What the Connected Red Button could look like
The BBC has officially unveiled its new Interactive Video Player (IVP), which will make its debut for the Olympic Games.
It comes as the BBC looks to build a Connected Red Button following confirmation of a reduction in its broadcast streams.
Every sport will be available live and on demand in HD quality throughout the games. The player will allow for easy switching between the available 24 live streams as well as the ability to pause and rewind live video or jump straight to key moments by using chapter markers.
Last week BBC Sport launched a Facebook application offering audiences live streams of major sports events, including Wimbledon and London 2012.
In addition to video, live chat functionality will be added in time for the Olympics.
A beta version of the app is offering BBC’s network TV coverage plus up to six extra match streams from across the courts, as well as comment threads and sharing features.
Daniel Danker, the BBC’s head of on demand services, has said the BBC intends to “connect the very best of traditional Red Button with the breadth and depth of BBC Online.”
“This new “Connected” Red Button will become the foundation for interactivity around the BBC’s television channels on the TV, and I believe that it will set the benchmark for seamlessly bringing broadcast television together with the internet.”
Planned features include the ability to instantly access catch-up TV from linear channels or send recipes related to cookery shows to the viewer’s PC.
