DTH
Intel, CinemaNow advance the burn-to-DVD entertainment experience
MUMBAI: Computer chip major Intel and Internet provider of downloadable videos in the US CinemaNow have announced a collaboration.
This will allow consumers using Intel technology-based media PCs, such as those with Intel Viiv technology, to legally download and record major motion picture movie content to blank DVD discs for playback on both the PC and consumer electronics devices, including most standard DVD players.
Intel Viiv technology-based PCs currently provide consumers with the ability to view their movie content locally on the PC, sync it with portable devices, and wired or wirelessly extend the content through their home networks to connected devices, such as large-screen TVs.
Intel’s digital home group VP and GM of the company’s Content Services Group Kevin Corbett says, “The ability for consumers to legitimately burn premium content to DVD is one of the greatest barriers to delivering consumers the flexibility to truly enjoy digital home entertainment when and where they want it.
“The investment by CinemaNow to advance the Burn-to-DVD service model is a major step forward in the digital distribution of content, and Intel is excited to be working with them to bring these capabilities to consumers via Intel Viiv technology.”
CinemaNow, in collaboration with Intel, will optimise the burn-to-DVD service for PCs based on Intel Viiv technology. The enhancement will enable movie fans who wish to use the burn-to-DVD service through a large screen, or 10-foot interface, to do so from their couch. The service will be available in the early part of this year; the Burn-to-DVD solution is currently available through a standard PC, or 2-foot, interface.
Additionally, CinemaNow unveiled plans for the delivery of additional Intel Viiv technology capabilities in early part of this year, including extending premium movie content over the home network to connected devices. This service provides CinemaNow customers with the latest Hollywood hits, music videos and independent movies while taking advantage of the capabilities provided by Intel Viiv technology.
CinemaNow CEO Curt Marvis says, “Joining forces with Intel will help us improve our digital home distribution model. CinemaNow is the ideal platform to demonstrate Intel’s enhanced processor power and this technology will dramatically improve our burn-to-DVD consumer experience.”
CinemaNow launched burn-to-DVD in July 2006. Burn-to-DVD technology for movies takes advantage of the multi-core performance provided by Intel’s new Core 2 Duo processor. The 40 per cent more powerful Core 2 Duo processor family will allow Intel Viiv technology-based PC consumers to download and burn movies faster and more efficiently. ¹ Intel continues to work with the industry on enhancements to further the performance of these technologies.
DTH
Prasar Bharati’s WAVES earns Rs 2.9 crore in first year
Platform scales content, users but monetisation gaps limit revenue growth.
MUMBAI: Big waves, small ripples at least for now. When Prasar Bharati launched its OTT platform WAVES at the 55th International Film Festival of India in November 2024, it pitched a bold vision: a homegrown rival to global and domestic streaming giants, blending video, audio, gaming and commerce into a single digital ecosystem. Five months into FY2024–25, however, the platform’s revenue stands at just Rs 2.90 crore, a figure that underscores the gap between ambition and monetisation.
On paper, WAVES looks anything but modest. The platform has ingested 13,608 titles, totalling 9,495 hours of content, with over 13,000 titles already live. It has streamed more than 575 live events from the Mahakumbh Amrit Snan and the 76th Republic Day parade to the Hockey India League, Kabaddi World Cup and Mann Ki Baat while offering 74 live TV channels and 12 radio channels. With over 10 lakh registered users and more than 200 content partners onboarded, the scale resembles that of a fully operational streaming service rather than a pilot project.
The architecture supporting this scale is equally robust. Built under Prasar Bharati’s Central Archives vertical, WAVES runs on a cloud-based infrastructure with DRM, encryption and an integrated analytics dashboard. It includes dedicated units for content ingestion, quality control, publishing, graphics, marketing and billing, and is distributed across platforms such as OTTplay, Tata Play and BSNL. The offering extends beyond video to include audio-on-demand, e-games and even e-commerce via ONDC integration.
Yet, the numbers reveal a core disconnect. Despite its scale, WAVES generated just Rs 2.90 crore in a market where India’s OTT industry crossed Rs 23,000 crore in 2024. A key bottleneck lies in monetisation infrastructure: subscriptions cannot currently be purchased within the app and must be completed via an external website. In a mobile-first country where over 95 per cent of OTT consumption happens on smartphones, this extra step creates friction that most users are unlikely to overcome.
Ironically, content is not the problem, it is the platform’s biggest strength. Prasar Bharati holds one of the world’s richest broadcast archives, including 45,154 hours of digitised Akashvani programming and 35,723 hours from Doordarshan. For WAVES alone, over 3,800 hours of archival content have been made OTT-ready, including classics such as Ramayan and Shaktimaan, alongside rare cultural recordings and historical broadcasts.
There are early signs that this library holds commercial potential. Revenue from archival content licensing rose sharply to Rs 3.38 crore in FY24, up from Rs 67 lakh the previous year. Meanwhile, free digital platforms continue to drive massive reach, the PB Archives Youtube channel clocked 119.78 million views and added 4,02,000 subscribers in FY2024–25, crossing 1.7 million in total, while DD News has over 5.84 million subscribers.
That, however, presents a strategic dilemma. While free distribution builds scale, it also conditions audiences to expect content at zero cost making it harder to transition to paid models. WAVES, designed as a hybrid AVOD-SVOD platform with advertising and subscription layers, is yet to fully crack this balance.
The broader challenge is not technological but strategic. In an ecosystem dominated by platforms offering seamless payments, aggressive pricing and high-budget originals, WAVES is still bridging the gap between being a content repository and a commercially viable product.
For now, the platform reflects both promise and paradox. It has the scale, the content and the infrastructure but until monetisation catches up, WAVES remains less a revenue engine and more a digital showcase of what India’s public broadcaster could become.
