News on News - Technology

Red Bee Media Launch RedPlayer in Australia

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 13:35:04 +0000

Red Bee Media has announced the Australian debut of RedPlayer™, the first ‘media grade’, end-to-end, next generation video platform, at this year’s AIMIA Digital Summit.

RedPlayer™ allows broadcasters, content rights holders and platform operators in Australia and around the world to deliver and monetise high quality video to multiple devices, including PC, iPhone, iPad, gaming consoles and connected TV in a secure and scalable manner. Key features of RedPlayer™ include: a higher quality playback – optimised for the end device; sophisticated security and encryption; integration of live streaming and intelligent EPG that links past, present and future programming in a personalised manner; and fast availability of programs accessible online immediately after linear transmission.

Additionally, RedPlayer™ enables businesses to profit from the growing online video market by offering flexible options for multiple purchase types including subscription, download to own, rental and capped or uncapped library access, using Cisco Videoscape Media technology. These options sit alongside dynamic and targeted advertising capabilities.

Chris Howe, Managing Director, Red Bee Media Australia, said: “Red Bee Media created RedPlayer™ in response to a growing demand for broadcast quality, online video platforms that offer a secure and quality player service that can be monetised, a requirement fuelled by the advent of connected TV and the worldwide growth in video consumption across multiple devices. RedPlayer™ is an integral part of Red Bee Media’s roadmap of continued investment in new technologies and products and we are delighted to introduce this leading-edge suite of services to Australia for the very first time. Our broadcast heritage, combined with extensive experience in managing over 90% of broadcaster VOD content consumed in the UK, means we are well positioned to lead the new ‘media grade’ era and help our partners to stay well ahead of the digital curve.”

Red Bee Media developed RedPlayer™ to deliver the following business benefits:

Enhanced user experience
Deepened user engagement
Extended viewing time
Capture of behavioral data
Addition of dynamic advertising
Integrated micro-payment models

RedPlayer™ takes best of breed video technology from leading product providers and fuses it with Red Bee Media’s expertise in brand identity, media management and content protection to create a leading-edge player that delivers every component along the value chain, tailored and packaged to the client’s requirements. RedPlayer™ functionality can be introduced by clients on a modular basis as required. RedPlayer™ comes to market at a time when online video is growing rapidly. In April 2011 26.9m people in the UK streamed video from home and work computers, according to research by Nielsen VideoCensus. Cisco predicts that by 2013 video content will account for 90% of all online traffic.

Panasonic, IOC and OBS Announce Worldwide Partnership for the First Live 3D Olympic Games for London 2012

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

“We believe the first live 3D Olympic Games will contribute toward making the 2012 London Olympic Games one of the most significant in the history of broadcasting technology”

OSAKA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Panasonic Corporation (NYSE:PC)(TOKYO:6752)("Panasonic"), the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) announced their partnership agreement to make the London 2012 Olympic Games the first ever live 3D Olympic Games.

The tagline is the "First 3D Live Production of the Olympic Games, Powered by Panasonic". (From left) Mr Manolo Romero, CEO of OBS, Takumi Kajisha, Managing Executive Office of Panasonic Corporation, and Mr Vincent Chupin, Executive VP of IOC (Photo: Business Wire)

The partnership will produce the first HD 3D live broadcast in Olympic history, and will allow audiences around the globe to witness the world’s greatest sporting event in immersive 3D.

The 3D broadcast will include major events such as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletics, gymnastics, diving and swimming, and will be produced and delivered to participating rights-holding broadcasters around the world. OBS will be in charge of producing more than 200 hours of 3D coverage during the London 2012 Olympic Games by utilizing Panasonic’s state-of-the-art 3D production technologies including the AG-3DP1, a P2HD professional fully-integrated twin-lens Full HD 3D camera recorder.

“The Olympic Games has always been a pioneer in the development of TV broadcasting technologies, and has been on the cusp of innovation since the first live over-the-air broadcast was introduced in London 1948. Panasonic has been proud to support the Olympic Host Broadcaster since the first digital broadcast in Barcelona 1992, right through to the first HD broadcast in Beijing 2008. Now we are proud to announce the partnership with the IOC and OBS to create another successful era in Olympic broadcasting with the first live 3D Olympic Games at London 2012. There is no doubt that the Olympic Games will provide some of the best content for the 3D market in the future, and that 3D TV will drastically change the way we experience this great sporting event in our living rooms,” said Takumi Kajisha, Managing Executive Officer of Panasonic.

“For the past two decades, Panasonic has been a valued partner of the Olympic Movement and of the Host Broadcasting organization,” said Manolo Romero, Managing Director of OBS. “We are now proud to announce this partnership to realize the first ever live 3D Olympic Games, and we are confident that this unprecedented broadcast will be a great success in no small part due to the 3D technologies provided by Panasonic. Ultimately, we believe this production of the first live 3D Olympic Games will make the London 2012 Olympic Games one of the most significant in the history of broadcasting technology.”

In the spirit of the Panasonic Olympic slogan “Sharing the Passion”, Panasonic is not only making it possible for broadcasters and people around the world to share in the excitement of the Olympic Games through this 3D broadcast, but also through its state-of-the-art digital AV equipment technologies ranging from professional broadcast systems to consumer products such as Full HD 3D TVs, 3D Blu-ray Disc players, and home entertainment systems.

Official Worldwide Olympic Partner

Panasonic is proud to support the Olympic Movement - aimed at promoting world peace through sports - as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for more than 20 years since The Olympic Partner (TOP) Program commenced for the Calgary Olympic Winter Games in 1988. Under the slogan of "Sharing the Passion," Panasonic will contribute to the success of the Olympic Games through its technology. In 2007 Panasonic renewed the partnership with the International Olympic Committee through to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Website: http://panasonic.net/olympic/

Media source: Link to "Panasonic News Portal": http://news.panasonic.net/presskits/ifa2011.html

Facebook "Panasonic / Worldwide Olympic Partner": http://www.facebook.com/PanasonicWorldwideOlympicPartner

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 8.69 trillion yen (US$105 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2011. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6845153&lang=en

Contacts

Media Contacts:
Global Public Relations Office
Panasonic Corporation
Tel: +81-3-6403-3040 Fax: +81-3-3436-6766
Panasonic News Bureau
Tel: +81-3-3542-6205 Fax: +81-3-3542-9018

Source: Panasonic Corporation

Smart Multimedia Gallery

Video

[B-roll] A Part of the Press Conference at IFA 2011 (10mns. Zoom). Panasonic, IOC and OBS Announce Worldwide Partnership for the First Live 3D Olympic Games for London 2012. *Mr.Kajisya Speech from about 1:00, Photo Session from about 5:00, and Mr Manolo Romero, CEO of OBS, Speech from about 6:00

Video

[B-roll] A Part of the Press Conference at IFA 2011 (10mns. Wide). Panasonic, IOC and OBS Announce Worldwide Partnership for the First Live 3D Olympic Games for London 2012. *Mr.Kajisya Speech from about 1:00, Photo Session from about 5:00, and Mr Manolo Romero, CEO of OBS, Speech from about 6:00

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Takumi Kajisha (Center) with Professional 3D Camcorder AG-3DP1 (Photo: Business Wire)

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Takumi Kajisha, Managing Executive Office of Panasonic Corporation, announces a new partnership with the IOC and Olympic Broadcast Services (Photo: Business Wire)

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Mr Manolo Romero, CEO of OBS (Photo: Business Wire)

Logo

View this news release and multimedia online at:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110901005602/en

Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and XPAND 3D Join Forces in 'Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative'

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:01:41 +0000

Panasonic Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sony Corporation and X6D Limited (XPAND 3D) have announced their intent to collaborate on the development of a new technology standard for consumer 3D active glasses, under the name, "Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative."

With this new agreement, the companies intend to work together on the development and licensing of radio frequency (RF) system 3D active glasses technology, including RF system protocols between consumer 3D active glasses and 3D displays such as televisions, personal computers, projectors and 3D theaters with XPAND active shutter glasses.

The standardization will also include multiple types of infrared (IR) system protocols between 3D active glasses and 3D displays, ranging from the protocols jointly developed by Panasonic and XPAND 3D*, to the proprietary protocols of Samsung and Sony, respectively.

The license of today's newly announced Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative is targeted to be released in September 2011, at which time the development of new standardization-applied active 3D glasses will begin. Universal glasses with the new IR/RF protocols will be made available in 2012, and are targeted to be backward compatible with 2011 3D active TVs.

Through this initiative, the four companies aim to widely introduce universal active 3D glasses to the market.

Today's announcement marks a unique collaboration of the world's leading 3D TV manufacturers and 3D technology providers for the benefit of consumers. Glasses utilizing 3D active technology benefits consumers in that they enable Full HD 3D picture quality to be displayed to each eye, as well as a greater freedom of movement thanks to Bluetooth® technology.

"Panasonic has been working to standardize 3D glasses technologies, and in March, we announced a joint licensing of IR system protocols with XPAND, backed by several participant companies. We are very pleased that today's latest collaboration will incorporate our previous concept into these new standardization efforts," said Masayuki Kozuka, general manager of Media & Content Alliance Office, Corporate R&D Division, Panasonic Corporation. "We hope the expanded collaboration on this 3D standardization initiative will make a significant contribution toward accelerating the growth of 3D-related products."

"Today's announced collaboration underscores Samsung's promise to meet consumer needs among the ever-changing advancements of home entertainment and consumer electronics technology," said Jurack Chae, vice president, R&D Team, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics. "To-date, active 3D technology has proven to be the most popular choice for consumers in the 3D TV market. According to the NPD Group, Active 3D technology took an average of 96 percent share of the U.S. 3D TV market in the first half of this year; and this Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative will help further drive consumer adoption and understanding of active 3D—the technology that provides the clearest and most immersive 3D experience available."

"Through this alliance, we all look forward to addressing critical industry issues to enable a better consumer experience across products. We believe active 3D technology is the most suitable method to deliver full 1080p picture quality to each eye, giving consumers the 3D experience they most desire," said Jun Yonemitsu, deputy senior general manager, Home Entertainment Development Div., Sony Corporation.

