TVover.net

TV's Interactive Future Arrives with ''Your Diggnation Remix''

TVover.net — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:47:18 GMT

On November 21st at 6 p.m. EST, Revision3 and BitGravity will unveil a one of a kind episode of its hit show, providing a unique, interactive way for viewers to watch hosts Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht discuss the week's top stories from Digg.com.

Using breakthrough technology from Internet video network BitGravity, fans will get to choose from five simultaneous and separate video streams, putting them in control of what they watch. Episode #177 -- "Your Diggnation Remix"

The full-on experience of "Your Diggnation Remix" will be available online. The director's cut of the show will be available for viewers to view and download through the show's web site at www.diggnation.com, and Revision3's 40 distribution partners. For more information on BitGravity's network and APIs, go to www.bitgravity.com/interactive.

An irreverent weekly tech/web culture show hosted by tech geeks/pop culture gurus Alex Albrecht and Kevin Rose, Diggnation was launched in 2005. Based on some of the top news stories from social news site Digg, Diggnation has more than 175 episodes available online, garners over 200,000 viewers per episode and consistently ranks among the top programs available from Apple iTunes.

Web Video Finds Its Way into 30 Million Living Rooms

TVover.net — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:23:55 GMT

The IMS Research study IPTV: Beyond Telco TV reveals that an estimated 290 million households had the capability to view Internet video at the end of 2007, of which 28 million had the ability to display Internet video on a TV. By the end of 2013, this 28 million is forecast to grow to 300 million, raising 2013 revenues for related equipment to $32 billion.

Shane Walker, research analyst and author of the study, states, “We can expect more CE manufacturers to incorporate web video into their products during the first half of 2009. Recently we have seen the incorporation of online video into popular devices such as game consoles, the TiVo, Blu-ray players, and flat-panel TVs. In addition, several dedicated internet video set-top boxes, such as Roku or Vudu have recently become available”.

While many of these devices have yet to see wide spread adoption, IMS Research expects uptake to increase as the media aggregators serving this market grow their libraries.

In addition to television and broadband household forecasts (split by IP video reception and A/V network type), the study provides detailed analysis of Internet TV equipment shipments and revenues for the three major global regions with further analysis of ten key countries. Despite the current economic downturn, the study forecasts that 2009 revenues for this equipment will rise, albeit from a modest installed base.

Downloading TV Programs, Watching Video and Making Online Phone Calls Show Increased Activity

TVover.net — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:20:21 GMT

Downloading TV programs, watching online videos and making online phone calls posted the biggest year-to-year percent increase among adult Internet users, according to new data from Mediamark Research & Intelligence.

E-mail, news gathering and paying bills online continue to be among the most widely used Internet activities by U.S. consumers ages 18+, the MRI data show.

According to responses from MRI's just released Fall 2008 Survey of the American Consumer, 3.2% of adults said they had downloaded a TV program in the last 30 days. That represents a year-to-year increase of 141.4%. The number of adults who reported they watched online video increased 35.4% during the same period, to a total of 23.3% of the adult population, while 4.0% of respondents reported they had made an online phone call, an increase of 32.0%.

The Internet activities engaged in by the greatest number of adults were use of e-mail (74.2%), obtaining news (46%) and paying bills online (39.6%). These have been popular online activities among adults for several years.

MRI began measuring Internet activities in 1997 and continually adds new Internet behavior questions to its survey. The fall 2008 data include four new Internet activities: sharing photos (done by one in four adults in the last 30 days); sending electronic greeting cards (9% of adults); watching a live TV program online (5.3% of the U.S. adult population); and uploading or adding video to a Web site (4.1% of adults).

                             Internet Activities
                   U.S. Adults with Access to the Internet

    Which, if any, of these activities             %                %
     did you do on the Internet in the         All Adults      Change From
     last 30 days?                              Fall 2008       Fall 2007
    Used E-mail                                    74.2            +5.2
    Obtained the Latest News/Current Events        46.0            +9.8
    Paid Bills Online                              39.6           +15.3
    Made a Purchase for Personal Use               37.2            +7.8
    Used Instant Messenger                         29.7           +23.6
    Obtained Financial Information                 28.3            +9.6
    Obtained Sports News/Information               28.1           +10.6
    Shared Photos Through Internet Website         25.4             N/A
    Looked for Recipes                             24.8           +24.8
    Played Games Online                            24.6            +8.0
    Watched Online Video                           23.3           +35.4
    Downloaded Music                               21.6            +9.6
    Made Personal or Business Travel Plans         20.5            +3.6
    Obtained Medical Information                   19.9            +4.3
    Looked up Movie Listings or Show Times         19.7           +16.8
    Visited a TV network's or TV show's website    18.7           +15.4
    Looked for Employment                          15.3           +23.6
    Tracked Investments/Traded Stocks,
     Bonds or Mutual Funds                         13.2           +14.7
    Listened to Radio on the Internet              13.1           +10.4
    Obtained Information about Real Estate         12.9            +5.4
    Made a Purchase for Business Use               11.4            +3.4
    Visited Online Blogs                           11.0           +17.9
    Obtained Information for a New Car Purchase    10.6          No change
    Sent an Electronic Greeting Card                9.0             N/A
    Looked at TV Listing Online                     7.7            +5.9
    Obtained Childcare or Parenting Information     5.3           +12.7
    Watched A Live TV Program                       5.3             N/A
    Wrote an Online Blog                            4.3           +16.3
    Uploaded or Added Video to a Website            4.1             N/A
    Made a Phone Call Online                        4.0           +32.0
    Downloaded a Podcast                            3.8           +22.1
    Downloaded a TV Program                         3.2          +141.4


    Source: MRI's Fall 2008 and Fall 2007 Survey of the American Consumer
                 N/A=New MRI Question; Not asked in Fall '07
    Field Dates for MRI's Fall 2008 survey: September 2007 to October 2008

Note: During the personal interview, MRI asks readers of individual magazines if, as a result of reading that magazine, they visited the magazine's website. That data are not included in this general Internet Activities data

Telecom2009 at the NAB Show Focuses on IPTV, Broadband Applications

TVover.net — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:52:45 GMT

Team Lightbulb trade show and event management organization is accepting proposals for telecom technical papers and IPTV sessions for Telecom2009: Broadband and Beyond. Telecom2009, produced by Team Lightbulb, features sessions on the Business of IPTV and Telecom Technology. Team Lightbulb will also offer again the popular exhibit tours that connect the sessions with the technology on the NAB Show floor, including a dedicated IPTV Pavilion.

