Students may soon be able to watch real time episodes of their favorite television shows for free on the University network without even leaving their computers.
The Office of Information Technology (OIT), in collaboration with Video Furnace, is working to complement the University's current analog television system with Internet TV.
If the system receives support and financial backing, students would have access to certain movies and a subset of live TV channels selected by the USG.
The Undergraduate Life Committee (ULC), members of the USG and David Hopkins, manager of the New Media Center at OIT, will meet today to discuss the possible implementation of the system.
"The project is being run by the Undergraduate Life Committee," Rob Biederman '08, vice president of the USG, said. "We are having a big test at 4:30 [today] to see what the members of the Undergraduate Life Committee think of the service and see if we move forward with it from a technical standpoint."
After the presentation to members of the USG, ULC and interested students, the ULC will make a recommendation to Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson "about whether they think it should be adopted," Undergraduate Life Chair Caroline Chopko '07 said.
OIT selected a small sample of students three months ago to test the product, and activated the sample system in select dorms for a limited period of time.
The University decided to examine new media possibilities because of students' increased use of computers and the technological developments of companies like Video Furnace.
"Everyone is doing a lot of stuff with video over the Internet so with that happening, we are just seeing what are the next steps and possibilities," Hopkins said. "This is just looking to the future to see what other products can do."
Avi Flamholz '07, member of the Computer Science Undergraduate Council, tested out the pilot application.
"It's real time video. The quality is decent ... and it was nice to have it on your computer," he said.
Flamholz said that he wondered whether the benefits would justify the costs, though, assuming that the system will require substantial funding.
"I don't know if it's monetarily worth it for the University, but it is definitely monetarily worth it for students," Flamholz said.
One of the advantages of the system, he said, is that it could decrease the need for illegal file-sharing.
"It will probably make file-sharing less likely because people don't need to download TV shows," Flamholz said. "If I could watch 'Family Guy' on Sunday nights instead of downloading it on Monday mornings, I would do it."
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