Trends in Electronic Program Guide Development 1Q 2011
Trends in Electronic Program Guide Development examines the evolution of the TV interface and the future of this important application. This report examines operator and CE manufacturer developments in the program guide and the technologies affecting the changing TV interface, including metadata, search and recommendation solutions, remote control and input devices, and software solutions for interactive program guides (IPGs). The report addresses key trends, such as increasing interactivity, sources of content, multiscreen initiatives, hybrid STBs, social networking, personalization, and efforts to use the guide to drive additional revenues. The report includes a global forecast for CE devices capable of supporting an interactive program guide.
“The television user interface has become a critical differentiating feature for pay-TV providers and CE manufacturers,” said Brett Sappington, a senior analyst at Parks Associates. “The consumer television experience is grounded in the viewer’s ability to quickly and easily find interesting, relevant content. Those services and systems that can deliver the right content to the right viewer will win the minds and pocketbooks of the TV-viewing world.”
“The television user interface has become a critical differentiating feature for pay-TV providers and CE manufacturers,” said Brett Sappington, a senior analyst at Parks Associates. “The consumer television experience is grounded in the viewer’s ability to quickly and easily find interesting, relevant content. Those services and systems that can deliver the right content to the right viewer will win the minds and pocketbooks of the TV-viewing world.”
1 REPORT SUMMARY
1.1 Purpose and Scope of Report
1.2 Data Sources
1.3 Definition of Global Regions
1.4 GLOSSARY of Terms
2 MARKET ANALYSIS
2.1 Who Owns the Interface
2.1.1 Operators
2.1.2 CE Manufacturers
2.2 Content Discovery
2.2.1 Programming Guides
2.2.2 Search and Recommendation
2.2.3 Metadata
2.2.4 Remotes and Human Input
2.3 Related Systems
2.3.1 Middleware
2.3.2 Interaction among CE Devices
3 TECHNOLOGY AND TRENDS
3.1 Minimizing Viewing Interruptions
3.2 Interactivity
3.3 Common Interface across Multiple Screens
3.4 Addressing Multiple Sources of Content
3.5 The Growth of the Hybrid Set-top Box
3.6 Social Networking
3.7 Personalization
3.8 3D Guides
3.9 Monetizing the Programming Guide
4 FORECASTS
4.1 Annual TAM for IPG Devices
5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Service Providers
5.2 CE Manufacturers
5.3 Solution Providers
Appendix 1: Sample Metadata
1.1 Purpose and Scope of Report
1.2 Data Sources
1.3 Definition of Global Regions
1.4 GLOSSARY of Terms
2 MARKET ANALYSIS
2.1 Who Owns the Interface
2.1.1 Operators
2.1.2 CE Manufacturers
2.2 Content Discovery
2.2.1 Programming Guides
2.2.2 Search and Recommendation
2.2.3 Metadata
2.2.4 Remotes and Human Input
2.3 Related Systems
2.3.1 Middleware
2.3.2 Interaction among CE Devices
3 TECHNOLOGY AND TRENDS
3.1 Minimizing Viewing Interruptions
3.2 Interactivity
3.3 Common Interface across Multiple Screens
3.4 Addressing Multiple Sources of Content
3.5 The Growth of the Hybrid Set-top Box
3.6 Social Networking
3.7 Personalization
3.8 3D Guides
3.9 Monetizing the Programming Guide
4 FORECASTS
4.1 Annual TAM for IPG Devices
5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Service Providers
5.2 CE Manufacturers
5.3 Solution Providers
Appendix 1: Sample Metadata
LIST OF FIGURES
Companies Interviewed for the Report
Global Forecast Regions
Growth of Global TV Households
Ratings of Pay TV Features
EPG Ratings by US Pay TV Customers
Recent EPG Introductions / Changes
XBox 360 Video Marketplace Interface
Samsung TV Apps
AT&T Linear TV Program Guide
Selected EPG Software Vendors
Search/Recommendation INDEXing Criteria
Selected Search/Recommendation Solution Providers
Appeal of Social Recommendation Features
Video Metadata Categories and Examples
Additional Metadata Information in the Verizon FiOS Guide
Video Metadata Providers
Remote Controls from Pay TV Providers
Set-Top Box Architecture and Applications
Selected Middleware Vendors
Examples of EPG Options for Viewing Content and Guide
Iskon.TV Online EPG
Multiscreen EPG Initiatives
Sources of Content
Neflix Profiling Interface
Example 3D Interface
Comcast IPG Banner Ad
Annual TAM for IPG Devices
Trends and the Future of the EPG
Trends and Hurdles for EPGs
Companies Interviewed for the Report
Global Forecast Regions
Growth of Global TV Households
Ratings of Pay TV Features
EPG Ratings by US Pay TV Customers
Recent EPG Introductions / Changes
XBox 360 Video Marketplace Interface
Samsung TV Apps
AT&T Linear TV Program Guide
Selected EPG Software Vendors
Search/Recommendation INDEXing Criteria
Selected Search/Recommendation Solution Providers
Appeal of Social Recommendation Features
Video Metadata Categories and Examples
Additional Metadata Information in the Verizon FiOS Guide
Video Metadata Providers
Remote Controls from Pay TV Providers
Set-Top Box Architecture and Applications
Selected Middleware Vendors
Examples of EPG Options for Viewing Content and Guide
Iskon.TV Online EPG
Multiscreen EPG Initiatives
Sources of Content
Neflix Profiling Interface
Example 3D Interface
Comcast IPG Banner Ad
Annual TAM for IPG Devices
Trends and the Future of the EPG
Trends and Hurdles for EPGs
