Video services on the network "Sky Link"

The fifteenth of August the company Sky Link, which provides telecommunications services in CDMA 450, announced the launch of the beta testing video services based on high-speed data transmission Sky Turbo (2,4 Mbit / s) - "Mobile TV", "mobile video", " Video Library. " During the trial operation video services will be available to subscribers of Sky Link in service SkyTurbo in Moscow, Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Leningrad region.

To use this service will only owners of mobile phones Ubiquam U-300, as currently is the only model of the phone with support for EV-DO. However, not just be the lucky owner of the terminal, to activate the service will need to contact the office of "Sky Link", where it will be installed Vyuga MediaBoard. With the launch of the service Brew Shop the need to visit the office will disappear, but when this happens is still unknown.

Appendix Vyuga MediaBoard is a video platform Brew (analog Java), which is designed for streaming video. We had installed a demo version 1.03 of the application. The program is completely Russified, although the special need in this. Use the service is quite simple: choose the menu item "Catalog", then choose one of the services - TV, video or Web camera. Next, select the desired channel (or video camera, depending on the service) from the list and click on "OK" button. When scrolling through the list in the upper right corner displays a small picture of the video, a kind of preview. It is a pity that the picture is really very small in most cases to make out something on it impossible. Channel load takes about 5-7 seconds, of course, an important role is the location of the subscriber and the network load.For any of the video image service will be broadcast in a window that occupies about half of the screen, view in full screen mode is not possible.

The first video service - is "Mobile TV", the website operator is laid out detailed instructions for its connection. The service is not new, it has long offered an operator Megafon.

The network "Sky Link" at the moment is invited to view five channels: RBC-TV (for Moscow), REN-TV (for St. Petersburg), Humor TV, MUSIC BOX TV and MUSIC BOX TV RU. As you can see, the channel list is not impressive, but to launch the service in the commercial exploitation of his promise to expand.

Picture sent in acceptable quality, any slowdown during the test was not observed, although much depends on the location of subscriber and network traffic. For a large network congestion are frequent buffering video. Honestly, it was interesting to spend time watching the news and even small clips that are broadcast on the channel HUMOR TV, came to the place. Doubts arise only in demand music channels, since the sound quality when viewing is poor. Watch music videos with such a hideous sound quality does not want to, though perhaps there are fans which is more important than the picture on the screen rather than sound.

The second video service offered by the operator, it is "Video Library", the website operator is laid out detailed instructions on how to connect. It provides access to catalogs of videos, music videos, trailers, and movies are optimized for viewing on screen.It's nice that in the directory specified duration and volume of each clip (2-minute clip weighs about 2 MB). The popularity of the service depends on how often the operator will fill this section of the novelties at this point I personally do not find in it something interesting, all that is offered in the section is obsolete.

The third service is the most interesting, this "mobile video", the website operator is laid out detailed instructions on how to connect. You can choose from to view the image with various web cameras (at the time of writing the material section was empty). But of greatest interest to users, of course, is viewing the image with their own cameras. This function will certainly be interesting to managers who like to see what's going on in the office in their absence. And for ordinary users, this function will be interesting, for example, by connecting the camera at home, you can watch the children who were left alone, or just browse the image in order to ensure safety. Ways of using this service you can think of many more.

To connect, of course, you need a Web camera (as well without it!), As well as high-speed Internet connection and a permanent IP-address. Use the service from the phone can be the application Vyuga MediaBoard or from the application Logitech Mobile Video (will be available later).

Well, now for the moment, which certainly of concern to many users, namely the cost. Before the introduction of service in the commercial exploitation of the subscribers will be charged for the amount of information received, depending on your plan. It should say that watching 1 minute mobile TV broadcast or from a Web camera eats about 2 Mb. So it is possible to estimate how much you spend for the use of the service at the moment.

It is planned that from the start of commercial operation will be submitted to special rates for Internet traffic for video services, which will be 4-5 times lower than existing fares. If you are interested in only certain services, for "Mobile TV will be introduced monthly fee (most likely, similar to how it is implemented in Megafon). But for service "Video Library" is expected to levy a one-time fee-per-view movies. These data are preliminary, and with the introduction of service into commercial operation that could change.

In the press release it looks very nice, but in reality things are not so rosy. First, the service is still operating at only one terminal (the most functional, but very expensive).The truth of the information from the "Sky Link" to the end of the year there will be two more functional device with support for EV-DO, which will also be able to work with video - services. Secondly, despite a decent data rate, the image is translated into a small window that is at least strange. This money is available and in Megafon to a low-speed GPRS connection. It is clear that the company did not want to deal a body blow users tremendous traffic, but still would like to see a choice: watch the video in a small window, but pay less or the same look with the "comfort" in full screen and pay more. Of course there is a case that the operator deliberately cut video for the sake of economy, internal traffic, and in this case we have a reason to think about bandwidth.

At the moment users more interested in service "mobile video", for many it can be really helpful. "Video Library" in the form in which it is presented now, is not enthusiastic. "Mobile TV" is not new, we already passed. However, if you improve the quality, albeit with higher prices, this product will attract a certain number of users.