NAB: GlobeCast Plans MyGlobeTV Launch

New over-the-top platform offering international content will bow July 1 in the U.S.

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/18/2012 12:14:48 AM

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GlobeCast is planning to launch a new over-the-top (OTT) platform for international broadcasters in the Americas called MyGlobeTV. The subscription service will bring international and genre-based content first to the U.S. and then later to the rest of the Americas.

"With MyGlobeTV, subscribers will be able to enjoy their favorite international channels using their existing broadband connection," said Emma Brackett, VP of consumer products and services at GlobeCast. "At launch, content will be available on connected TVs via the MyGlobeTV set-top box. The deployment of a MyGlobeTV app will follow soon after to enable anytime-anywhere viewing on any connected device."

The initial commercial launch of the MyGlobeTV service in the U.S. is scheduled for July 1. After the U.S. rollout, GlobeCast plans to expand the service to the rest of the Americas.

Unlike WorldTV, GlobeCast's Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite offering, MyGlobeTV subscribers do not need a satellite dish as the content can be accessed via a broadband Internet connection and the MyGlobeTV set-top box.

The content is not, however, delivered over the open Internet. The MyGlobeTV OTT offering utilizes closed-network, encrypted Internet Protocol (IP) delivery of television and radio content directly to the subscriber's home.

The box used with the service is a Netgem hybrid DVR set-top box that supports adaptive streaming and includes a 320GB hard drive with 450 hours of DVR capacity.

The service supports video on demand and includes an antenna to enable local channel viewing.

The initial channels will feature Indonesian, Japanese, Malayalam (South Asian), and Romanian programming, but GlobeCast is planning to expand that lineup to include a wider variety of African, Asian, Australian, and European content.

GlobeCast has been demonstrating the complete end-to-end solution -- including content ingest, delivery, marketing, retail distribution and customer management -- for international broadcasters at its booth during NAB this week.