Telecom2009: Broadband and Beyond will be held at the NAB Show, April 19-23, 2009, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Team Lightbulb anticipates receiving proposals covering a wide range of aspects of IPTV and broadband applications including convergence of fixed and mobile communications, WiMAX and other wireless technologies, VoIP and other voice applications, gaming, social media and interactive advertising.

Now in its third year, Telecom2009 at the NAB Show has become an important forum for business and technical professionals from telecom carriers and vendors looking for cutting edge information on business and technical aspects of IPTV and broadband and how they relate to telecom. Registration for last year's conference was double the previous year.

Proposals can be made at Telecom Technology Papers and IPTV Session Proposals for the respective sessions. Submissions must be made by December 12, 2009; accepted presenters will be notified by January 15, 2009. Last year's presentations can be downloaded from Telecom2008 Presentations.

Amino to Acquire IPTV STB Division from Tilgin

TVover.net — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:54:51 GMT

Amino has signed a sales and purchase agreement for the acquisition of Tilgin AB's IPTV STB division. The purchase of Tilgin IPTV, which offers a range of H.264 HD IPTV STBs within its "Mood" product line, will further enhance Amino's award-winning product portfolio and add new software functionality across its entire range.

The acquisition will also give Amino immediate access to additional middleware solutions - such as Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks - as well as extending the Group's customer reach. Amino expects to enjoy R&D cost synergies delivered through the development and maintenance of common ST Micro based STBs.

Based in Kista, Sweden, Tilgin IPTV is a leading edge technology player within the European IPTV market with a proven record in delivering large quantities of products and advanced systems having sold and delivered almost 500,000 STBs.

New features stemming from the a cquisition will include picture-in-picture, whole-home connectivity and green-power: all designed to satisfy a growing market demand.

ZeeVee Selects Inforonics to Deliver End-User Support for ZvBox

TVover.net — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:13:10 GMT

ZeeVee has selected Inforonics for localcasting online video and other computer content to any HDTV in a consumer’s home, to provide extended hours of customer support for its innovative home media solution. ZeeVee’s ZvBox is a groundbreaking home media device designed to allow consumers to view or access any Internet TV, online video, music, computer application, or other content on all HDTVs in their homes. Under the agreement, Inforonics will seamlessly augment ZeeVee’s customer support operation with experienced, tier-one technical support Monday through Friday and Saturdays. ZeeVee selected Inforonics based on its reputation as a trusted and proven resource for the outsourcing of tier one end-user support.

View Online Video from Any HDTV

ZeeVee’s ZvBox enables consumers to create their own in-home HDTV channel, allowing them to watch anything that is accessible from home computers. From online videos to music to email, users can view all types of content in high resolution from the comfort of their couch. The ZvBox uses existing in-home cable wiring to “localcast” content from any computer to any HDTV in the home, eliminating the clutter of additional wiring. One ZvBox will work for an entire house, and there are no additional subscriber fees associated with using the product. Viewers can tune into their Zv channel just like any other TV station and view online videos and photo slideshows, or access any application on their computers. Hailed as the most versatile media streaming device on the market, the ZvBox is attracting a rapidly increasing base of customers.

Experienced, High-Quality Technical Support Outsourcing

Inforonics’ long track record of providing courteous, highly skilled technical support as part of a seamless integration with clients’ existing customer service was instrumental in ZeeVee’s decision. A wide range of companies providing both business-to-business and business-to-consumer products and services are turning to Inforonics for responsive, flexible technical support solutions. The company, which is in its fifth decade of business, creates customized managed services for organizations of all sizes, with solutions ranging from supplemental support, such as that provided for ZeeVee, to 24 x 7 outsourced technical and customer support, managed hosting and remote monitoring.

Metacafe Launches New Music Video Channel

TVover.net — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:46:18 GMT

Metacafe launches the Metacafe Music Channel. The channel features established artists and up-and-coming acts in the genres of Pop, Rock, R&B, Hip Hop, Country and Latin. Metacafe’s more than 38 million unique monthly viewers1 are now invited to watch, comment on and share their favorite music videos.

Music videos are among the most popular online video content, with 36 percent of respondents to this year’s Magid Media Futures study reporting that they frequently watch music videos online – only comedy videos, with 37 percent reporting watching frequently, proved more popular.

Metacafe has signed on to the affiliate program for SONY BMG's MyPlay Video Network, which enables it to run a wide range of frontline SONY BMG music videos right on its own site. Additional content partners will be added to the Metacafe Music Channel in the coming months.

Channel sponsorships and custom brand integration opportunities are now available on the Metacafe Music Channel.

PermissionTV and Move Networks Partner to Offer HD Interactive Video

TVover.net — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:43:47 GMT

PermissionTV and Move Networks announce a strategic reseller and integration partnership. Under the agreement, both companies will offer an integrated platform, which enables the rapid creation and deployment of rich, interactive, HD-quality video applications, such as those successfully implemented by their initial joint customers, Fox On Demand and the Metropolitan Opera.

The integration of Move Networks' HD-quality video streaming solution and PermissionTV's interactive video application platform allows entertainment and media companies to quickly create and deploy next generation, online video experiences that match the quality standards users expect from television, with the increased engagement, interactivity and integration benefits provided by the Web. Move Networks' proven video technologies and services enable leading media companies such as ABC, ESPN, Fox and the CW to deliver live and on-demand HD programming to millions of viewers without the buffering, stalling and poor quality viewing experiences common with competing technologies.