"We are delighted to contribute our efforts and technologies to the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative for both RF and IR technology that we announced today with Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. This initiative reinforces the consumer electronics industry's commitment to highest 3D quality and provides technology consumers and theater-goers with a simple but powerful solution to the challenge of interoperability," said Maria Costeira, XPAND 3D's CEO.

The Bluetooth SIG supports the industry's move to standardize on Bluetooth technology in 3D glasses.

"These market leaders are coming together to make the 3D experience better for the consumer. It makes perfect sense that Bluetooth technology would be a vital component of that solution, both for its mass market ubiquity and the freedom and convenience it provides," said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director, Bluetooth SIG. "And while today's news is exciting, this is just the beginning—Bluetooth technology in the living room makes sense in 3D glasses, stereo surround systems, remote controls, and ultimately the hub of the living room—the TV."

*The protocols jointly developed by Panasonic and XPAND: They were announced in March 2011 and supported by eight participant companies: Changhong Electric Co., Ltd., FUNAI Electric Co., Ltd., Hisense Electric Co., Ltd., Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation, SIM2 Multimedia S.p.A. and ViewSonic Corporation.

Pace Provides Set-top Box for Comcast's Next-generation TV Experience

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:29:35 +0000

Pace (LSE: PIC), the leading developer of digital TV technologies for the payTV industry, is working with Comcast, one of the world's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services, to launch a new hybrid DVR set-top box with tru2way and IP capabilities that delivers an advanced personalized TV viewing experience.

Comcast is using the Pace set-top box platform in a market trial of its next-generation Xfinity TV service in Augusta, GA. This service allows customers to search and select from tens of thousands of TV shows and movies that reflect their unique interests, offering a personalized, useful and fun TV viewing experience.

Mike Pulli, President, Pace Americas, said: "Comcast has a track record of delivering the unexpected and taking TV services to a whole new level. We are very proud that Comcast has chosen to partner with Pace on this extraordinary project."

Sam Schwartz, President, Comcast Converged Products, said: "We're excited to have partnered with Pace to develop the industry's first hybrid Tru2Way/IP box. This hybrid set top enables Comcast customers to enjoy an exciting new cloud-based TV experience with all the great live, On Demand and DVR content that Xfinity TV already offers."

The Pace set-top box features an architecture that leverages Comcast's hybrid fiber coax network and DOCSIS® 3.0 to deliver the new guide and user experience. The new device also includes DVR capabilities with a high capacity hard drive.

Pace Leads Set-top Box Market in 2010 According to Research

Fri, 13 May 2011 10:09:08 +0000

Pace plc is pleased to announce that research company, IHS Screen Digest, has confirmed Pace as global leader in the set-top box market.

Findings released by industry analysts IHS Screen Digest yesterday, reveal that Pace shipped more set-top boxes (STBs) in 2010 than any other set-top box developer.

IHS Screen Digest figures show that a major increase in its set-top box sales propelled Pace to number one in the global market in 2010, surpassing previous leader Motorola.

Pace has delivered incredible development over the past three years, securing a leadership position by creating and delivering set-top box technology - particularly HD, PVR and hybrid devices - for over 160 of the world's payTV operators. No other set-top box developer has such a broad product and broadcast platform expertise.

Pace's ability to secure its position at the forefront of the set-top box market was propelled by particularly strong performances in both North and South America. Tom Morrod, head of TV technology, IHS Screen Digest, commented: "Pace has been voraciously taking market share from U.S. incumbents with high-volume deals such as selling boxes to Comcast. The company also fostered new big-volume customers like Net Servicios in Brazil."

Neil Gaydon, chief executive officer, Pace added: "The Screen Digest report reinforces an important milestone for Pace and to move to this position from third in the market is evidence of our terrific momentum in the last three years. We have led this generation of television technology and with our recent acquisitions we will lead the next generation of converged home systems through outstanding, innovative products and services."

2010 was a record year for Pace. The company further increased its revenues and profitability, expanded its global customer base, moved into new markets, developed new technologies and, through acquisitions, significantly expanded its product offerings to include advanced gateways, software and services.

Gaydon continued: "Consumer demand for new services and increasingly greater access to video content is evolving rapidly. Pace is uniquely positioned to capitalise on this opportunity and bring new and pioneering products to market to meet this demand."

BT Recruits Ex-armed Forces Personnel to Help Deploy Fibre Broadband

Thu, 05 May 2011 10:33:25 +0000

BT’s Openreach division is looking to recruit around 200 ex-armed forces personnel to help deliver super-fast fibre broadband. The ex-armed forces men and women are due to start their new jobs in May this year.

They will be part of a mobile engineering workforce which will help to deploy super-fast broadband to homes and businesses across the UK.

BT’s deployment of fibre broadband is one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects with the technology being delivered at much faster speed than in other countries. Two thirds of UK premises will have access by the end of 2015 with close to three thousand full time engineers currently devoted to the project.

Openreach has been working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), an arrangement between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Right Management, a global talent and career management expert. The CTP provides career guidance along with training and employment support to those leaving the armed forces.

Olivia Garfield, CEO Openreach said: “It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to recruit so many ex-armed services personnel. These people have served their country well and so deserve the chance of full-time employment with a generous reward package. They are highly skilled, motivated and disciplined and have experience of complex engineering tasks in challenging environments.

“Our “fast-track” recruitment programme should see the majority of them join us by the end of May and given their experience, we will be able to train them up quickly and get them straight out where we need them.”

David Duffy, Managing Director, Career Transition Partnership charity (CTP), said: “We have had an amazing success rate with this project, and have received tremendous feedback about the high calibre of the Service leavers who have applied for the roles on offer.

“The CTP offers a no cost recruitment solution, supporting organisations with their workforce strategy by understanding their recruitment needs and matching the transferable skills of Service leavers. To date, Openreach have carried out 202 interviews specifically for Service leavers with 181 subsequently being offered positions. This converts to a 90% success rate at interview and reflects the highly sought after skill-sets, abilities and attitude of those leaving the Armed Forces.”

The MoD is committed to providing a robust and effective system of resettlement and career transition support, with all Service leavers receiving some help, for up to two years either side of their discharge date.

The types of benefits Service leavers can access include: grants, allowances, travel warrants, resettlement leave, transition workshops, one-to-one career guidance support, subsidised vocational training support, housing advice, financial briefs and employment support.

Lt Cdr Mark Walker, from MoD’s Training, Education, Skills and Resettlement staff said: “We are delighted that Openreach has recognized the talent, skills and versatility of our Service leavers, especially targeting them for recruitment. We strongly welcome this initiative, and its promise of rewarding employment and career opportunities for many former Armed Forces personnel.”

Trident Collaborates With Industry Leaders to Deliver the Most Popular Connected Services On Its DTV Platform

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:41:05 +0000

Trident Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRID), a leading provider of set-top box and TV semiconductor solutions, has announced another major milestone in its ongoing mission to deliver a truly extended connected home where any content can be enjoyed on any display, from any device at any time.

As part of this effort, the company has partnered with leading online services such as Flingo, RoxioNow, Pandora, Rovi™, and VUDU to bring their connected online services onto mainstream digital TVs and exciting new Cinema TVs.

Unlike competitive solutions that integrate online services, Trident has designed its DTV platform with an open modular software architecture that allows the customer to easily add the online services that they want on their television product lines. This enables customers to get to market quickly with rich, connected TVs that offer consumers the most popular and useful online services simply with a click of their TV remote control.

"Trident's open and flexible software architecture brings the Connected TV to a whole new level by enabling customers to quickly and easy deliver online services so that consumers have access to movies, news, sport, weather reports, and more right from their television," said Christos Lagomichos, president of Trident Microsystems. "As the world's number one provider of DTV solutions, Trident is in a unique position to drive these exciting new capabilities into the home and this is another example of how we are delivering a complete platform solution."

The Exciting Apps Being Added to the Trident DTV Platform

Below is a description of some of the exciting capabilities that Trident is bringing to mainstream TVs.

Flingo Synch Apps - make TV watching more fun and engaging through a new level of interactivity with TV programming. Flingo is one of the world's largest publishers of Connected TV Apps for Media companies such as CBS, Fox, Warner Bros, TV Guide, and MTV Networks on platforms from Samsung, Vizio, LG and Google TV. Flingo's Sync Apps technology enables consumers to interact with applications synchronized with the show they are watching through broadcast television.
VUDU Apps and VUDU Movie Service - enables Trident customers to offer TVs that provide access to VUDU's more than 100 applications, ranging from news providers and popular Internet services to more than 4,000 HD movies.
Pandora - gives people music they love anytime, anywhere, through connected devices. Personalized stations launch instantly with the input of a single "seed" -- a favorite artist, song or genre. The Trident implementation of Pandora enables signature personalization features of Pandora, like station creation, thumbs-up and thumbs-down, and bookmarking.
RoxioNow - provides instant access to a broad range of premium entertainment, including new movies and next-day TV programs. Sonic's RoxioNow allows Trident customers to rapidly deploy retailer-branded storefronts that offer consumers a convenient way to enjoy their favorite entertainment when and where they choose.
Rovi TotalGuide - for simple, centralized and intuitive access to multiple content types: broadcast, premium, Internet-based and personal. In addition, TotalGuide enhances the consumer experience through rich TV listings, enhanced data and imagery, as well as extended multimedia.

Netgear Leads the Way with Second Generation Push2TV Adapter Featuring Full-HD Support

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:18:31 +0000

Netgear Inc. (Nasdaq: NTGR) has announced the second generation Netgear Push2TV™ HD TV adapter, now with full-HD 1080p video resolution and other key improvements to enhance the home theater experience, at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The Push2TV HD (PTV2000) is compatible with laptops featuring both current generation and next generation Intel® Wireless Display technology and enables consumers to wirelessly enjoy videos, music, photos and Internet content stored on their laptop on their big screen TVs.*

"Over the last year Intel has worked on a number of enhancements to Intel® WiDi for 2011 including support for 1080p, Blu-ray™ playback, and surround sound. We are also increasing the number of computing devices that support Intel WiDi by enabling many 2nd generation Intel® core™ processor-based laptops and select upcoming Intel® Atom-based netbooks," said Kerry Forell, Intel WiDi Product Line Manager. "We are pleased to continue our relationship with Netgear, a leader in wireless networking, and we're excited that they are launching the second generation Netgear Push2TV HD adapter for Intel® WiDi."

