PalTalk Ventures Into Social TV

Video and text chat service PalTalk is adding a new feature to their chat client, called “Screening Rooms”. Screening Rooms adds video streams to special PalTalk chat rooms where up to 5,000 users can watch videos simultaneously and chat about what’s going on. It’s like Kyte.tv, but in their desktop client. Joost also has a little used chat feature in their client.

messenger92-6-default.pngScreening Rooms will launch with content from ManiaTV, Heavy.com, blip.tv, and Rip.tv, but also allow users to upload their own personal videos. Uploaded videos can be publicly or privately screened. Shows repeat on a schedule or are initiated by the person who starts the room. Screening Rooms are available in beta today, but will be opened to everyone later this year.

The service comes with a few hurdles for new users though. The need to download another chat client may prove too cumbersome for some users who aren’t on the platform already and paying for video chat when Skype does it for free will prove a hard sell. However, existing PalTalk users should be happy to watch the latest viral videos and shows while chatting and seeing their friends.