FierceIPTV

AT&T pulls plug on Hallmark channels for U-verse subscribers

Jim O'Neill — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:30:20 -0400

AT&T U-verse has pulled the plug on the Hallmark Channel and the Hallmark Movie Channel after negotiations on new carriage fees failed.

The telco disconnected the channels at 12:01 this morning, announcing plans to replace them with a free preview of the family programming from Starz Kids & Family and Turner Classic. And since several of Hallmark's programs are available on other U-verse channels, customers can use the U-verse Search feature, by hitting "Menu" on their U-verse remote and selecting "Live TV" and then "Search."

"We are very disappointed that Hallmark has refused to provide AT&T and its customers with a fair deal--one that is no worse than similarly-sized and smaller providers--and refused to adhere to key obligations under our current deal," the telco said in a release. "We offered to extend the current deal while talks continued, and Hallmark rejected that offer. Hallmark has forced us into a position where we no longer have the rights to carry the Hallmark channels... We don't want customers to lose their programming, but we believe strongly that our customers should not have to pay more than their fair share for Hallmark's channels, which is exactly what Hallmark is demanding."

Hallmark, meanwhile, says it's open to negotiations.

"I was stunned by the apparent disregard for the facts in AT&T's recent statement regarding our negotiations," said Hallmark Channels president and CEO Bill Abbott. "However, if they are really serious, my team and I are ready for truly fair negotiations."

The U-verse/Hallmark battle is the latest in a long list of fee disputes between carriers and content providers. Increasingly, the battles have been fought in front of the public.

Time Warner Cable and Disney, which owns ABC and ESPN, recently tussled over fees--and fees for ESPN3.com, the network's online property that streams live sporting events--in a public brouhaha that included an aggressive ad campaign and tough words between the two. A deal between the two reportedly is close enough to be called "done," but still awaits signatures.

For more:
- see this release
- see this article

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Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:02:50 -0400

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Best Buy picks Widevine for DRM, video optimization for Insignia branded devices

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:11:11 -0400

Best Buy says it's partnering with Widevine Technologies to use the company's digital rights management and video optimization technologies on Insignia-branded devices sold at the big-box electronics retailer. The deal will make it easier for content owners and service providers to deliver content to Insignia TVs, Blu-ray players and media players both over-the top and in a TV Everywhere environment.

Widevine will provide adaptive streaming, virtual DVD-like controls and DRM on the Insignia connected devices that are expected to start shipping this quarter. Best Buy's digital video service, CinemaNow, already is using Widevine technology to deliver video to an array of Internet-connectible devices.

"We are excited to include Widevine's technology in our Insignia products," said Patrick McGinnis, director of exclusive brands for Best Buy. "The customer experience delivered through Widevine's video optimization platform will ensure that we not only give our customers a high-quality device, but also a pleasant viewing experience no matter what media they are viewing on their device."

Insignia is a Best Buy exclusive brand and features a range of products including televisions, Blu-ray players, digital imaging products, home theater solutions, audio products and more. They're available online and in Best Buy locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, China, Mexico and Turkey.

Privately held Widevine provides digital media solutions for the delivery of digital entertainment to any device. Its investors include Cisco Systems, Inc., Charter Ventures, Constellation Ventures, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Liberty Global, PaceSetter Capital Group, Phoenix Partners, Samsung Ventures America, TELUS, and VantagePoint Venture Partners.

For more:
- see this release

Roku drops price on STB as it readies for release of Apple TV and Google TV

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:39:59 -0400

With Apple likely to announce a new Apple TV box tomorrow carrying a $99 price tag, and Google planning to roll out its pricier Google TV platform before the end of the year, over-the-top set-top-box maker Roku is going on the offensive on the pricing front, hoping, no doubt, to position itself as the best value.

An email from the company announced plans to lower the cost of the line of boxes substantially. The entry level Roku SD drops to $60, and the top of the line Roku HD-XR falls to $100. All have integrated WiFi, with the primary difference between the three models is that the SD is SD streaming-only while the HD supports HD streaming via HDMI and component and the HD-XR has everything the HD model has plus dual-band WiFi N and a USB port.

"We feel like Roku is still a huge value leader in this space and will continue to be well-positioned as competitive offerings are introduced this Fall," wrote Roku spokesman Brian Jaquet.

He also said the Roku HD-XR would get 1080p streaming support later this year via a free software upgrade. Most of Roku's content partners stream 720p currently, so 1080p is primarily focused on personal content streaming from a USB drive.

Roku streams Netflix, Major League Baseball, Amazon VOD, Flickr, Pandora and content from an increasing array of providers.

bbTV adds video-on-demand service Anyplex

Jim O'Neill — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:55:25 -0400

IPTV service bbTV has added video-on-demand service Anyplex to its offerings, charging $3 for one movie per month. The Hong Kong Broadband Network, which is a subsidiary of City Telecom, says the Anyplex service offers users an earlier release window on movies than competitors.

Hong Kong Broadband Network has more than 1 million subscribers for its fiber-based broadband services, including 157,000 IPTV customers. In July, it announced symmetric 1Gbps residential service for what amounts to $26 a month, saying tremendous adoption of hi-def and interactive multimedia services, including IPTV, has increased the demand for more bandwidth exponentially. Hong Kong's residential broadband penetration is above 81 percent.

For more:
- see this article