Technicolor collaborates with Intel for next generation smart set-top boxes

Technicolor announced that it is collaborating with Intel on its latest system on a chip, the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4200, formerly code-named Groveland.

The strategic collaboration will fuel Technicolor's plan to drive into the market a new generation of integrated broadcast and IP set-top boxes, enabling service providers to create exciting new multi-screen, 3D, games and online video user experiences in the home.

The collaboration agreement with Intel has allowed Technicolor to test early prototype silicon, provide technical recommendations to Intel, and prove new STB designs. Technicolor has developed an early 3D Multiview Coding (MVC) and video transcoding demonstration of the chipset capabilities to illustrate its potential in delivering the next generation TV experience. The first devices from Technicolor are expected to be in production early in 2011.

Solution expected to bring enhanced interactive TV experience to millions of homes

Leveraging ActiveVideo’s CloudTV Platform and Cisco’s multi-screen Content Delivery System (CDS), an end-user will be able to navigate the Interactive Program Guide (IPG) application on an iPad to select live, time-shifted or VOD content to be displayed seamlessly on their TV or directly on their iPad anywhere throughout the home, through a Wi-Fi network.

The companies anticipate the combination of ActiveVideo’s cloud-based platform and Cisco’s multi-screen Content Delivery System (CDS) will allow cable system operators and IPTV providers throughout the world to quickly introduce innovative interactive applications to digital set-top boxes (EBIF and tru2way), CI+ connected televisions and IP-Connected devices.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe explores new roles for mobile devices and communications services

CONNECTIONS Europe: Monetizing Connectivity and User Interfaces, November 15-16 in Amsterdam, features the session “Mobile Video: The Cloud, the App Store, & the Connected Home” to examine these new mobile business strategies. Parks Associates forecasts data ARPU will continue to grow to almost 50% of per-user revenues for mobile services by 2014.

VP of Research and Principal Analyst, Kurt Scherf will moderate “Mobile Video: The Cloud, the App Store, & the Connected Home” on November 16, the final day of CONNECTIONS Europe.

Session Speakers:

-- David Noguer Bau, Head of Carrier Ethernet & Multiplay Marketing, Juniper Networks
-- Martial Bellec, Innovation Programme Manager, France Telecom-Orange Labs
-- Klaus Milczewsky, Senior Manager, Deutsche Telekom AG
-- Peter Percosan, Chief Technology Officer, Cable Europe Labs
-- Andy Tiller, Marketing Vice Chair, Femto Forum

For more information, visit http://www.connectionseurope.com.

Technicolor to supply advanced HD set-top boxes to Astro

Technicolor recently announced that it has won a further contract from Astro, Malaysia’s leading integrated cross-media group. Already an established supplier of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 set-top boxes for standard definition broadcasting, Technicolor is now to supply High Definition (HD) MPEG-4 STBs with local recording capability to support Astro’s move to offer more technology-adapting services and products to its close to 3 million and growing customer base.

The innovative HD enabled STB to be supplied by Technicolor includes the ability to record to an external disk or disks, allowing subscribers the convenience and flexibility to tailor their recording capability to meet their own requirements.

Deliveries of the new STB are now underway, while at the same time Technicolor will also provide locally-based and extensive logistics and after-sales support to Astro.

State of the Worldwide Digital Television Market

The global market for television services continues to grow despite persistent economic challenges throughout the world. Most of this growth is occurring in digital technologies, with digital terrestrial and cable services supplanting their analog counterparts while IPTV providers fight to increase their piece of the television services pie.

Increased awareness of what is possible on the TV has driven consumer interest in these services, and competition has caused many providers around the globe to evaluate and introduce advanced TV features that leverage digital technologies. Companies in developed nations, including North America and Europe, are rolling out on-demand, interactive, and time/place-shifting offerings. Several providers in emerging markets, such as China and India, are working on digitalization of their services, and they are exploring the new features made possible by this technological shift.

To read more about the State of the Worldwide Digital Television Market, subscribe to Parks Associates' European Research Update Newsletter.

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Boxee to launch OTT set-top in Europe in November

US-based online TV provider Boxee is to join Apple and Google by launching an over-the-top TV set-top box in November.

Boxee will launch the device internationally. The box, manufactured by D-Link, will be available in a number of European countries including Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. More info

BT Collaborates With Cisco To Deliver Online Video Platform

British Telecommunications Wholesale has announced it has chosen Cisco's Content Delivery System as the 'backbone' for its, open online video delivery network - Content Connect - designed to improve the experience of watching and listening to digital content on the web.

The Cisco Content Delivery System (CDS) using medianet technologies enables BT Wholesale to establish broadband as a TV platform. Content Connect will deliver digital content to any computer, TV or mobile device on behalf of UK internet service providers giving broadcasters access to a large end user base – irrespective of service provider or technology.

Media groups already use content delivery networks but in many cases these services only reach the edge of the ISP network, with the final stage delivered 'over the top' with no guarantees on the quality of service. The collaboration with Cisco helps ensure that BT's next generation Content Connect platform can cache content deep in the broadband network and so deliver it much closer to the end user – avoiding congested areas of the network. This, in turn, enables broadcasters to provide video content – and in the future live TV - with an assured level of service all the way to the viewer, providing uninterrupted access even at peak times. This provides broadcasters with the predictable user experience critical to supporting advertising or pay models.

Based on Cisco CDS, BT Wholesale's Content Connect service can offer a UK-wide service with quality of service (QoS) assurance and detailed reporting and analytics on how the customers' content is being consumed. CDS also enables customers using BT Wholesale's platform to monitor network status, and a broad array of details about the broadband user experience – all available on a single portal-based view. And, security concerns are reduced as content delivery will take place within a private network, avoiding the internet altogether.

Philips Home Control celebrates 1 billionth milestone in remote control production

Philips Home Control is proud to announce it has now produced 1 billion remote controls since manufacturing commenced in 1991. This achievement underscores Philips' leadership position in remote control production for OEM customers worldwide.

Philips has pioneered remote control technology, having played a key role in the development of industry standards such as RC5, RC6, RCMM and recently ZigBeeRF4CE, providing for an extensive portfolio of features and solutions that improve the performance, ease-of-use and functionality of remote controls. Over the years, Home Control has expanded to provide both standard and customized wireless input and control solutions for major electronics manufacturers worldwide.

As one of its founding members, Philips brought deep market and application knowledge combined with technology experience into the RF4CE consortium. Being a co-founder of this major breakthrough technology ensures that Philips is the perfect partner to guide OEM‟s when deciding to switch to RF.

And as interaction with TV & STB's is needed more than ever, text input solutions are omnipresent, offering unprecedented ease of use. With smart solutions such as a dual face keyboard, Philips shows sophistication & technology can coincide perfectly.

Allegro Software joins CONNECTIONS 2011 Sponsor List

Parks Associates welcome Allegro Software, a global leader in providing Internet Software for Embedded devices, to the newest list of sponsors for the 2011 CONNECTIONS Conference in Santa Clara.

Allegro Software Development Corporation is the premier provider of UPnP networking and device management technologies specifically targeted at embedded Internet applications. Since 1996, Allegro has been a force in the evolution of device management solutions with its RomPager embedded web server toolkit. Now also an active contributor to UPnP / DLNA initiatives, Allegro supplies a range of UPnP toolkits that offer portability, easy integration and full compliance with UPnP device specifications.

Allegro is headquartered in Boxborough, MA. For more information about Allegro, visit www.allegrosoft.com.

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