The integration of PermissionTV's video platform and APIs with Move's adaptive streaming technology allows entertainment, media, publishing and marketing companies to quickly deploy HD video applications -- from raw video to customized player experiences -- in hours, not days or weeks. The joint product integration also enables a deeper level of customization with third party services such as advertising, search, geo-targeting, commerce, subscription management and analytics. The PermissionTV platform has already enabled integrations with such providers as Doubleclick Dart, Google AdSense, Real Media OAS, Entriq, Collarity, Quigo, Hitbox and Omniture.

This integrated offering is available immediately through PermissionTV and Move Networks.

Report: Set-Top Box Shipments to Peak in 2012

TVover.net — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:13:09 GMT

The global market for set-top boxes will grow gradually over the next few years, then will peak at around 110 million shipments in 2012, according to a new report from ABI Research. Thereafter STB unit volumes for all platforms – DTT), IPTV, DBS, and CATV – will begin a gradual decline.

STB revenues show a different pattern. According to ABI Research principal analyst Robert Clark, “STB revenues for all platforms have declined significantly between 2007 and 2009, but will recover by 2010 and remain relatively stable through at least 2013.”

Sales of basic STBs have already been falling for some time; now HD-only and PVR-only STBs are also showing the first signs of downturn. From 2009 on, Clark expects to see a greater share of combined HD/PVR sales, especially in the DBS segment.

The decline in shipments after 2012 is due in part to the expected completion, in most developed countries, of the transition to all-digital television broadcasting. Pay-TV platforms in particular are affected through 2012 by the threat of displacement by over-the-top video, and the substitution potential of residential gateways, media hubs and gaming boxes. STB components will increasingly be integrated into TVs themselves.

On the revenue side, IPTV has been the most affected of all the pay-TV platforms by the current dip. It was already forecast to slow down because network operators have been rethinking their future investments, especially from the standpoint of differentiation. The recent economic upheavals have exacerbated the decline.

“The STB won’t disappear as a result of threats from other set-top devices,” adds Clark. “But in the DTT sector where the needs are more basic, there is an opportunity for STB component integration into newer flat screens."

ABI Research’s new study “Global Set-Top Box Markets” provides an overview of the global set-top box market. It includes analysis and forecasts of all pay-TV platforms’ subscriber counts and STB technology choices and corresponding global trends, with 1H 2008 shipments and vendor revenues and market shares by platform.

It forms part of the firm’s Home Networking and Multi-Channel Video Research Services.

Revision3 to Syndicate Shows on RADUS

TVover.net — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:27:53 GMT

Revision3 will begin syndicating its entire catalogue of shows including Tekzilla, Diggnation, and The Totally Rad Show on RADUS, the web’s newest way to experience digital-rich media across leading computer and social networking services, including Facebook and MySpace.

Both RADUS and Revision3 are committed to delivering innovative programming that is provided free to consumers and designed to take advantage of RADUS’s streamlined navigation and media search capabilities. Revision3 will make each show accessible in multiple, high-audio-and-visual quality formats. The shows can also be viewed at Revision3 and on each show’s individual site.

Global IPTV Benchmarks: The Future of Broadband Video 3rd Edition

TVover.net — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:18:13 GMT

In this new IPTV study of the IPTV market, kindly supported by Nokia Siemens Networks, thebrainbehind assesses the most relevant IPTV rollouts around the globe as well as a number of the most interesting video streaming websites. In both cases business models have been analysed in terms of product offer, ease of use and the range of available content, as well as the usability of the services.

Munich-based consultancy thebrainbehind and its international network have created an overview of the IPTV market in Europe, the United States and Asia at the end of “phase 1” considering marketing, up-selling opportunities for telcos around Triple and Quadruple Play and new forms of advertising.

In co-operation with our international partners we describe the evolution of rights windows and take a closer look at the web-based platforms contributing to the progress of Web 2.0 development, including YouTube, myvideo, Joost and others.

We point out the opportunities for content owners to make their video content accessible to a broader audience. The major challenge is to identify whether the better deal is teaming up with IPTV operators or whether content owners should create their own streaming solutions.

This best practice benchmark analysis will support decision makers in taking the right direction in this promising and exciting market.

Download Contents and Sample Pages

Picture Change, Microsoft Silverlight Out and Adobe Flash in for MLB

TVover.net — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:07:05 GMT

MLB.com and Adobe announce a two-year agreement in which MLB.com has selected the Adobe Flash Platform to deliver all of its live and on-demand video offerings beginning in 2009. In addition, MLB.com will provide a downloadable rich Internet application built using Adobe AIR, so baseball fans can access additional features outside the Web browser.

MLB.com streams live every Major League spring training, regular season and postseason game, more than 2,500 annually, via its out-of-market subscription product, which has seen more than 1.5 million total subscribers since its debut on Opening Day 2003. Since that time, fans have accessed more than 1.8 billion streams of live and on-demand multimedia offerings on MLB.com, representing nearly 200 million hours of participation. By the end of 2008, MLB.com will once again stream nearly 12,000 live video events, including Major League Baseball games and thousands of events for its various business partners.

MLB.com Adopts the Industry’s Most Popular Technology for Web Video

Adobe Flash Player — already installed on more than 98 percent of Internet-connected desktops — will enable fans to view the games, helping MLB.com reach the largest possible Internet audience on virtually all major platforms and browsers. Adobe Flash Media Server software will be the video streaming engine behind the games, enabling fans to view high-quality live video on the Web. According to comScore Media Metrix, 81 percent of online videos viewed worldwide are delivered using Adobe Flash technology, making it the No. 1 format for video on the Web.

Throughout the 2008 season, MLB.com continued to develop and integrate new features into its live streaming product. Among those offerings were: selecting the home or away feed for every game; presenting NexDef, a standard definition television quality picture at 1.2 megabits per second in a 16x9 widescreen format; and enhancing the Emmy Award-winning Mosaic application.