"Netgear is delighted to continue our relationship with Intel to deliver the Netgear Push2TV HD TV adapter for Intel® Wireless Display, providing customers a truly easy way to extend the PC viewing experience to the TV," said Damir Skripic, Product Line Manager, Connected Entertainment, Netgear. "With the Netgear Push2TV HD, consumers don't have to crowd around their PCs to enjoy their favorite Websites or share their own movies or photos with friends and family. Now they can enjoy it all on their big screen TV in full 1080p HD."

With a click of a button, Netgear Push2TV HD enables consumers to wirelessly stream whatever is being viewed on their laptop to the TV without the need for cables or wires. With a growing number of laptops supporting Intel® WiDi technology (visit www.Netgear.com/ptv to see the list of compatible laptops), more consumers now can enjoy the benefits of Netgear Push2TV adapter.

The new Push2TV HD and the next generation of Intel® Wireless Display software offer consumers an improved home theater experience with the following benefits:

Full HD 1080p – Enjoy video content in the highest resolution on TV
30fps Video – Superior image quality with full motion video
Dual-Band Wireless Connectivity – Ensures clear picture quality by minimizing wireless interference
Extend Mode – Browse the Internet on your laptop and wirelessly stream a movie to the TV at the same time
Improved Latency – Reduced lag time between the laptop display and the TV
Expanded Graphics Card Support – Supports laptops with Intel processor graphics alone or in configurations together with discrete graphics processors

The Push2TV HD adapter is compatible with both the current generation laptops with Intel® Wireless Display Technology as well as the new laptops coming in 2011 with next generation Intel® Wireless Display technology.

"People are increasingly connecting to the Internet for entertainment content, but viewing HD movies or TV shows on a laptop screen doesn't do that content any justice. Thus we see a growing need for technology that simply allows consumers to connect their PCs to their TVs," said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst, Parks Associates. "NETGEAR's new Push2TV HD provides consumers with a quick and easy way to wirelessly stream their favorite website videos, music and pictures to their TVs and enjoy a full HD experience."

DivX Continues to Expand DivX Plus HD Certification on Broadcom Platforms and Demonstrates Support for DivX TV

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:57:47 +0000

DivX®, a division of Sonic Solutions® (Nasdaq: SNIC), today announced its first DivX Plus™ HD Certified chip for set-top boxes (STBs) with Broadcom's BCM7208 HD IP STB system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution.

In addition, Broadcom has continued to expand DivX Plus HD Certification across its digital TV SoC solutions by certifying the latest BCM35230 connected DTV platform. Broadcom's new STB and digital TV solutions with DivX Plus HD support will be demonstrated at CES 2011, along with DivX TV™ ported to Broadcom platforms.

Broadcom's new SoC solutions provide playback of DivX Plus HD H.264 video in an .mkv file container using the USB slot or streaming from the home network via Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) for easy viewing in the living room. In addition, both SoC platforms enable consumers to enjoy special DVD-like features, including automated chapter points, enhanced trick play, and multiple video, audio and sub-title tracks.

"Broadcom is a Fortune 500 company, and its adoption of DivX Plus HD technology in set-top box and digital TV platforms and support for DivX TV are important wins for DivX," said Matt Milne, Executive Vice President and General Manager, DivX. "We look forward to continuing to offer consumer electronics companies the very best solutions for enjoying DivX video in the living room and beyond."

"As online videos proliferate to several screens in the home, Broadcom supports DivX technology on multiple connected home platforms, enabling a rich and seamless Internet video entertainment experience, wherever and whenever," said Dan Marotta, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group.

DivX Plus HD Certification is the premium level of certification available from DivX, optimized for consumer electronics products and supports the playback of all content created with DivX software. Available on www.divx.com, DivX Plus Software allows users to create and playback H.264 video in an .mkv file container. DivX Plus HD Certified devices will playback all previous versions of DivX video, and DivX Plus HD video files with the .mkv file extension and AAC audio created with third-party tools. DivX software tools allow users to mobilize their DivX content for playback on over 400 million DivX Certified devices.

In addition to incorporating DivX Plus HD Certification at CES, Broadcom will also be demonstrating support for DivX TV, the company's comprehensive Internet TV service that enables consumer electronics manufacturers to bring a broad range of web-based content to home and mobile devices. A one-stop shop for consumer electronics companies that want to provide on-demand access to popular Internet videos, original web programming, and premium services; DivX TV offers a rapidly growing library of more than 10,000 videos from over 200 shows. DivX TV is a dynamic and customizable service with an intuitive menu that provides the convenience of simply watching TV. Lightweight and scalable, DivX TV enables the best of Internet TV on any device or platform, combining the best of the web with the ease of flipping channels.

Broadcom's BCM7208 HD STB SoC platform integrates 1080p60 output for high quality HD programming, and supports single or networked multi-room IPTV services, Web browsing and widget support for whole-home DVR and other advanced media sharing applications. Integrated DLNA technology support enables consumers to locate and enjoy digital content anywhere on their home network and effortlessly move or stream this content between DLNA-connected devices. It includes an advanced multi-format video decoder, Ethernet PHY and HDMI 1.3 output.

The BCM35230 is the third DivX Plus HD Certified digital TV solution from Broadcom, following the recent certifications for the BCM3549 and BCM3556 DTV platforms. Broadcom's next generation connected DTV platform features a high powered dual core CPU, graphics processing unit and industry leading video processing with frame rate conversion, deinterlacing and super resolution to enhance the viewing experience on Internet, broadcast and Blu-ray content. Broadcom's BCM35230 platform supports the connected services, dynamic applications and interactive content that are changing the way that consumers use their televisions.

DivX creates, distributes, and licenses digital video technologies that span the "three screens" comprising today's consumer media environment — the PC, television, and mobile devices. Over 400 million DivX devices have shipped into the market worldwide from leading consumer electronics manufacturers. DivX also offers content providers and publishers a complete solution for the distribution of secure, high-quality digital video content. Driven by a globally recognized brand and a passionate community of hundreds of millions of consumers, DivX is simplifying the video experience to enable the digital home.

D-Link Brings the Internet to TV in Middle East With Boxee Box

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:12:50 +0000

The way you experience media on your TV will be revolutionized with the Middle Eastern & African availability of the Boxee Box by D-Link in January 2011.

The striking black box allows users to watch available movies and TV programmes from the Internet, stream videos from nearly any website, exchange recommendations with friends using social media sites like Facebook, organize and enjoy personal music, photos and videos, and browse the Internet, all from a simple to use remote. The Boxee Box by D-Link gives consumers a new, exciting and easy-to-use way to experience free or paid for content on the Internet, changing the way they interact with it forever.

As part of the Middle Eastern & African availability, D-Link announced that the Intel Atom CE4100, Intel's system-on-a-chip designed for TV and Internet integration, will power the Boxee Box. The powerful Intel-based hardware allows Boxee's open software platform to deliver up to full 1080p HD over a wired or Wireless N network. With hundreds of apps already available and an intuitive interface, the Boxee Box by D-Link gives users unparalleled access to on-demand entertainment and newfound control over their TV.

The Boxee Box by D-Link has already received critical industry acclaim, and a 'first look' at the media device earned it the accolade of 'Best of Innovations in the Home Entertainment' category at CES in January 2010. Since then, D-Link and Boxee have worked closely together to add further capabilities and content to the platform that allows you to make the most of the huge library of free and paid content available on the Internet, as well as easy and secure access to your own digital content and social media networks. Boxee Box by D-Link content providers and apps include the BBC, Last.fm, CNET, CNN, Channel 4, Comedy Central, Facebook, ITV, MTV Music, mySpaceTV, YouTube, Flickr, and Picasa.

Harrison Albert, Regional Director at D-Link Middle East & Africa commented, "D-Link has always been committed to pioneering Digital Home experiences for consumers, transforming the home network so that new entertainment possibilities can become a reality. The Boxee Box by D-Link is the start of a new revolution in home entertainment as we bring the limitless world of Internet content to the TV. The Boxee Box by D-Link will be a catalyst for smart TV within the Digital Home, allowing consumers to discover new content and enjoy it in high definition."

"Too many people have to enjoy what they want to watch hunched over a laptop all alone," stated Andrew Kippen, vice president of marketing for Boxee, "We've partnered with D-Link to come up with what we believe is the best way to enjoy the best content from the Internet on a TV - no PC required."

The Boxee Box by D-Link will be available in January 2011 from all IT retailers in the MENA & Africa region.

Internet freedom on your HDTV

The Boxee Box is one of the world's first media devices capable of browsing the Internet directly from a TV without the need for a computer. With its highly intuitive user interface, you can personalize and create a bespoke home screen categorizing all your media on one screen.

Plays your digital stuff

The device can be used to play and view practically all common video, music, and photo formats from home media collections and the Internet in up to full 1080p High Definition.

Tailored to the sofa

The unique QWERTY remote control means that accessing content already available on the Boxee Box, navigating the Internet for new content and consuming personal entertainment is as fun and easy as on a computer. Users can also use free remote apps for the iPhone, Android, and Palm Pre in addition to the standard Boxee Box remote.

See what your friends are watching

Core social features of the Boxee Box make it easy for friends to discover new content from each other through social networks like Facebook, Twitter and more. Users can share anything they're watching or listening to with their friends on Boxee and other social networks with just a few clicks on the remote.

An expanding open platform

Since anyone can build on top of Boxee's open App platform, users and companies can craft their own truly customized experience. If there isn't already an application, the Boxee Box by D-Link allows you to create your own to access and organize your favorite content in a simple click.

D-Link brings smart TV to the Digital Home

For people looking to get more entertainment into their living room, the Boxee Box by D-Link quickly turns any HDTV into a Smart TV with near limitless content courtesy of the Internet. Boxee Box users will also receive dynamic firmware updates, meaning that software and service upgrades are 'pushed' directly to your device, so there is no need to perform awkward manual upgrades and you always have the latest service. Built-in security options like login access and parental controls ensure the Boxee Box by D-Link and its content remains secure.

"Consumers are ready for the smart TV experience, bringing Internet-based applications and services into the living room," said Wilfred Martis, General Manager of Retail CE, Intel Digital Home Group." Taking advantage of the advanced performance and media capabilities of the Intel Atom CE4100, the Boxee Box by D-Link is poised to make a major impact on smart TV."

