QRcode, hashtag or audio watermark? A case study on second screening

Abstract

Combining television and a second, web-connected screen, is challenging both in technical and production content issues, as they can influence users’ engagement with the content. The case study presented in this paper aims to discuss how the use of different content recognition techniques for TV set and mobile devices synchronization can impact for better or worse the users’ interactive experience. From a triangulation method approach, using a prototype, quantitative and qualitative questionnaires and focus groups, user test sessions were carried out in order to collect perceptions and reactions from participants using variations of QRcode, hashtag and audio watermark markers when second screening. Data analysis showed that a key factor for a fruitful content recognition for dual screening is not only the seamless communication by itself, but the influence level of each specific characteristics of a marker, such as size of images, number of characters and noises.