Blinkx Launches BBTV Online Television Service

Yesterday marked the official launch of blinkx BBTV, which is aimed to provide “a high-quality television experience over the internet” by offering a large library of independent films and premium programming from existing partners of blinkx.

The new BBTV (BroadBand TeleVision) platform is now being offered as a free download and makes use of blinkx’s patented speech and visual recognition technology and hybrid P2P streaming to provide users with interactive internet television that will add “dimension and context to the viewer’s experience.” blinkx BBTV users will be able to browse or interact with external web services that relate to the content that is being watched, spanning from Google to IMDB, or even Wikipedia.

“Broadband Internet connections are fast enough today that with the right technology, it’s possible to deliver an experience that’s equal in quality to television. Consumers are accustomed to Online Video: short-form, often amateur clips that play in a Web browser – blinkx BBTV delivers Online Television: full-length, professional TV programming, delivered in exceptional quality,” stated founder and CEO of blinkx, Suranga Chandratillake. “The Web is the largest repository of connected information in the world – on any subject and from myriad sources. BBTV delivers television over the Internet, but it also fuses that TV with the wealth of information on the Web, rather than appearing as just another layer floating above it.”

Through the use of a patented video indexing technology developed by blinkx, users can automatically create a speech track of content in a video, making it easier to jump to specific points in a video through search. Other features offered on BBTV include audio transcripts,background information on actors, as well as reviews of the content.

As the service grows, blinkx has already made plans to boost the programming selection with several additional channels and premium content, and also plans to help develop similar experiences for partner media/entertainment sites looking for new ways to connect with their viewers. For those wondering, blinkx has stated that BBTV is fully compatible with its AdHoc advertising platform.

In related news, blinkx has announced that a deal has been struck with leading U.K. film distributor Dogwoof (which specializes in independent films and world cinema), to create a channel for BBTV.

“The film industry is screaming out for a multi-layered film channel, run by professional distributors that know how to promote a film, and look after everyone’s interests,” said Andy Whittaker, founder and CEO of Dogwoof. “This channel will be a filter for both the consumer and the rights holders, offering films from the best film producers worldwide… We are lining up some outstanding films that will surprise and seduce our customers, and most importantly, keep them coming back.”