3D Rapidly Moving Into Cultural Mainstream

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:56:28 +0000

3D, once seen as an interesting novelty, is quickly becoming an important part of our lives, both as a new form of entertainment and an important adjunct to many industries, according to top executives speaking at last week's conference, Paul Kagan's 3D Media Markets, Presented by Panasonic (NYSE: PC).

The conference was organized and moderated by veteran analyst Paul Kagan, renowned for his extraordinary insights into and understanding of the complexities of the media industries.

Kagan brought together top executives from the worlds of entertainment, advertising and finance, to discuss and debate the growing influence and market potential for 3D technologies. It was highlighted by keynote addresses by DreamWorks Animation CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Avatar Producer, Jon Landau, and RealD Chief Executive, Michael V. Lewis.

In addition, attendees heard from top executives from such companies as CBS Sports, Comcast, DirecTV, ESPN, and NVIDIA.

The 3D revolution, which recently began with motion pictures, is now spreading to television. According to Mr. Landau, the growing popularity of 3D on TV is causing the feature film industry to redouble its efforts to create even better 3D productions for the big screen.

Mr. Landau noted that Avatar's 3D version was removed from theaters only because of a shortage of 3D screens. Released when there were little more than 3,300 3D screens in the U.S. and less than 8,000 total world-wide, that number will, by next summer, grow to more than 30,000 world-wide, Mr. Katzenberg predicted.

"In less than 20 years, anything presented digitally in public forums will be presented in 3D," Mr. Katzenberg said, who also noted that in 2010, six of the top 10 movies are in 3D. By year's end, it will be eight of the top 12, he said.

"Every new communications or entertainment medium is greeted by customary doubts about its future," moderator, Paul Kagan said. "3D has not been exempt. But like TV, cable, cellphones and the Internet, 3D is destined to capture the attention and the hearts of the world's media consumers."

Major television programmers including CBS, DirecTV, Discovery Communications, and ESPN presented their visions for and development of dedicated 3D channels. Ken Aagaard of CBS Sports, which recently shot the U.S. Open Tennis tournament in 3D, noted that once company executives saw 3D, they were deeply impressed.

"We were amazed at the buy rates for 3D versions of the Masters and auto racing," added Comcast Senior Vice President, Mark Hess.

Panasonic has made a major commitment to 3D, both in terms of offering a wide range of consumer displays; the world's first professional, handheld 3D camera; and through a major programming commitment with DirecTV, helping to create America's first full-time 3D channel – n3D, Powered by Panasonic.

According to Panasonic Vice President, Jeff Cove, that commitment will fuel not just increased entertainment opportunities, but in addition, these new tools will help open up 3D to a wide range of other uses, including improving education, helping find recoverable oil and gas deposits more efficiently, cutting development costs in the automobile industry, and improving the accuracy of surgical procedures.

Currys Announces First 50 Inch 3DTV Package for Less Than a Grand

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 08:05:48 +0000

Currys has announced a 50 inch 3DTV package for just 999.99 pounds, taking the price of 3DTVs to their lowest level, inch for inch, since 3D technology first burst into living rooms earlier this year.

Launched in over 450 Currys and PC World stores nationwide on the 7th October, the retailer is not only slashing 300 pounds off the price of the Samsung 50C680 3DTV, but is also giving away a free 3D Blu-ray player worth 199 pounds AND two free pairs of 3D glasses with each purchase. Savvy 3DTV shoppers will make a total saving of over 600 pounds when they need it most, in the run up to Christmas.

Phil Samuels, Category Director for Consumer Electronics at Currys, said: "Put simply, when it comes to 3DTV this package offers customers the biggest bang for their bucks on the high street. Importantly, we need to ensure that our customers understand that what they are getting when they buy at 3DTV is excellent quality 2D viewing with the addition of a fantastic 3D cinema experience.

"The Samsung 50C680 also future-proofs existing DVD collections, as the 1080p picture technology upscales DVDs to HD quality, meaning our customers won't have to replace their entire DVD collection with Blu-rays."

Featuring Samsung's innovative 3D HyperReal Engine picture technology, the slim, elegantly styled 50C680 makes the most of its Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, delivering dazzlingly crisp images. Complementing the amazing picture quality are integrated stereo speakers with 10 watts per channel, supporting rich Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Pulse sound output for a truly thrilling experience whether you're watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster, playing the next big 3D game or simply catching up on your soaps.

Dixons Retail, parent company of Currys and PC World, predicts that 2 in 10 (20%) of TVs sold next year will be 3D.

While many critics cited a lack of content when the technology was first launched six months ago, the 3DTV market is set to explode in the coming months as Sky TV's new 3D service is now up and running and films such as "Toy Story 3", "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" and "Final Destination: Death Trip" are now available to buy in shops.

Currys is the UK's biggest electrical retailer with a network of over 500 stores nation-wide, including out of town stores, high street Currys.digital stores and a Currys Megastore in the Midlands.

Sony Redefines Home Entertainment With the World's First HDTV Powered by Google TV

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:55:11 +0000

Furthering the company's leadership in the connected TV space, Sony today introduced Sony Internet TV, powered by Google TV -- the world's first television with the ability to watch HDTV, enjoy apps, and browse the Internet seamlessly on one device.

The combination of Sony's hardware and engineering expertise and Google's understanding of open software provides a unique user experience, merging multiple content sources in one easy-to-use interface. From broadcast to streaming video from the Internet, Sony Internet TV offers the ability to quickly search and watch content from wherever, whenever.

"Sony Internet TV is the world's first HDTV that combines the big-screen impact of television and full Internet search to deliver an unrivaled entertainment experience," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of Sony's Home Division. "Finally, you can seamlessly search your favorite TV programs and web sites on the same screen, at the same time."

"We are very proud to be the pioneers of this new entertainment category by delivering the world's first true Internet TV experience," added Bob Ishida, senior vice president, corporate executive, and president of Home Entertainment Business Group, Sony Corporation. "Sony Internet TV creates value by introducing new and compelling ways to enjoy a variety of content."

Featuring both integrated television models and a Blu-ray Disc™ player, Sony Internet TV is powered by Google TV. It is built on the Android platform, runs the Google Chrome browser and includes a powerful Intel® Atom® processor offering the ability to quickly search across Internet and television content for easy access to entertainment and information.

The models also feature Dual View, allowing users to watch television while tweeting about what they're watching, checking their fantasy football scores, or finding related content on the web.

They also deliver a truly personalized entertainment experience with the ability to bookmark content for easy access and add applications from the Android™ Market (coming in early 2011). The models feature Sony's premium streaming service "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity™" as well as pre-installed apps including CNBC, Napster, NBA, Netflix, Pandora,® Twitter, and YouTube.™

The intuitive hand-held RF QWERTY keypad remote incorporating an optical mouse makes it easy to navigate content, type in search terms, and control the TV's user interface. Additionally, select mobile devices such as an Android phone, can control the TV with an app that will be available for download from the mobile Android Market later this fall.

Built-in Wi-Fi makes it easy to connect to home broadband networks to access web content. Additionally, Sony Internet TV is ready for the future and is fully upgradable through system updates.

Sony Internet TV easily connects to select HD DVR devices from Dish Network to include previously recorded content in the search results and control DVR functionality from the set's user interface.

Siano Launches Advanced Receiver Chip for USA Mobile Digital TV

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:44:41 +0000

Siano Mobile Silicon, the world's leading supplier of digital mobile TV receiver chips, has announced the launch of a new product, targeting the emerging mobile TV market in the United States.

Siano's advanced SMS1530, which supports the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) A/153 Mobile Digital TV Standard, was developed in collaboration with LG Electronics, principal developer of the ATSC M/H (mobile/handheld) broadcast standard.

Optimized for transmission to mobile and handheld devices, ATSC Mobile DTV was developed to support a variety of services including free (advertiser-supported) television and interactive services delivered in real time, subscription-based TV, and file-based content download for playback at a later time. The standard can also be used for transmission of new data broadcasting services.

Mark Aitken, Director of Advanced Technologies for Sinclair Broadcasting Group, expects that by the end of 2010 there will be 100-150 TV stations transmitting in ATSC's A/153 Mobile DTV format (formal name of ATSC-MH), scattered in about 40 metropolitan areas in the US. By the end of 2011, given the activities of many broadcast television ventures and alliances, it is expected that there may be up to 500 TV stations covering the 50-70 largest metropolitan areas (as well as smaller markets). These markets account for more than 65% of the US population.

Siano's launch of ATSC M/H DTV receiver chips in North America builds on its great success in the mobile TV markets of China (CMMB technology) and Latin America (ISDB-T technology). The SMS1530 is fully compatible with the ATSC A/153 Standard. In addition, it supports FM radio, and has the necessary on-chip provisions for conditional access for pay-TV services. The high-performance, low-power SMS1530 targets a wide range of mobile and handheld devices, including mobile phones, portable navigation devices, in-vehicle TVs and portable media players.

"As a US company, and a global leader thus far, we are enthusiastic about serving end-users in North America," said Alon Ironi, Siano's CEO. "Siano has accumulated considerable knowledge and experience in emerging mobile TV markets, and we believe that American consumers will embrace Mobile DTV, which offers them easy access to their favorite local and national TV content anytime, anywhere. Products using the SMS1530 will offer the consumers the best TV viewing experience - indoors as well as outdoors, long battery life and mobility."

"Siano is known for its great success in mobile DTV receiver chips, and having them joining the ATSC Mobile DTV ecosystem is important as it significantly strengthens the market," said Dr. Jong Kim, president of LG's US DTV lab.

The SMS1530 is available in samples to select customers. A successful field trial conducted in Washington DC exhibited excellent performance. Siano reported that it is already engaged with customers developing electronic products using the SMS1530.

LG Electronics Introduces World's First 3D TV to Receive 3D Certification from THX

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:53:49 +0000

LG Electronics USA today announced the availability of the world's first 3D HDTV to be THX® Certified – the LG Infinia PX950 Plasma HDTV series.

The PX950 continues LG's history of setting new standards in picture quality. To earn the new THX 3D Display Certification, the PX950 passed more than 400 laboratory tests evaluating left and right eye images for color accuracy, cross-talk, viewing angles and video processing performance. In addition to the first-ever THX 3D Display Certification, the PX950 had to pass THX certification for superior picture quality in 2D, which must be achieved before passing THX 3D certification.

