PPV Video-On-Demand is Here

by Alan Sheckter, Smart TV & Sound news editor

Entertainment-on-demand company Intertainer recently announced immediate availability of a pay-per-view, video-on-demand subscription service in the nation’s top broadband markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Boasting a catalog that features thousands of feature films, TV shows and music videos, Intertainer claims to be the first company to offer such a service at better-than-VHS quality. The company said that programs and films are encoded at 500Kbps, using Microsoft’s Windows Media Video 8, resulting in a “full-screen video experience.” Internet subscribers with a broadband connection of at least 580Kbps can watch programming directly on their PCs or on a TV linked with an S-video cable or wireless connection, Intertainer said.

While programs from Intertainer are delivered via Windows Media, content is protected through Windows Media Digital Rights Management.

The new subscription service, which is available in the United States’ top 35 markets, contains more than 70,000 hours of content, according to Intertainer. Consumers can choose from movies from studios, such as Universal, Warner Bros. and Dreamworks SKG; television programming, like Ken Burns’ “Baseball” documentary series, A&E’s “Biography” series and various cooking, travel and fitness shows, as well as music concert videos from artists, such as Madonna, Frank Sinatra and Eric Clapton.

Intertainer offers its service for a $7.95 per month subscription fee. Once signed up, programs are available on a pay-per-view basis. Feature films are $2.99 and $3.99, and music videos are free, the company said.

Microsoft is teaming up with Intertainer to promote the service through a co-branded video-on-demand page on MSN Entertainment.