IPTV Needs a Full Offensive Strategy

TVover.net — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:32:47 GMT

Global IPTV deployments to date would suggest that a half-hearted approach to IPTV services has not been effective. Many service providers feel the urge to launch IPTV services as a defensive strategy to increase their "n-play" offerings with one more service.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, IPTV Business Case, reveals that the IPTV subscriber base in Asia-Pacific -- covering 13 countries -- reached 4.1 million in 2007 and estimates this to reach 22.4 million by end-2013, at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 32.7 percent (2007-2013).

Of the 13 countries, eight had commercial IPTV services in 2007, while the rest are conducting trials for expected deployments from 2009 onwards.

Asia-Pacific accounted for about a third of the global IPTV subscriber base last year. Apart from South Korea, which does not have true IPTV service, the top two Asia-Pac countries by subscribers as of end-2007 are Hong Kong with 24.9 percent (1.02 million subscribers) of the region's IPTV subscriber base and China with 22.7 percent (0.93 million).

Hong Kong has the highest household IPTV penetration rate at 45.3 percent, and is the only market where IPTV dominates the pay-TV industry with a 46.7 percent subscriber market share in 2007. Cable TV controls 41 percent of Hong Kong's 2.18 million pay-TV subscriber market, while satellite DTH services hold the remaining 12.3 percent.

With only a handful of successful IPTV roll-outs --- Hong Kong's PCCW, which launched its IPTV service in 2003, being one of the few in the world -- and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) margins still in the red for most, if not all, IPTV service providers, critics argue that the business case for IPTV does not exist and payday is too long a wait.

The competitive advantage of IPTV over cable and satellite TV services is the ability to provide viewers with a richer viewing experience through innovative and interactive value-added services such as network-based time-shift TV, personal video recording, video-on-demand, and even Internet-based services like online bookings, online network games and online banking.

Over time, wider deployment of IPTV is expected to increase competition in the pay-TV industry and encourage the introduction of innovative value-added services and production of local content.

Study: Consumers Will Accept New Forms of Advertising If Companies Follow Their Rules

TVover.net — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:08:06 GMT

IBM’s second global online survey of consumer digital media and entertainment habits revealed that consumers are adopting digital content services -- such as social networking and videos -- on mobile phones and personal computers at an accelerated pace, and it is impacting traditional consumption habits.

The survey, which was conducted with 2,800 people in six countries -- Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. -- also shows that people are willing to get personal with advertisers by sharing information about themselves if it results in targeted incentives that match their lifestyle. This presents companies with significant advertising revenue opportunities among today’s informed and empowered consumers.

"I Want My Ad-Supported Digital Content and Interactive Tools"

Last year’s study showed the decline of TV as the primary media device. This year’s study found large scale adoption and usage of digital content services accessed via the PC and mobile phone, with ad-supported models (versus consumer-paid) preferred almost three to one by respondents globally. Adoption for most categories of digital content services doubled from last year, with services such as social networking now at 60 percent penetration and Internet data plans for mobile devices at over 40 percent for respondents globally. While digital content services adoption is widespread, interactivity through features such as user ratings tools and video uploads is primarily concentrated among the more digital savvy consumers.

"With the rise of Web 2.0, millions of people can instantly create, publish and consume content. In order to survive, advertisers must understand how to reach their target audiences across multiple devices" said Dick Anderson, General Manager, IBM Media & Entertainment. "Knowing distinct consumer segment preferences and delivering consistent content and messaging are essential for long-term success"

Consumers desire, and are comfortable with, wired and wireless access to content. 76 percent of consumers surveyed have already watched video on their PC, up 27 percent from last year. 32 percent indicated they have viewed video on a portable device or mobile phone, up 45 percent from last year. Interest in mobile video content has more than doubled since last year to 55 percent.

For both PC and mobile video, over 70 percent of respondents prefer advertising-supported models as opposed to consumer-paid models, representing a huge growth opportunity for the industry. Preference for ad-supported models ranged from 62 percent to over 80 percent by country, with Japan having the highest preference for ad-supported on both devices.

"I Watch Less TV Because of Online Video Alternatives"

Consumers are moving beyond the trial stage of watching online video. Of those who have watched videos on their PC, 45 percent are doing so regularly -- at least a few times per month.

As adoption of online video continues, cannibalization of overall television consumption is becoming more apparent. Over 50 percent of respondents who have watched online video claim they watch slightly less -- 15 percent -- to significantly less -- 36 percent -- television as a result, implying place-shifting alternatives may be changing consumer "couch potato" behavior.

"Hey Corporate America, Get out of my Online Video"

When asked how they prefer to view advertising associated with online videos, the majority of respondents said they prefer to see it before or after a video. Respondents from all six countries polled protested traditional television models such as interruption advertisements during the video or the use of product placements within programs.

"Consumers have grown accustomed to accessing new forms of content through alternative sources, such as online video and video-on-demand, at no cost to them -- no fee, with very limited advertising shown" said Saul Berman, Global Lead Partner, Strategy & Change Consulting, IBM Global Business Services and the author of many recent IBM studies. "The industry must find appealing ways to monetize new content sources or risk a similar fate as that of the music industry where value shifted away from core players"

"I’ll Trade Information in Exchange for Incentives"

Close to 60 percent of total respondents were willing to provide information about themselves -- such as age, gender, lifestyle or communications preferences -- in exchange for something of value. Younger respondents had fewer concerns about revealing personal preferences, and a sizeable portion of participants over the age of 45 were also willing to share information about themselves. However, all respondents indicated the need for perceived value and incentives as a trade-off to provide personal information.

Consumers listed free high-quality music/videos, discounts to favorite stores and air travel/hotel points as the most desired and attractive incentives. These findings were consistent across all countries polled, with Japan and India having the least reservations about providing personal preferences, with over 62 and 72 percent of respondents respectively willing to share information, versus 45 percent of respondents in the US.

"I Want my Content and Messaging Integrated -- Here, There and Everywhere"

The digital savvy consumers are embracing new multimedia devices. The 13-24 year old segment owns an average of between four to five multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, such as iPods, game consoles such as Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox or Nintendo Wii, high definition television sets (HDTV) and portable game players. The "Gadgetiers" -- early adopters, estimated at 15 percent of the market -- have on average between seven and eight multimedia devices, with the most popular being portable music players, HDTVs, DVRs, and Internet-enabled phones such as the iPhone or BlackBerry.

