SUNNYVALE, CALIF.: A new company says it can deliver on-demand fare in real-time via broadband downloads to the TV set. Disney, 20th Century Fox Television, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. are said to be making content available to the Silcon Valley startup, ZillionTV.
The service is being proffered as a free alternative to satellite or cable--although there is a “nomial, one-time” activation fee to receive the necessary set-top box and remote, the company said. ZillionTV is promising entertainment content from major Hollywood players as well as the possibility of interactivity and at-home shopping.
Digital distribution will be offered on-demand and delivered directly to the television set via a high-speed Internet connection. Programming is said to be available instantly without downloading.
Advertising will be delivered along with the programming based on interests and preferences selected by the user. ZillionTV says the advertising will become more targeted to the user over time, based upon what they watch and how they interact with the advertising.
In addition to the advertising-supported programming, some ZillionTV-delivered programs will be offered on a rental or “buy to own” basis.
Although a few zeroes short of its name, ZillionTV aims to have 15,000 titles on the service by year-end 2009.
