Just what is Project Canvas and what does it mean for me?
You may have heard the term Project Canvas being bandied about recently - and with the ambitious venture looking set to potentially change the way we watch television, you're set to hear a lot more about as it begins to take shape it in the coming months.
Initially announced in late 2008 as a partnership between telecommunications giant British Telecom and terrestrial broadcasters BBC and ITV, the Project Canvas group has since grown to incorporate broadcasters Channel 4 and Five as well as communications companies TalkTalk and Arquiva.
Project Canvas is an internet television platform built around common standards - meaning that any number of Canvas-compatible set top boxes, built to a common technical standard by different manufacturers, would enable users to access content on their LCD or Plasma TV via an internet connection.
This programming would also be available on an ‘on-demand' basis - much like the BBC iPlayer - meaning that all content could be accessed at the most convenient time for each particular viewer. Canvas-compatible boxes will also enable owners to pause, rewind and record content.
As well as traditional TV channels, however, users would also be able to access internet services such at YouTube and Facebook directly through their TV. The group behind the project are hoping that this new standard in television access will kick-start consumer thirst for internet protocol television (IPTV), much like Freeview did for digital television.
Another interesting aspect to Project Canvas is that it is being designed as an open platform, meaning that other broadcasters will be free to offer their content on the service should it be adopted in a widespread manner as expected. Internet-based firms, too, will be able to create services specifically for the new technology. So don't be surprised to see Twitter offer a Canvas-based client, for example, to allow all user to follow their timeline from the comfort of their sofa.
The group behind Project Canvas are currently hard at work to develop a standard technical specification for set top boxes in conjunction with the Digital TV Group, a television standards body. A phase of building and testing will follow, and, all being well, Project Cavnas will be launched under a new brand within the next 12 months.
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