As devices become more embedded in a person’s lifestyle, consumers desire more integration between them. Over 40 percent of respondents are interested in content portability -- the ability to view and transport the same piece of content across multiple devices. Nearly one in five respondents was interested in consistent, tailored messaging across devices. Advertisers must focus on consumer-choice and centricity in order to effectively capture and retain consumers who are relying less on a sole device for digital content.

"As consumers continue to rely on more devices to view and access content on their terms, interest in convergence over multiple media devices grows" said Bill Battino, Managing Partner, Global Communications Sector, IBM Global Business Services. "Operators must carefully think through their opt-in strategies to take advantage of advertising and commerce opportunities across TV, mobile devices and PCs"

Geographical Preferences
Within the six countries polled, Australia and the U.K. had the highest adoption of social networking sites, with over 65 percent and 70 percent respectively, compared to an average of 60 percent for all countries. The U.S. had the highest adoption of premium video services for the traditional TV at over 45 percent, versus Australia which had the lowest penetration at less than 25 percent. The U.S. also had high adoption of online TV/video sites such as HULU or YouTube, at close to 40 percent, versus the U.K. which had the lowest at 28 percent. Japan, Germany and India had the highest adoption of mobile services, including Internet data plans and mobile content plans for video and music.

While there were differences between countries, the majority of all respondents stated that recommendations from friends had the most impact on the type of content they viewed over celebrity, amateur and professional endorsements.

Actiontec Selects Intellon’s Powerline Technology for New Home Gateway

TVover.net — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:53:50 GMT

Actiontec Electronics has selected Intellon’s powerline technology for a new home gateway that provides connection to the WAN using ADSL+ technology and adds very fast powerline networking to standard Ethernet and wireless options for in-home distribution. By adding HomePlug AV-based (200 Mbps PHY-rate) powerline networking, the home’s existing electrical wiring – the “hidden network” – becomes a fast and reliable wired network to move bandwidth-intensive content from room to room.

LAN speed requirements vary greatly depending on what digital activities family members are participating in. Simple file or peripheral sharing or pulling data from the Internet does not require very high speeds. However, for newer applications where families are ordering Video-on-Demand, IPTV and accessing Over-the-Top video or doing graphics intensive online gaming, a high-speed connection is critical to the quality, response and enjoyment of the viewing or gaming experience.

The new Actiontec Home Network gateway unit (Model # GB584WGH2A), makes all electrical outlets throughout the home high-speed Internet ports so that users can instantly network all kinds of consumer electronics. These can include DVR units (such as TiVo), satellite receivers, Blu-ray disc players, gaming systems (such as Playstation 3, Xbox 360), Over-the-Top Internet video boxes (such as AppleTV, Roku, and Vudu) and any other Ethernet-enabled devices.

Powerline networking can offer superior video connectivity versus wireless. With wireless networking, signal strength, distance and outside interference can hamper the transmission of data and deliver unsatisfactory video images degraded by freeze frames, pixelization and other artifacts not desirable in the viewing experience. Using the wired electrical infrastructure provides higher capacity and Intellon’s powerline technology has Quality of Service features specifically designed to provide entertainment-grade networking.

The Actiontec Home Network gateway integrates all three LAN technologies so consumers can access services or share content at the speed necessary for the application. Customers will have a seamless in-home experience that includes OTT video, standard- and high-definition TV entertainment, digital conferencing, movies on demand, photo and music sharing anytime and anywhere in their digital home.

The gateway interfaces over the home’s electrical wiring with other devices that connect through Actiontec’s MegaPlug AV powerline adapter (available separately).

The Actiontec gateway can extend the Internet beyond the desktop and to TV screens around the digital home using powerline communications. Consumers will appreciate the increased quality of sounds and images, a true plug-and-play easy set-up and all without having to install any new wires in the home.

Road Runner Video Store Brings VoD to the PC

TVover.net — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:45:17 GMT

Bright House Networks expanded its VOD services with the launch of a new online destination where consumers can download to own or rent thousands of titles from Hollywood studios and across many cable and television networks. The online video store service, entitled Road Runner Video Store.

The Road Runner Video Store combines great content with an easy to use interface to give consumers options to enjoy their favorite digital content and the ability to explore and discover new video services with ease. The search functionality allows consumers to search by title, actor, studio, genre, and can easily filter according to movies or TV.

Thousands of titles are available at launch with the Road Runner Video Store and new content is being added continually. Additional features are under development, including the addition of HD content, as well as DVD Click and Ship whereby consumers can purchase DVD's online and have the physical asset delivered directly to their home.

Retail pricing for a download-to-own new release movie is $17.99. Library titles run from $9.99-13.99 for download to own, while movie rental prices are $3.99. TV series are $1.99 per episode with full-season ordering available. Charges will appear on customers' credit cards.

In addition to the Road Runner Video Store, Bright House Networks recently launched PowerBoost to all Road Runner Turbo customers. PowerBoost will jumpstart a large file download to help reduce overall download time for Turbo customers to get even quicker access to on-line multimedia such as the videos available on the Road Runner Video Store.

Bright House Networks partnered with iN DEMAND Networks on the Road Runner Video Store to maintain the daily operations of the service which includes the new destination and many features to engage the broadband consumer in an innovative experience. The service is also being maintained with assistance from thePlatform, utilizing their back-end technologies for hosting and delivering new content and services from a variety of providers.

All content is protected through Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management. Content is protected for U.S. domestic rights using geofiltering technology.

STB Market Solid during Downturn, but TV Sets Hit at Critical Juncture

TVover.net — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:21:26 GMT

As the worldwide economic woes increase, suppliers in the consumer electronics and digital TV markets are expecting a difficult but by no means catastrophic 2009. IMS Research is forecasting that, setting aside the US DTV converter box program, that set-top box revenues in the region will decline 5% from 2008 to 2009 and that volumes will actually rise, albeit at a relatively weak 9.3% annual rate over the same period. Globally, IMS Research is forecasting a 2% decline in revenues from 2008 to 2009 on 5% volume growth.

