3D TV Channel coming to Europe

According to Broadband TV News, Europe’s first 3D channel will make its debut on October 1. Sky 3D will offer viewers a line-up of sport, movies, entertainment and the arts.

Consumers can watch 3D through their existing Sky+HD box. Sky 3D is compatible with all of the 3D TVs being introduced by Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic.

Sky 3D is the next revolution in television, enabling you to watch the best of TV in a more immersive way, with an incredible sense of depth that puts you right in the heart of the action. It uses the latest technology to create a full 3D experience in your home.

CONNECTIONS at CES addresses Operator Strategies, Connected CE, Smart Grid, Video Everywhere

Parks Associates announced the Call For Papers for the upcoming CONNECTIONS™ Summit at CES, taking place January 6 at 2011 International CES in Las Vegas. This event provides consumer data and analysis of business and marketing strategies for operators, CE manufacturers, utilities, and communications companies delivering connected devices and advanced services and applications to consumers.

During the first day of CES, Parks Associates analysts will moderate interactive panel sessions featuring leading industry executives on the following topics:

-- Operator Strategies: Video, Services, and Support
-- Monetizing Connected Consumer Electronics
-- Energy Utility Executive Roundtable: The Smart Grid & Home Area Network
-- Anytime Anywhere Entertainment & Communication
--Video Everywhere: Key Strategies

CONNECTIONS™ Summit begins with a roundtable discussion featuring Parks Associates analysts. This session will highlight key consumer and technology trends on core areas of research:

-- CE buying patterns in the recession
-- Broadband value-added services
-- Key trends in video services
-- Maturation of home networking technologies and applications
-- Consumer demand and the business case for connected CE
-- Mobile communications, broadband, and device trends
-- The new era of 3DTV
-- Trends in advertising
-- Consumer support services
-- Home systems
-- Health, energy, and home monitoring

NETGEAR selects Gigle Networks' Intelligent Switch for Home Networking Kit

Gigle Networks, the leading developer of intelligent multi-PHY switching devices for both wired and wireless entertainment--grade home networking, announced that NETGEAR, Inc., a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, has selected Gigle Networks' GGL301 HomePlugR AV / IEEE 1901 solution with Xtendnet intelligent switching technology to give its XAV101V2 powerline adapters best-in-class network coverage and reliability in the home.

NETGEAR's XAV101V2 enables consumers to quickly and easily connect their multimedia devices and share digital content using the existing electrical wiring in their homes. Advanced quality of service (QoS) support enables simultaneous delivery of high definition (HD) video streams, voice over IP (VoIP) calls, streaming audio, broadband data and other demanding broadband services. The NETGEAR XAV101V2 adapters' embedded Gigle GGL301 HomePlugR AV / IEEE 1901 technology simplifies installation, eliminating the need for cumbersome configuration software, or special knowledge of networking technology. Users set up a point-to-point connection by simply plugging the adapter into a power outlet; additional devices can be joined to the network by plugging them into other outlets in the home. Security can be automatically configured by pressing the Push-and-Secure button.

For the full press release, click here.

Rovi + Unitymedia Sign Interactive Program Guide Patent License Agreement

Rovi Corporation and Unitymedia announced recently that they have entered into a multi-year license agreement for interactive program guide (IPG) patents owned by Rovi.

The agreement provides Unitymedia with a license to Rovi’s IPG patents for Unitymedia’s pay television services in Germany. Unitymedia, a subsidiary of Liberty Global, Inc., is the second largest cable television provider in Germany and one of the largest pay television providers throughout Europe. The agreement with Unitymedia builds on the existing relationship between Rovi and other Liberty Global subsidiaries such as UPC Broadband.

Sonic Solutions, new CONNECTIONS 2011 sponsor

CONNECTIONS is proud to announce Sonic Solutions as a new 2011 Bronze Sponsor.

