Set-top box

ViaClix, ooVoo bringing video chats to IPTV

Dan O'Shea — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:40:23 -0400

IPTV platform vendor ViaClix said it will incorporate increasingly popular video chat technology from ooVoo into the iTV Digital Media Center software it is due to release next month.

The goal of the software release is to combine TV and Internet features, and the inclusion of ooVoo's software could go a long way toward helping to accomplish that mission. In recent press materials, ooVoo, which launched last summer, said its software already supports about 3.5 million video chats per month and has been used in 200 countries around the world. The video chats can involve up to six users simultaneously, and the software also features other capabilities, such as telephony.

ViaClix plans to sell iTV Digital Media Center to service providers, as well as manufacturers of set top boxes, TVs, computers and content storage gear.

For more:
- read this story at Multichannel News

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-ooVoo zooms past typica vid conferencing ooVoo report

NXP acquires Conexant unit for $110 million

Tue, 06 May 2008 06:59:30 -0400

NXP Semiconductors last week announced it is acquiring the broadband media business of Conexant Systems for about $110 million, a deal value which could rise of the business unit meets certain performance thresholds in the months to come. The deal is significant to NXP's ability to compete against semiconductor players Broadcom and STMicroelectronics, the company told EETimes. The Conxant unit, like NXP, has expertise in the area of IPTV. The Conexant unit also brings technology related to DOCSIS 3.0, Multimedla over Coax Alliance and Secure Video Processor standards. The Conexant group collected about $205 million in revenue in 2007.

For more:
- see this story at EETimes

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SureWest chooses ADB set-top boxes

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:59:40 -0400

Independent telco SureWest Communications will deploy HDTV set-top boxes with DVR capabilities from Advanced Digital Broadcast. The telco, one of the pioneering IPTV players in the U.S. market, offers 50 HD channels, and the ADB set-top will allow SureWest customers to record to MPEG-4 HD channels while watching another stored channel.

For more:
- see this post at IPTV News

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Cisco to unveil SDV tuning adapter

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:59:30 -0400

Light Reading's Cable Digital News reports that Cisco Systems has developed a switched digital video tuning adapter for one-way digital TVs and TiVo systems with CableCard slots to receive SDV programming. The vendor reportedly will show off the SDV tuning adapter at the upcoming National Cable TV Show in New Orleans.

For more:
- check out this coverage at Light Reading's Cable Digital News

Related article:
Cisco recently added video on demand with nPVR and ad insertion Cisco report

Mediaroom pal Sigma offers new chip

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:59:20 -0400

Semiconductor company Sigma Designs has introduced a second-generation chip for IPTV set-top boxes that the company claims offers a 50% performance improvement. Sigma has been the only set-top chip contributor to Microsoft's Mediaroom IPTV platform. That might be kind of like a tight, but little-known garage band opening for The Rolling Stones: It is a surprising and tremendous gig to have, and you have to keep fighting off bigger names from taking over your position.

Of course, Microsoft's IPTV dominance can be compared to The Stones' reign over rock in other ways: Despite cracks in the facade, the power remains as full as ever.

For more:
- see this coverage at Light Reading's Cable Digital News

Hollywood veteran set to make shows for Xbox 360

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:59:30 -0400

Microsoft is continuing its effort to make the Xbox the STB of choice for younger IPTVers, cutting a deal with Hollywood veteran Peter Safran to produce original content targeted at 14- to 34-year-old males for distribution on the system, the New York Times reported yesterday. Safran said the initial 10-minute or less shows will be scripted, rather than reality tv shows and focus on genres like comedy and horror. Safran's company represents actor and producer Sean Combs ("Monster's Ball"), actor and writer Nia Vardalos ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding") and filmmakers Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer ("Epic Movie"). The episodes should hit in the fall.

Although most recognized for its gamer audience--Halo and Call of Duty 4 are massive hits on the Xbox--some 10 million people have signed up for the Xbox Live service. Microsoft says the deal with Safran is the first of many to come. Current programming on the Xbox 360 includes movies and selections from cable networks like the Sundance Channel and Spike TV. Viewers pay for access to films with points that can be purchased for cash or accumulated through activities on the system.

For more:
Read the New York Times story (Reg. Req.)

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Oki, Intel & Huashu debut STB for Chinese market

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:59:20 -0400

With nearly 24 million digital TV subscribers in China's nascent market, it doesn't take too much of an imagination to see that the potential for IPTV growth there is enormous. OKI and Intel have developed a new HD hybrid STB for Huashu Digital TV that can be used for HD broadcasts, VOD and future value-added option like 3D graphics, OKI says.

"The convergence of broadcasting and communication will create a new digital home market," said Keizo Ikeda, President of Media-network Appliance Company at OKI. "OKI believes the Next Generation Hybrid STB will enable subscribers to leverage value-added services and help telecom carriers improve their profitability."

