VeohTV - CTU for Web TV + ?

A couple weeks ago we did a post on VeohTV and I wanted to share some inside screens and impressions of the service in action currently. Dmitry Shapiro, CEO of Veoh, graciously demonstrated some of the great features of their TV network, and we are duly impressed. I got the invitation to the beta test a few days ago and have been enjoying some of the great programming and especially the elegant and super functional services within the player.

For those of you who don't know, or who have been on a sabbatical to Tibet, VeohTV has positioned itself firmly in the path of Joost and other contenders for the title of the Web's best TV service. Veoh Networks Inc. is a privately held company backed by some of the best in the business including: Sparks Capital, Michael Eisner's Tornante Company, Time Warner Inc. and Shelter Capital Partners. Founded back in 2004 by Dmitry Shapiro, Veoh has continually added innovation and value for their 12.5 million users.

Looking At TV - VeohTV

The service that Dmitry demonstrated is now live and everything he said it would be (plus a little more). My intent for this post is not to reiterate what we have already learned but to simply show some of the programming via a few images and to relay the experience as well as text can describe TV.

The more I watch this HD quality content and look at VeohTV's tools - the more I am convinced that Dmitry is actually the head of CTU (counter television unit) and that Jack Bauer works at Veoh. The shot below was taken as I watched Fox's 24 and cannot exhibit the quality of video inherent in the VeohTV player. I should note that my PC is 7 years old and the programming stutters only slightly even with this brick.

Note: The UI disappears ala Joost on mouse-out

What Is Interaction?

Well, so far this aspect is a space where a playlist can be integrated into a small workspace. If you look closely at the next image you will see that I am customizing one of the movable elements. These “objects” can be manipulated in a number of ways and tailored to user preferences. Also note the tabs at the top of the page, which can be customized or added to as well. An interaction is where one entity reacts with another. In the case of VeohTV, knowing Dmitry VeohTV has much greater implications than just a TV set for the Web. The Yourminis list in the interactive tab is quite extensive for a TV network. Once again Veoh has aligned themselves with another great and innovative company. The interactive space is a place to organize so far, but what will it be?

Discovering the tell tale signs of MORE

Conclusion

We just wanted to share some inside looks at VeohTV and I wanted to be the first to give everyone a “heads up” as to the flexibility and potential of Veoh from inside. There is an old Boy Scout motto that says: “Be Prepared”, and Veoh is one of those companies that always seem prepared for the next trend or possibility. Hey, a good idea would be to tell us what you would like to see on VeohTV. I am looking for VeohTV to be Web TV first and then a social web interface for the living room.

Jack Bauer or Dmitry Shapiro?