TV2Me
Encyclopedia
TV2Me is a device that allows TV viewers to watch their home’s cable
or satellite
television
programs on their own computers, mobile phones, television sets and even a projector screen anywhere in the world. “This technology gives users the ability to shift space, and to watch all the cable or satellite TV channels of any place they choose - live, in full motion, with unparalleled television-quality - on any Internet connected device.”
, who began working on it in 2001, when he was working overseas. His goal was to watch his favorite American shows through any kind of device from wherever he was. With a team of Turkish and Russian programmers he developed circuitry that allows the MPEG-4
encoder to operate more efficiently and to generate a better picture.”
His company, K2B Inc. which previously developed satellite tracking systems for U.S. agencies and universities in an effort to monitor internal television of the then Soviet Union
, launched TV2Me on December 8th 2003.. The company introduced the concept of placeshifting and started an entire industry.
The TV2Me PRO640SD is priced at $3,450 and is specially targeted to diplomats, entertainers, broadcast, ad agencies, researchers, educators, emigrants and avid sports fans. ”
Many of its clients are sport fanatics or rock stars like Sting, who is truly impressed with the device: “TV2Me allows people like me, traveling constantly, to maintain a sense of home. Because of TV2Me, I watch my team from wherever I'm working or playing - and, as you can imagine, it isn't wise to come between an Englishman and his team.”
or satellite
box and a broadband internet connection are plugged in the device. “The server requires an Internet connection with an upstream
speed of 512 kb/s or higher.”
On the receiving end (for example the computer), any browser can be used to view in real-time or with a 6 second delay. The delayed mode uses the extra time to produce a slightly better picture. No additional software needs to be installed. “The "target" (receiving location) can be anywhere on earth − anywhere there's wired or wireless broadband. The viewer can use virtually any PC
running Windows
, Mac
, Linux
- even Solaris.”
has been set for this placeshifting device but this technology is problematic to many copyright holders because it sidesteps what is known in legalese as proximity control, which restricts the distribution of content to specific regions and times. “It's a standard contractual stipulation for the MPAA, whose member studios license distribution rights to movies for distinct territories; the NFL, which considers geographic limits the linchpin of lucrative television deals, including its Sunday Ticket pact with DirecTV
; and local television stations, which pony up millions of dollars for exclusive territorial rights to all kinds of programming.”
On this issue K2B's founder's position has been: “The TV2Me user paid for the rights to watch these programs. What separates him from other cable subscribers is that he has a long extension cord.”
, the most popular placeshifting device has a price of US $250 and attracts customers, but its poor quality image has been highly criticized.
A constant battle between TV2Me and Slingbox is fought over different web forums. TV2Me, aiming at a the high-end videophile audience has always had as its design objective the highest-quality video possible; Slingbox, aimed at the broad consumer market, the most economical.
Location FreeTV made by Sony
offers cheaper units and a smaller home base station, but the image quality is also deficient.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
or satellite
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programs on their own computers, mobile phones, television sets and even a projector screen anywhere in the world. “This technology gives users the ability to shift space, and to watch all the cable or satellite TV channels of any place they choose - live, in full motion, with unparalleled television-quality - on any Internet connected device.”
History
TV2Me was invented by Ken SchafferKen Schaffer
Ken Schaffer is an inventor and, in the late 1960s, a publicist for such rock stars as Jimi Hendrix, Steve Tyler of Aerosmith, Todd Rundgren, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper and for the Comet Kohoutek...
, who began working on it in 2001, when he was working overseas. His goal was to watch his favorite American shows through any kind of device from wherever he was. With a team of Turkish and Russian programmers he developed circuitry that allows the MPEG-4
MPEG-4
MPEG-4 is a method of defining compression of audio and visual digital data. It was introduced in late 1998 and designated a standard for a group of audio and video coding formats and related technology agreed upon by the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group under the formal standard ISO/IEC...
encoder to operate more efficiently and to generate a better picture.”
His company, K2B Inc. which previously developed satellite tracking systems for U.S. agencies and universities in an effort to monitor internal television of the then Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, launched TV2Me on December 8th 2003.. The company introduced the concept of placeshifting and started an entire industry.
The TV2Me PRO640SD is priced at $3,450 and is specially targeted to diplomats, entertainers, broadcast, ad agencies, researchers, educators, emigrants and avid sports fans. ”
Many of its clients are sport fanatics or rock stars like Sting, who is truly impressed with the device: “TV2Me allows people like me, traveling constantly, to maintain a sense of home. Because of TV2Me, I watch my team from wherever I'm working or playing - and, as you can imagine, it isn't wise to come between an Englishman and his team.”
Operation
To set up TV2Me, the cableCable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
or satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
box and a broadband internet connection are plugged in the device. “The server requires an Internet connection with an upstream
Upstream (networking)
In computer networking, upstream refers to the direction in which data can be transferred from the client to the server . This differs greatly from downstream not only in theory and usage, but also in that upstream speeds are usually at a premium...
speed of 512 kb/s or higher.”
On the receiving end (for example the computer), any browser can be used to view in real-time or with a 6 second delay. The delayed mode uses the extra time to produce a slightly better picture. No additional software needs to be installed. “The "target" (receiving location) can be anywhere on earth − anywhere there's wired or wireless broadband. The viewer can use virtually any PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
running Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mac
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
- even Solaris.”
Copyrights
No copyright infringementCopyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
has been set for this placeshifting device but this technology is problematic to many copyright holders because it sidesteps what is known in legalese as proximity control, which restricts the distribution of content to specific regions and times. “It's a standard contractual stipulation for the MPAA, whose member studios license distribution rights to movies for distinct territories; the NFL, which considers geographic limits the linchpin of lucrative television deals, including its Sunday Ticket pact with DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
; and local television stations, which pony up millions of dollars for exclusive territorial rights to all kinds of programming.”
On this issue K2B's founder's position has been: “The TV2Me user paid for the rights to watch these programs. What separates him from other cable subscribers is that he has a long extension cord.”
Competition
Since TV2Me was launched other devices that claim similar characteristics have been introduced to the market. SlingboxSlingbox
The Slingbox is a TV streaming media device made by Sling Media that encodes video into the VC-1 format for transmission over the Internet and provides an infrared blaster. The video encoding and IR blaster can both be operated remotely over the Internet...
, the most popular placeshifting device has a price of US $250 and attracts customers, but its poor quality image has been highly criticized.
A constant battle between TV2Me and Slingbox is fought over different web forums. TV2Me, aiming at a the high-end videophile audience has always had as its design objective the highest-quality video possible; Slingbox, aimed at the broad consumer market, the most economical.
Location FreeTV made by Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
offers cheaper units and a smaller home base station, but the image quality is also deficient.