Yesterday at CES (News - Alert), Cisco unveiled a solution called Videoscape Unity, which expands on the Videoscape capabilities it announced at the Consumer Electronics show in 2011.

The original Videoscape was introduced to address the new video trend and transform the TV experience by allowing customers to access both the traditional content they’re used to, as well as subscription-based programming, including content from over-the-top providers, and DVD movies and programs. In describing this at CES 2011, Cisco showed a TV screen with an interface categorizing the various content types as well as a “friends feed” that displayed video messages from others as those messages arrived.

The new Videoscape Unity, which leverages technology that Cisco got through its NDS (News - Alert) acquisition, offers enhanced cloud capabilities and the ability for a branded client, explained Jesper Andersen, senior vice president and general manager of the service provider video technology group at Cisco. Marthin De Beer (News - Alert), senior vice president of Cisco’s video and collaboration group, added that the electronic programming guide of Videoscape Unity also allows users to navigate all kinds of media (TV channels, YouTube (News - Alert), social media) by content type and/or personal preference. And the solution’s cloud DVR functionality enables users to access content from any device, even if they missed the airing of that content.

Cisco representatives used an iPad and then a Droid smartphone rather than traditional remote controls to navigate content via the Videoscape Unity interface. And they noted that users of the solution can get a good viewing experience no matter their device screen size or resolution.

The company also provided a look into how this solution could be used in the future, meaning about a year from now. De Beer said OLED and large displays could allow for immersive content walls in our living rooms. And he showed such an experience, which included video of a sports event, player stats, a social media feed and other content. Cisco also used a wireless device to photograph a bar code on a product in De Beer’s hand, and said that by doing so the consumer could be provided with related product information. That could include things like how-to use videos, but it also would open the door for service providers like telcos to offer retailers the ability to target consumers with related products.

Speaking of service providers, Cisco added that Videoscape Unity also offers service providers network congestion and usage information on any geography they want to monitor, based on device type and content type.

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