Internet Video Comes to the Living Room: Set top boxes or Embedded in the TV?

A brand new version of the report "Internet Video Comes to TV Sets in the Living Room: Set-top Boxes or Embedded in the TV?" is now available from Rider Research. This version 4 is an update on the original first published in February 2009.

Back then, the report was anticipating the birth of a new "over-the-top" video delivery industry where internet video would be delivered directly to TV sets.

Now, the suspense is over.

The evidence is everywhere as shown from intelligence, data and analysis from this "Internet Video Is Coming to TV Sets Version 4" survey.

The report includes the following:

1. A study of the players and content companies with descriptions and analysis of their offerings.
2. A survey of delivery methods and content.
3. How money is being made at every level from innovations within the current market.

Who should read it? Pay-TV companies including cable, satellite and telcos, movie and TV studios, TV networks, makers of set-top boxes and the infrastructure that delivers video to the home, local TV stations, financial analysts and industry consultants.

Among some of the trends highlighted in this study:

• By year end, every major manufacturer of TV sets, including Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony & Vizio, will have a model both with internet connectivity and access to online video and social services like Yahoo Widgets.
• Online video services are scrambling to get their services included on every TV set and on all digital media adapters, Netflix is looking increasingly like a market leader in the US.
• A market of millions for digital media adapters as consumers who have already upgraded to HDTVs are too early to get ones with internet connectivity. In terms of installed base of potential users, Microsoft has the lead with Xbox 360 and Live users
• Free online TV shows from such services as Hulu.com, CBS, BBC and the UK's Channel 4 are spreading. Cable companies like Comcast and Time Warner are testing "TV Everywhere". Key to the testing is the ability to authenticate that the person logging in is in fact a pay-TV subscriber.