Cloud computing platform NPTV has been formally launched with the aim of making broadcast television truly interactive following a highly successful demonstration of the technology at IBC 2013. NPTV will offer TV-as-a-service on a platform that renders multi-sourced video in real-time, with the ability to deliver interactive video to a range of devices, including set-top boxes, smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and PCs.

The pioneering technology behind NPTV will put the viewer in the producer’s seat, giving them the capability to view multiple video feeds, live previews, multi-camera viewing, graphic effects and custom overlays on the viewer’s stream – all with zero latency.

NPTV CEO Harri Koponen said that cloud technology had changed the music and film industry with services such as Spotify and Netflix, and that the aim was for NPTV to be the same game-changer for the broadcast industry. “NPTV will dissolve the walls between broadcasters, viewers, content developers and advertisers offering rich interactive capabilities within TV shows that not only improve the viewer’s experience, but offer businesses and developers a new route to market.”

NPTV will let viewers choose how they experience live television events, with the option to view real time statistics, the action from preferred camera angles, revisit any angle and point of action they want and post views on social media streams.

Koponen, formerly the COO at Rovio Entertainment – famous for creating mobile app Angry Birds – added, “Viewers crave choice and control today and this is exactly what NPTV will provide. Television is evolving, for example, and in the future instant purchases straight from TV commercials will become the norm. The basis for this evolution will be the interactive, cloud-based, TV-as-a-service that allows broadcasters to deliver video content with little to no investment in infrastructure.”

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