Anna Hunt, IMS’ Consumer Electronics Research Director, states, “While the market crisis has made financing an issue for some operators in developing regions, most are still pursing their digitization strategies, including HD and DVR rollouts that require new set-top boxes.”

Hunt continues, “While many consumers will very likely cut back on their entertainment budgets, TV remains a relatively cheap form of entertainment. Nonetheless, we are expecting ARPU growth to slow or even decline during the period. As a result, set-top suppliers are expecting considerable pressure on pricing in 2009, and low-cost segments such as cable DTA adapters could see considerable growth during the next two years.”

However, according to Stephen Froehlich, a senior analyst in IMS’ Consumer Electronics group, “The assumed recession hits the TV set market at a particularly critical juncture, destroying a major profit opportunity for TV manufacturers. By the time the economy recovers in 2010 or 2011 and consumers are willing to buy more expensive sets, the high-performance (120 Hz, high contrast ratio), LCD TV market will be much more commoditized than it is now, removing a major profit opportunity for Samsung, Sony, and other competitors in the luxury TV segment.”

IMS Research expects global TV set revenues to be off by 11% in 2009, down to $90 billion from $101 billion in 2008 on a volume decline of just 2%.

Froehlich continues, “TV suppliers are cutting costs in their designs for now but are also working feverishly to find ways to add new value to their sets, exploring features such as Internet video and 3D goggle support. However, our current analysis is that neither of these are likely to be major profit generators for anyone except the studios.”

IPTV Headend Provider Selects Motorola

TVover.net — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:08:06 GMT

Midwest Video Solutions has selected Motorola's MPEG-4 Network Encoder for deployment by the end of the year. This upgrade to the Motorola multi-channel MPEG-4 AVC network encoder family will enable MVS to migrate two diverse MPEG-2 headend platforms at separate locations to a single consolidated MPEG-4 platform, streamlining the delivery of content while accelerating the delivery of personalized media experiences and increasing programming choice for customers.

MVS provides IPTV services to 16 member companies throughout the Upper Midwest and internationally. In addition to improving video quality and cost effectiveness, Motorola's network encoders enable MVS to offer its member base more flexibility in terms of IPTV service offering, reaching new markets and providing more streams per household.

The NE-4012 is a high-density solution designed to deliver purely IP-based multi-channel video compression capabilities and services, ideal for headend environments. Combining the decoding of IP video services with advanced MPEG-4 AVC video encoding, the NE series of encoders streamlines headend operations. This results in simplified headend architectures with fewer components, reducing cost while delivering high-quality video at low bit rates. The platform is able to deliver two channels of video compression in a 1RU package, leading to a significant reduction in power consumption and space requirements.

With more than 50 years of experience architecting video networks, Motorola has the expertise and ability to identify market needs and deliver timely solutions that meet the challenges faced by programmers and service providers to deliver value-added experiences for consumers.

EEBC 2008 Telecom & Broadcasting is Summing Up the First Results

TVover.net — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:04:04 GMT

On October 29-31 Kyiv hosted a successful Eastern European exhibition and conference EEBC 2008 Telecom & Broadcasting: more than 50 events during the exhibition, 3850 unique visitors, 195 participating companies-manufacturers of telecommunications technologies from 30 countries, 21 partners of the exhibition.

This year EEBC 2008 Telecom & Broadcasting was supported by international partners such as ACE Marketing, Trade Fair Support, Selten, CCBN, as well as industry associations, government agencies and associations, including the Internet Association of Ukraine, the Association of Information Technology Enterprises of Ukraine, Wireless Ukraine Association, the Ukrainian Cable Television Union, Ukrteleset Association, the All-Ukrainian Association of operators of cable television and telecommunication networks, the Industrial Television Committee, the Independent Broadcasters Association, Telecom Club, the All-Ukrainian Television & Radio Association UKR-DVB-FORUM.

Among the partners and co-organizers of the conference were the Concern of Broadcasting, Radio Communication and Television of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Radio and Television Research Institute, Global VSAT Forum, Internews-Ukraine MOO, Forum Nokia, UMTS Forum, as well as BMCo Forum.

Compared to the previous year, the level of the exhibition increased more than by one third – the total area of the exhibition this year amounted to 6050 sq. m, which is 38 % more than in 2007. The proportion of telecommunications companies and television channels among the exhibition participants significantly increased. The exhibitors were represented by companies of the following areas: equipment for satellite and cable television (37 %), telecommunications equipment (26 %), equipment for production and broadcast of content (11 %) as well as TV channels and production studios (26 %).

“From theory to practice” – this was the focus of EEBC 2008 Telecom & Broadcasting exhibition. For the first time during the exhibition in Ukraine a complete cycle of production, broadcasting and playback of TV-content for High-Definition Television (HDTV) was demonstrated – for three days live broadcast of football games was carried out to HD plasma panels at the exhibitors’ stands and to mobile devices, within the I make TV project.

In the business program EEBC 2008 Telecom & Broadcasting, which was held along with the exhibition for three days, 45 speeches were delivered. Among the key speakers were Alexander Lyakhov, President of the Telecommunications House of Ukraine, Anatoly Melnik, Head of satellite communication systems department of UNIIRT GP, Alexander Bogdanov, Head of satellite technology department of RRT Concern, Yuri Balychev, Deputy Director, Ukrkosmos GP, Ivan Gorbach, chief designer of satellite distribution network information, Ukrkosmos GP, Alexey Kolokolov, Head of spacecraft design sector, Yuzhnoye GP KB, Dmitry Makoveenko, leading engineer of radio frequencies department of UNIIRT GP.

This year the reports were presented not only by representatives from Ukraine and the CIS, but also by managers of leading international companies and organizations, such as Bosco Eduardo Fernandes, Chairman of the task group on mobile TV development at UMTSF and GSMA, UMTS Forum, Dr. Klaus Sattler, Executive Director of BMCo Forum, Martin Gerald, International Programs Director at GVF, Maria A. Kendro, Managing Director, Communication Cooperative International, Eszter Csapó, Erős Ügyvédi Iroda, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP and many others.

