Sezmi to Compete With Cable and Satellite TV
A new service aims to simplify modern television, combining Internet TV, local broadcasts, and cable networks in one box and one menu. Called Sezmi, the service is an ambitious effort to tap multiple technologies to pull off its effort, with unused TV spectrum at the center of its plan.
The company would broadcast the most popular cable programming over the air, using extra capacity that was given to TV stations as part of the transition to digital broadcasts. Some stations, including PBS, are using the new capacity to broadcast their own added programming, such as offering extra channels of how-to or kids shows.
But most of the added broadcasting capacity is sitting unused. Sezmi would lease time from local stations to broadcast offerings from cable networks like ESPN and HGTV for instant watching. Other programming could be downloaded from the Internet, along with more Webby fare such as YouTube.
A software interface would organize the programs for easy watching and hide the whiz-bang tech that's pulling programming from different sources. "It's invisible to the user where the content is coming from," says cofounder and CEO Buno Pati.
Adding the Internet, and a hard drive for storing programs, is an interesting twist on another failed effort to use extra capacity at TV stations. USDTV went bankrupt leasing time on local broadcast channels to cheaply deliver cable networks to homes for a monthly fee.
Sezmi has hired several former USDTV execs to help put together its technology. But Sezmi will take a different approach in selling its service. USDTV relied on consumers buying their box from the local Wal-Mart. Sezmi will sell its service through Internet service providers—such as telephone companies—that are anxious to offer video programming.
Sezmi isn't talking price, other than to say it expects customers to pay a monthly fee that's about half what they now pay for digital cable or satellite service. Sezmi is starting tests of its service in hopes to launch in a few markets by year's end.
Tags: television | technology
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Reader Comments
Sezmi Programming
Give me programming other than infomercials after 8 p.m..........some of us work the night shift and don't want the tivo expense.
Give me channels that don't have commercials every five minutes
Give me movies and shows that don't have popup trailers along the bottom of the screen to distract me throughout the show I'm trying to enjoy.
Give me sound that doesn't treat me like an idiot that doesn't know you hike the decibals to an obnoxiously loud level for your commercial accounts. It's annoying as hell.
Day after day I look at the four channels I watch religiously, curse the trailers and commercials chronically interrupting my viewing experience and the complete lack of late night programming and say, "I can't believe I actually PAY for this abuse". Even pay per view is showing two year old movies. How many times do we have to chose between Lethal Weapon and Erin Brokovich? The state of television offerings is disgusting.
I remember when Friday and Saturday nights were prime time to view some great shows............now it's impossible to watch anything but repeats 80% of the year. The industry should be ashamed of itself for the money extorted to get a decent picture and view absolutely nothing. Even HGTV, History Channel and Discovery have paid programming after their "prime" hours. For Shame!
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