SightPath Introduces TV-Quality Internet Broadcasting for Europe
SightPath, the content delivery company acquired by Cisco Systems for $800 million last month, is launching a TV-quality, Internet-based delivery solution designed specifically for marketing and communications staff.
Neville Wheeler, managing director of SightPath Europe, said: "Marketing and communications staff looking to distribute video or multimedia content have always faced severe limitations because there's been no real alternative to CD-ROMs, videotapes or satellite links. Yet these solutions are expensive and inflexible. Take videotape - you are reliant on the people receiving the tape to watch it and if you need to get the message updated after a couple of weeks, then the only real alternative you have is to send out another round of tapes. People have looked to the Internet to provide a solution but until now, the quality of the pictures simply hasn't been good enough. Now, SightPath is able to deliver TV-quality video using the Internet as the delivery mechanism."
Benefits for Marketing and Communications Staff For those working in a retail environment, SightPath allows the marketing department to run individually tailored TV quality multimedia advertising and educational programmes in each store. Control of the broadcast is maintained by the central marketing unit and output can be varied at any time, even through the course of the day to reflect the changing nature of those visiting the store. All those in the store need to do is to turn on the system - from there, everything can be handled via head office. In addition, retailers can offer manufacturers an in-store TV advertising facility - or a multimedia Point of Sale display Internally, SightPath provides organisations with an affordable, reliable and high-quality method of distributing company news, marketing updates and sales / product training courses to all the relevant people worldwide.
Because SightPath allows marketing and communications staff to build private television channels for different groups, the same infrastructure can be used to provide in-store broadcasts for customers, point of sale displays for manufacturers, and sales / product training courses for staff. Each channel is set up much like a distribution list and password protected. This way, marketing and communications staff can ensure that people are receiving messages relevant to them.
The Technology Behind SightPath
SightPath enables large numbers of users to view television-quality video on existing corporate Web sites and its intelligent content distribution technology allows organisations to deliver rich media content to any desktop computers connected to the Internet. Users simply click on a URL embedded within a Web page and play video through standard media players, such as the QuickTime Player, Windows Media Player, or RealPlayer.
The SightPath solution includes the SightPath Studio, which is the administrative technology that controls the distribution of media, and SightPath Appliances, which receive and distribute files to each remote site. Because other desktop hardware and software are not required to work with SightPath, it is an economical solution well suited to the technology already in place at most organisations.
The SightPath Studio also offers the IT department centralised control over the entire distribution network. This includes intelligent content distribution that means IT departments can ensure that their networks won't be congested with large files and operations can continue to flow smoothly.
Because it is based on plug-and-play "appliance" technology, the SightPath solution is easy to set up at any office worldwide. Special software or administration is not required at remote sites. Each user simply needs a Web browser on his or her desktop. And offices can use their existing LAN and IP connections for access, so they can be up and running quickly. There is no new desktop software to load, no complex servers to manage. Installation is fast and easy, whether the system is installed at headquarters or at offices around the world.