The main issues that were raised at the conferences and aroused the most interest among the delegates were: development of national policy in the telecommunications industry and regulatory system for the future integration of Ukraine into the European Union; the state of the Ukrainian media market; the principles and procedure of the transition to the 4th generation networks (4G); technology and services in convergent networks; a national satellite communication system; the development of broadband infrastructure in Ukraine; the prospects for the development of satellite platforms in Ukraine, as well as the services in satellite communication networks; the results of the debate on the introduction of mobile TV in Europe and the prospects for the development of mobile broadcasting in Ukraine.

One of the most significant events at the conference was a round-table discussion “The need to create a combined non-governmental and governmental organization structure to manage the transition to digital terrestrial television” which attracted attention of both key participants of telecommunications and broadcasting market and state authorities regulating the market and non-governmental organizations. The initiators of the debate were: the All-Ukrainian Television & Radio Association UKR-DVB-FORUM, the Concern of Broadcasting, Radio Communication and Television of Ukraine and the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine. Summarizing the results of the discussion an appeal is planned to be sent to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine with a proposal to establish a single coordinating authority to manage the transition to digital TV broadcasting and to head it.

Envivio Encoder Wins TelcoTV 2008 Vision Award

TVover.net — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:59:44 GMT

Envivio has been awarded the prestigious 2008 TelcoTV Vision Award for its 4Caster C4 Three Screens multi-channel, multi-profile encoder for IPTV, Internet TV and Mobile TV applications. Selection was spearheaded by a panel of industry experts who sought to identify the year's most innovative product among all encoding technologies for mobile or terrestrial applications. The award was received at a ceremony held during this week's TelcoTV 2008 conference in Anaheim, California.

"I congratulate Envivio, for its vision and leadership in the encoding space," said Joe Braue, SVP and Group Director, Light Reading. "Our panel of judges was impressed with the 4Caster C4's ability to output live content to multiple screens and its proven interoperability with all video enabled mobile handsets, common PC players and IPTV set-top boxes."

The 4Caster C4 convergence encoding system is the world's first to provide video compression for all Three Screens of consumer video – TVs, PCs and mobile devices – on a single platform. Designed to enable fixed line and mobile network operators to deliver content simultaneously across the full range of consumer devices, the 4Caster C4 is able to take multiple channels of content and encode them simultaneously to deliver multiple mobile TV profiles, multiple Internet TV profiles, or SD and HD IPTV profiles.

During this week's TelcoTV 2008 event, Envivio also announced that the 4Caster C4 has been qualified by the Microsoft Mediaroom Interoperability and Qualification Lab (IQ Lab), a program designed to ensure long-term interoperability and compliance of encoders and other critical components intended to support deployments of the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV platform.

"In a complex and changing video delivery landscape, operators need core systems that provide the flexibility to meet a wide variety of demands," said Julien Signès, President and CEO of Envivio. "The unique design of the 4Caster C4 sets it apart from the more typical one dimensional products on the market, enabling the 4Caster C4 to effectively meet the needs of any delivery network. We are very pleased that the judges recognized the strengths of this product."

The 4Caster C4 supports digital, analog and MPEG-2 Transport Stream over IP inputs and a range of video and audio encoding options to enable efficient delivery of content to the Three Screens. The 4Caster C4 supports one channel of high definition or multiple channels of standard definition encoding for IPTV with support for Picture in Picture. It also offers multi-profile encoding support for Internet TV up to VGA resolution, and for mobile TV streaming. For IPTV applications, 4Caster C4 can be delivered in either Premium Compression or Extreme Compression encoding configurations using Envivio's flexible encoding core. For Internet TV applications, 4Caster C4 can deliver content for playback in Windows Media Player, QuickTime and VLC. For Mobile TV applications, 4Caster C4 can deliver 3GPP, 3GPP2 compliant streams for playback on a wide variety of mobile devices.

Envivio's unique high-availability hardware platform combined with an embedded software encoding core offers levels of service flexibility and encoding performance upgradeability not possible with traditional hardware-only compression platforms. Encoding performance can be upgraded with each software release with no need to buy and install new hardware. New services and features can be added in the same way.

ZeeVee ZvBox Named CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award Honoree

TVover.net — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:21:16 GMT

NortelZeeVee has been named an International CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for ZvBox, its breakthrough home entertainment device. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the trade press to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting-edge consumer electronics products.

ZvBox allows Internet TV viewers to move from the small screens of their computers and the discomfort of their desk chairs to the superior viewing experience of the HDTV and the comfort of the couch. ZvBox is the first device that allows consumers to watch anything they can get online or on their computers on all the HDTVs in their homes. By connecting to the monitor output of the computer, ZvBox turns the computer screen into a new high-definition TV channel called Zv, which it then "localcasts" across the existing coaxial cable wiring to all the HDTVs in the home.

As a widely renowned consumer technology awards program that began in 1976, the prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards recognize achievements in product design and engineering. It is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association, the producer of the International CES, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America, the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession through education, information, community and advocacy.

ZeeVee's ZvBox will be displayed at the 2009 International CES, which runs January 8-11, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category at the Sands Expo and Convention Center/The Venetian, Booth #72062. Best of Innovations honoree products will also be displayed at the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center, next to Experience CEA and at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES on Tuesday, January 6. You can also visit ZeeVee at Booth #21250.

The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:

Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used
Aesthetic and design qualities, using photos provided
The product's intended use/function and user value
Unique/novel features that consumers would find attractive

Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect the innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering honoree products are featured on http://www.CESweb.org/Innovations, which lists product categories, as well as each product name, manufacturer information, designer, description, photo and URL.

Nortel Blurs the Boundaries Between TV and Interactive Apps at TelcoTV '08

TVover.net — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:14:04 GMT

Nortel is showcasing IPTV and Video solutions that are blurring the boundaries across TV, Internet, consumer devices and mobile phones by integrating services like text messaging, VoIP, media sharing, and interactive applications into the entertainment experience. Nortel is demonstrating these capabilities at TelcoTV 2008 from November 11 to 13.

