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sky uk - Disney Active Portal on Sky Digital |
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 Dropping its original enhanced TV portal, Disney Channel UK has re-launched its interactivity with a new ETV service, this time created for Sky's WTVML browser, developed by Sky Interactive and supported by a comprehensive management and scheduling system from Tamblin.
According to Disney the new application is a major step forward from their previous solution and offers Disney a greater deal of flexibility and control of their interactivity in terms of design and dynamic update.
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The new application will also empower kids giving them the opportunity to participate in shows whilst still being able to watch the action on screen. Viewers will be able to get their names on air during the any of the programmes, have e-mails posted straight away and enter competitions as they are announced all through their Sky remote control.
Using Tamblin's i-ZoneTV product (a dynamic publishing, management solution) Disney can now schedule updates of content, change fonts, background and design in synchronicity with the programme schedule without the need to 'carefully plan a 'content churn' 2-3 weeks in advance' which was the case when dealing with OpenTV code directly.
The design of the new application is bright, colourful and kid friendly and by making the move to a browser and content management based architecture, Disney have the opportunity to creatively manage their interactive services, to change features and to update their interactive content on the fly.
There are always going to be trade offs when moving from highly optimised custom code to a browser type architecture and this is visible when under detailed scrutiny. It does take a while for rich content such as images and other overlays to appear in the application but this is not a problem unique to Disney.
According to Robert Markham, New Media Manager for Walt Disney Television International, the load times of the application are 'not as quick as we would have hoped.' however Markham believes that the delivery of this new ETV service has been a major challenge for everyone involved and that their requirements for rich content and functionality have pushed the capability of the microbrowser more than any other broadcaster using the solution.
What perhaps also isn't clear to the wider interactive TV industry is that Sky's microbrowser is constantly changing / improving product that already has gone through several different versions. Sky's current browser version is 6 and version 7 will be available soon with even more improved functionality.
Sky's microbrowser solution is more comfortable providing text based or t-commerce services where a live, online connection to a server is critical, however Sky are actively developing the product so that it can be used more widely for enhanced television. Less need for testing means applications can be launched much faster, however there are many people in the interactive TV industry who argue that the microbrowser is entirely unsuitable for enhanced TV.
Markham also raises the issue of second generation boxes. Some of Sky's oldest Digiboxes, known as TP2's, clearly struggle to load complex applications such as those based on the microbrowser and this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
Markham believes that developers can't keep making applications for the lowest common denominator boxes , dragging down functionality
However the re-launch has clearly benefited Disney. The application which launched on September 3rd has already received more than 4 times the normal amount of connection per day. |
Enhanced TV 