Based on OKI video technologies and Intel's CE2110 media processor the Next Generation Hybrid STB can be used for both digital video broadcasting (DVB) and IPTV. It supports HDTV decoders including MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and H.264. The platform includes a 2D/3D graphic accelerator and supports applications including a Flash player, Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and a browser.

OKI said the coming Summer Olympics in Beijing are expected to open China's market even further as the digitalization of cable TVs and the spread of IPTV drive the convergence of broadcast and telecommunications-based video services.

For more:
- Read the release

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Microsoft gets bumped by Alca-Lu and Telefonica

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:59:30 -0400

It is slightly old news but Microsoft's grip on the big European IPTV market is waning with Telecom Italia ditching Mediaroom in favor of Alcatel-Lucent's Spanish-developed middleware MiViewTV platform.

The MiViewTV platform was first developed in-house at Spain's Telefonica, a controlling shareholder of Telecom Italia. Then U.S.-based Lucent agreed to take over development and marketing of the platform in 2006 and to be Telefonica network integrator partner for its various IPTV plays. Alcatel and Lucent subsequently merged and worked with Telefonica to deploy the technology in each of Telefonica's IPTV plays. Aside from Spain these include Brazil, Chile, the Czech Republic and now Italy.

According to Light Reading Microsoft had been working for several years with the Italian incumbent as it prepared for deployment of its Alice Home IPTV service. But when Telefonica took control last year of the Italian incumbent it decided to harmonize with its other IPTV plays and Microsoft's technology was left in the labs.

Recently the French incumbent Orange announced it was sponsoring an alliance to develop and deploy a standardized middleware platform for all carriers to use. The move was seen as an attempt to stop Microsoft dominating the IPTV delivery. Many agree the middleware platform will be the key service platform for the expected suite of next generation broadband services.

At the IPTV world forum last week Japan electronics giant NEC showcased its new end-to-end IPTV platform and video delivery system for carriers using an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) architecture. The platform will work in conjunction with NEC's video-on-demand server. NEC is initially targeting IMS carriers, mostly in Asia where IMS is better accepted than in the U.S.

For more:
- Italians snub Microsoft Article
- NEC announces IPTV platform Release
- Alcatel-Lucent and NEC recently inked a joint development LTE deal Release

Related articles:
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FiOS runs out of televisions

Tom Burton — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:59:20 -0400

Verizon's high-profile campaign to sign up FiOS subs by offering a free 19-inch Sharp HD television has become an embarrassment after Verizon had to admit the televisions would take up to 15 weeks to arrive. The nearly four-month delay prompted Verizon to write to FiOS subscribers offering them an alternative Magnates TV or a $200 Best Buy gift card. It has also withdrawn the offer.

Verizon said the delay was because Sharp has not been able to meet the demand. Verizon added 226,000 new IPTV subscribers in the final quarter in 2007 and expected to maintain that rate into 2008. Verizon also faced a delay in HDTV set-top boxes, which it said was also a supply problem with its vendor Motorola. The shortage came after a spike in orders during the holiday season saw subscriber numbers soar over a million, making the IPTV service the 10th biggest provider of television in the country.

For more:
- Still waiting for that TV Article

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French challenge Microsoft

Tom Burton — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:59:40 -0500

France Telecom's Orange is leading a carrier coalition to establish a standard for the critical software that connects rich media devices to the home. The consortium is a direct challenge to the current market leader, Microsoft's Mediaroom. Mediaroom is the leading IPTV platform for home set top boxes and consoles and has been sold to 20 carriers globally seeking to deploy IPTV. The new consortium is to be known as Soft at Home and its stated aim is to "create and promote a software platform to simplify and accelerate the adoption of residential digital services."

Orange said it wants to create an industry standard and is proposing to sell down its shareholding to enable other carriers to be part of the consortium. Orange Labs director Georges Penalver told news services: "We are aiming to develop a standard for the industry. And our standards will respond better to the needs of telecoms operators than others. If we do nothing, we will face a segmented market with different standards in different countries and that would be an industrial waste."

Other parties to the consortium are Thomson and Sagem Communications. Both are current suppliers to Orange. Thomson supplies the Livebox home gateway and the SmartVision IPTV middleware. Sagem supplies IP set-top boxes for the carrier's IPTV service. Orange owns 60 percent of Soft at Home and the other two 20 percent each. The consortium will employ between 70 and 80 staff by the end of 2008 and says it has "a global development ambition, and is looking to rapidly welcome new partners into its capital."

France is the leading IPTV nation in the world with 1.3 million users. Orange's sponsorship of the carrier coalition comes as CE manufactures, software houses, computer vendors and game console makers are pushing to become the dominant platform for the delivery of internet and rich IP services to the home. Controlling this platform and the home hub is seen as critical for carriers if they want a share of the next generation services and not be left as a simple transport utility.

For more:
- Orange, Thomson and Sagem Communications are creating Soft At Home Release
- Soft At Home to give Microsoft Mediaroom a hard time Article

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