From Colin Mann in London

Social television platform company Vidiactive has unveiled its production software and new Internet portal. The Vidiactive system enables any Internet video to be browsed full screen on a television and also enables users to control, share and manage their content and content feeds.

“What we're doing is catering to the way television will be viewed in the future,” noted Vidiactive CEO, Ben Hookway. “We're not trying to layer Internet functionality onto the TV screen. Rather, we think the big screen is great for watching video and the small screen is great for controlling and sharing that video.”

He revealed that the system is currently undergoing internal trials with one of the world's largest network providers, and describing it as “a highly disruptive technology”, claimed it had already attracted a lot of interest from the industry, including box and chip manufacturers and European network operators. “There are two or three companies looking at building boxes,” he suggested, noting that these could retail at around £95 (E109).

Business plans under consideration for the development included selling to service providers, as well as potentially monetising viewer behaviour patterns. “Because we know what's being bookmarked and sent as recommendations, it's very valuable for targeted advertising” he noted, adding that in five years time, the company wanted all video devices to have Vidiactive conformance.

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