With the push of a button, viewers can select THX 2D or 3D Cinema Modes for pristine 2D and 3D movie experiences from broadcast sources and Blu-ray Discs. The PX950 plasma HDTV recreates the cinematic viewing experience by setting optimum color temperature, luminance and gamma levels.

"THX spent more than a year in the lab developing our certification criteria and testing methodologies for 3D TVs and content," said Rick Dean, senior vice president at THX. "To present a truly immersive 3D experience in the home, a THX 3D Certified TV must be capable of delivering consistent stereoscopic images with accurate color and clean processing. THX applauds the LG PX950 as the first 3D TV series to pass this rigorous testing to achieve THX certification."

The PX950 works with the use of active shutter glasses and an emitter built directly into the TV. With 600Hz Max Sub-field Driving, viewers can enjoy the fastest action sequences in gaming, sports and movies. LG's 3D Plasma Panel also quickly phases out light to produce images that are practically blur-free. LG's TruBlack Filter helps block external light reflections while maximizing the transmission of internal light to produce deeper blacks and superior contrast levels, and the Dual XD Engine transforms standard definition content into near-high definition quality with an unprecedented level of color accuracy.

"LG is offering 'Something Better' in plasma HDTVs with the THX 3D Certified PX950," said Peter Reiner, senior vice president, marketing, LG Electronics USA. "Not only is this the world's first THX 3D Certified Plasma, but it includes amazing 2D to 3D Conversion, TruBlack Filter and superior color accuracy, all packaged into LG's striking slim design."

The 60- and 50-inch class PX950 plasma HDTVs boast seamless connectivity and a virtually limitless content package with a variety of entertainment options from NetCast™ Entertainment Access, including:

Netflix®: Consumers can stream thousands of movies and TV shows, including a growing number of HD titles.
VUDU™: Allows consumers to instantly buy or rent from the largest library of movies in Full HD 1080p resolution, as well as TV titles – with no monthly fees or additional hardware.
Yahoo!® Widgets: Enables access to TV Widgets that allow viewers to interact with popular Internet services and online media through applications specifically tailored to the needs of the watcher, such as up-to-the minute Yahoo! News, Weather and Finance, and new widgets, including CBS, Showtime and CNBC.
YouTube™: Offers the ability to instantly stream millions of Web videos directly from the Internet (without a personal computer).
Picasa™ Web Albums: Provides access to Google's photo software, allowing consumers to view photo albums at the touch of a button.

At only 2.1-inches thin, the PX950 is unassumingly powerful and versatile. Thanks to a wide 3D viewing angle created by self-illuminating pixels, spectators can revel in superb 3D images while sitting or even lying down practically anywhere in front of the TV. In addition, along with the connectivity options of DLNA and NetCast, the PX950 supports the Multi Picture Format (MPF) function, enabling users to connect their 3D cameras to the TV and view their 3D pictures directly on the big screen.

LG's PX950 series is available now in 60- and 50-inch class screen sizes at manufacturer's prices of $2,999 and $1,999, respectively.

Akamai Delivers 2010 World Cup Internet Coverage for Two Dozen Broadcasters Into 65 Countries Worldwide

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:29:49 +0000

Akamai Technologies (Nasdaq: AKAM), the leading provider of cloud optimization services, has announced that it successfully delivered live and on-demand Web content and streaming for 24 global broadcasters into 65 countries during the month-long World Cup championships. Customers including ESPN, Prisacom, Televisa, TV2 and TV4 leveraged Akamai's globally distributed platform during the 31-day event to deliver 64 matches, as well as opening and closing ceremonies.

Customers relied on a host of Akamai solutions including Akamai's HD Network for live and on-demand streaming, delivery to mobile devices including the iPhone® and iPad™ devices, and Akamai Media Analytics for detailed information regarding usage of their content. Akamai's massively scalable network and adaptive streaming technology provided high-quality experiences for viewers around the globe on PCs and mobile devices.

Customer Highlights Include:

On ESPN3.com, matches were viewed by 7.4 million unique viewers
ESPN.com's front page, which prominently featured World Cup news, video and scores, saw 304 million visits and 663 million page views
Swiss IPTV portal wilmaa.com saw its traffic more than double during peak times and supported more than 100,000 additional viewers during the event
sf.tv provided live and on-demand streams of all matches in Switzerland and at peak times registered up to 35,000 concurrent streams, a sf.tv streaming record

At times, global interest in this year's World Cup was over 2X higher than the 2006 event, as demonstrated by Akamai's Net Usage Index for News, which registered a peak of more than 20 million visitors per minute on June 24th, compared to a peak of 8 million visitors per minute during the 2006 World Cup. Akamai's World Cup Index, which tracked real-time traffic to the 24 global broadcasters for which Akamai delivered traffic, also registered its highest peak on June 24th at noon EDT at the end of the Italy vs. Slovenia match.

"It was a thrill to work with so many of our customers to bring an HD experience to more World Cup fans around the globe," said Robert Hughes, Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Services and Marketing at Akamai. "The delivery of this type of event is a testament to our delivery model and distributed approach and to our team of experts on large online events. The Akamai HD Network was a key factor in the success of the event, as the majority of our customers chose to deliver across our unique HTTP delivery platform.

For twelve years, Akamai has been supporting the delivery of high profile events to large online audiences, and the experience we've gained as a company has made Akamai's support and services team among the foremost experts on large online event delivery."

Sony Elevates the Standard for 3D Home Theater With New ES AV Receivers and Blu-ray 3D Player

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:07:11 +0000

Driving the innovation of 3D, Sony today took another step to strengthen its industry leading 3D home product line with new Elevated Standard (ES) AV receivers including the STR-DA5600ES, STRA-DA4600ES, and STR-DA3600ES and a Blu-ray 3D™ player, the BDP-S1700ES.

In addition to Sony's latest 3D capable BRAVIA® HDTVs, the new ES components represent the best audio and video quality Sony has to offer. Designed with custom installers in mind, ES models integrate seamlessly with multi-room, third-party control systems.

"By focusing on seamless integration with custom home theater control partners, Sony is working to deliver products that support the custom and specialty retail business like no other manufacturer," said Brian Siegel, vice president of Sony's home audio and video business. "Because Sony is involved in every stage of the 3D ecosystem, specialty dealers and installers can rest assured that our AV components leverage that deep expertise to deliver the most technically advanced experience possible."

Focusing on the needs of custom home theater installers, Sony's ES line represents an enthusiast-level AV experience featuring some of the company's most advanced technology. The value of the products is best demonstrated by dealers and integrators qualified to engage an advanced consumer audience. To that end, the company is focusing its distribution strategy to include only specialty AV retailers and custom installers. ES products will no longer be offered for sale online or through telesales.

AV Receivers with Custom Control

Sony's 2010 ES AV receivers feature IR input jacks and two-way serial control. They also offer control over IP which allows installers to easily integrate the receivers into the leading home automation systems including Control4®, Crestron, AMX®, Savant, Ultimate Remote Control, RTI, and others. Sony has worked closely with leading control companies and is a Control4 Certified Partner, an AMX Device Discovery Partner, Crestron Integration Partner, and a Savant Excellence in Audio and Video Partner.

The new models offer 3D pass-through and flexible multi-room features. They can connect to a home broadband network through an Ethernet port offering easy access to digital photos, music and videos from Digital Life Network Alliance (DLNA®) sources. They also function as an Ethernet hub featuring four ports that connect other network devices.

Additionally, the Ethernet connection provides access to both Shoutcast® Internet Radio and Rhapsody® Music Service, and offers easy access to firmware upgrades via the Internet. The STR-DA5600ES model also functions as a DLNA Live Audio Server that can stream music to other DLNA clients.

Users with an iPhone® or iPod® touch device can control the models using a free app that transforms your mobile device into a full ES receiver remote. The app features zone control, full GUI menu, and Sony's Quick Click remote function which allows users to control source components (such as Blu-Ray player, set-top box) in the main home theater room to be controlled from a second zone.

The STR-DA5600ES and the STR-DA4600ES offer the ability to distribute audio and video to multiple rooms via the second HDMI output and video to a second zone via CAT5 output. They can both also up-scale all sources to 1080p in the main zone and 1080i in a second zone via the Faroudja chip® ensuring a consistent, sharp picture. The connected video zones feature a high-grade, icon-driven menu system that allows for simple device and content navigation.

All three models feature Digital Cinema Auto Calibration (DCAC) with Automatic Phase Matching (APM). Without changing the front reference speakers, APM corrects for phase differentiation between front, center, and surround speakers, ensuring an ideal sound stage regardless of speaker type. The STR-DA5600ES also offers DCAC EX which includes speaker relocation, not only adjusting for the distance but also the angle of the listening position to create an optimal listening environment.

The receivers also feature Sony's innovative new HD Digital Cinema Sound® that was developed together with Sony Pictures Entertainment. Incorporating high-mounted front speaker placement, HD DCS was designed to transform and replicate both the sound quality and acoustics of a movie theater in the home environment creating an unmatched home theater experience.

All of the models support 1080/24p video signals and x.v.Color™ and Deep Color™ video codecs, as well as all advanced audio formats (Dolby® Digital Plus, Dolby® TrueHD, dts® Master HD, dts® ES, Dolby® Digital EX, Dolby® Pro Logic IIx and 8 channel Linear PCM). They also feature audio return channel allowing network content originating from the television to be played through the receiver without additional cables.

The models feature Sony's Digital Media Port™ for simple connection to an iPod and other digital music players, and are both XM® and Sirius® ready.

The 7.1 channel network multi-room STR-DA5600ES AV receiver features a 130-watt power amplifier x7 (8 ohms, 20 Hz – 20 kHz, .09 percent THD) With six HDMI 1.4 inputs (five rear, one front) and two switched or simultaneous HDMI outputs, the model will be available this September for about $2,000.

The 120-watt x7 (8 ohms, 20 Hz – 20 kHz, .09 percent THD) STR-DA4600ES features four HDMI outputs and two switched or simultaneous HDMI outputs. It will be available this August for about $1,500.

The 100-watt x7 (8 ohms, 20 Hz – 20 kHz, .09 percent THD) STR-DA3500ES features four HDMI output and will be available in August for about $1,100.

