In last week’s post, I discussed the MPAA’s petition for waiver of the FCC’s ban on selectable output control (SOC).
At the end, I suggested that one possible outcome is that a content provider could shut down ALL your existing standardized output plugs, forcing you to buy a new TV, DVD player, and DVR with a special “MPAA-approved” connector plug in order to view their content.
To some people, it might have sounded like FUD, but this time the truth comes a little close for comfort.
The Sony Bravia Internet Video Link allows a TV to receive streaming content via the web. On the uplink side, it accepts an Ethernet jack (what, no wifi?) On the output side, it connects exclusively to Bravia TVs via a proprietary output “for use with DMex compatible TV[s] only”.
So far, the Internet Video Link provides Bravia owners with “access to Internet video programming, including high-definition content, from providers like AOL, Yahoo! and Grouper, as well as Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony BMG Music.”
Even though its current incarnation seems somewhat underwhelming, all we need is some bright MBA to suggest that all the Bravia needs is some nice and shiny Sony-exclusive content, restricted to Bravia owners. Sony does so love their walled garden model.
I suppose Sony is still having trouble with the concept that proprietary and closed formats, heavily laden with consumer-antagonistic digital rights management tends to lead to marginalization, if not outright market rejection. Then again, blu-ray has seemingly done well for itself, although that may have been due to the “Trojan Horse” business model.
Might want to do a little
Might want to do a little research before you post two year old information… Aside from being the first device to allow BRAVIA HDTV owners to watch the new movie Hancock before it comes out on DVD, Sony’s BRAVIA Intenret Video Link now features over 22 content providrs including
YouTube, Yahoo!, CBS, Showtime, CBS College Sports, Wallstrip, Blip.tv, Minisode, SportsIllustrated, FEARnet, Wired, Epicurious, Concierge, Style.com, Men.Style.com, C-Spot, Timeless TV, Inside Sony Pictures Entertainment, Crackle, FORD Models, VideoDetective (movie trailers), SingingFool (music videos)
No other TV manufacturer can claim the breadth of content that BRAVIA provides. Also, keep an eye open for an announcement of bigger partners on the way.
sony11: I think you miss
sony11: I think you miss the point. The reason the Bravia Internet Video Link sucks is because you can only use it with Bravia (or DMex, whatever the heck that is) TVs, which puts access to content even more firmly in Sony’s hands rather than those of the consumer.
@btd, Thank you for your
@btd,
Thank you for your comments! You really hit on my concern with SOC and proprietary outputs. DMex stands for “Digital Media Extender”, which seems to be an expansion slot for your TV, with offerings including a 4 HDMI strip, wireless HD transmitter, and a DVD module (?!).
Seems like a really neat idea from a developer, but I also have a whole stable of Sony devices with really cool ideas that unfortunately got hit with the deprecate-hammer post-haste.
@sony11,
Thank you for your corrections. I did miss a couple of those content providers and I’m glad to see nowhere in that list “exclusive Sony movies”. :)
I do apologize for not being sufficiently clear in the original post. Let me see if I can help clarify the issue. I’m not passing judgment on the quality of the presentation or the content (I’ll let the market handle that — I haven’t used it yet), nor am I reporting on the immediacy of the news.
Instead, the concern that I have is with Sony’s recent request (in partnership with the MPAA) to waive the FCC’s ban on selectable output control. Originally, I posed a “worst-case scenario” where a corporation that both creates content and manufactures devices upon which to view that content would be able to monopolize its presentation.
In other words, a company could form a partnership to restrict the release of its content only via a particular channel, to a particular manufacturer’s device, by turning off all the standard outputs (e.g. DVI, HDMI, component), and only allowing the manufacturer’s approved output. This would intrinsically tie the two together (contrary to any principles of open standards and access) and necessarily force a consumer to buy a new device provided they wanted to view that new content.
An example might help. Let’s say Sony (the conglomerate) releases Hancock (Sony Pictures Entertainment) ONLY to Sony TVs (Sony Electronics), by using a content decoder (Sony Electronics again, in the form of a Bravia Internet Video Link) that hooks up through a Playstation 3 (Sony Computer Entertainment). If you want to watch Hancock, you gotta buy all Sony. While I’m sure this kind of scenario is a CEO’s dream, it is also mean-spirited to the consumer and contrary to the concept of competition.
One last thing I’d like to mention.
The MPAA’s SOC waiver petition rests on a single pillar: that the shifting forward of on-demand cable-streamed release windows for theatrical content is a “new business model” worthy of being granted an exception to the current FCC ban on SOC. This is because the original FCC order indicated that it would consider waiving the restriction on SOC if and when companies came up with “future applications that could potentially be advantageous to consumers, such as facilitating new business models”.
Funny, if Sony is already slated to release Hancock on the Bravia Internet Link before DVD, doesn’t that mean that this is a currently existing business model that doesn’t need SOC protection? After all, once it gets to the TV, it can be output through the analog hole. The only alternate possibility is that it’s being streamed in SD, which would really sort of be silly given that it’s supposed to be cutting edge.
Thanks J. Law. Simply
Thanks J. Law.
Simply pointing out the facts that were not stated in your post. Regulatory issues, etc. are not for me to argue or decide. Let it be noted, however, that Hancock will still be distributed on DVD, Blu-ray Disc and cable premium channels. BRAVIA Internet Video Link simply offers another choice of how to get content to Sony TVs.
DMeX is Sony’s way of offering the consumer another choice of functionality (say wireless HD for yor av components, extra HDMI inputs or an optinal DVD player …and more to come). Consumers don’t have to pay extra for functions they don’t want and won’t be left behind as new technologies are introduced.
Also, the BRAVIA Internet Video link has the ability to stream HD content to the TV. It’s up to the content provider to deliver that HD content to the servie, however. All content on the service is SD now, but you’ll see HD soon enough.
It sounds like you just read
It sounds like you just read Jonathan Zittrain’s book. What did he call them “walled gardens”…If you have not you should read “how to kill the Internet…”, it is somewhat amusing.
@Wyatt Ditzler, Was that
@Wyatt Ditzler,
Was that comment directed at me, or at sony11? I apologize, but I haven’t had the opportunity yet to read anything by Professor Zittrain yet. Thank you for pointing that text out though - I should definitely get to a library and borrow it. Looks like a great read.
I think the “walled garden” terminology has been around for quite some time1; in the “media” context at the least in reference to (if not earlier than) the AOL business model.
1As Sherwin Siy points out to me, it has its roots (although not in this context of course!) in the Latin term hortus conclusus.