IP: New Intercast medium announced

[Dave Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

>To: ietf@CNRI.Reston.VA.US
>From: Abel Weinrib <AWeinrib@ibeam.jf.intel.com>


>Thought you might be interested in the recently announced "Intercast(TM)"
>medium, which links Web pages and associated television programming.  The
>Web pages are broadcast using the vertical blanking interval of the
>television signal and cached on the local machine.
>
>This technology effectively extends the Web to any computer connected to a
>television antenna or cable.  When the computer also has an upstream
>connection to the Internet (e.g., via a telephone modem to an Internet
>Service Provider), users can follow links embedded in the broadcast pages to
>content available elsewhere on the Internet.
>
>The medium is based on open industry standards, including many from the IETF.
>
>I've attached the press release below; for more information, visit
>http://www.intercast.org.
>
>==============
>Leaders in PC, Broadcast and Cable Industries Announce Formation of
>        Industry Group to Promote New Digital Medium for the Home PC. 
>
>
>
>     Intercast Medium Combines the Digital Power of the PC, the Global
>Interactivity of the Internet and the Rich Programming of Television
>
>SANTA CLARA, CA, October 23, 1995 -- Media companies NBC, Turner
>Broadcasting's CNN Interactive, Viacom and WGBH Educational Foundation;
>programmer QVC, cable operator Comcast; software developers, America Online,
>Asymetrix, En Technology and Netscape Communications Corporation; PC
>manufacturers Gateway 2000, Packard Bell and technology provider Intel
>Corporation, announced the formation of the Intercast Industry Group to
>promote a new
>medium called Intercast. The new Intercast medium, which links the Internet
>and television on your PC, is a combination of Intercast technology
>integrated in new
>home PCs accessing new Intercast content developed by television programmers.
>
>Intercast Technology
>PC users equipped with Intercast technology will receive broadcast Web pages
>and other data combined with associated cable or broadcast TV programming. It
>will bridge the gap between broadcast programming and the fast-growing
>Internet, creating a new digital medium for entertainment, education and
>information on
>powerful personal computers in the home. Intel will be developing the
>underlying Intercast technology. Intel's Internet Technology Lab has
>developed working
>prototypes which are currently being tested with home PC users. PC
>manufacturers will be developing Intercast-enabled PCs and content providers
>will be creating
>content with the goal of widespread availability in the second half of 1996.
>
>Intercast Content
>Intercast content will be created with HTML, the language of the World Wide
>Web, and will include hyperlinks to related information on the Internet. Using a
>modem and any direct Internet connection, PCs with Intercast technology will
>be able to move transparently between Web pages sent with the television
>broadcast
>to related Internet sites.
>
>Intercast technology will allow content providers to create new interactive
>content-- text, graphics, video or data-- around their existing programming
>and deliver
>this content simultaneously with the TV signal to PCs equipped with
>Intercast technology.
>
>For example: 
>
>     A breaking news story could be linked to additional information on the
>geography or historical background of the event. 
>     A television police drama could allow a viewer to watch the program
>while also viewing clues, the DNA reports and other information not seen on
>TV. The
>     viewer could try to solve the case before the onscreen detectives do. 
>     A music video could air with Web pages featuring concert dates and
>hyperlinks to independent fan club information on the Internet. 
>     Sports programs, like the Olympics, could provide broadcast Web pages
>with information on individual athletes and live, continuous statistics on
>the athlete,
>     the game, and/or the league. 
>     A fashion program could be accompanied by broadcast web pages allowing
>the viewer to purchase highlighted apparel instantaneously 
>
>Because the Intercast medium will use existing communications infrastructure
>and open industry standards from the broadcast, PC and Internet industries,
>it can be
>quickly and inexpensively deployed. Open specifications will also make it
>easy for software and hardware developers to create new applications for the
>Intercast
>medium. "The Intercast medium brings together the best parts of the
>television and computer industries -- the creativity of the TV industry, the
>depth and breadth of
>the Internet, and the interactive power of the personal computer," said
>Steve McGeady, Vice President of Intel's Internet Technology Lab.
>
>The Intercast Industry Group
>The industry group established today will have the charter to create and
>promote the Intercast medium as a broadly accepted, open system that will spawn
>industry-wide implementations. The Intercast Industry Group activities will
>include dissemination of information and education on Intercast technology
>and content.
>Membership will include technology providers, PC manufacturers, software and
>hardware developers, content providers, advertisers and cable companies. For
>information regarding membership in the Intercast Industry Group please see
>the website located at http://www.intercast.org
>
>
>