• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, April 2, 2008

Using its search expertise and the Web's interactivity to beat TV at its own game, video search engine blinkx today is launching a broadband TV service, blinkx BBTV.

The free peer-to-peer service aims to leverage blinkx's patented speech and visual recognition technology to deliver an immersive and high-quality TV experience, and all within the context of the wider Web.

Blinkx BBTV debuts with a library of independent films and programming from existing content partners, which consumers can view on full screens at TV quality.

The service enables users to browse or interact with online sources related to what they are watching, whether it's Google, Wikipedia, IMDB or other Web sites offering relevant information--from news and entertainment to travel and sports.

"Blinkx BBTV delivers television over the Internet, but it also connects that TV with the wealth of information on the Web, rather than appearing as just another layer floating above it," said blinkx founder and CEO Suranga Chandratillake.

While watching blinkx BBTV, viewers can access transcripts of a program's audio track and background information on everything from actors and personalities to reviews and locations shown within the video.

The service's first partner is Dogwoof Pictures, a UK-based film distributor specializing in independent films and world cinema. Dogwoof Pictures will be available as a channel on blinkx BBTV. In the coming months, blinkx plans to add dozens of additional channels and premium video content to the BBTV offering.

Entrants into the interactive Web TV space like Joost and Veoh are presently having trouble finding enough quality programming to fill out their offerings.

Yet, there is no shortage of viewers searching the Web for content. A recent study from the Solutions Research Group revealed a significant increase in people viewing prime-time programming online over the past year. Nearly 80 million Americans--43% of the online population--have watched one of their favorite shows on the Internet, according to SRG--up significantly from 25% a year ago.

Since its launch in 2004, the raison d'être behind blinkx has been to develop an efficient, scalable way to search the millions of hours of video now flooding the Web.

It has done this by supplementing existing video search methods by transcribing the words spoken in videos, and searching them, using speech recognition technology.

Blinkx presently licenses its technology to over 80 partners, including Microsoft, MTV, British news broadcaster ITN, and Reuters.

In the video search space, blinkx's myriad rivals include AOL's Truveo, Flurl, and ClipBlast, to name a few.