System for wireless broadband datacasting

Vincent Kong
New Straits Times
02-22-2001
System for wireless broadband datacasting
Byline: Vincent Kong
Edition: Computimes; 2*
Section: Business News

QUESTSEVEN Dot Com Sdn Bhd (quest7.com) and Palette Multimedia Berhad have launched a wireless broadband datacasting system aimed at home users and businesses.

Called Smart TV PC, the system allows users to access and receive broadband content and applications at a speed of up to four megabits per second without a telephone line. It is said to be the first such service to be offered in this country.
According to Encorp Media Group's chief operating officer and quest7.com's director Sreedhar Subramaniam, by converging the concept of television and the Internet, the Smart TV PC will revolutionise how television is used as users will be able to wirelessly access high-end interactive content anywhere, any time. "The community- based project is in line with the company's motto, Life's Simplest Solutions, offering the best platform to the masses regardless of locality towards building an enlightened community," he said at a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing between quest7.com and Palette Multimedia in Shah Alam last week.

Quest7.com, a subsidiary of Natseven TV Sdn Bhd (ntv7), was represented by Sreedhar and Palette Multimedia by its president and chief executive officer (CEO) Eg Kah Yee. Also present was Encorp Media's CEO and ntv7's chief executive officer Datuk Shazalli Ramly.

Under the agreement, quest7.com is the media brand for the datacast content while Palette Multimedia is the developer and technology provider of the Smart TV PC.

Based on broadband or airwave technology, datacasting involves transmitting content via a television antenna, unlike the Internet which requires a telephone line. As such, even rural areas where TV transmission is possible can obtain broadband connectivity.

Eg said datacasting is not an Internet service but it allows broadband content datacasted by the media brand, currently only offered by quest7.com.

At present, the datacast content is focusing on segments like on- demand TV, education, travel and software. "The Smart TV PC and a television antenna are all a user needs to gain access to the free datacasting service," said Eg.

Touted as a three-in-one service, with a full-function personal computer, TV and broadband datacasting system, the Smart TV PC is powered by a Pentium III 750-megahertz central processing unit and comes with a 56-kilobit modem for dial-up to the preferred Internet service provider. The service is priced at RM3,499.

In conjunction with the launch of the Smart TV PC, ntv7 is working on three rich-content projects to embrace the country's One Home, One Computer campaign. "We believe that with the right price and the right scheme and content, we will be able to encourage the masses to harness the benefits of information technology," Shazalli said.

Illustrations/Photos:
Caption: Sreedhar: Wireless access of interactive content.; Eg:
Transmitting content via a television antenna.

(Copyright 2001)