Evaluating Dor OS and Sensara's Visionary Work disrupting Connected Televisions
A Hat Tip to Bharath Kumar Mohan and the 3:30:3:30 Rule
Hey Streamers 👋,
A warm welcome to the 65th edition of the “Streaming in India” newsletter, your weekly news digest about streaming players, OTT trends, and analyses. If you are not already a subscriber, please sign up and join thousands of others who receive it directly in their inbox every Wednesday.
Agenda
A Hat Tip to Sensara’s Visionary Work in Streaming
The Road Ahead for Subscription TV
And….Action!
A New Era for Connected TVs in India
The connected TV (CTV) market in India is on the brink of a significant transformation. Streambox Media, backed by Micromax Informatics, along with investors like Nikhil Kamath and Stride Ventures, has unveiled Dor, India's first subscription-based TV service. With the number of CTV households expected to double from 50 million to 100 million in the next five years, Dor aims to redefine how Indians experience TV content by addressing critical pain points like high upfront costs and fragmented services.
A Hat Tip to Sensara’s Visionary Work in Streaming
Every now and then, we at The Streaming Lab (Streaming in India) come across a story on LinkedIn that resonates deeply—one that deserves to be shared with a wider audience. This edition of our newsletter is dedicated to one such inspiring story: the incredible work being done by Sensara Technologies and their visionary leader, Bharath Kumar Mohan [Also major credit to him for this story], in shaping the future of streaming for audiences globally, all from Bangalore, India (also home of Amagi amongst other tech giants).
Sensara’s contributions to the streaming and Smart TV ecosystem showcase the kind of innovation and dedication that define game-changers in this space. Their work with Dor TV, India's first subscription-driven television OS, is a testament to their relentless pursuit of excellence in creating consumer-centric experiences.
Kudos to Sensara and their team for setting a new benchmark in the streaming world. Their story is not just about technology; it’s about empowering streamers and audiences alike.
Let’s evaluate the incredible narrative of Sensara and Dor TV!
The Sensara Journey
Sensara, has consistently pushed boundaries in the smart TV space:
Sensy: Their initial foray into the Smart TV ecosystem.
Xiaomi Smart Linear TV: Creating intuitive TV experiences.
Airtel XStream: Personalizing linear TV and offering cutting-edge viewership analytics.
Hybrid TV Launchers: Partnering with various TV manufacturers to offer seamless experiences.
When industry stalwarts Anuj Gandhi and Romil Ramgarhia shared their vision of reshaping the TV ecosystem, it was clear that the stakes were high. With Anuj’s experience in organizing the fragmented cable ecosystem and Romil’s expertise in TV measurement systems, there wa potential for a paradigm shift. Sanjay Rozario, the driving force behind this collaboration, ensured this vision came to life.
The Role of the Large Screen in OTT’s Evolution
Truths About Home Entertainment Video:
Cinematic Content Needs a Large Screen: Premium TV content, crafted with cinematic quality, thrives on large screens. While smaller screens provide access, the immersive experience is lost.
Long-form Content Dominates Large Screens: Viewers shift to televisions when committing 30 minutes or more to entertainment.
Stay Premium: Competing with ad-supported platforms like YouTube and Instagram on economics is futile. Premium TV must emphasize quality over quantity.
Subscription is Key: Televisions, unlike mobile devices or theaters, are ideally positioned for subscription-driven revenue models.
Challenges in the Subscription OTT TV Ecosystem
Misaligned Stakeholder Priorities
OEMs (e.g., Samsung, LG)
Focus: Hardware sales and maximizing ad-supported revenue models.
Challenge: Subscription TV is perceived as a cost rather than a value addition.
Telcos (e.g., Jio, Airtel Fiber)
Focus: Driving bandwidth consumption with free ad-supported content.
Challenge: Subscription TV’s moderate bandwidth impact limits appeal.
Big Tech (e.g., Google, Amazon)
Focus: Strengthening proprietary platforms like YouTube and Prime Video.
Challenge: Subscription TV competes directly with their ad-supported ecosystems.
Traditional Cable/DTH Providers
Focus: Extending legacy investments.
Challenge: Hesitation to embrace Subscription OTT accelerates churn.
OTT apps need allies that align with their subscription-based models, amplifying their premium offerings and standing apart from ad-supported content.
What Makes a Subscription TV OS Unique
Focusing on Premium Content: Delivering long-form, cinematic experiences tailored for large screens.
Simplified Subscriptions: Frictionless subscription management and payment systems.
Enhanced Discovery: Intelligent systems that organize OTT catalogs and enable personalized recommendations.
Strong collaborations and in house expertise led to a robust platform with seamless integration for 24 OTT apps, delivering a superior subscriber experience.
The 3:30:3:30 Rule of Attention Marketing
3 Seconds: Grab attention with engaging posters and personalized recommendations.
30 Seconds: Build interest through auto-playing trailers and intuitive previews.
3 Minutes: Provide depth with enriched metadata, cast details, and related recommendations.
30 Minutes: Ensure uninterrupted viewing with seamless app integrations and premium playback quality.
Building a Comprehensive Knowledge Graph
Total Titles: 46,438 unique titles, enriched with metadata and global popularity scores.
Actors & Personalities: 96,500 profiles with high-quality visuals and comprehensive filmographies.
Trailers: 12,789 trailers curated for auto-play experiences.
This Knowledge Graph powers intelligent recommendations, minimizing content discovery time and enhancing viewer satisfaction.
The Road Ahead for Subscription TV
As televisions become central to family experiences, their role will expand beyond entertainment to include interactive shopping, home management, and more. The launch of Dor TV’s Subscription OS signals a pivotal shift in how premium content is consumed in Indian households. By focusing on seamless subscriptions, superior content discovery, and premium experiences, the future of television is brighter than ever.
Sensara Technologies is committed to driving this transformation, empowering viewers with innovations that redefine the boundaries of home entertainment.
Keira Knightley’s first show for Netflix? Well it definitely starts well - worth a watch as we approach the holidays! Basic plot - Helen, wife of the Secretary of State, learns that her secret identity as a Black Dove is in danger after her lover is killed by London's underworld. Her employers, a spies-for-hire organisation – retrieving industrial, political or diplomatic secrets for the highest bidder – send Sam, an old friend, to protect her.
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