The Participatory Culture Foundation (PCF) has released its video player for Windows platforms. PCF’s video player for Mac platforms has been out for a while, but this Windows-based version should give a boost to the non-profit’s efforts.
The player comes pre-programmed with Internet video channels, such as Rocketboom, although PCF claims there are over 300 channels on the menu. The player also features a video search tool (although right now it looks like a user can search only Yahoo and Blogdigger).
The video is surprisingly good, appearing in a large window (I’d say 5 inches by 4 inches) and the player integrates with video social networking site videobomb.com, so that users can “bomb” videos to their connections. In a big news day for video self-publishers, PCF’s platform for Windows also enables self-publishing of uploaded video content, with optional BitTorrent functionality.
The platform, however, has an unfortunate name: The Democracy Platform. (I am aware of the irony here given that this site is called IP Democracy). The mantle of politics and copyleft-ish lingo makes the platform sound either partisan or boring or just good for you, the way brussel sprouts are good for you.
But the goal of PCF is to create an Internet TV platform and not push polemics. In the email announcing the release of the player, PCF says
Here’s the mission: there’s an opportunity for all of us to create a new, open mass medium of online television. We’re building the Democracy internet TV platform so that watching internet video channels will be as easy as watching TV, and broadcasting a channel will be open to everyone. Unlike traditional TV, everyone will have a voice.
Cynthia Brumfield at 4:53 PM|Comments(0)
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