Sonic Solutions is powering the digital media ecosystem through its complete range of Hollywood to Home applications, services, and technologies. Sonic's Roxio products enable consumers to easily manage and enjoy personal media and premium Hollywood entertainment on a broad range of connected devices. A wide array of leading technology firms, professionals, businesses, and developers rely on Sonic to bring innovative digital media functionality to next-generation devices and platforms. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.

Thank you Sonic Solutions for your continued support! We look forward to having you a part of the 2011 CONNECTIONS Conference.

CONNECTIONS 2011 welcomes Rovi as new sponsor

Parks Associates is proud to welcome Rovi Corporation as a Gold 2011 event sponsor for the CONNECTIONS U.S. event.

Rovi Corporation is focused on revolutionizing the digital entertainment landscape by delivering solutions that enable consumers to intuitively connect to new entertainment from many sources and locations. The company also provides extensive entertainment discovery solutions for television, movies, music and photos to its customers in the consumer electronics, cable and satellite, entertainment and online distribution markets. These solutions, complemented by industry leading entertainment data, create the connections between people and technology, and enable them to discover and manage entertainment in an enjoyable form.

Thank you Rovi for your continued support of our events!

Mobile App Technology Enables Key Vehicle Functions

Thinking about buying a new vehicle? Interested in a 2011 Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC? If so, you will soon be able to control key vehicle functions from your smart phones via OnStar.

Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC are developing brand-specific mobile applications that will leverage OnStar technology to allow vehicle owners to activate all of the functions available on a traditional vehicle key fob – remote start, horn and lights and door lock/unlock - from their smartphones. This means drivers will no longer have to be within a requisite distance, or even have their keys with them, to control these functions on their vehicles.

For example, say someone is racing to catch a flight and realizes at the gate that he forgot to lock his vehicle. OnStar's mobile app technology allows him to sign into his Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick or GMC app and send a remote lock signal to his vehicle, giving him the peace of mind to go on with his trip knowing his vehicle is secure.

Or, for example, a family attending a baseball game on a hot summer day could remotely start their vehicle as they are leaving the ballpark, so the vehicle is cooled to a comfortable temperature by the time they reach it.

In addition, the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC apps will leverage OnStar's unique connection to the vehicle to provide key diagnostic information, including fuel tank level and range, remaining oil life, current and recommended tire pressure and lifetime average miles per gallon . The diagnostic information is current as of the last vehicle start, giving OnStar subscribers an up-to-date health report of their vehicle anytime they need it.

Important vehicle information, such as current odometer reading, vehicle VIN and OnStar account number also will be readily accessible within the apps.

RoxioNow Platform to Power Instant Access to Hollywood Movies on New Range of Connected HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc Players

Sonic Solutions announced that Haier, one of the world's largest home appliances and consumer electronics manufacturers, has chosen the RoxioNow platform to provide its customers convenient, trouble-free access to a broad library of Hollywood entertainment. As part of the agreement, entertainment services powered by the RoxioNow platform will deliver movies and TV shows over the web to a new line of Haier-branded Blu-ray Disc players and HDTVs.

The RoxioNow platform serves a broad range of premium content, including new movies and next-day TV programs, to a growing, multi-manufacturer ecosystem of home and mobile electronics including PCs, connected TVs, set-top DVRs, Blu-ray Disc players, smartphones, and mobile media devices. The platform enables retailers and consumer electronics companies to participate in the entertainment supply chain, add value to product offerings and form ongoing relationships with customers.

RoxioNow powers digital entertainment delivery for a range of companies including Best Buy, Blockbuster, Dell, HP, Kmart, Lionsgate, and Sears, and is available on a broad variety of consumer electronics devices.

Technicolor, ADB, IBM, Cisco, Cable Europe Labs, Deutsche Telekom, and more to speak at CONNECTIONS Europe 2010

Parks Associates announced the new dates and preliminary list of speakers for CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit: Monetizing Connectivity and User Experiences, an executive summit offering insights into business strategies for digital content, value-added services, mobile and connected CE, and advanced video devices and services. The event will take place November 15-16, 2010, at the Mövenpick Hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The expanded agenda for the two-day event includes the following topics:

• Enhancing Broadband Services: Connected Home and Customer Support

• Mobile Internet Devices

• Operator-provided Video Services

• Connected CE and Content Delivery

• Extending the Video Experience to Multiple Screens

• Value-added Services & the Video Ecosystem

• Controlling the Experience

• Mobile Video: The Cloud, the App Store, & the Connected Home

Benoit Joly, Vice-President, Home Network & Applications, Technicolor, will present the morning keynote on November 16, 2010.