The company also added the 110-watt STR-DN2010 network 3D capable model to its receiver line up. The model will be available in August for about $800.

ES Blu-ray 3D Player with iPhone/iPod Control

Available next month for about $400, Sony's BDP-S1700ES Blu-ray 3D player features an IR input on the back panel or easy integration with control systems. It also offers built in Wi-Fi (802.11n) for easy access to Sony's BRAVIA Internet Video platform and Sony's new premium video service, Qriocity.

Also, users with an iPhone or iPod touch device can control the player using the free "BD Remote" app available from the Apple App store. The app, which will also be available soon for Android™ devices, allows the hand-held to function as a remote control and displays Blu-ray Disc details such as jacket artwork, actor, and production information as well as search for related video clips online.

ES Quality

All Sony ES products are supported by a five-year limited manufacturer warranty, a ninety-day advanced exchange program (2-3 day expedited replacement unit), and a dedicated installer support line to San Diego-based CEDIA trained product experts.

Ubiquity Broadcasting Corporation Makes a Huge Breakthrough With Its 8 New Broadcasting Patents

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 02:05:15 +0000

Ubiquity Broadcasting Corporation has made history again while using its patented IP backhaul technology to broadcast the action sports Sponsor Me Hawaii Ala Moana Bowls Contest live in HD over the internet, television, on the iPhone, iPad, and other mobile devices simultaneously. Ubiquity's 8 broadcasting patents have forever changed the landscape of broadcasting, and the way broadcasting will be done in the future while doing live events.

Ubiquity's history making IP backhaul technology broadcast was perfected and demonstrated live on Time Warner Oceanic Cable, on the internet at sponsorme.tv/bowls, and on the iPhone and iPad all simultaneously. This game changing broadcast has now set the stage for Ubiquity to license its intellectual property and its patented IP backhaul technology.

CEO Chris Carmichael said, "We are the first in the world to accomplish this new way of broadcasting. We have spent the past 9 years patenting the methodology and perfecting the necessary technology for Ubiquity's IP backhaul broadcast. It is amazing to see it come alive on all three screens." During the contest Chris Carmichael showed the world's first IP backhaul streaming live on both the iPad and iPhone simultaneously during Time Warner Oceanic Cable's broadcast to their station.

Dean Luke, Time Warner Oceanic broadcast coordinator said, "The broadcast was a total success. Time Warner Oceanic Cable is proud of the product that has come from Ubiquity's IP backhaul." He went on to say, "I was originally reluctant to use Ubiquity's technology since it had never been done before, but we went with it because there was no fiber in the broadcast area. I am happy we did. This was a great broadcasting experience, and has truly opened doors for us and others in the future."

Ubiquity's IP backhaul technology provides a direct IP stream to broadcasters eliminating the need for expensive satellite trucks, production equipment, and costly fixed fiber drops. By using an IP backhaul broadcasters are afforded the flexibility and mobility needed to deliver a cost effective HD broadcast. Ubiquity's technology also allows for further distribution on all digital media screens (mobile, television, digital cinema, and internet) simultaneously, and gives ease of use to the end user. New distribution points like Apples iPad and iPhone, and other mobile devices such as the Droid, create more eyeballs for broadcasters, which in turn bring more advertising dollars to their broadcasts. With Ubiquity's game changing technology viewers can now watch the same HD stream they are accustomed to at home, in the palm of their hands. Ubiquity's VP Connie Jordan said, "Ubiquity's IP backhaul allows people all over the world to view live broadcasts anywhere anytime by landing on mobile media devices such as the iPhone and iPad." Chris added, "It is all about empowering the end user and delivering a rich experience. This is what the world of broadcasting has been waiting for."

Event goers and surfers at the contest were seen watching the contest live on their iPhones. Pro surfer and 6 time Triple Crown winner Sunny Garcia said, "The ability to watch the contest live on my iPhone was amazing. I have never seen anything like it. I was able to watch instant replays live in HD right there on the beach."

XXL Champion Makua Rothman said, "Watching the contest on my new iPad at the contest was just like being in my living room watching it on my tv. I hope all contests use this technology in the future."

Ubiquity's Director of live webcasts, Daniel Swiney, who has done over 100 live broadcasts and webcast, said, "To be able to stream with such clarity to the iPhone and iPad is second to none. This is better than anything out there."

Ubiquity continues to bring the next generation of broadcasting and technology to life by broadcasting live events in HD simultaneously on all digital screens using their patented IP backhaul technology. By raising the bar and setting the new industry standard for broadcasting, Ubiquity has opened the door to major broadcasting networks, sports broadcasters such as the NFL, NBA, NHL, and others who are looking for a better way to broadcast simultaneously, in HD. Ubiquity's technology is easily integrated with broadcasters existing equipment and allows for broadcasting from anywhere in the world. Ubiquity's IP backhaul technology has now forever changed broadcasting history.

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Verizon Completes Industry-Leading 100G Ethernet Field Trial

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:15:02 +0000

Continuing to lead the industry in 100G technology, Verizon has completed a field trial carrying 100 gigabit-per-second Ethernet traffic on a metropolitan Ethernet infrastructure. Using Alcatel-Lucent equipment deployed in Verizon's Switched Ethernet Services network, the trial successfully transmitted data over 12.7 kilometers (7.9 miles) of field fiber in the company's Dallas area network.

Verizon SES is a next-generation switched Ethernet service enabling customers to easily interconnect their locations within a metrowide network as well as access private and public wide area networks (WANs) using optical fiber-based access. Ethernet service is well-suited for numerous customer applications, based on its ability to provide point-to-point and multipoint connectivity options combined with multiple classes of service and increments of bandwidths.

Demand for SES is increasing, driven by trends such as wireless carriers using Ethernet backhaul to stay ahead of the growing demand for high-bandwidth wireless services. Verizon currently provides links for thousands of cell sites and mobile switching offices from its advanced fiber-optic network, using Ethernet-based technology.

"With this 100G Ethernet trial, Verizon is preparing for the future and the need to meet our customers' bandwidth needs in the metro Ethernet space," said Jean McManus, executive director of technology for Verizon. "The network of tomorrow will include building blocks such as 100G Ethernet that allow us to scale our switched Ethernet core as access speeds and customer demands increase."

The trial, which ran from June 14 - 18, used existing Alcatel-Lucent 7450 switching equipment with new plug-in cards to place native 100GE traffic on a single fiber, creating the high-speed links.

"Our goal is to show 100GE can be carried on a metro network and do it with current equipment that avoids major changes -- and the associated costs -- to the existing network infrastructure," said McManus.

Alcatel-Lucent's 7450 ESS nodes used 100 GE service interfaces with 100GBASE-LR10 optics, which provide low-cost, high-bandwidth transport over distances of up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Verizon is at the forefront of accelerating the availability and adoption of 100GE technology.

"A seamless transition to 100GE leveraging existing Alcatel-Lucent IP Routing platforms enables Verizon to expand its innovative Ethernet service offerings in a timely and efficient manner," said Robert Vrij, president of the Americas region at Alcatel-Lucent. "Services are the driver of revenues and the rationale for investment in the network. Our platforms deliver speed without compromising services, leveraging our breakthrough 100G silicon innovation and long-standing relationships with leading service providers such as Verizon."

Alcatel-Lucent offers the industry's first 100GE interfaces that deliver the full range of routed and switched services for residential, business and mobile services. Deployed in networks serving metropolitan areas -- at the service edge or in the core of the network -- Alcatel-Lucent's modules extend the applicability of 100GE far beyond core transport. Combined with 100G optical transport technology, Alcatel-Lucent offers exceptional end-to-end scalability, performance and compatibility to help support bandwidth scaling and control costs -- key tenets of Alcatel-Lucent's High Leverage Network (HLN) architecture.

In each of the past four years, Verizon has received top awards, including "International Service Provider of the Year" and "Service Provider of the Year - Best in Business," from the Metro Ethernet Forum on the strength of the company's comprehensive and robust Ethernet portfolio, extensive geographic coverage and industry innovation.

Verizon's SES network supports Ethernet LAN (E-LAN) and Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) metro services. E-LAN is a multipoint-to-multipoint bridging service designed for any-to-any connectivity between dedicated ports. EVPL is an all-fiber optic network service that connects subscriber locations at native LAN speeds using point-to-point Ethernet virtual connections.

This latest trial follows Verizon's deployment of the first live 100G commercial system on its European optical core network between Paris and Frankfurt as well as a series of successful 100G technology trials the company has previously completed.

In November 2007, Verizon and Alcatel-Lucent successfully completed the industry's first field test of 100G optical transmission on a live network route between Tampa, Fla., and Miami. In October 2008, Verizon and Nortel proved 100G transmission could perform with better tolerance for signal distortion than typically found in today's standard 10G wavelength. In September 2008, Verizon and Nokia Siemens Networks announced they had successfully transmitted data at 100G on a single wavelength for more than 1,040 kilometers, setting a new distance record over deployed fiber and demonstrating better performance than conventional transmission.

Live Sporting Events Broadcast in HD Spur Growth in the U.S. Fiber-based Broadcast Video Transport Services Market

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:46:04 +0000

During 2008, the U.S. fiber-based broadcast video transport services market took a giant leap forward, following the widespread adoption of the high-definition (HD) format, particularly in the live sporting events space. Major broadcasters had converted to 100 percent HD coverage of games. In 2009, for the second consecutive time, all FOX NFL and CBS NFL were and are continuing to be produced in HD. With ESPN, NBC, and NFL Network continuing their HD coverage, this will be the second 100 percent HD NFL season. ESPN holds the longest streak of producing all of its games in HD, having produced each one of its games in HD since the 2003 season.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, U.S. Fiber-based Broadcast Video Transport Services Market, finds that the market earned revenues of over revenues in excess of $235 million in 2009, and estimates this to reach $440 million in 2014.

"Given the push to HDTV, fiber emerges as the choice for transporting uncompressed video from live events to NOC, or between production houses, which prefer uncompressed video to avoid the deterioration of signal quality caused by compression," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Roopashree H. "Once these production houses have the master copy of the video ready, the video can be compressed before transmitting it to video headends of Telcos, cable MSOs., mobile service providers, and ISPs."

