The seeds for Interactive Television were planted soon after the first television signal was broadcast.  The idea for ITV was very simple—to allow users to do more and get more from their TV.  For the television suppliers, ITV promised greater customer loyalty and the potential for increased revenue.  Early examples were things as simple as the remote control and the TV Guide channel.  Then came the advent of scheduled Pay-Per-View (PPV) movies which then led to on-demand PPV. 

Each of these steps, while appearing minor today, was a breakthrough in technology at the time.  Remote controls were initially laughed at—after all, who could possibly need a device to help them control the TV instead of getting up from the couch and walking to the TV to change channels?  The TV Guide channel was initially considered a wasted channel as consumers could easily look that information up in the newspaper.  Now that these conveniences have become rooted in our lives, it is laughable to imagine a home today without them!

Now, for the first time since the invention of television, the industry is going through a rapid and complete transformation.  Over the last 50 years there have seen slight, but important, evolutions in the television industry.  Today, the industry is going through the single largest transformation TV has ever seen—the digital transformation.

The root of this digital change is not only in the technology, but in the expectations of the consumers.  Consumers want more.  They want more resolution, more choices, more information, more functionality; just plain more of what they want.  The dramatic change in the industry is catching many people by surprise.  The fact that by mid-year 2005 no commercial tube televisions will be manufactured is a statistic amazingly absent from many entertainment and information strategies--until orders for tube televisions go unfilled because there are none left from the manufacturers! 

The digital transformation is changing televisions, viewing habits, product life cycles, consumer expectations, and most importantly, the revenue streams and functionality associated with TV.

In this white paper, we explore the interactive television industry as it stands today and present Allin’s vision on the future promise of digital presentation in the interactive environment.  To find out more, please click on the link below.