Nortel's video solutions make it possible for service providers to blend the applications and communications capabilities of computers and mobile devices with TV programming to enhance the entertainment experience. This allows interactive and multimedia Internet applications like text messaging, photo and video sharing, as well as VoIP, to be easily accessed while viewing TV or video on demand. For example, sports enthusiasts can text friendly rivals right from their TVs during a big game. Or, consumers can order a new product directly from an ad on their TV with a simple click of the remote control connecting them with the sellers through VoIP or text messaging. Nortel's IPTV solutions also allow users to take TV content out of the house to be viewed on a mobile phone or laptop.

Nortel's IPTV solutions will be used to bring enhanced entertainment to subscribers by such customers as Spruce Knob Seneca Rocks, a telecom service provider in West Virginia; BIT, a service provider in Virginia; and Yadkin Valley Telecom, an operator serving over 30,000 households in North Carolina. Both Spruce Knob Seneca Rocks and BIT will deploy Nortel's Communications Module 9520 to bring new interactive applications such as click-to-call, text messaging and picture sharing to their television subscribers. Yadkin Valley Telecom is implementing Nortel's pre-integrated IPTV Solution to provide a secure, reliable, scaleable high-definition entertainment service.

In this era of Hyperconnectivity where any device or application that should be connected to the network is being connected, Nortel's video solutions give service providers the ability to leverage a multitude of different devices - TV, Blu-ray player, computer, mobile phone - in an open environment to create new services and applications designed to generate additional revenues from their network investment. But offering these new interactive applications on many devices can lead to an explosion in bandwidth demand on networks as well.

To help service providers meet this demand, Nortel's Ethernet Access solution based on WDM PON technology provides dedicated, super-fast, secure, and reliable optical bandwidth starting with speeds of 100 Mbps and easily scalable as services grow on a foundational infrastructure. At Telco TV Nortel will demonstrate the delivery of IPTV, VoIP, and data services over Ethernet Access based on WDM-PON, including simple network management and recovery of services.

Here are other IPTV and video applications Nortel is demonstrating in booth #401 at TelcoTV 2008 in Anaheim, CA:

TV widgets - a TV interface that users can personalize, much like they would on a computer, displaying content such as the latest news, weather, sports schedules, and video on the TV screen.
Convergence of consumer electronics with entertainment, providing the ability to perform interactive two-way multimedia communication between a mobile device and an Internet connected BD-Live Blu-ray player. With this capability, consumers can receive photos on a Blu-ray player and make a click-to-call back to the sender.
Single subscription video services that allow a subscriber to order video on demand from a set top box and then watch it on other devices, such as a TV (with set top box), mobile phone or laptop.
Interactive TV advertising that puts merchandise only a "click-to-call" or "click-to-purchase" away.
A network based digital vault that can be accessed from anywhere, allowing users to share and store pictures and personal videos from mobile to PC and vice versa.

These demonstrations are testament to Nortel's strength in delivering applications that allow service providers to innovate and monetize personalized video applications, leverage existing network investment and enhance consumers' experiences. Nortel's video solutions enable and leverage an open Video Services Platform that is part of the company's Agile Communications Environment, promoting third-party application development.

Nortel is working with companies at the forefront of consumer electronics to help service providers' extend the reach of communications applications to consumer electronics by developing advanced application convergence opportunities with BD-Live capable Blu-ray players. The companies include RCDb, a leading developer of network services and software for Blu-ray discs and devices and Vantrix, a leading provider of content adaptation and optimization solutions for converged wireless, broadband and cable networks.

Nortel experts will be contributing to two panel sessions at Telco TV:

Peter Ashton, Nortel IPTV Product Marketing, will speak at a panel session in the Consumer Experience track called Integrating the Social Network Experience: Fad or Reality? on November 12, 4:30 to 5:30 PM.
Richard Brand, Nortel Video Solutions and vice-chair of ATIS IPTV Interoperability Forum, will moderate a panel session in the Evolve with Technology track called Set Top Box Evolution: Gateway to the Home? on November 13, 2:15 to 3:15 PM.

GTel Selects Verimatrix and Falcon to Deliver Secure IPTV Services

TVover.net — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:02:18 GMT

GTel Teleconnections has selected Verimatrix Video Content Authority System for IPTV to secure its new IPTV service. VCAS for IPTV is fully integrated with the Falcon IP/Complete IPTV delivery system, which encompasses content aggregation and delivery from satellite, router, and DSLAM on past the middleware where other systems end. Capitalizing on the comprehensive IP/Complete platform, GTel is able to roll out its triple-play services in Q2 of 2009 with an impressive channel lineup and advanced functionality, including more than 200 SD and HD channels.

VCAS for IPTV 2.3 provides unlimited wholesale support for IPTV architectures with a combination of central and local provisioning of linear and video-on-demand (VOD) content. It features end-to-end encryption for any combination of centralized or distributed subscriber management, including mixes of middleware systems and set-top boxes to meet specific local needs of its IPTV retailer community. As a unified, software-based security solution, VCAS for IPTV provides platform flexibility that improves the integrity of content distribution while decreasing hardware and management costs.

Backspace IPTV Business Models at TelcoTV 2008

TVover.net — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:51:58 GMT

Backspace will be participating in the panel "Business Model -- What Business Model?" at TelcoTV 2008 in Anaheim, California. As Backspace Communications is both an IPTV equipment vendor as well as an IPTV broadcaster, they have seen the full spectrum of internet video business models.

Backspace Communications was an early pioneer in the IPTV market, developing equipment to broadcast their first IPTV signals almost 8 years ago. Since that time, Backspace has worked with a variety of customers including small ISPs, multi-tenant unit operators, hospitality customers, and government organizations. During the panel at TelcoTV, Backspace will share their experience to answer questions about how smaller players can influence the Internet TV market, pieces required for the business models of internet video, and what role content really plays in today's online video offerings.