The media and entertainment vertical end users are fixated on paying a usage-based fee to satellite operators, and demand the same kind of pricing model from terrestrial network service providers. Satellite operators lease their bandwidth in denominations of per minute, per hour, per week, per month, and annual fees. This offers tremendous flexibility to choose the type of service that best suits their bandwidth needs and budget. With the exception of Level 3, no other service provider has been able to replicate this type of service offering and pricing model.

Broadcasters and content creators prefer to purchase service by the hour, the half hour, or even smaller increments. This helps the media end users save on the cost of bandwidth, and allows the network provider to reallocate the available bandwidth to more media end users. Service providers are encouraged to devise service offerings that can be dynamically provisioned for durations/time period requested by the end users.

As leading communication service providers transform their backbone networks to next-generation networks such as Internet protocol/multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS), video transport over fiber is gaining widespread adoption. Fiber transport networks offer the ability to carry large amounts of bandwidth, with excellent quality of service offered by the MPLS networks. Different types of content, including secure digital (SD), HD, and compressed/uncompressed, can be carried on fiber networks cost-effectively.

"In the past, terrestrial and satellite were often viewed as competitive technologies, which could be substituted for the other. Recently, the complementary aspects of the two are being better understood and marketed to end-users as a whole," says Roopashree. "By developing hybrid systems that combine the strengths of the two technologies, market penetration can be increased, thereby benefiting both the satellite and terrestrial network operators."

As satellite operators experience loss in market share to terrestrial network service providers, specifically, for point-to-point connectivity, hybrid services are gaining traction in the market.

3ality Digital Powers World's First Terrestrial S3D Broadcast

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:42:16 +0000

3ality Digital LLC has achieved another S3D milestone with the medium's first-ever live terrestrial broadcast. Through an agreement with Australia's Nine Network, 3ality Digital has made the first of three matches of the 2010 National Rugby League State of Origin series available to viewers in S3D.

The first match, played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, was aired live on May 26. 3ality Digital and Nine Network will also provide live S3D coverage of the series' two additional matches, on June 16 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and July 7, again at ANZ Stadium.

The State of Origin series is among Australia's highest-rated programming each year. The Australian government is making the digital spectrum necessary for the broadcasts available on a trial basis as a means of gauging the public's interest.

While 3ality Digital has enabled a number of groundbreaking S3D broadcasts via satellite and cable, its coverage of the May 26 rugby match marked the first time any terrestrial broadcaster provided such programming to viewers.

"We're proud that our systems continue to earn the confidence of the world's most innovative broadcasters," said Ted Kenney, Head of Production for 3ality Digital. "To follow our successful live S3D broadcasts of Indian Premier League action with this industry first is a true testament to our systems' ability to generate pristine S3D imagery under virtually any circumstances."

Nine Network CEO David Gyngell said 3ality's expertise was absolutely critical to the highly successful broadcast of the first State of Origin match in 3D.

"The fact is we simply could not have achieved that outcome without 3ality. They showed themselves to be accomplished world leaders in the technology, and Nine's production teams were impressed not only by 3ality's professionalism but also by its immediate grasp of the specifics and peculiarities of the game of rugby league itself," he said.

"There's no question 3D is adding to the tremendous excitement of the National Rugby League broadcasts We're delighted to bring this first-of-its-kind television experience to our viewers and we look forward to the 3D broadcast alongside 3ality of the next two matches in our series," Mr. Gyngell said.

Mobile TV Opportunity for European Operators

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:24:02 +0000

Telegent Systems, the company that makes television mobile, today released research findings that point to significant potential for free-to-air mobile TV. 58 percent of the British online research sample identified at least one environment, such as while on a train/ bus/ tube, queuing, or in the home or at work/ their desk, in which they would be likely to use a free-to-air mobile TV service. The potential magnifies among the younger demographic groups – 80 percent of 18-24 year olds and 76 percent of 25-34 year olds.

"The availability of mobile TV in the European market contrasts sharply with 'developing' markets such as Africa, Asia and Latin America where it is proving extremely popular," said Samuel Sheng, president and CEO of Telegent. "To date European operators and consumers have been understandably held back by regulatory and standards confusion, unproven technologies and the costs associated with building and operating mobile specific TV platforms. All of these issues can be avoided by using the existing broadcast TV infrastructure and building the receiver technology into the handset."

Telegent's free-to-air TV receivers, 80 million of which have now been shipped to a range of manufacturers including Samsung and ZTE, provide consumers with free and easy access to broadcast TV services. The free-to-air mobile TV service is a significant market differentiator, clearly in demand by consumers that can be further exploited by operators. Mobile operators can increase their engagement with subscribers and use the core platform to encourage the consumption of premium TV and interactive services – exactly the same model that is exploited so well in traditional broadcasting.

"Major events like the World Cup are now focussing the spotlight on mobile TV around the world," continued Sheng. "It's an event that you want to see live, wherever you are, but next month, as the first ball is kicked, it's likely that more people in Lagos than London will have access to live mobile TV. By the time the Olympics come round in 2012 that situation ought to be reversed."

YouGov Research

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2463 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken April 12-14, 2010. The survey was carried out online. Figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

Portugal Telecom Selects Envivio to Power Innovative Internet TV Service

Wed, 26 May 2010 23:19:36 +0000

Envivio Inc. today announced that Portugal Telecom (PT), the largest telecommunications and broadband service provider in Portugal, selected Envivio's Three Screens delivery platform to support the commercial rollout of MEO@PC—a complete television service for delivery to PCs. The service relies on Envivio's complete Internet TV solution, including 4Caster™ C4 encoders configured to deliver content via Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) Smooth Streaming and Silverlight, protected with PlayReady DRM, providing subscribers with high quality video and playback delivered over broadband. After an initial trial period, PT plans to offer subscribers a channel lineup and interactivity that mirrors its MEO@TV service throughout Portugal.

"Subscribers have been thrilled with the experience offered by our IPTV service. MEO has reached 581,000 clients in less than two years," said Pedro Leitao, board member at Portugal Telecom," and we want to bring that same MEO experience, enabled by Microsoft MediaRoom, to everyone in Portugal by delivering it over the Internet, reinforcing our multi-platform strategy. Envivio earned our trust during our Mobile TV rollout, proving that they know how to deliver great quality video service at very low bitrates. The close cooperation between Microsoft and Envivio, particularly in enabling the deployment of PlayReady DRM, brought the whole MEO@PC project together, allowing us to complete it in record time."

"While compelling interactivity and high quality video are essential to pleasing subscribers, content protection is a critical requirement for service providers to deliver the premium video content consumers are demanding," said Jonathan Usher, marketing director for the Media Platforms Business at Microsoft Corp. "The development of a seamless interface between Envivio's 4Caster C4 platform and Microsoft PlayReady Servers means that innovative services such as PT MEO@PC can move forward knowing that all of these components for secure delivery of high quality content are covered."

The Internet TV headend at PT uses Envivio 4Caster C4 encoders to simultaneously process video at a variety of resolutions. This enables PT to use Microsoft IIS Smooth Streaming adaptive streaming technology for Silverlight, which ensures viewers receive uninterrupted video live play at the highest quality possible given variable network bandwidth and PC processing conditions. The Envivio encoders directly ingest the same sources as Portugal Telecom's IPTV service, enabling the MEO@PC service to mirror PT's IPTV channel lineup without requiring additional interfaces.

Microsoft and Envivio have developed a dedicated interface between the Envivio 4Caster C4(2) encoder and Microsoft PlayReady DRM Server to in order to secure delivery of high-value content while ensuring complete transparency for subscribers. The Envivio 4Manager network management system provides complete system monitoring and redundancy management to maintain 24/7 service availability.

"Portugal Telecom is demonstrating a keen understanding of what today's consumer wants, which is to have access to their favorite TV services whenever and wherever they want," said Envivio Vice President of Marketing Boris Felts. "Envivio's Internet TV solution brings the highest quality video experience to PC screens, ensuring that MEO@PC will far exceed consumer expectations."

DivX and Realtek Announce First DivX Plus(TM) HD Certified Chip for Multimedia Storage Devices and Set-top Boxes

Mon, 24 May 2010 22:23:16 +0000

DivX, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIVX), a leading digital media company, and Realtek Semiconductor Corp., one of the world's leading network and computer peripheral integrated circuit (IC) providers, today announced the DivX Plus™ HD Certification of the Realtek RTD1283 chip. Designed for use in multimedia storage devices and set-top boxes, this new chip will enable consumers to enjoy their collection of DivX and DivX Plus HD videos, in the DivX format, directly on their TVs.

DivX Plus HD Certification is the premium level of certification available from DivX, optimized for consumer electronics products and supports the playback of all content created with DivX software. Available on www.divx.com, the newly released DivX Plus Software allows users to create and playback H.264 video in an .mkv file container. DivX Plus HD Certified devices will playback all previous versions of DivX video and DivX Plus HD video files with the .mkv file extension and AAC audio created with third-party tools.

Known for great performance, visual quality and interoperability on any DivX Certified® device, DivX provides consumers with a comprehensive digital media solution supporting the majority of high-quality Internet video on their TVs or other consumer electronics devices. In addition, DivX also supports the secure playback of major Hollywood titles from major studios, and many online movie download sites now distribute Hollywood content in the DivX format worldwide.

"Support of our latest DivX profile is accelerating and, thanks to IC licensees such as Realtek, we are fostering the development of DivX Plus HD Certified CE products," said Kevin Hell, Chief Executive Officer at DivX. "These products enable playback of DivX, DivX HD and DivX Plus HD video on a variety of devices, from the PC to the TV."

"DivX Certification is clearly recognized and valued by consumer electronic device manufacturers," said Sam Chung at Realtek. "We are pleased to be one of the first IC providers to launch a DivX Plus HD Certified chip for the next generation of multimedia storage devices and set-top boxes."

Products that bear the DivX Certified® logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience, including reliable video creation and playback, interoperability with other DivX Certified devices and the visual quality users expect from DivX.

Sony to Introduce 'Sony Internet TV'

Fri, 21 May 2010 21:39:27 +0000

Sony Corporation has announced the launch of "Sony Internet TV," the world's first TV to be based on the "Google TV" platform announced by Google Inc., Sony, Intel Corporation and Logitech today at Google I/O in San Francisco. "Sony Internet TV " combines the future growth potential and accessibility of the Android-based open Google TV platform with Sony's industry-leading expertise from product development to marketing. "Sony Internet TV" is scheduled to first launch in the U.S. in the Fall of 2010, with the lineup featuring both a standalone TV model and set top box-type unit incorporating a Blu-ray Disc drive.

