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A Look at IPTV

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the more-consumer-control-never-a-bad-thing dept.

Q-Tip writes "Ars Technica has posted an introduction to IPTV, which is the TV programming technology AT&T (and formerly BellSouth) will be using to provide TV service over its next-gen optical network. The article covers how IPTV works and how AT&T and other providers will be able to provide more interactive services once their networks are up and running."

2 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Interactive services? by 91degrees · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't want an interactive service. I want to passively sit on my butt and watch TV!

    1. Re:Interactive services? by LordSnooty · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Mod him up. Interactive services are the great white (red?) elephants of modern TV. Content providers only push them as a revenue stream. They rarely offer anything insightful - in the UK, I can only think of the BBC's sport coverage, offering eg actions from many courts at Wimbledon. In the commercial sector, just ask Andy Duncan of Channel 4 whether interactive services are worthwhile. In the US, do we see much interactive penetration? Has Fox convinced idiots to part with money to vote via the TV on American Idol? For this is surely the only useful application, in their eyes.