers to get more of the television they want at a time that suits them. All the major TV companies offer an on-demand service in some form or other and there are also a number of aggregators operating in this area. This section of our website focuses on the technologies currently delivering on-demand TV, what people can get via these services, plus some of the latest facts and figures. We also explore what’s coming next for the world of on-demand.

Definition: HD,

High definition TV (HDTV) is a broadcast TV technology that produces pictures at a much greater resolution than that of standard definition TV (SDTV). The result is a much clearer image, which provide greater perceptions of depth and most importantly let's people get more out of their televisions. There are several key steps that must take place before a viewer can receive HD TV programming (it’s not as simple as buying a ‘HD Ready’ TV): o The viewer needs to have a HD or HD-Ready screen o The viewer also needs a device that is capable of producing HD images, and may need an additional channel subscription. This could be a HD set top box, such as SKY HD or Virgin V+, or a HD DVD player such as the Toshiba HD-E1, or a Blu-Ray player such as the Playstation 3. Note: This device must also be connected to the screen using a component or HDMI cable. o Programmes and movies must also be filmed using film or an HD camera. In the UK, the only TV platforms offering HD content are Sky, Virgin and Freesat. For an additional monthly subscription, Sky offers 33 linear HD channels. HD content can also often be found in Sky Anytime. Virgin Media and Freesat both currently one broadcast channel - BBC HD. Freesat does also offer ITV HD for selected programming, which can be accessed by pressing red. Virgin also offers a growing library of HD content on demand. channel but it does provide access to a wide selection of HD programmes and movies on-demand. HD is a hugely exciting phenomenon which is seeing viewers increasingly engaged with high quality television shows and ads, and it is one UK advertisers should welcome. Many ads are already made in HD, particularly if they are to be used globally. At the moment, ads on the Sky platform are simulcast to HI-def and standard definition channels, and are thus standard definition. However Ford Mondeo effectively used HD advertising to showcase its innovative and cutting edge features with a slot during the Champions league final. by "sewing" into the programming to enable the audience to view it in high definition. As more and more homes become high-definition enabled we are likely to see this situatio change and witness a lot more high-definition enabled ads in the UK. Research from the US shows that there is around 8% more engagement with TV advertising when shown in HD.Until then, a good place to showcase your hi-definition ads is Sky Anytime. See also <http://www.freesat.co.uk/>, <http://sky.com/hd/> and <http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/dtv/vplus/hdtv.html>

TV Technology

The rise of IPTV, Peer-to-Peer Networks, VOD, mobile TV, online networks and the flexibility of HD based recording on TV set-top boxes are giving people yet more ways to watch the TV they love, which in turn, presents massive opportunities to advertisers. But keeping up to date with all of this is pretty hard. This regularly refreshed area of our website is here to help you do just that, with the latest industry terms, acronyms and technologies plus some insight as to what it all means for advertising.

Associated Content

  • Televisionaries on film: Brian Sullivan, Managing Director of Sky's Customer Group
    Our Televisionaries on film series continues with the man who has been responsible for much of Sky's rolling programme of innovation. Brian addresses the hot topics of on-demand verses linear, of broadcast and web delivery, and looks forward to the next generation of Sky+ HD boxes and what they mean for viewers and advertisers. Well worth a look.