Dreamer Demo'ing Thin-Client Solution for Delivering Interactive TV/VOD Services via Blu-ray Players

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week (Booth 10045), Burbank, Calif.-based Blu-ray technology provider, Dreamer, plans to demo an Internet connectivity solution which it says transforms Blu-ray players (and other CE devices) into HD set-top boxes for delivering unlimited content and interactive services to the TV. According to the company, the technology enables a portal-based service called BluTV that offers content owners an opportunity for global distribution directly to the consumer's living room without any third-party involvement, and that allows access to content channels via a disc or via the direct embedding of the service in CE devices.

According to Dreamer, the combination of its software technology and the BluTV portal not only allows the delivery of VOD content to Blu-ray players and other devices, but transforms "every Blu-ray player into an open applications marketplace, a gaming platform and a portal for unlimited ecommerce services." All of these offerings, the company says, can be personalized by geographic region or even by specific players and Blu-ray Discs, providing content owners with a dedicated, customizable channel directly into consumers' living rooms through a device already in widespread use. "At-home media consumption patterns are rapidly evolving, with consumers blending online video viewing habits alongside traditional disc-based formats," Dreamer president and CEO, Won Baek, said in a prepared statement. "BD-Live enables limited online interaction for consumers, but Dreamer greatly expands the promise of extended Blu-ray content without excruciating load times every time the disc is read. Our BluTV platform also establishes an open applications marketplace for Blu-ray disc players, allowing content owners to reach consumers with widgets and tools that enhance and extend the entertainment experience."

According to Dreamer, its technology makes it easy for consumers to use their Blu-ray players to browse, search and watch interactive content on their TV screens. The company says that the technology can be easily embedded on Blu-ray player chipsets (via a small 100Kb code), providing manufacturers with a simple and affordable solution for adding connectivity to their devices. According to the company, the code pulls content and services from a cloud-computing platform, allowing every application to load as fast as a Web page, and enabling content owners to update their services at any time without impacting the consumer experience. "With Blu-ray Disc player adoption already outpacing initial growth patterns for VHS and DVD player purchases, Dreamer is the perfect solution to further extend the retail appeal of Blu-ray Disc players," Dreamer general manager, Perry Weinstein, said in a prepared statement. "Our easy-to-use, menu-based interface presents a familiar approach to consumers, but the underlying technology empowers content companies and CE manufacturers to easily expand and update content sent to consumers' living rooms. With Dreamer and BluTV, content owners will no longer be limited to offering only video/audio on-demand (VOD) services. The Dreamer platform makes it possible to deliver product catalogs, ecommerce applications, casual games, social networking, advertising, Web portals and much more, exponentially expanding the home entertainment experience through one simple and affordable device."