Deltatre Media’s online video and data streaming service DIVA is being extended to iPad, iPhone and Android, writes Adrian Pennington. The company is also bidding to power the BBC’s 2012 Olympic website using the technology.
Currently available in browse form only, an app for DIVA (Data Integrated Video Application) has been developed to concept stage on the iPad while an iPhone app is due later this year, and Android apps by Q2 2012.
Deltatre has spent $2 million developing the technology, which has already been used by Sky Sports and was devised in 2007 with Microsoft to deliver an integrated video and data player for NBC’s coverage of the Beijing Games.
DIVA has since been adapted for BBC, NBC, CTV and NRK’s coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and for Sky Sports Champions League coverage 2010-2011.
“What is unique about DIVA is the fact that data and video are baked together,” explained Jim Irving, Head of Video and Commercial. “We believe sports fans no longer want clips. They want the option of seeing the whole match live or VoD, to go back and see key highlights while the game is still playing, to see heat maps, player tracking data, goal stats, team sheets. They want to navigate between live and VoD so that if they join in 20 minutes late they can catch up on all the action. DIVA does this.”
It is also ideal for multi-event action whether streaming simultaneous Champions League matches or Olympics events.
“The BBC has issued its tender for an intelligent video player for 2012 and we think DIVA fits the bill and does more than they ask for,” said Irving.
In partnership with Mammoth, Deltatre has been awarded the contract to design and supply the television graphics for the BBC’s coverage of London 2012. It has also opened an office in MediaCityUK to support BBC Sports move north from London.
The company, which is headquartered in Turin and employs 350 staff, has four businesses. It provides official result systems (for FIFA, UEFA and the International Rugby Board, among others), designs websites, provides broadcast graphics and data, and is also a systems integrator.
“We are like a TSL for graphics and new media,” said Irving, adding that Deltatre is currently installing sound, edit and vision mixing facilities for News International in London.