As part of its ongoing efforts to introduce new business categories, Sony has proceeded to develop an "Evolving" TV that delivers new viewing styles exceeding conventional preconceptions, expandability through application downloads and other compelling features such as seamless operability and multitasking. "Sony Internet TV" realizes this vision, and is a new generation of TV that not only offers new forms of TV enjoyment through unprecedented Internet integration, but is also able to "evolve" through the download of applications. By leveraging the flexibility and growth potential of Google TV platform, Sony will be able to provide consumers with easy access to a range of rich and attractive content.

As the range of new internet content and services continues to grow and diversify, Sony's development of an "Evolving" TV will enable it to deliver this world of internet-based entertainment directly into consumers' living rooms. Furthermore, Sony will continue to apply its wealth of display technology expertise to create ever more compelling and attractive TV products.

John Lewis Sells the First 3D TV

Fri, 21 May 2010 20:36:53 +0000

The first happy customer was 28-year-old Matt Rajah, a business consultant from Bethnal Green, who was waiting outside the doors of John Lewis' flagship store on Oxford Street, "I have been waiting for this for a long time, there's lots of exciting 3D content on the way, and it's set to be the TV of the future. It's more money than a normal telly, but I love to buy the latest gadgets and be ahead of my friends."

John Lewis was first to market with this much-anticipated 3D television revolution. The new Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV, GBP1,799 will allow customers to experience 3D TV from the comfort of their own homes.

The first 40-inch TV is available from John Lewis' flagship store on Oxford Street, the largest electrical department in Europe, as well as Peter Jones and online - http://www.johnlewis.com. The John Lewis Brent Cross, Bluewater, Kingston and Cribbs Causeway stores will also have the 3D TVs on display.

John Kempner, buyer for vision at John Lewis says, "3DTV is an incredibly exciting technology, and once again John Lewis is first to market. Manufacturers like to use us as their launch partner because our customers are always early adopters of new technology. We have put together a great value package with everything needed to enjoy 3DTV. It is worth remembering that even though 3DTV content is limited at the moment, this new breed of TV provides fantastic picture quality for regular 2D viewing, so a 3DTV is a great investment purchase."

At launch, John Lewis has the following products available to buy:

Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV, GBP1,799
Samsung 3D Blu-ray Player BDC6900 GBP349
X 2 Samsung Active Shutter 3D Glasses with 3D Blu-ray Monsters v Aliens disc - GBP149
3D Ready HDMI Cable - Version 1.4 - GBP49.95

If customers buy the Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV and Samsung 3D Blu-ray Player BDC6900 from John Lewis, they will receive, free of charge X2 Samsung Active Shutter 3D glasses with a 3D Blu-ray Monsters v Aliens disc, a combined worth of GBP149 -- this offer will run from the 22 April to 30 June.

Combining stylish design and performance, the new Samsung 3D TV will produce stunningly high quality pictures, whether you are watching 2D content or the latest blockbuster in 3D. Samsung's 3D TVs even have the ability to convert normal 2D content into a 3D effect. Later this year, Sky will be launching its 3D TV service allowing viewers to enjoy the best of Sky's 3D TV programming, including movies, arts, entertainment and sport.

In addition, film makers such as Dreamworks are installing 3D cameras into their studios, so viewers can look forward to a wide range of 3D film content available in their homes. An increasing number of games will also be available in 3D later in 2010.

As with all TVs sold at John Lewis, the new Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV comes with a FREE five-year guarantee.

John Lewis Is First to Market With 3D TV

Tue, 18 May 2010 08:23:05 +0000

Always first with the latest technology, department store John Lewis was the first to market with the much-anticipated 3D television revolution. Launched on the 22nd April, the new Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV, 1,799 pounds Sterling allows customers to experience 3D TV from the comfort of their own homes.

The first 40-inch TVs is available from John Lewis' flagship store on Oxford Street, the largest electrical department in Europe, as well as Peter Jones and online – http://www.johnlewis.com. The John Lewis Brent Cross, Bluewater, Kingston and Cribbs Causeway stores will also have the 3D TVs on display.

John Kempner, buyer for vision at John Lewis says, "3D TV is an incredibly exciting technology, and once again John Lewis is first to market. Manufacturers like to use us as their launch partner because our customers are always early adopters of new technology. We have put together a great value package with everything needed to enjoy 3D TV. It is worth remembering that even though 3D TV content is limited at the moment, this new breed of TV provides fantastic picture quality for regular 2D viewing, so a 3D TV is a great investment purchase."

At launch, John Lewis will have the following products available to buy:

•Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV, 1,799 pounds
•Samsung 3D Blu-ray Player BDC6900 - 349 pounds
•X 2 Samsung Active Shutter 3D Glasses with 3D Blu-ray Monsters v Aliens disc - 149 pounds
•3D Ready HDMI Cable - Version 1.4 - 49.95 pounds

If customers buy the Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV and Samsung 3D Blu-ray Player BDC6900 from John Lewis, they will receive, free of charge X2 Samsung Active Shutter 3D glasses with a 3D Blu-ray Monsters v Aliens disc, a combined worth of 149 pounds – this offer will run from the 22 April to 30 June.

Hauppauge Launches Live TV Support for the iPad and iPhone

Thu, 13 May 2010 21:56:27 +0000

Hauppauge Digital, Inc. (Nasdaq: HAUP), the world's leading developer and manufacturer of TV tuner products for personal computers, announced today that their WinTV-HVR TV tuner boards for PCs can now stream live TV over the Internet to the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch and any Apple Macintosh computer which supports a Safari web browser.

Live TV for these Apple devices is provided by Hauppauge's "WinTV Extend", which will be a feature in Hauppauge's new WinTV v7.2 application. WinTV Extend transmits live TV to Internet and WiFi connected devices such as the Apple iPad, iPhone and others. The WinTV v7.2 application provides live TV and TV recording to PCs equipped with a Hauppauge WinTV-HVR TV tuner.

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR TV tuners bring live TV, both standard definition and HD TV, into Windows based PCs. The new WinTV Extend feature will take the live TV signal and transmit it over the Internet where it can be received by the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, or by a Mac computer, through the Safari web browser.

With a WinTV-HVR TV tuner and WinTV Extend running on a PC at home, a user of a supported Apple device can be anywhere in the world and can have live TV from their home sent over the Internet to their Apple device screen. On the large screen iPad or a Mac computer, the live TV image can be displayed along side the TV tuner channel list from your WinTV-HVR at home. On the iPhone and iPod touch, the user can switch between the display of the TV channel list and live TV.

The WinTV v7.2 application will include WinTV Extend and will be available directly from Hauppauge at a cost of $9.95. Current owners of WinTV-HVR's can upgrade to WinTV v7.2 Details will be available on the Hauppauge website.

AT&T U-verse TV Lineup Expands to Include Four New HD Channels

Mon, 10 May 2010 21:57:20 +0000

AT&T has announced four new High Definition (HD) channel additions to the AT&T U-verse® TV channel lineup.

U-verse TV HD customers can now enjoy access to HLN HD, Discovery Kids HD, truTV HD and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) HD as part of their existing HD service subscription, depending on their programming package. The U-verse TV HD channel lineup offers more than 130 HD channels, which continues to exceed the HD channels offered by the major local cable providers in every U-verse TV market.

"We continue to add value to the U-verse HD experience by bringing more and more HD channels to our U-verse TV customers," said Dan York, president of content and programming, AT&T. "These HD additions help us with several strategic content initiatives and allow us to continue to deliver a broad and diverse range of HD programming, with more HD channels than our cable competitors."

All U-verse TV packages include HD-ready equipment, and most packages include an HD-ready Total Home DVR, which gives you the ability to record your HD programs from a single DVR and watch them on any connected TV.

AT&T U-verse TV is the only 100 percent Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) service offered by a national service provider, making AT&T U-verse one of the most dynamic and feature-rich services available today. AT&T U-verse TV ranked "Highest in Residential Television Service Satisfaction in the South and West Regions Two Years in a Row," according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 and 2009 Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Studies(SM).

AT&T Extends U-verse Brand Across Screens With Introduction of U-verse Online

Thu, 06 May 2010 00:59:34 +0000

AT&T has introduced U-verse Online, the newly rebranded and expanded AT&T Entertainment website that lets you watch streaming TV shows, movies and video clips on your PC. U-verse Online is open to any online user at att.net/uverseonline, and it offers additional features and account integration for AT&T U-verse® TV customers.

U-verse Online is part of AT&T's strategy to make popular U-verse content available to consumers across multiple screens, including the TV, PC and mobile devices. In March, AT&T previewed plans to offer U-verse Mobile, a mobile app that will allow U-verse TV customers to download and watch select shows on their Wi-Fi enabled mobile phones later this year.

"The benefits of multi-screen convergence are coming to life for AT&T U-verse customers," said Dan York, president of content, AT&T. "With AT&T U-verse, you can enjoy your favorite content on U-verse TV, U-verse Online, and soon, your mobile device with U-verse Mobile. We have an unmatched ability to deliver on the multi-screen vision, and working with leading programmers, we're providing entertainment to consumers in new and integrated ways not yet offered by our competitors."

U-verse Online is now also home to a wide range of U-verse TV information (formerly found on the AT&T U-connect site at uconnect.att.com), giving U-verse TV customers a one-stop online destination for details about U-verse TV programming and television events, including channel lineups, On Demand titles, Pay Per View events, interactive U-verse TV apps and more. U-verse customers can also schedule and manage DVR recordings directly from U-verse Online with U-verse Web Remote Access.

U-verse Online features tens of thousands of hours of entertainment, and since its initial launch in September 2009, has continued to add content from additional networks and studios.

Later this year, AT&T plans to offer U-verse TV customers the ability to log in to U-verse Online for access to even more TV content choices and features at no extra charge.

U-verse Online is the latest example of AT&T delivering compelling cross-platform content. AT&T has a unique set of integrated services and networks that make it easy for an audience of millions to enjoy and follow their favorite programming across devices.