The Live Web – Is This TV2.0?

There are a couple of posts today about the use of live video on the web.  First, (via PaidContent) a company called CourtroomLive that captures courtroom proceedings to deliver live and on-demand video directly to subscribers’ desktops.Then, over on NewTeeVee, there is a look at a site called PlayCafe:”PlayCafe produces an interactive weeknight online game show, with a live host reading questions, chatting with players, and commenting on the game. It is expanding from two to four hours next week, running 5 to 9 p.m. PT. The company, which is also making an embeddable widget version of its games, boasts an average playing session of 86 minutes, with 250 to 300 players per night. Prizes range from an iTunes song to $1000 cash.”Both of these sites demonstrate very different ways in which the ability to stream live video is becoming a major force online.  Obviously, bandwidth is a serious issue for anyone hoping to be a part of this movement, but something tells me that demand will drive the evolution of this tech area.Any way  you cut it, the growth of live web is going to be a growing concern to network broadcasters.  Until now, that was one thing they had over the web… 

UStream Ups the Ante

NewTeeVee has some very compelling news from live video streaming site UStream:

“The live video site will allow its users to collaborate with the possibility to mix multiple video feeds in real time. Users can either interact with each other to create a kind of live talk show or import other Ustream feeds picture in picture.

“This is a pretty cool step towards everyone who wants one having their very own live TV studio.  Look out world, here comes the world.