The New Wave - Diverse TV Content in One Place
The new wave of Internet TV services offers us even more Internet TV websites to visit.
These sites bring together a selection of TV channels from different broadcasters as well as individual programmes, usually arranged by content genre. They include services that specialise in foreign language channels – great if you're from overseas living in the UK or have family links with a particular country – and others which give you popular UK and US programming.
Several sites specialise in showing niche TV and video programming which is difficult to find on mainstream channels. Others encourage viewers to upload their own video productions. And most have interactive features such as allowing you to create your own channel list, and to judge and rate the content which you watch.
Free
Index site listing videos including Cartoons, TV Shows, Amine, Movies, Music videos, Sport videos, Documentaries
Redirects to their location on the web, usually YouTube
Features include Top Voted and facility to develop own video playlists
Free (advertising-funded). Tentative launch date is July 2007
Range of content types including news, music, sport, lifestyle, trends
Focus on professional film content not readily available on mainstream channels
Build your own channels, and use interactive and social tools.
Windows XP and 640 kbit/s download bandwidth required
Pay as you watch
Users buy J:Credits (£1 for 196 credits) through the site. Programming costs vary and are set by the content owners
Focus on live content from broadcasters, especially news and sports. Also has films and documentaries.
Sky News, the BBC, Bloomberg, EuroNews and Al Jazeera all make news content available on the Jalipo platform
500kbit/s broadband absolute minimum bandwidth
Free (funded through advertising)
150 channels
Programming across a range of genres including cartoons and animation, entertainment and film, sports, comedy, lifestyle & documentaries, and sci-fi
Build personal list of channels
More interactive features are promised
Windows XP
Broadband/ADSL (1Mbit/s downstream, 512Kbit/s upstream recommended)
Mac computer equipped with Intel processor
Subscription service
Some programming available as pay per view
Claims to be world's leading broadcaster of television over the Internet with over 250 channels from 70+ countries
Includes news, sports and entertainment content in real-time. Also has language/country-based channel packages
Windows XP
Free (funded through advertising)
Several channels each with its own theme including Astrozone (horoscopes), Avenue 11 (daily showbiz news), Gardening TV (with Charlie Dimmock), Baby Channel (advice for tired dads included), Health Zone
Videos streamed, not downloaded
Free except for some videos on the VIP channel which require a “donation”
Full episodes of popular TV shows including Prison Break, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty
Impressive line-up in terms of number of seasons and episodes available
Install Mozilla Firefox and flash plug-in
Free – need to register
Short videos with independent film maker flavour
Also includes feature channels such as Taste TV (all things stylish), Octane TV (hot cars), Flow TV (hip hop network)
Veoh client download to upload, download and view video
Some content free
Licensed content may not be accessible for viewing outside US
Rental fees for some material
Global video aggregation and distribution platform
Allows exchange of HD or DVD quality videos provided by professional film-makers
Short video clips as well as films
Provides licensed digital content from media companies such as A&E Networks (The History Channel, The Biography Channel), BBC Worldwide, 4TV, National Geographic and Starz Media
High Resolution content
Now available in the UK, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Spain and Switzerland
Free (funded through advertising)
Founded in Michigan, Ohio in 2005
Service currently available in Switzerland and US
Focus on live TV download to PC including sports content, chat, news and commercial sitcoms
Some free English language and foreign TV channels available.