China Media-on-Demand Coalition Launched to Create Worlwide Media Platform

This will create a new media on-demand platform encompassing software, hardware, content, encryption, encoding, content certification, distribution network, payment system and business protocols for the delivery of rich media content, worldwide

The IDV Global Media-On-Demand (GMOD) platform supported by the coalition was a top-secret project until premiered at the China MOD Coalition press conference on April 12 in Beijing. This is a scalable, end-to-end system that will supply next generation games, sports events, movies, TV shows and other interactive entertainment direct to private residences or hotel rooms worldwide, with the same interface, in High Definition (HD) quality video.

IDV GMOD's advanced global media on-demand (MOD) platform is a true end-to-end solution that includes a second generation PC with a 3D "platform-on-platform" architecture developed by IDV, a California-based company -- the first system to receive certification from China as the standard for second generation PCs. Content will be delivered to consumers by digital feeds from global sources, including a next generation Internet based on the IPv6 technology. Partners will do revenue sharing.

IDV GMOD subscribers will be able to access entertainment and educational programs from around the world and play the most advanced video games from any publisher. U.S. citizens will be able to tune in Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" monologues from wherever there is broadband access; basketball fans in China or anywhere in the world will be able to pull up a Yao Ming game they missed or want to see again; foreign nationals will be able to watch programming anywhere in their native language.

"IDV GMOD also provides China media publishers and distributors a direct platform on which to export rich media content. Today popular China movies such as Kung-Fu, Hero and House of Flying Daggers can only be accessed long after release in China. Now for the first time in history China media publishers can securely distribute their rich-media content to the worldwide market, direct from the publisher/distributor to the end-consumer. This will be a major achievement never available to China media companies until GMOD," said Dr. Fan Yeqiang, deputy director, China Institute of Policy Studies (CIPS), a government think-tank that studies and forms policies for China.

Companies and government organizations attending included;
-- China Netcom

-- SINA

-- Tsinghua Tongfang, China's second largest PC manufacturer

-- Ministry of Information Industry (MII)

-- Foreign Affairs Department, State Administration of Radio,
Film and TV (SARFT)

-- Information Office of the State Department, China

-- China Computer Examining and Appraisal Center

-- National Informatization Evaluation Center

-- China Electro-Information Industry Academy Strategy Lab

-- China Household Electronic Appliances Research Institute
(CHEARI), China's certification organization for home
electronics

-- The China Institute for Policy Studies (CIPS)

-- China Telecom has also expressed interest

IDV GMOD'S new platform poses a serious threat to IPTV, a Microsoft-backed system that has enjoyed some provider support in China but not much consumer acceptance. "IPTV is a limited, regional broadcasting technology that was
developed to allow broadband companies to compete with cable TV and satellite services. Since this is a very new and unchallenged solution, in fact, IPTV is a costly, problematic and 'transitional' solution with many limitations" said Dr. Fan.

"What the world needs is a true media-on-demand service that also offers consumers a way to interact with the content," Fan continued."It is very interesting that the worldwide media and broadband industries followed Microsoft's lead into another limited and expensive technology. IDV is the first to propose a global media platform instead of regional delivery system. It's strange enough the world doesn't have such a platform."