Video on Demand

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.
• Rogers Cable has a video-on-demand service in Canada.

See also

• Near Video on Demand (NVOD)

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