Taipei-based Portico Media has signed a deal with Vividas Group to become the exclusive agent of its internet video streaming technology in Taiwan. Portico also has a non-exclusive licensing deal for the Greater China region.

While there are no content deals to announce at this stage, Portico believes that the technology will be attractive to local media companies wishing to offer pay-per-view (PPV) content to worldwide audiences.

'Although there are several internet sites with PPV or subscription based viewing, we will be the first to offer content in HD format [in Taiwan ],' states Portico's general manager Jay Lin.

The cutting-edge cross-platform technology allows media companies to provide a link on their website that initiates a full-screen video broadcast without the need to install additional software.

Portico Media will offer post-production service to encode the media so that it can be streamed at different formats using Vividas' patent-pending instant-on technology at formats up to HD-resolution.

Since the technology does not provide digital rights management, Portico acknowledges that piracy concerns may initially restrict the use of the technology to promotional videos such as movie trailers.

While only a handful of local films are exported internationally every year, Taiwan's youth-oriented 'idol-drama' television series and high-concept variety shows are popular across Asia.

Lin adds that Taiwan's government 'is pushing for the adoption of HD in our region which is great news for continued growth in the live streaming of sports events with superior quality.'

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