Belmont, Calif. - Sezmi on Thursday introduced its next-generation television platform, an alternative to cable and satellite services that combines digital over-the-air local broadcasts, broadband-delivered video, and channels beamed to the Sezmi set-top by local TV stations over unused portions of the broadcast spectrum.

Sezmi co-founder and CEO Buno Pati told the Associated Press he expects the service will cost about half that of current cable or satellite services.

The Sezmi team also includes chairman and president Phil Wiser, former CTO at Sony and founder of Liquid Audio.

The company -- formerly known as Building B -- said it is currently conducting trials in unspecified pilot markets, and plans to launch with broadband service providers and national retailers later this year.

The service will focus on on-demand viewing, asking networks to send popular programs to the Sezmi set-tops, similar to the now-defunct Moviebeam service.

The stealth-mode Building B raised $17.5 million in August 2007 from Morgenthaler Ventures, OmniCapital, Index Ventures and private investors.

Related Links:
http://www.building-b.com/sezmi/php/news/press/press_thelaunch.php

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080501/ap_on_hi_te/sezmi_4 (AP)

http://www.sezmi.com