Sky investment in 1Mainstream another vote of confidence in OTT, thinks PeerTV
Sky’s announcement earlier this month that it has invested a further $5 million in 1Mainstream, an
over-the-top (OTT) start-up company that operates an automated platform for the distribution of
linear and on-demand video is a clear vote of confidence in the OTT sector, think PeerTV, a producer
of hardware and software systems for OTT content distributors. The Sky investment builds on its $2
million investment in August 2013.
1Mainstream's platform provides automation technology to enable content companies to launch
OTT services across multiple platforms. PeerTV is best known as the manufacturer of the class
leading H265 OTT set top box which offers OTT content providers proven high efficiency video
coding (HEVC) technology. PeerTV’s Android based set top box has proved itself popular with both
end users and TV service content providers who are now successfully monetizing the TV viewing
habits of expatriate communities around the world by using the internet to reach an audience
known to be hungry for on demand ethnic TV content
With over 80% of US households now enjoying broadband access in the living room, PeerTV believes
the global market is rapidly approaching a tipping point where HD quality video can be streamed to
TVs without any reliance on cable and satellite video technologies. It’s a trend seen in China too,
where Chinese video on demand service YOU On Demand has formed a partnership with licensed
OTT platform operator Galaxy Internet Television Company, a joint venture comprising China
National Radio, Jiangsu Television Station, Baidu's iQiyi, and Dr Peng Telecom Media Group.
PeerTV believes an increasing number of content providers such as Sky and YOU On Demand are
looking at OTT opportunities. “We have the technology and the solutions to enable content
providers large and small to reach into new markets, as broadband access becomes a future of
everyday life for many more communities. The ability of OTT to avoid the cost and complexity of
having to use satellite, cable or terrestrial broadcast systems to deliver content represents a huge
logistical and cost advantage, said PeerTV CEO Avi Vermus.