Confirmed speakers:

David Noguer Bau, Head of Carrier Ethernet & Multiplay Marketing, Juniper Networks

Regina Bernhaupt, Director, User Experience Research, ruwido

Paul Bristow, VP Strategy, Middleware & Consumer Experience, ADB

Ronald Brockmann, Managing Director, Europe, ActiveVideo Networks

Rob van den Dam, Global Telecom Sector Leader IBV, IBM

Jean-Michel Demoulin, Cable, Digital Media & IPTV Strategy - European Markets, Cisco

Keith Donovan, Sales & Marketing Director, Intamac Systems Ltd

Tim Hadley, Director, Corporate Communications, Omnifone

Pierre Hunter, VP, EMEA, Verimatrix

Klaus Illgner-Fehns, Managing Director, Institut fuer Rundfunktechnik GmbH; HbbTV

Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo Broadband

Michael Leigh, Director, Business, Northern Europe, Latens Systems
Kevin Meagher, CEO, Intamac Systems

Klaus Milczewsky, Senior Manager, Deutsche Telekom AG

Trond Neergaard, Founder & Managing Partner, Cloudberry Associates

Peter Percosan, CTO, Cable Europe Labs

Rolf Uwe Placzek, CEO, Acetrax

Kurt Scherf, VP, Principal Analyst, Parks Associates

Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates

Anthony Smith-Chaigneau, Managing Director, SVP Business Development, Alticast

Andy Tiller, Marketing Vice Chair, FEMTO Forum; VP, Marketing, ip.access

Milya Timergaleyeva, VP Market Strategy, Oregan Networks Ltd

Christopher Townsley, Director, European Sales, Limelight Networks

Harry Wang, Director, Health & Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates

Olivier Wellmann, VP, Product Management, OpenTV

To register for CONNECTIONS™ Europe or to submit to speak, visit http://www.connectionseurope.com.

Logitech's new acquisition to enhance video technology communication

Logitech International announced the acquisition of the assets of Paradial AS, a Norway-based leading provider of firewall and NAT (network address translation) traversal solutions for video communication.

Paradial’s technology addresses one of the most significant barriers to the widespread adoption of Internet-based video communication: challenges encountered when calling across protected networks. Traversing any firewall while maintaining a high level of security, the Paradial technology enables seamless video calling between people inside the walls of an enterprise and those inside other enterprises, in remote offices or telecommuting. While Logitech is already offering Paradial technology to LifeSize customers through an OEM agreement, the acquisition allows the company to closely integrate firewall and NAT traversal across its video communication product portfolio, enabling reliable, high-quality end-to-end HD video calling over highly protected networks.

With the acquisition of Paradial, Logitech is taking another step toward delivering seamless HD video communication to anyone and anywhere.

For the more information, click here.

DivX Announces New Partnership With China TV Market Leader, HisenseDivX

DivX, Inc. a leading digital media company, and Hisense Electric Co., Ltd., the number one TV company in China, announced that Hisense has selected DivX Plus HD technology to be integrated in its new line of digital TVs. These revolutionary TVs will enable the playback of DivX Plus HD video using the MKV container, enabling consumers to enjoy videos at HD resolutions up to 1080p in the DivX format using the TV's USB slot.

Hisense is the number one LCD TV brand in China for seven consecutive years, and its share of the LED TV market in China was more than 30% as of May 7, 2010. Its products are also exported to over 130 countries and regions throughout the world. As the first DTV OEM in China to support DivX Plus HD, Hisense's first DivX Plus HD Certified DTV will be available to consumers first in China and soon after in Europe.

