Gems of Opportunity Concept: HD Television Digital Community Platform

Hello All,

This month's unique conceptual design (at least to my knowledge) :op is borrowing from other community elements gamers have enjoyed for nearly a decade to date. It's for cable TV providers which many are also Internet providers as well. To introduce a value added proposition to its existing installed customer base of subscribed users. By offering an evolution of the "Video On Demand" services to go in the direction of Steam by Valve Software Corporation.

Since the days of the old bulletin boards with baud rate modems have televisions been used as monitors. Then came the evolution of "Web Tv" with keyboard accessories and all. Now there could be a High Definition digital community platform for those with existing home entertainment systems. As gamers enjoy their hobby in a community setting, how come TV viewers can not experience this same identical privilege?

What I'm proposing is a multi pronged approach to such a "HD Television Digital Community Platform" for existing cable TV subscribers across the globe. Depending on the provider several of these layers of interactive activity can be offered to enhance the pastime of viewing television at home or on mobile devices elsewhere.

First, to provide greater community interaction with one's community base. Many Cable Tv providers taking "Comcast" as an example have an online community web forum message boards through their website. Aside from regular customer service and select promotions the company doesn't directly interact with its own customers. A digital divide exists, perhaps on purpose? No matter if such a lack of interaction has occurred organically or intentionally. With this conceptual design the divide can be smoothed over with this suite of services for existing customers.

Such as evolving the web forum message board of today by introducing verbal & video chat connectivity. Current message boards on the web are mostly a reader's marathon of text, some still images, and a token video recording inserted in a user post. What if allowing a user post consist of a verbal recorded message on whatever the topic. Instead of reading text which is sooo late 20th century you actually hear the verbal chat message in the post. Or go the way of smartphones and web cameras online and offer video user recorded message posts on such a "HD TV Digital Community Platform".

Second, to offer customer service experiences that aren't glorified IRC (Internet Relay Chat) rooms as a pop-up window at a company website. To offer depth with such a company rep. to customer Internet Age connectivity beyond your toll free phone numbers. Similar to the web forum message board of tomorrow to include one or all 4 layers of: text, voice, video, and data (upload / linking) depending on the customer need of interaction.

Third, following the examples of: Steam by Valve, Xbox by Microsoft, & Playstation by Sony. To include a digital portal community service for television / mobile viewers as an evolution of existing "Video On Demand" offerings. For example these aforementioned PC and Console gamer communities offering unique user global account profiles. With achievement oriented merit like badges (much like the Scouts (ie Boys & Girls) are globally famous for in participation) that are all participation focused. For gamers it's on in game world achievements. For television viewers it can be on passive and interactive attentive viewing of multimedia content. Let's say NCIS by CBS broadcast channel offers a line up of achievement badges for their 3 NCIS franchise crime drama shows. Besides passive viewing of episodic content there can be pop quizzes during a commercial break. To gauge viewer attentiveness as to what is happening in each episode.

With achievement oriented badges there can be virtual currency awarded for later redemption purposes. Be it from a real world merchandising catalogue of TV media content goodies. Or other account related virtual items as cosmetic distinguishing preferences for each user. All viewers could attend through their television or mobile device a Community Online Theater much like chat rooms of today. Where special premiere season offerings are showcased for new and returning Tv series. With special promotions associated with (merchandising or higher value) prizes for viewer attendance. Much like Tv shows use social media (ie Twitter) for similar events offering interaction with a Tv shows cast.

Unique cross branded mini-games like many cable channels already offer online through their websites. (ie USA Network used to offer for "White Collar") Be they puzzle, arcade, or other lore driven mini genre games can this tier of achievement badges be awarded.

Lastly the real world and the digital community platform can intersect to offer a line of volunteering achievement badges. Many corporations notwithstanding "Comcast" as an example take civic pride in supporting local community causes with their employees. Why not combine the leverage of employees and customers to jointly partake in local volunteering or donated proceeds in earning achievement badges. Be it any number of organizations such as: United Way, Red Cross, Feeding America, and so forth.

Fourth, with such a HD Television Digital Community Platform comes the leasing of cable Tv equipment which cable Tv providers are famous or infamous for with customers. Such a community platform can offer accessory equipment leases or direct purchases if so desired. For example, keyboards, microphone headsets, Tv web cameras (with a manual shutter filter as a security feature from a hacked web camera voyeur), hand gesture VR (Virtual Reality) motion input controller, voice recognition remote controls, etc....

Cable Tv / Internet providers can go one step further and offer HD (High definition) 4K Ultra Television leases and/or purchases. Which can include sound system hook up's to a home entertainment system. Comcast, which is my Cable Tv & Internet provider has a fleet of technicians. That rivals what "Best Buy, Geek Squad" or a "Rent A Center" service technicians could ever supplant with direct to customer installations. Since the video game consoles (Xbox & Playstation) are already tippy toeing into streaming movies ala "Net Flix", which has classically been the domain of cable Tv providers. Why not offer company name branded television and sound system leases and/or new purchases with promotional rates. Cable Tv providers are always offering new or existing subscriber promotional plans depending on the time of year. Why not go beyond multimedia content and into direct electronic leasing of hardware viewing and listening devices as well?

The HD Television Digital Community Platform like I stated in the beginning is a value added proposition to existing installed customer base of subscribers. Why not evolve the scale of interaction of a viewing hobby that was created back in the mid 1940's of the 20th century? Bringing such enthusiasts into the early 21st century with multi-layered interconnectivity of mediums of communication. (ie Voice, Video, & Data) This digital community platform can be developed with today's technological throughput measures of infrastructure. It's not rocket science, although vision is required to ignite the passions of television viewers everywhere. Who is going to be the trailblazer to make the industry follow you instead?

Ivan "Atrayo" Pozo-Illas, has devoted 20 years of his life to the pursuit of clairvoyant automatic writing channeling the Angelic host. Ivan, is the author to the spiritual wisdom series of "Jewels of Truth" consisting of 3 volumes published to date. He also channels conceptual designs that are multi-faceted for the next society to come that are solutions based as a form of dharmic service. Numerous examples of his work is available at "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site of 10 years plus existence online. Your welcome to visit his website "Jewelsoftruth.us" for further information or to contact "Atrayo" directly.