Videophoning: Live on Television from Your Living Room

July 14th, 2005

In the future, quiz show contestants will be able to use a UMTS cell phone to participate in game shows from any location. Siemens and Grundy Light Entertainment have thus created a completely new possibility for actively participating in TV shows. A successful test has demonstrated how viewers can become part of a live TV show by means of a video link. The live video transmissions in the tests were conducted either via UMTS mobile radio technology or through the fixed-line network with the help of the Surpass Home Entertainment system from Siemens.

In addition, costs for the transmissions could be kept down to the 49 euro cents normally charged for cell phone calls.

The partnership with the FremantleMedia subsidiary Grundy, which produces the German version of "American Idol" and other shows, is expected to lead to new broadcasting formats on German TV in the near future. A new type of game show has in fact already been offered to German commercial television broadcasters.

People who do not own a UMTS cell phone can use the Surpass Home Entertainment system and a DSL connection to directly participate in game shows via their own television. The resolution provided by the broadband DSL connection even makes it possible to transmit a full-screen image of the contestant. Image resolution via the UMTS connection is of lower quality, however.

Surpass Home Entertainment allows any television to be linked to the Internet, thus enabling clear video telephony as well as transmission of text and multimedia messages on the TV screen. The ability of viewers to influence the outcome of TV shows will lead to greater fun and entertainment when watching television. This concept can also be used with pay-per-view and video-on-demand.