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Video on Demand (VOD) is a technology to view and order video content
as and when required in the home, generally on a Pay-per-view basis. Users
typically have some form of Set-top
Box that provides the service to their television set. Users navigate menus with a remote control to select and order
content, with the cost billed to an account.
Services are provided over some form of bi-directional digital medium, such as ADSL,
MMDS or Digital cable. Video and
audio content is compressed and sent down the line, to be decoded by the Set-top Box.
The distinction between Video on Demand and other Pay-per-view services is that users can pause, rewind, fast-forward and stop the content as it is being
played, and choose the start time. The content stream is delivered to that individual Set-top Box alone, rather than broadcast to
many such boxes.
Video on Demand Providers
- Comcast has a video-on-demand service in the US.
- Time Warner Cable has a video-on-demand service in the US.
- HomeChoice has a video-on-demand service in the London area of the UK.
See also
- Near Video on Demand (NVOD)
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