Netflix and Relativity Media announce a long term agreement through which major theatrically released films owned by Relativity will be licensed directly and exclusively to Netflix for streaming to its subscribers during the “pay TV window.” Traditionally, these films have flowed through Relativity’s studio releasing partners to output deals with premium TV channels.

The deal marks a continued shift in the distribution of major motion pictures in the U.S. Under the agreement, an increasing amount of popular contemporary movies previously encumbered by pay TV agreements with premium channels such as HBO, Showtime and Starz will become available to be streamed from Netflix months – and not years – after their release on DVD. It will be the first time that studio quality theatrical feature films will be streamed via subscription by Netflix instead of being broadcast by the traditional pay providers, and it opens up a new revenue stream for such movies.

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Netflix and Relativity Media to Stream First Run, Studio Quality Theatrical Movies to Netflix Subscribers

Clearleap and Roku announce a partnership that will bring consumers volumes of premium television content– from movie libraries of major studios to popular programs traditionally limited to pay TV services. The arrangement will leverage Clearleap’s cloud-based universal video platform for content management and service delivery, giving pay TV operators and premium programmers a seamless opportunity to offer content and generate additional revenues with a branded Channel on the Roku player.

Clearleap’s platform will enable paid VOD transactions to post directly through viewer’s pay TV subscription information, allowing Roku users to consume free or pay VOD titles congruent with their subscription package, with transactions posting as part of their monthly TV service bill.

Original post:
Clearleap and Roku Partnership Builds Bridge for MSOs, Programmers

DreamTV announces that the company has launched their premium content which is now available thru Roku, an over-the-top Internet video streaming device manufacturer. The new premium content includes new categories such as Action Sports and Classic TV Shows, all for a subscription price as low as $1.70 per month. Along with the premium content viewers will continue to enjoy current shows on the DreamTV channel.

“DreamTV is excited to have made our premium content available to our viewers at such an affordable price,” said Hari Mahesh, Founder of DreamTV. “Viewers have been anxiously awaiting the availability of this expanded content and we will continually refresh our line-up of shows moving forward.”

Source:
DreamTV’s Premium Content Now Available As Low as $1.70 Per Month

Movie streaming service Netflix has been asking its customers whether it should make the leap onto Apple’s iPhone with an app.

So says an article over at the Hacking Netflix website, which has got hold of a leaked survey about the viability of the service.

The blurb regarding the potential app stresses that it would be a wi-fi streaming service, and asks whether or not the respondent would be interested in such an app.

It talks in specifics, and mentions that there will be new releases, classic films and some TV programmes available, none of which will be interrupted by adverts or trailers.

Whether or not this is going to happen any time soon is debatable, as Netflix has previously commented that it won’t be doing an iPhone application in the short term.

Read more here:
Netflix may produce iPhone app

Espial announces
improved performance and power benchmark results for its Espial MediaBase, video-on-demand
products, with Intel Solid State Drives and the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series.
Espial continues to extend its leadership in commercial-off-the-shelf based video-on-demand
solutions. The latest results tested with next generation Intel processor and SSD
technologies are captured in a new whitepaper written in collaboration with Intel.
The whitepaper concludes the use of Intel Xeon Processors and Intel Solid State Drives
dramatically reduces power consumption and equipment footprint for VOD applications.
Espial has continued a long-standing relationship with Intel that includes close collaboration
on Intel product design, testing and commercialization. This cooperation allows Espial
to maintain a laser focus on optimizing its video-on-demand software while leveraging
the innovation cycle of Intel and commercial-off-the-shelf servers and storage. Espial
MediaBase is a carrier grade, high performance video-on-demand solution that incorporates
patented high performance IO and networking technologies, optimized for COTS hardware
– ensuring power and cost effective products for its customers.

In the whitepaper, Espial MediaBase was used to benchmark the power, performance and
footprint advantage of the now available Intel Xeon processor 5500 series and Intel
Solid State Drives. Using COTS servers with Intel components, cable and telco operators
can expect to achieve reductions in power consumption and space requirements while
achieving high volume of on-demand video streams. The paper notes that service providers
can deliver up to 2400 Standard Definition streams with 75% less space and power requirements
than a typical hard disk disk solution. This level of performance and reduced power
is critical for the next wave of on-demand TV services such as Network Personal Video
Recorder, Time-Shift TV, and Remote-Storage Digital Video Recorders that Service Providers
are rolling out.

Source:
Espial Showcases VOD Performance Benefits; Announces Availability of Joint Whitepaper with Intel