On Demand Group and Inview Technology plan to launch video-on-demand services on millions of connected television sets in Europe. The Inview Neelix platform is already incorporated in millions of television receivers. On Demand Group will provide compatible devices with access to movies on a pay-per-view basis and a library of television programming on subscription. Services will start in Italy in the summer.
“We are very excited about the agreement with Inview, which further demonstrates our content aggregation strategy and objective of offering on-demand content anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Inview’s development of added value services to connected TVs has been very impressive and we look forward to working together,” said Tony Kelly, the chief executive of On Demand Group, a SeaChange International company.
“On Demand Group has contracts with all the major Hollywood movie studios, premium TV and music suppliers,” said Ken Austin, the chairman of Inview. “The launch of TV on-demand services will substantially enhance our consumer offer and allow our consumers a total TV experience to watch the programme of their choice whenever they want.”
The Inview Neelix platform offers full network connectivity on even the most basic set-top boxes and televisions. Neelix includes a combined electronic programme guide and media browser, with a range of widget applications. It is currently deployed in more than nine million digital terrestrial television receivers across nearly a hundred models. Inview says that its royalty free approach allows it to be used on low-cost devices. The British company expanding into the rest of Europe and has launched a broadcast programme guide in Italy.
On Demand Group manages the on-demand businesses of a number of companies across Europe, including Virgin Media in the United Kingdom, Neuf in France, and du in Dubai.