Israeli cable TV provider tries its hand at streaming games on demand

Although it won't beat OnLive out the gate -- assuming that company sticks to its winter 2009 target date -- Israeli cable TV provider Hot has unveiled its plans to provide streaming games on demand, with all the processing power done server-side so you can keep that weak cable box as is, thanks to technology from local company PlayCast. A trial program is in the cards for 1,000 customers, with access for everyone coming in early 2010. If this screen shot's any indication, it's not exactly looking to stream Crysis -- if anything, we're expecting something more comparable to what we saw on our last visit to Holiday Inn, which is still infinitely better than the nonexistent streaming gaming options our cable TV companies are currently offering stateside.

[MS&GoogleFan @ Jul 20th 2009 8:08PM]

cost cost cost?

[Applegadget @ Jul 20th 2009 10:21PM]

Palestinian lives.

[weirdo123098 @ Jul 20th 2009 11:17PM]

That sir, was an epic reply.

[uShak @ Jul 20th 2009 11:54PM]

Take enough lives, and you might just rack up enough credits for Ninjabread Man.

[cinogen @ Jul 21st 2009 4:35AM]

Your ignorance regarding the situation, sir, is mind blowing!
Read history, learn the facts , and then comment regarding the middle east situation.

[loocas @ Jul 21st 2009 5:24AM]

^ pissed off Palestinian... :D

[brr404 @ Jul 20th 2009 8:10PM]

lol >.

[rickhamilton620 @ Jul 20th 2009 8:10PM]

Hmm, I know that my cable box let me play games (stuff like solitare...etc.) and I live in the US. Is this any different from that?

[Caveman @ Jul 20th 2009 8:24PM]

I wonder if they have the new Zohan game.

[Monkey with glasses @ Jul 20th 2009 8:29PM]

Or mine sweeper.

[Piscea @ Jul 20th 2009 8:37PM]

Im down

[dsteve303 @ Jul 20th 2009 8:47PM]

HEY ROSS!!! WHATS UP?!

[DanielT @ Jul 20th 2009 8:51PM]

Its not fair that the writers wont talk to you :(

[dsteve303 @ Jul 20th 2009 9:01PM]

I know. It makes me sad, kinda.

[Matt @ Jul 20th 2009 8:50PM]

LEGO INDIANA JONES IS WIN

Yes. It is amazing enough to shout about.

[echoelman @ Jul 20th 2009 9:15PM]

NinjaBreadMan looks to be it's killer app.

[echoelman @ Jul 20th 2009 9:16PM]

You know what, scratch that, downrate me for spelling "its" wrong.

[wrabbit @ Jul 20th 2009 9:31PM]

Sounds intriguing and I wish them the best but, "The time from hitting "Fire" until receiving a fresh image of the game is "Under a quarter of a second"... While this is more than enough for strategy games, it doesn't sound super-fast for a serious FPS."

Erm, that's kinda like playing a multiplayer game with 250ms - theoretically you can do it, but you're not gonna enjoy it, not for FPS or strategy games. If they don't cut it down to at least 150ms I don't see this taking off for serious gamers. For casual gaming this could work very well, if the price is right.

[Smiley Barry (TSL) @ Jul 20th 2009 9:52PM]

I've seen them stream games like Sonic Riders over, so I'm guessing almost all PS2 games will be compatible. :-D

[Pash91 @ Jul 20th 2009 10:19PM]

I just came from Israel and HOT is terrible. It takes at least a second if not more to switch channels. The TV guide is also terrible. I wish them luck, but I don't understand how people in Israel have the patience for this

[weirdo123098 @ Jul 20th 2009 11:21PM]

They vent their frustrations by putting the Palestinian brother down.

[cinogen @ Jul 21st 2009 4:35AM]

Your ignorrance regarding the situation, sir, is mind blowing!
Read history, learn the facts , and then comment regardign the middle east situation.

[weirdo123098 @ Jul 30th 2009 6:21PM]

cinogen @ Jul 21st 2009 4:35AM

"Your ignorrance regarding the situation, sir, is mind blowing!
Read history, learn the facts , and then comment regardign the middle east situation."

I noticed that instead of providing hard facts, you simply copy past your foolish argument again and again.

[Chris Dunning @ Jul 20th 2009 11:03PM]

I find it interesting that, rather then use original artwork, they seem to have taken Wii boxart (complete with white strip at the top) and simply airbrushed out the Wii logo.

[Khav @ Jul 20th 2009 11:13PM]

Not only that, but they're all games from notoriously bad shovelware publisher "Data Design Interactive"

[ForNow @ Jul 21st 2009 12:23AM]

Fail IMO.
I had this back in the day with the Sega Channel in the mid-90s.
This is not new technology or a new method to play games

[Geoff @ Jul 21st 2009 12:50AM]

Misleading artwork, at the very least. Those are Wii covers with the Nintendo references conveniently airbrushed away, and at best they'd be using the PS2 versions of that crapware.

The technology required for streaming Wii games would be absurd. For any other console you could just wire up a control pad to your cable box, sure, but the Wii would still require a motion sensing IR remote, an IR receiver, and a box to handle all that on your end, not to mention some method of mapping the geometry of your TV to the simulated display on the host ... ridiculous. Once you get to that point, you'd be better off just buying the Wii (and some better games).

[SiXiam @ Jul 21st 2009 1:34AM]

Sega TV lives!

[shmulik @ Jul 21st 2009 3:18AM]

This isn't a great games but that 3D games with DualShock controller and almost every Cables here can run those games.
and what's the connection to the Palestinian? the palestinian get free water (in israel it's a big problem) and free energy.

it's great for casual+ games their is Tony Hawk and Sonic... 3D...

[Avishee @ Jul 21st 2009 4:09AM]

in fact, the photo is only an illustration. there are going to be non-violent games at first, but as they bring in the parental control system, you should see them streaming everything... (they said they already have a deal with activision) but it will only be in SD. they are even working on a Wii style motion control.

and i dont get why every piece on Israel must involve the conflict in the comments.... you know, there are other things here like a very successfull high-tech industry. one of the highest ratios in the world (if not the highest, i dont know) for start-ups per 1000 people.

[neofolklore @ Jul 21st 2009 8:26AM]

in b4 walls of text.

[jesse.greathouse @ Jul 21st 2009 8:54AM]

hOt is a really good cable provider. I wish we had it here in the US. I'm not big into streaming games, but I just thought I'd mention that.