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 here, 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.

For more information, click here.

TRaC reaffirms relationship with Motorola

Leading testing and compliance consultancy, TRaC Telecoms and Radio, has announced it is to continue its long-standing relationship with Motorola.

Motorola’s NBBS remote device software device management platform is used by TRaC—whose testing services include telecommunications, DSL and radio—to test Customer Premises Equipment that utilizes the Broadband Forum’s specification and ensure interoperability.

Motorola’s NBBS Auto Configuration Server was developed specifically to meet the requirements that broadband service providers often insist CPE vendors adhere to.

DIRECTV and Panasonic Launch Nation's First Suite of 3D Channels

DIRECTV, the world's most popular video service and Panasonic, a world leader in 3D TV technology, ushered in a new age in the rapid growth of 3D entertainment for the home with the launch of three 3D channels, including n3D powered by Panasonic – a linear channel dedicated exclusively to 3D programming and viewable on 3D television sets including Panasonic's line of award-winning VIERA Full HD 3D TVs.

n3D will also offer special events such as the running of the NASCAR Coke Zero 400, the local broadcast of the Yankees-Mariners series and DIRECTV's exclusive, national broadcast of FOX Sports 2010 MLB All-Star Game in 3D.

In addition to n3D, DIRECTV is also launching DIRECTV Cinema in 3D on channel 104, which is currently offering IMAX titles Deep Sea 3D and Under the Sea 3D and n3D On Demand on channel 105, which is currently delivering replays of ESPN's 3D coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches. DIRECTV also launched ESPN 3D on channel 106.

Panasonic is the exclusive presenting sponsor of DIRECTV's n3D channel. In January at the Consumer Electronics Show, DIRECTV and Panasonic announced their plans to launch 3D TV channels and have since worked together to leverage relationships with programming partners and movie studios to obtain new and existing 3D content. For more information on DIRECTV's 3D channels please visit here.

Last month, DIRECTV HD customers received a free software upgrade enabling them to have access to the 3D channels on DIRECTV. DIRECTV HD customers will need a 3D television set and 3D glasses to view 3D programming on DIRECTV.

Panasonic is a global leader in the development of end-to-end Full HD 3D technology solutions including the world's first Full HD 3D video camera that records to solid-state memory, Full HD 3D Blu-ray Disc authoring, and the award winning VT-25 Series of Full HD 3D VIERA Plasma TVs and 3D Blu-ray Disc Players. For more information on Panasonic's Full HD 3D technology, visit here.

Click here to read more.

Gigle Networks Technology Pushes Solwise Adapters to Gigabit Speeds, Enables 'No-New-Wires' Installation

Gigle Networks, the leading developer of intelligent multi-PHY switching devices for both wired and wireless entertainment grade home networking, announced that Solwise has selected the company's solution for its Mediaxtream/HomePlug AV Ethernet adapter. Gigle Networks' HomePlug AV chipset with Mediaxtream technology enables the Solwise adapter to deliver ultra-high-speed, low-latency connections for residential gateways, game consoles, media players, PCs and IPTV set-top boxes.

Gigle Networks' chipset uses the company's patented Mediaxtream technology to deliver wireline Gigabit-class performance with minimum latency, while maintaining full interoperability with other certified compliant 200Mbps HomePlug AV products and forthcoming IEEE 1901 products. The fully integrated device includes dual physical-layer interfaces, media access control and Smart Mesh home/Quality-of-Service/Class-of-Service switching capabilities. Smart Mesh capabilities coordinate traffic management for optimum performance and coverage in difficult signal environments or over long networking connections in the home.

Gigle Networks' chipset also meets European 2011 Code of Conduct requirements for adapters and QoS, which is essential for video distribution around the home. Additionally, all Gigle Networks devices support Gigle Networks' Xtendnet intelligent switching technology, which amplifies and re-times signals on the powerline for improved network coverage. They also meet the active and standby power requirements for adapters of the Energy using Products Directive Lot 6.

For more information, click here.